# Fishing tip # 717. Coiled Safety Lanyard.



## captken

<P class=MsoNormal style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt">VOL 8-1 Fishing tip # 7XX Coil Keeper<P class=MsoNormal style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt"><?xml:namespace prefix = o ns = "urn:schemas-microsoft-comfficeffice" /><o></o><P class=MsoNormal style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt">Here is a super strong safety device you might have a need for. I make them in various lengths and strengths for specific purposes. Need a longer or shorter ?Kill Switch? lanyard? Paddle leash for your yak? How about a safety line for a rod and reel? These rigs are easy to make, super strong, and doggone convenient. Fittings on the ends of the coil will vary with the application.







<P class=MsoNormal style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt">Here is how to make your own. You?ll need 300-600 # test mono (I used 300# in the photos.) and a short length of ½-5/8? dowel as shown below. Insert the mono into one of the holes in the dowel and wrap the mono around the dowel as shown below. Insert the bitter end of the mono thru the second hole and pull tight.







<P class=MsoNormal style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt"><o></o><P class=MsoNormal style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt">You will need 2 pots big enough to submerge the entire dowel and mono in. Add about 2? of water into pot one and bring to a boil. Drop the dowel and mono into the pot and boil for 5 minutes. Add several inches of cold water to the 2<SUP>nd</SUP> pot and add crushed ice to make it as cold as possible. <P class=MsoNormal style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt"><o></o><P class=MsoNormal style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt">After boiling the mono for 5 minutes, plunge it into the cold water as fast as possible. After a minute or so, remove the dowel and mono and uncoil.<P class=MsoNormal style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt"><o></o><P class=MsoNormal style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt">Install whatever you need on the ends of the coiled leash using leader sleeves.<P class=MsoNormal style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt"><o></o>


----------



## snagem 1

Excellent idea!:bowdown


----------



## Heller High Water

Awesome!


----------



## SheYakFishr

Ken... THAT is just too cool!!! I never knew you could make your own. I always try to find old cell phone chargers for like .50 each and cut the ends off. Hmmm.. I might have to get some higher pound mono. Thanks for sharing that tip!!! :bowdown :clap :letsdrink


----------



## captken

These things really work great on a Hawiain Sling. The shaft slides thru the coil so there is nothing to tangle. They are out of the way as safety lines on trolling rods.

If you've never handled it, 600# mono is awesome. I recently snelled a couple of 20/0 hooks on a piece.


----------



## cribbs55

That has to be the coolest tip I have ever seen!!!

Cant wait to BOIL UP SOME LANYARDS !


----------



## pcolapaddler

Excellent!


----------



## Danno

Once again, Capt thank you for sharing.


----------



## Orion45

Thanks for the great tip.


----------



## fishin' fool

That is totally cool!! Thank you.


----------



## fishnfrenzy

Awesome, I will definately be making a few as I have already lost 2 rods this year!!!


----------



## captken

I just made a paddle leash using hot orange weed eater line. Now my yak is Blue with Orange.

This is a quick and fun project. Used as a rod leash, you can fight the fish without having to remove the safety line.

I've probably made hundreds of these things in the past 40 years.

All of the tips I have in my E-books have been personally tested. If I remember correctly, my uncle A. V. Walters came up with the mono coil tip. He made some cool gizmos. My Dad was very inventive too. One of these days, I'll have the E-Books ready to go.


----------



## WW2

If you run for president you have my vote.


----------



## captken

If I become your President, I will not take the flag off US1.


----------



## Capt. AHO

Made some on Wednesday. Thank you for the great info. I like doing it myself and getting to show my son how to do something is always fun. I will have to try some of the weed eater cord to get some color in there. Thanks Capt. Ken. Do you happen to have the fusion reactor plans I need some everlasting engery. Ha Ha.


----------



## Lakewoodwife

Thx for the idea, Capt!! That's awesome.

Be right back ........gotta run up to Outcast!!


----------



## captken

I heard a tale last night about a guy who managed to fall out of his canoe and the canoe sailed away, down wind, faster than he could swim. He said that he realized in less than a minute that he'd never catch the canoeand swam toward the nearest shore. The nearest shore was an island where he was marooned for a couple of days until he could hail a passing boat. He was canoeing the "Boundary Waters" in Northern Minnesota. The water tmperature was in the 60's.

