We get a lot of questions on leash plugs and the placement of them on your boards. We recently received the following question: can the leash plug be a couple inches up from tail? Not sure where you normally place it. But I recently got a board that had the leash plug way back, which I thought was weird.
Here, Rusty answers this question. Check it out:
Actually, we try to put the plug as far back as the tail thickness will allow.
A few reasons:
- When you fall off your board, the further back the leash plug/loop is the less drag. Think about having your plug/loop up a couple of feet or all the way up to the middle. The board would pull you along mercilessly. Too much drag and the leash or plug/loop will fail. Also, you have a much higher chance of the leash line pulling through the board.Also,the further up the plug/loop is the more likely it will put the leash under foot, or worse, tangled around your back foot.
- Conversely, if it is right on the tail block there is a much, relatively, lower drag.
- Loops are much sturdier. There are some surfers, especially big wave riders and alternative riders that have fiberglass loops right on the tail block.
