Hello Scott,

First of all, NIIIIICE boat! I really want to do a Baidarka. Right now I'm building boards primarily and it will probably be a while before I get the chance.

Your method is great. I actually had the same fishing line idea. My only question is how do you get the plywood disc up to the hole? Are you reaching up there that far and pushing it through?

Don't be afraid of the plastic cups. Actually I think they're better as brass can turn green, although I've never had it happen with one of these cups. Not sure if it's coated or if it's just that I rinse them down after each use. I have plastic cups on my short board and while surfing during a tropical storm I had the board pull me so hard the leash broke but the same cup is still there today still being used. It's gone through heck. You're not going to put that much stress on it. I even use the board leash to tie the board to the racks on my car and the plastic ones hold up just as well as the metal ones. The plastic ones have more room under them for lines, but again I say- you might buy just one or two and test them before you buy the whole lot. There's a few different ones out there, each with more or less room under the rod.