One of these safety lanyards secured to something on the canoe could have prevented his ordeal.

Anytime you are fishing alone, you should take every reasonable safety precaution. I have 4 grandkids. I'd like to stay around a while to see how they turn out. Looks like I will make another lanyard tomorrow. 

A couple ofcautionswith lanyards: Be sure to disconnect from it before you try to get out of the boat. A kill switch lanyard darn near pulled me off the dock a while back. Use a secure clip but make sure it is one you can un-clip in an emergency should you get entangled.

Sometimes we create traps for ourselves. Please "Think-through" what you are doing when using these lanyards.


----------



## David Ridenour

Capt, I just saw this and can think of 100 uses or future uses. Thanks for all the tips and bringing this one back to the top.


----------



## jigslinger

Ken, you ought to be on "Survivor". Good Stuff!


----------



## captken

Think a little about the heating and cooling process. Can you come up with other applications? I darn sure can! 

I'll try to show another one today.


----------



## Framerguy

Here are some of the leashes I made out of weedeater .095 diam. string. I found these really nifty rolls of velcro straps at either WalleyWorld or a local hardware store, I forget just where I picked them up. You get 50 of them for a couple of bucks and they are really a neat idea. I don't know if anyone has tried them yet but they work really great even on rod/reel combinations. They pull off the roll, have a slot so you can thread them back through the slot to make a loop for attachment to the leash and you simply wrap them around the item you want to tie in the kayak. There is loop material on one side and hook material on the other side and you wrap it around whatever you want to keep in your possession and over itself and it will hold quite well. I am going to put 5 or 6 on my crate, a few on cleats around the cargo areas of my 'yak, and also in the cockpit to hold my fishing pliers, knife, etc., and see how they hold up under the salt water treatment.










The photo above shows a roll of the straps, a single strap laid out showing the slot and the tapered end, and one attached to a leash. The photo below shows some that I boiled on the stove and 2 that I boiled in the microwave. It seemed to work just as well as the stove and didn't take as long to get the job done.










Here are the type that Pam was referring to except these are the old squiggly phone cords from days gone by!










These velcro loops are very strong and will hold about anythingattached tothe 'yak during a flipover. It doesn't take a piece of industrial strength velcro to hold a 2 lb. rod and reel, just one of these straps wrapped around the handle of the rod_ over itself_ and you are good to go. It has to be wrapped OVER itself and not simply wrapped around from tip to the end of the leash or it may just unroll in a flipover though. I wrapped one of these leashes onto a rigged up fishing rod and laid the tip of the rod down on the carpet. I then yoyo'ed the leash up and down and the velcro strap never came loose or even loosened up at all. They seem to be much stronger and hold much better than what one would need to keep a rod and reel attached to and overturned kayak as long as you use the overhand wrap to attach them to the object.

I experimented with using thin wall PVC tubing to wrap the string around for boiling and that worked only marginally. You had to be very careful taking the rig out of the boiling water to transfer it to the ice water, the PVC becomes _very _pliable when heated completely through! But it _did_ work. I just had to use a light hand with the tongs when removingthe boiled string rigfrom the hot water. 

I also tried .125 diam. string which worked great, I tried the string that had the fluted edges along its length (they say it cuts better than smooth string??), and it also worked well. The only thing I couldn't get to hold a good set, and it may have been because I only boiled it for 12 or 13 minutes, was that huge honkin' red poly string that Sears sells for people who own those string trimmers that use 4 or 5 of the 12" to 18" lengths oflarge diameter poly string that are cut individually from this roll. It is sort of twisted in a rotini shape and is almost 1/4" in diameter. 

I guess there are limits to how large you can make these things. But that's how one learns, eh??


----------



## captken

I never thought of using the coil and Velcro together. Awesome!

Right now, I am working on the Kayak book so I'll play with Velcro with the lanyard.

I have a few pool noodle gizmos for yaks that I want to get right before using them.


