Leashes are one of the most indispensable pieces of surfboard equipment, as they help connect surfers to their boards during wipeouts and prevent them from falling off during crashes.
Thank goodness there are a few easy steps you can follow to ensure your leash is securely attached, enabling you to enjoy an uninterrupted day of surfing without worry! Once this task has been accomplished, the sky is truly the limit when it comes to experiencing all that surfing has to offer!
Leash Length
Leashes are essential pieces of surf equipment; without one, your board could fly away from you or be pulled off of you in the line-up, possibly breaking your neck in the process. A poorly attached leash could even cause you to trip and break it – not exactly something anyone wants while chasing their dreams of wave-riding!
When selecting a leash, keep several factors in mind when making your selection: board length, thickness, and amount of drag it creates in the water. A thick leash will be more durable and less likely to snap, while creating more drag in the form of water resistance which could slow you down; on the other hand, thinner leashes tend to be more flexible and easier to break than their thick counterparts.
Your surfboard leash should extend about 6 inches beyond its actual length for optimal safety. A short leash may allow your board to ricochet back, increasing injury risks. A long leash adds unnecessary drag, increasing risk and potentially becoming caught up on rocks, other surfers or coastal structures.
Leashes come in various lengths: 5 feet, 6 feet, 7 feet, 8 feet or 9 feet. When selecting one for your board, ensure it does not surpass its actual length (for instance a 5’7 shortboard will need at least 6 feet of leash length).
No matter your choice of longboard or shortboard, its cord should be made of polyurethane to maximize durability and flexibility. Furthermore, at least 7mm in diameter must be provided on standard-sized longboards while 6mm diameter may suffice when used for shorterboards.
To securely fasten a leash to your surfboard, all it takes is pushing one end through a leash plug installed in your board’s hole – most boards already include these but if not you can easily add one yourself with a screwdriver or drill.
Once your leash is attached to your surfboard, it is essential to ensure the rail saver on its plug is securely in place against its rail – this prevents its string from cutting into the rail when subjected to powerful hold downs, potentially leading to its snapping.
Leash Cord
Surfboard leashes are an essential piece of gear when it comes to surfing, yet can pose serious hazards if not used correctly. A leash should prevent your surfboard from coming loose or becoming dislodged in the waves and becoming inaccessible, potentially leading to wipeout or accident.
Attaching your leash correctly is also essential in order to avoid damage to your board or accidentally tripping over it. To make sure it’s attached correctly, follow these simple steps to attach it properly and ensure it stays there!
Initial consideration should be to ensure the length of your leash matches that of your board. A shorter leash could cause your board to move around too much when riding it, posing risks of hitting you should it slip or fall off.
Next, thread the leash cord through the plug on your board. You may need to pinch together both ends of the cord while doing this step.
Once your leash cord has been threaded through your board, secure it by tying a knot in it to keep it secure. Some surfboard leashes feature sewn loops for this task; otherwise you must tie an overhand knot with cord in an effort to hold in place.
Once your knot is tied, insert the leash string through your board’s rail saver and pull it through to the other side, pulling until tight enough to prevent your rail saver from coming loose in the water.
Another way to ensure your leash is attached correctly is by checking its cuff, whether made of leather or nylon. This will provide extra support for your legs when riding waves.
Checking some leash models requires checking their swivel as it helps lighten the burden on the rope by allowing it to twist and spin freely without becoming knotted up.
As is important when surfing with others, your leash should never connect to their surfboards as this could prove hazardous in various scenarios such as when using reefs and jagged rocks for reefing, as well as impeding other surfers from leaving the water quickly enough. Furthermore, attaching your leash could prevent other surfers from leaving when exiting the water altogether.
Leash Plug
As a beginner to surfing, one of the first items you will require is a leash for your surfboard. Without one, your board may just drift away when you fall off, making turns difficult or waves unridable.
An appropriate leash is an essential piece of equipment for any surfer and comes in various lengths to meet various conditions and surfboard sizes. Once you’ve selected one, learn how to attach it securely to your board.
As soon as attaching your leash, it is vital that the urethane cord does not come in contact with the rails of your surfboard as this could damage it irreparably. A rail saver, typically attached at one end of the urethane cord, can protect your board against its effects during powerful hold-downs.
Attaching a surfboard leash requires feeding its string through its plug on your surfboard’s plug. Do this by pinching together its ends opposite to where the knot lies and threading them through (Image 1).
Once the leash string has been fed through, its end should be tied in a tight loop to secure its length and prevent accidental cuts while falling off your board. Any excess leash length could pierce through and cut through, potentially injuring both yourself and the surfboard itself when falling.
If your leash does not come equipped with a rail saver, you will need to buy one separately. A rail saver is made of heavy-duty nylon designed to prevent the urethane cord from hitting and cutting into your board’s rails during wipeouts.
Traditional rail savers were sold separately; however, many premium leash brands now include them directly onto their leash strings. Simply thread your leg attachment end through the loop and pull tightly so it is as tight as possible.
Leash Loop
Leashes are essential to surfer safety as they allow surfboards to remain at an appropriate distance from riders during wipeouts, which can be potentially life-threatening. Furthermore, leashes aid in getting back into the water after falls as well as stopping boards from drifting away and breaking.
To attach a leash, first determine its length – ideally it should equal or slightly exceed that of your surfboard length. A leash that is too short could add drag to your board, limiting its ability to catch waves properly or leading to serious injury.
Leashes that are too long can make it more challenging to return the board after an accidental wipeout, and could create other complications, including tangles and added drag in the water. Furthermore, too-long leashes may prevent surfers from swimming back to shore in case of an emergency situation such as break-in or other threats to safety.
Once you have selected an appropriate leash length, the next step should be tying it securely to your surfboard. To do this, fold one end of the cord in half and tie an overhand knot at two inches – tighten this loop tightly so it remains attached to your surfboard.
Next, place the other end of the cord into the leash plug on the board. Pull its untied end back through until it meets up with where you made your loop and tighten as much of a knot as possible before retying.
Cord should not extend past the tail of your surfboard as this could obstruct its rail during an accidental wipeout and result in permanent dings that need repairing or replacement.
Most surf leashes come equipped with a rail saver to prevent the urethane cord from cutting into the tail of a board during a wipeout, which is very important. Any quality leash should come equipped with this safeguard.