Plumbing Your Kayak!

You can use two drain pipes normally used to connect a sink to plumbing pipes to hold a split paddle on your fore deck.
Make a diagonal cut on the long end of the drain pipe. This slanted cut will make it easier to slip the paddle shaft into the pipe. Use a file to take the edge off the cut. You can also file a notch in the top of the cut to help the release button slip past and into the pipe. Now drill holes at the base of the elbow of each pipe. Run a bungee cord through the holes and either snap the ends of the bungee's onto your deck lines or whip them on. I've used some black zip straps and a couple of bungee hooks to secure the pipes to the deck lines. Don't cut the pipes to short or you run the risk of large waves washing the paddle shafts out when you are breaking out in larger surf. The blade end of your paddles are secured by your fore deck bungees. I strongly recommend replacing the smaller diameter bungee cords that come with most kayaks with thicker and stronger lines. Takes about an hour to add these to your fore deck. My experience has been that straight shaft paddles secure easier then bent shaft paddles. This may be becasue I cut the plastic pipes too short.