----------



## captken

*I forgot to add thisin the original post.* 

When I needed a line on my old Sea Hornet for wreck shooting, I added a 12' coil to my slide ring and attached the other end toa shocker which was attached to the eye on the front of my gun gun. My shafts were always at least a foot longer than the barrel of my gun so the coil slid easily on the shaft. Rigged this way, there was no tangling and reloading was a snap. The shaft shot right thru the coil. I can't prove it but I'd bet there was less resistance with the coiled mono so the spear got there sooner with more retained energy.

I sold my last spear gun a couple of years ago so I can't furnish a photo. If anybody needs clarification, I will make one of my infamous drawings. Heck, I'll try to do it with MS DRAW.


----------



## ladyfisher101

Wow!


----------



## littledavid

Really cool tip. It looks easy too. I need a couple of really strong safety lanyards and these should do the trick. 

Questions: How strong is large weedeater string? Is it as easy to coil as regular monifilament? Where can I get large mono without buying a 3# spool?

There must be a thousand tips on this forum and you have written dozens of the best.

Thank you Capt.

Davy


----------



## captken

Kinda hard to believe that this tip has had darn near 6000 reads. I've probably made several hundred of these things for me and for friends. I sold a few for a while and lots of my clients took one or more home with them when they left the boat

I haven't looked but I'll bet there aren't many tips on this site that have had more reads. Kinda cool.

This tip should show up in book # 3.

I'm compiling a bunch of short stories right now. It is a real B!+(# to try to proof read your own stuff and I am having a really tough time right now.


----------



## N-Reel-Trouble

I've been wanting to do this since you posted it, just never went out and got the mono to do it! What size sleeves did you use for the weedeater string? I've got a ton of .095 orange string, I'll just use that!


----------



## captken

Wish I could help with leader sleeve size but weedeater string comes in lots of sizes too. Just take a piece of the string to the tackle store..

By the way, there are several options for what to do on the ends of the lanyard. Simple loops work fine. I've used 300# snap swivels lots of times. Somebody showed a Velcro strap in a reply to this post. I made one. Thank you whoever. maybe I ought to add your name. I'll have to go back.

Snap your pliers onto a short coiled lanyard then snap to your belt. You won't lose pliers.


----------



## captken

I was in ACE Hardware in Homosassa today and found tiny cable sleeves that will work fine with the heaviest Weedeater String. You can buy them one at a time. Take a spool of weed eater string over to the fastener department and get the correct size sleeve for it.

This sure beats having to buy a package of leader sleeves for 5 bucks and only use a couple of them. If you are like me, You will use 2 out of a package then forget where you put the package. Then, one more trip to the hardware store.


----------



## captken

*Is there anything I can do to fix this tip?*

The text is terribly screwed up. I was looking for this tip tonight so I could send a link to a friend in Oklahoma. I guess I'll have to clean it up a bit with another reply.


----------



## DragonSlayer

Thanks, I'll make some of these soon. Good read.


----------



## captken

*Update needed.*

I need to re-format the text for this one to get rid of the gobbledegook in its present form. I'll see if I can edit the original first. That would sure make it easier and more usable too.

Actually, I'd like to edit all of the unusable tips on here. Lots of good information in a totally unusable form.


----------



## badonskybuccaneers

I could make out the jest of it- really good info. That's a lot of hits for one post- is that a record? Hey, weren't you working on a book?


----------



## captken

*Book*

Yep I have a fishing tips book. A link to it is on every one of my posts.

I don't have a clue what the view record on this site is but the Coiled Lanyard has gotta be right up there.


----------



## captken

*If somebody will tell me how, I'll re-do the text in the original post.*

I've tried to edit the original post a few times but can't get to it. Maybe I can send the text to one of the mods and he can do it.
There are a bunch of others that are more worthwhile, at least in my opinion.

This tip is kinda cool to use plus being easy and fun to make.


----------



## Joraca

Cool! I was about to look up this post to make a kill-switch lanyard, and it was already back to the top! Thanks CaptKen!


----------



## captken

*Here is the text. I'll try to insert the photos*

I had to go to "The Book of Saltwater Fishing Secrets" to find the text.

Here is how to make a super strong leash. I've made hundreds of these. I use them, give them away and sell them. I've made them with mono from 200-600# test. Most I have made with 300# test, though. I've used them on a pole spear, tiny flying gaff for my kayak, paddle leash, safety line for rod, etc.


