Ocean Kayak Prowler 15 Side Handle

A fellow NCKA member had a question about the placement of side carry handles on the P15.  The newer P15 did not come with the side handles installed.  If anyone here has experience with aftermarket handle placement please chime in.  Here are pictures of the OEM placement.

The newer P15 did not come with the side handles installed.

They actually sell them w/o handles? They're necessary no matter what you use your yak for IMO.

Z

Word!

One thing I would be careful of when installing handles is to make sure your placement does not impair your strong forward stroke. There are a few kayaks out there that did not consider this and the handle hits your hand or the paddle shaft during the high angle draw.

Hydro is right on there.
First of all keep them out of stroke paths. Put it as far behind you as you can and still be balanced when carrying it alone, if you are out of balance it is a bitch to cary on it's side. I would look for a good area almost even with the seat..

my 2 cents

stoggie

If there are padeyes fore and aft of the eventual handle location, you can use a piece of 1/4 line tied between them to find the balance point on the kayak. And yes, if you don't have thigh straps, then side handles are almost mandatory. You can make thigh straps work as side handles, and in fact they can be even more flexible, allowing you to offset the weight of a 7AH battery, for instance.

Regards,
Scott

I'm the one who needed the pics, thanks a ton for the effort posting the pics Mike! I also couldn't understand not putting handles on any yak! I will probably put them in the same spot.