I'd love to add my two cents.

I am a novice kayak builder and intermediate sea kayaker, so keep this in mind when considering the quality of my advice- probably not much.

I do not like the looks of grab loops drilled through the bow. I also hate the thought of it dragging through the water. I prefer a true handle and think that Shawn's idea is a good one, and used this idea on my first wooden kayak. Make sure the handle is big enough, and I agree, it should be wood.

On my latest boat, I am going to try the grab "soft handles" idea, webbing loops screwed into the sheer. I think with 1" screws, it should be able to handle the load without pulling out.

I still did an end pour, partially for stength, but also because I am going to put a padeye on the stern and bow (screwed into the end pours). The padeyes will be used to anchor saftey deck lines (in addition to springy hold down cords and hatch straps closer to the cockpit). The bow padeye will also be used to anchor a bow line to tie and secure the boat to land when it is not fully pulled up on the shore. Lastly, it might also anchor a painter for a sail someday. It will be brass and look authentic.

I feel that if a kayaker is capsized and in surf, he or she should not hold on to the boat, in fact, should get away from the boat. Definately should not have your hand through any type of loop. You do not want to be around or attached to anything in dumping surf, exept perhps your paddle, but maybe not even that. Capsized in rough water out away from shore, but not in surf, is different. Even then, be very careful about shoulder separations. I would still be concerned about holding on to a boat by a grab handle in rough water, yet I know how important it is to stay with your boat when capsized away from shore.

Hence the strength needed for a grab loop or handle should be what is needed to lift the kayak fully loaded into or out of the water. And as was pointed out, probably the human arm or shoulder will be the weak-link-in-the-chain limit, not the padeye, grab loop or handle.

Cheers

Jim Miller