First step: You'll need 12 or so inches of 5/8" dowel. Drill 2 1/8" (size to fit whatever your mono size is) as shown in the photo below.



Second step: Insert mono into one hole in the dowel and tightly spiral the mono down to the next hole where you will insert the tag end of the mono and pull it very tight.

Third step: Immerse the dowel and mono into boiling water and leave it in for about 2 minutes.

Fourth step: Remove the mono and dowel from the boiling water and quickly immerse it in ice water.

Fifth step: Remove the coiled mono from the dowel and attach your choice of fittings.



Tips: I sometimes use various colors of weedeater string.
Make several at a time because you will find lots of uses and friends will beg for them.


----------



## MrFish

I guess I know what I'm doing tonight. Have a whole bunch of 400 lb outrigger line and a bunch of dowels. Thanks for the tip!


----------



## jcasey

Very Cool Capt.


----------



## captken

*The dowels are re-usable.*

I guess you could make up 3 or 4 so you can make the lanyards faster.

Another thing I have done since the original tip is to drill several holes in the dowel so I can make shorter lanyards.


----------



## Floridahillbilly

*Upgrade?*

I like to pull the guts out of 550 paracord and replace it with the mono/weedeater line, then twist & boil it. 

Makes for a nice upgrade and seems to take a lot more abuse ( not that 300lb mono can't take abuse)

Peace,
Floridahillbilly


----------



## captken

*Man you had to dig deep to find this one.*

I made the original post more than 7 years ago. 

One consideration when adding the outside braid of parachute (550) cord. You might need to add salt to your cold water to get it as cold as possible to make the mono set in coils. 

This one has been read a bunch of times.


----------



## captken

*Safety advice for lanyards.*

Be very careful when attaching lanyards to your person.

There is a code in the Federal Register related to necklaces for carrying ID badges and safety related devices. It specifies breaking strength. Of course, everybody knows not to wear loose clothing around machinery.

I don't know whether I mentioned this in my original post.


----------



## captken

*Gonna replace this one today.*

Photos will be a bear to dig out but I am gonna try.


----------



## captken

*I have these pictures on a thumb drive but--*

I can't get the thumb drive to work.


----------



## Big E Nuff

Fishing tip # 717. Coiled Safety Lanyard.
<P class=MsoNormal style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt">VOL 8-1 Fishing tip # 7XX Coil Keeper<P class=MsoNormal style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt"><?xml:namespace prefix = o ns = "urn:schemas-microsoft-comfficeffice" /><o></o><P class=MsoNormal style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt">Here is a super strong safety device you might have a need for. I make them in various lengths and strengths for specific purposes. Need a longer or shorter ?Kill Switch? lanyard? Paddle leash for your yak? How about a safety line for a rod and reel? These rigs are easy to make, super strong, and doggone convenient. Fittings on the ends of the coil will vary with the application.

Why am I not getting any pictures of anything?


----------



## captken

*I think there was a change in server or something then--*

My photos were hosted on Photobucket. Photobucket changeddirections and kinda hold photos hostage until the user coughs up $300 or some such. I definitely do not have $300 and wouldn't pay them a penny since they handled the situation so poorly. 

I need to get somebody to show me how to get the thumb drive to work.


----------



## jasoncooperpcola

Just saw this neat trick on "how its made". 

After you finish your lanyard, clamp one end in a vice and the other in a drill. Run it in reverse and watch the coils "flip". Just tried it on a weedeater line lanyard I made and it coils alot tighter and the coils have a little more strength.


----------



## pcolapaddler

Not to take awayfrom the OP...

If you need to see this in action, there are a number of YouTube videos on this topic. 

Search under paddle leash or rod leash.

I've made several. I've used aluminum sleeves to make the loops and I've used thread to wrap the loops. 

If the weed eater line isn't smooth, you can cover it with thin paracord cover. There are some YouTube vids on this too. 

Sent from an unnamed device running an undisclosed OS via a third party application.


----------



## kanaka

captken said:


> My photos were hosted on Photobucket. Photobucket changeddirections and kinda hold photos hostage until the user coughs up $300 or some such. I definitely do not have $300 and wouldn't pay them a penny since they handled the situation so poorly.
> 
> I need to get somebody to show me how to get the thumb drive to work.


Here CaptK


----------

