> I can't take credit for the pictures -- they're right off of Eric Schade's
> website, shearwater-boats.com. I think these particular pictures are of an
> Outer Island that Eric built.

> Unfortunately, I don't have any pictures of my Tern. I installed the
> fittings in the same spread as Pygmy called out for their plastic
> pad-eyes. I think they work perfectly in those locations. I put all 8 of
> them centered on the deck shear panel, not on the main deck panels that
> you see in some of the pictures on Pygmy's site. If you use a Greenland
> (narrow) paddle, you might consider making the rear ones closer together
> in the fore/aft direction so that they hold your paddle more securely
> during a paddle-float re-entry. That peak in the aft deck makes keeping
> that paddle secure difficult enough...

> You might be a bit concerned about mounting the fittings in the shear
> panel because this is where your knuckles will be if you take a close
> stroke. Don't be -- they're far enough foreward. I haven't had any
> problems dragging my knuckles on the bungees, but I do drag them on the
> coaming lip every now and then. But then I use a narrow paddle in a low
> position, so if you use a euro paddle this may not be a problem. I think
> the Tern's cockpit is too big, so now I'm building an Outer Island that
> I'll have to shoe-horn myself into...

> Happy building!

> Dean

Dean,

I used rails for the rigging on my Tern. They hold the paddle flat across the rails and center ridge for paddle float re-entries. They also haven't caused any spray problems on the foredeck, The Tern is a dry kayak, if the deck is getting enough water on it to create spray from the rails then you've got spray coming directly from the waves.

Also I run my tie down straps under the rails when I transport it. This gives even more security.

Mike