K, I am a little confused... what is the problem with pad eyes on the desk with a rudder?  I am building a C18 with a rudder and that is my current plan.

I personally have never been a fan of the hanging toggle, my SOF has woven handles with two pad eyes, a homemade version of the fancy carry handles, I'm planning on a bungie retractable for my wife's WD12 (http://www.duckworksbbs.com/hardware/canoe-kayak/sd736400/index.htm)

I am curious to see what you end up with, as I will need to figure out handles for my C18 that will have a rudder.

I guess my issue is that with a rudder there is so much hardware on the aft deck as it is... where would you mount the padeye for a carry toggle?  I'm not a fan of the hanging toggles either, and plan to mount mine with some sort of catch system so they'll fit neatly on deck.  

I've always put a fancy grab handle in front of the rudder covering the point where the rudder lines come through the deck.

Instead of common pad eyes, I use "Witchard Waterproof Ubolts" to mount my handles and turn my deck lines on.  I then use 1/8" shock cord to spring the handles to the deck when not in use.  You can see this on the 3 previous yaks I have built (exsisting is still a couple months before I get to that point).  Visit my blog site at http://kayakkev.wordpress.com/category/wood-kayak/

Chris --

How's your "marlin-spike seamanship"?  One option would be to go ahead and drill those holes for the toggle line, and then splice some line into a loop maybe 6 or 8 inches in diameter, seize the toggle to a small bight in that loop.  Then when you want to use the toggles simply pass the large bight of each through through the hole, bow and stern, and then pass the toggle through the large bight to cow-hitch it to the boat.  Voila, a comfortable, easily applied and removed handle that need be in place only when you need it.  

Jim,

 I've spliced every halyard and sheet that's on our Alberg 30, so my marlinspike seamanship is pretty decent :).  You mention a great idea that I didn't think of.  The only potential issue is potentially losing those beautiful cherry toggles that I carved! 

I've got the better part of winter to think this over... but its nice to be collecting ideas early on.  I'm planning on resuming fairing the hull during Christmas break (the perks of being a teacher) so that everything will be good to go for April.  In the meantime, I can incorporate all these nifty little details I'm thinking about.   

~Chris 

Kev,

I see what you mean, and I really like that idea with the U-bolt.  The only problem is that my deck is already on, so I'm not sure  thru-bolting is  an option that far forward or aft anymore (my arms simply don't reach that far!)  

That is one pretty boat btw!  You certainly build a beauty... and I"m sure I'll have questions for you when I build my next one (planning on a stripper).  

~Chris