The posts have been bouncing around a bit, so here's my idea for now. The disclaimer is that I have minimal experience w/ standard paddle float entries and harnesses and especially their performance under dire conditions. These are just my ideas and they have not been tested and they should be. I'm the most uneasy about the fixing of the knots, esp. in bungees.

(BS aside, this approach has clamping, multiple redundancy and strength, that I haven't seen (mags, articles, stores, web, etc) so far. It's the one I'd choose for me and mine.)

It's basically the doubled H layout as before w/ some minor alterations and addition. And it operates as any dumbass old paddle float harness as is, in the usual way one is used. But:

So to setup. Sit in the cockpit but facing backwards, fitting 1 is 12in away on the upper left near the edge, ftg 2 is 9in closer, ftg 3 is on yr right on the other side of the yak and 4 is 9 in closer still on the right. The typical rectangle. Fitting 5, a jam cleat (flush) is 1/3 across the yak betw 2 and 4, closest to 2. All fittings 1-4 are either single throat fittings to accept 2 lines with a knot on each line sized too large to pull thru OR double throat smaller holed fittings so that each knot won't pull thru. Fitting 5 is a wide non pointy jam cleat situated a little closer to the cockpit than a straight line betw 2 and 4 and right at the interface between the recessed cockpit and the deck. It could even just be a slight elongation of some of the deck planking over the recess(nicest conceptually but hard to glass). The idea is to minimize the injury damage hazard and yet have something to loop a loop over. On the other side of the yak is the flush (flush) hatch if present(like it's near yr left hand so hold the paddle w/ right while the jammer is on the right where the stronger hand is when deploying float.(all compromises - that's why less lefties around I guess!)

In between ftgs 1 and 2 are one pc of 5/16 bungee knotted on the outside of ea ftg with a 6 in free small looped or D ringed end on the cockpit side. (If you pull onl the ring or small loop the bungee tightens). Also between 1 and 2 is on pc of 1/4 or 5/16 braided nylon (not bungee), knotted at 2 and at 1 knotted and ending in a small loop or Dring also - the D ring or loop can substitute for the knot if cannot pull thru ftg 1. Do exactly the same on the opposite side of the yak. Also between ea of the fitting pairs, both lines go thru 2 fixed rubber or pvc ( I don't specifically know what - maybe silicon filled rubber water hose) hoses 2 in long pushed as wide apart as possible - prob 4 in apart. (I'd experiment w/ 3 in long ones w/ the horizontal radial slices but don't know for sure)

From the midpt of each line pair, tie(! this'll be tough, probably some form of multiple hitches or whipping approach)1/4in braided nylon (not bungee) around the pair and firmly across to the other pair's midpt. It's important that these knots or ties be fixed as each one adds 2 more redundancies to the pair (in addition to 2 simple breakages to the pair)to one type of paddle tie off when the chips get down. Well worth the effort. Each end of this cross tie should hang free by 6in or so with a ball end or preferable a hook end or snap hook end. But only do this step if you don't use a paddle leash. But what the heck, do it anyway.

Just abt there. From the small loops or D rings or rings in the ends of the braided nylon line at ftgs 1 and 3 connect a tight(fairly tight) line of 1/8in or 3/16 in bungee so that the braided lines are now well sprung too. Incidentally these braided lines need to be set semi-snug over a wide paddle and then the springing takes over for this, narrower paddles and just to keep the lines taughtish(hey is a taughtish line a line that learned something?)

So:

- to use slip paddle under both. duh. Single redundancy on all paddle lines. Lines raise by little tubes to slip paddle under. Cross line helps to guide paddel under far side. If problems rack paddle or shaft- HAS to lift the far side. Diagonal lines wont do this. Strong 5/16 in bungees. Very very strong braided nylon.

- Next option. Pull 1/8in or 3/16 in bungee cross over the jam fitting between ftg 2 and 4. This puts more clamping tension on the braided nylon lines. In addition adds 2 diagonal lines(the bungee) over the blade. Kinda cinches the whole thing down, huh? Say if you're just in the yak, you reach back w/ your strong hand(its on the rt 1/3 remember) and lean forward to clip over. Or is still in a good if yr in the water for pulling over the cleat. Assumes you're on the favourite(!) left side.

-Next option. Wrap either the free ball, or hooked ends of the cross tie or the paddle leash around the paddle shaft and then the cross tie again. This severely reduces paddle racking. But in addition it ADDs 2 more redundancies to the near side that realizes 10x the stress of the far side. Even if the pair of lines breaks once on the SAME side (worst condition-like no big deal if on opposite sides of the fixed cross tie) it'll slop around a bit but because we made the cross line ties fixed the SAME pair of lines have to both break again on the other side before all attachmt lost.

-Next option. When in the water, clip the free end of your paddl leash to the D ring or loop on the bungee line outside of fitting 4. You now have a step up into the yak. It also cinches the paddle shaft down when you step up. If you had also looped it around the cross tie it'll hold the shaft real centred.

So here we've got one semi-ok harness. Strong, strong. Redundancy and more redundancy. Some cinching. Some self aligning. Some ease of entry. Still much room to play around with fittings especially the tube ones. Doesn't interfere w/ dayhatch cover.

Summary

So when you turn around and look at these lines, they sorta look like a lopsided M over an H. So what'll we call it?? like H has got to be 'Harness' but M?? Montreal? Mondo? Major? Mummy? Milk? Yah, yah, yah. . . .

'Milk's Harness!'

-mick