Storage UNDER the tramp?

In the Hobie catalogue the collapsible paddle is described as "stows away under the front crossbar". (p33) Elsewhere in the H16 forum someone says "I strap them under the tramp with bungie cord."

I've got two paddles which I have just slotted under the footstraps on the tramp (on top) closest to the mast. I'd like to be able to store them under the front or side beams or under the tramp so that I can keep the tramp clearer. How to do this?

This doesn't answer your question directly but what I usually do is take my telescoping padle and wedge into the lacing lines. The blade of the paddle nestles right under the tramp. Kind of like the way you would store a guitar pick in the strings, I don't know if your familiar with that or not. It's a little tricky getting it out though, I have to pass it from one hand to the other until it gets to the front crossbar. I'd also be interested in hearing how other sailors store their paddles, assuming you carry them; those lake winds can be shifty.

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James
86' Redline Hobie 16
Sail # 76909

A few years ago my wife and I were sailing our h16 in some fairly strong winds at Stockton lake in Missouri, lots of whitecaps and we were having a blast. All of a sudden we heard a loud POP, we thought the rigging was coming down, it was not. I had a wooden paddle straped under the tramp at the dolphen striker and the pressure of the waves snapped it it too. I now keep my plastic, full size, paddle on top of the tramp wedged between the laces right in front of the traveler and tied off with a bungee. I have learned my lesson and I will not strap another one under the tramp by the dolphen striker.
John

I tuck my telescoping paddle into the lacing underneath near the back. Seems to do just fine there. The only time I have needed it was when the rig came down last fall. I rigged and launched on a boat ramp and collected my two boys from the dock and went ripping out of the marina area on a screaming starboard reach. By the time we went to tack for the first time we were about a mile out of the marina. The wind was blowing about 15 Knots and it was a great reach. The instant we tacked, down came the mast. When I checked the starboard stay, the pin was gone and was also not in the chain plate (or whatever they are called on a catamaran). I must have neglected to put the locking pin in. We have never really been able to figure it out. Anyway, with one paddle that was about the toughest 1 mile I have ever traveled. I'm going for 2 paddles from now on. With the wind against us it took about 3 hours of constant work to make it in.

How did you strap the paddle under the tramp? I can't see anything to strap it to unless you used the dolphin striker?

I appreciate your comments about not putting anything under the tramp but I find that the gib sheets and the the gib traveller sheet keep getting tangled on whatever I store on top of the tramp (tramp bag, paddles). It would be nice to keep the tramp clean.

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Anthony
88 H16 "Moonshine"

I also put mine in the lacing under the tramp but with the blade facing backwards so the wave will not catch it. I guess, they could pull it out if it got loose enough, humm.

Sorry, I failed to mention that I had the paddle strapped to the bottom of a cooler rack, just in front of the dolphin striker when it broke. I keep my paddle in the tramp laces in front of the Main Traveler, not the jib traveler.
John

Hi bananahead

Do you not get problems with the mainsheet getting caught in and around the paddles when they're tied there?
Anthony

Mine being closer to the front of the boat, it would be a real trick to get the main sheet raped around it.

Sam

Thanks bananahead for that clarification. I thought when you said in front of the main traveller you meant at the back of the boat. I've tried threading my paddles into the lacing at the front of the tramp but I found that I (or my crew) had to be very careful not to tangle the gibsheet and gib traveller sheet (is that what its called?) around the paddle (especially the broad bit of the paddle - the handle is nicely concealed). Do you have this problem?

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Anthony
88 H16 "Moonshine"

Have you tried threading the paddle into the lacing lines so that the blade of the paddle is nestled under the tramp, as opposed to on the tramp? If your lacing is tight it ought to stay right there.

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James
86' Redline Hobie 16
Sail # 76909

Thanks abbman. I hadn't thought of that possibility. I'll try that later this week.

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Anthony
88 H16 "Moonshine"

My paddle IS strapped to the back of the boat right in front of the main traveler. Since it is a full sized paddle it goes across the tramp and I do not have to worry about it getting caught in the main sheet. I slide the paddle end of it under the laces twice as far as I need to, then I slide the handle under the laces toward the middle and then through the laces on the opposite side, and then I secure it with a bungee somewhere in the middle, yes it is a little tough to get it in, but it is there for emergencies or lack of wind when whistling for wind for an hour does not work, Ha, ha. The only problem I have had is releasing the traveler cleat once in a while. I was hoping to buy one of the collapsable paddles this year and I will use the advice from this post to help me secure it.
John[/u]

Kiwihobie,
Have you had a chance to try out the new paddle location?

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James
86' Redline Hobie 16
Sail # 76909

Hi James

Yes I did try new paddle positions. I found the best position one was the blade of the paddle about 2/3 toward the back of the tramp, the handle through the laces, under the tramp and back up again so the handle just comes throught he lacing right up by the front corssbar.

It was a mission just to get the paddle back up through the laces again but once we did it stayed there nice and snug and didn't get in the way once.

I haven't tried putting the blade under the tramp, threading the handle up and then back under the tramp becaue I thought this would be more difficult to retrieve the paddle if I ever needed it - I'd need to reach right under the boat. This position would probably be easier to thread through the laces though.

Thanks everyone for the tips!

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Anthony
88 H16 "Moonshine"