# Oar Tethers or strong line



## Quiggle (Nov 18, 2012)

I can only really think of positives.


----------



## PDX Duck (Mar 17, 2015)

One positive - some of the fancy strap style oar tethers don’t work worth a shit 🤭


----------



## bigwatertoby (Nov 8, 2008)

PDX Duck said:


> One positive - some of the fancy strap style oar tethers don’t work worth a shit 🤭


What PDX said. Stick with the prusik cord


----------



## Quiggle (Nov 18, 2012)

One positive is that it takes such little time to rig them up you get plenty of time to watch people figure out their new expensive ones while you wait to launch..


----------



## craven_morhead (Feb 20, 2007)

One that I've heard thrown around is that with a strong enough cord, the oars won't break away if you're getting maytagged. I could see that being either a positive or a negative, depending on how much you like your oars and how much you're worried about getting smashed in the head/rest of you by them.


----------



## jamesthomas (Sep 12, 2010)

The ones with the metal rings make noise. Had to get rid of em. Stout cord and proper sized bowline knots are the ticket.


----------



## B4otter (Apr 20, 2009)

Breaking strength of webbing versus prusik or parachute cord is one reason to stick with cord. I watched a raft get beat to shit because oar attached to it stuck in rocks and held boat in current while it was stripped of pretty much everything except frame... cord is easier to cut as well.


----------



## MT4Runner (Apr 6, 2012)

The thing I like about some of the commercial webbing systems is that they generally have a quick release. You can't as quickly cut the webbing, but you can unsnap them.

I like prussik/cord because it's easy to cut, will probably break when it needs to, and it's quiet.

I've started using a trigger snap with my prussik/cord and think it's the best of both worlds.


----------



## John_in_Loveland (Jun 9, 2011)

thanks everyone. You just saved me $80.


----------



## Critter70 (Nov 22, 2016)

If you want to go with webbing just use a loop strap, but I will agree the stupid metal ring is a total pain, noisy, gets hung up, for awhile I just couldn’t figure out why my oarlocks made so much noise, and it was the damn metal ring sliding.


----------



## PDX Duck (Mar 17, 2015)

Loop strap is a legit solution


----------



## dirtbagkayaker (Oct 29, 2008)

Watch the link below to learn why traditional oar tethers are a waste of money. Link below.


----------



## Andy H. (Oct 13, 2003)

Critter70 said:


> If you want to go with webbing just use a loop strap


+1 on the loop straps. No reliance on plastic fastex buckles, cheap, super easy to release and reattach the oars.


----------



## yesimapirate (Oct 18, 2010)

+2 for loop straps on both my boats. Tuff River Stuff's to be exact. I put a stainless ring on the oar shaft and loop the strap to it. Easy to get apart and together. Also, can keep the 1/2 looped to the oar stand in place by cam'ing it to a frame strap while in transit.


----------



## Bootboy (Aug 25, 2020)

I just use 5mm cord with a loop tied on the oar side and a snap or cheap non-rated carabiner on the frame side. It’s quiet and strong enough to be secure in the event of a flip, but not so strong that it won’t break away before doing damage to either your oars or frame.


----------



## Whitewater Worthy Equip (Dec 11, 2013)

Oar Tethers - Whitewater Worthy


Keep your expensive oars attached to your boat with these simple and quite tethers. Price is for set of two. See the below link for an explanation of how these work. Oar tethers explained Posted by Whitewater Worthy Equipment, LLC on Tuesday, April 17, 2018 This item is Made To Order




www.whitewaterworthy.com





Here is our solution.They are quiet, strong and effective.


----------



## MT4Runner (Apr 6, 2012)

Whitewater Worthy Equip said:


> Oar Tethers - Whitewater Worthy
> 
> 
> Keep your expensive oars attached to your boat with these simple and quite tethers. Price is for set of two. See the below link for an explanation of how these work. Oar tethers explained Posted by Whitewater Worthy Equipment, LLC on Tuesday, April 17, 2018 This item is Made To Order
> ...


And you can release them under a load.

If you're releasing an oar in a panic situation, it's probably under a load!


----------



## Will Amette (Jan 28, 2017)

I use 5mm or 6mm line. If it needs to break, I hope it does. If it doesn't need to break, it keeps the oar floating near the boat and easy to pull back aboard.

I just tie a bowline around the oar shaft barely loose enough that it can slide freely. I have a Cambridge frame, and I tie the other end onto the oar tower with a modified bowline. I don't pull the tag end all the way through, but just tighten it up on a bight. If I need to release it, I just tug on the tag end, and the bowline will release. 

And since nobody asked.... I prefer my spare oars with blade towards the stern and handles forward. The handles make a nice blade rest. It's easier to get on and off the boat. If I need to deploy one, I just undo ONE cam and slide the oar out from the front. It takes a moment longer to shove it into the oarlock, but it takes three moments FEWER to release it from storage; overall, it works.


----------



## flumphboy (Aug 25, 2020)

dirtbagkayaker said:


> Watch the link below to learn why traditional oar tethers are a waste of money. Link below.


I finally got a call back from the guy who makes these and he is ordering parts to put them together. So get at him soon if you want some. I believe my quoted price was $55. Only accepts checks or cash.


----------

