Northwater Rod Tip Protectors

Northwater make paddle britches, designed for storing spare split paddles on the bow of a sea kayak. These also double up as useful rod tip protectors! Ideal for storing rod tips in surf launches/landings and when transporting the kayak to and from the water.

They simply attach to the deck lines at the bow of a kayak, using 6 velcro tabs. If your kayak doesn't have bow lines then some pad eyes could be fixed at the bow for attachment. The tubes are held open by rigid plastic so it is fairly easy to poke the rod tips in even whilst seated in the kayak.

They are ideal for surf launches/landings. There is always a high risk of tipping the kayak in the surf zone. If rods are left protruding above the deck they are likely to get damaged or destroyed when tumbling around with the kayak, even in small waves. The paddle britches allow you to lay the rods flat against the deck, reducing the risk of damage should you find the kayak upside down in the surf zone. 

The britches keep the rod tips stowed against the hull but the rod butts still need to be fixed to the kayak to keep them in place should the kayak flip. Although not shown in the photo above, i am using a length of shock-cord/bungee with plastic snap hook ends to clip onto the drinks holder on the Tempo, around the rods and then back onto the drinks holder. This will keep the rods down against the deck. It would be easy enough to fix some pad eyes to the centre console area of a kayak for this purpose.

The paddle britches are also great for keeping the rod tips stored away whilst transporting the kayak to and from the water so that no one gets poked in the eye by a rogue rod tip! When at kayak competitions it is often compulsory to not have rod tips poking out from the confines of the kayak when on land, for public safety at the launch venue. The britches are a tidy solution to complying with this rule, if needed.

I think they are great and they have become a regular addition to my Tempo. They are made from waterproof material and seem to be pretty durable, I can see them lasting many seasons of use.

Northwater Paddle Britches are available to buy from Cornwall Canoes - Check out their website for more info.