Protective tape

I see on some ski's a 2-3 foot long piece of (usually black) tape near where the paddle goes in the water. I hit my boat sometimes with my paddle, so I would like to get this tape to protect my boat and paddle. I trust it is sturdier than duct tape. What is it called and where can I get some?
I would also like a spare set of rudder "cables", though it looks more like heavy string or light rope, unlike my stainless steel cable on my older ski. What is the new cable called and where do I get it?
Approx cost for either??
I am in Southeast USA. Thanks

Don't put ugly black tape on it. Go to your nearest auto parts place and get some transparent auto paint protection film. There are lots of brands. Tough, cheap. None has come off my craft yet. If you are applying it around tricky curvy bits, read the application instructions first, not later.

Good call, Marieski...

I go to www.autobarn.com and do a lookup on Trimbrite tape. You can get 12 feet of it for about $1/foot and looks great. It comes in black or clear and I have used it to protect kayaks for years.

Even better and cheaper, go to a signwriting shop and ask for some offcuts from their signs. These days they laser cut? vinyl sticker sheets and it is awesome stuff for protecting your ski and comes in a range of colours so you can match it to your ski too

The rudder lines will be Dyneema and usually 2mm thick. I am in South Africa so cannot tell you where to get it other than a specialist rope shop.

I use 3M Scotch® Transparent Duct Tape

"Transparent Duct Tape makes your repair less obvious. It will not fall apart in extreme temperatures or harsh UV conditions like other all-purpose duct tapes."

I just get it from the local hardware store here in AU. But I do need to replace it every few months.

Just for future reference, the black tape that alot of people use on their boats is called 'pipe wrap tape' and you can get it in 10mil or 20mil thicknesses. Some Home Depot/big box stores carry it (depends on region and whether it is commonly used in plumbing in your area).

I use a clear tape from the local chandlery. It's about $30 for a 20m roll. It looks just like sticky tape but is about 1mm thick and offers great protection.

I was using it for a keel strip on my seakayak, but now I've upgraded to a surf ski and just instantly become a pathetic beginner with a shocking stroke I'm hitting the boat with my paddle quite alot and it's doing a great job.