Many of the wooden kayaks I've seen, whether strippers or s&g's, don't have decklines.

I've blogged a five-part series about a kayaking accident, including a wooden s&g, that led to the development of the raft-and-bulldog tow -- a rescue, like many, including tows, that isn't possible without decklines.

Part 1:
http://paddlingtravelers.blogspot.com/2007/04/onshore-assisted-rescue1.html

For example, the rafted tow below, of an injured paddler, isn't possible without decklines.

Just food for thought for those who take their wooden boats out into more challenging conditions in a group....

Adam, your post about the lack of decklines on wooden kayaks was welcome and needed to be aired. I have a wooden kayak, a custom CLC Patuxent 17 built from plans (their hull, my deck and cockpit), and it is fully rigged with decklines. But, then again, my boat is brightly painted with ordinary enamel, and lacks the high natural-wood look and exquisite finish that most wooden-kayak owners strive for and rightfully prize; I lack their interest in the final appearance of the boat, and built mine of wood because it would be both cheap and easy to repair and modify. It is strictly a "working" boat for me, and has been my primary kayak since 1995. When I do happen to paddle with other wooden boats, I admire the high finish and workmanship, but can't help sharing your concern that, in the case of a capsize and rescue, there is little or nothing for a paddler to hang onto in the process of effecting some sort of rescue during high winds and heavy seas. I hope we don't read of some incident where a kayak or kayaks without decklines, whether made of wood or not, figure in a loss of life offshore.

Nice job on that Adam.

I own and paddle a 17' woody. It was gifted to me by a friend who had rigged it properly with full perimeter deck lines. I didn't like "the look" of those black cords against the brightwork and so removed the stern lines.

Two months later there I was in 3 foot seas in the Sea of Cortez trying to hold onto the stern to perform a T-over-T. I was forced to grab the rudder assembly, received a couple of unpleasant abrasions and wire cuts, and vowed to get those stern lines back on ASAP. Fortunately, my partner and I were just out for practice in lightly loaded boats. Cheap lesson!

Thanks Adam!