Intro to Kayak Camping #1 – gear

[gyork]

For those of you who are brand new to kayak camping, here's a link to my video that might help you organize your gear for a kayak camping trip. I hope to follow this up with more short videos, covering different aspects of the kayak camping experience. Feel free to subscribe to receive notifications of future videos.

 

Links to some of the gear recently viewed: 

 

Rechargeable Headlamp: https://tinyurl.com/Rechargeable-Headlamp

 ID Badge Holder: https://tinyurl.com/38ppuhwr

 Muck shoes: https://tinyurl.com/muck-shoes

 Poop tube: https://tinyurl.com/poop-tube

 Thermarest sleeping pad: https://tinyurl.com/Sleep-pad

 Camp chair: https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B091Y2JKMQ/ref=ppx_yo_dt_b_search_asin_title?ie=UTF8&psc=1

 Dromedary bags: https://tinyurl.com/Dromwdary

 Esbit stove: https://tinyurl.com/Esbit-Stove

 Silnylon tarp: https://tinyurl.com/silnylon-tarp

 4-person carry straps: https://tinyurl.com/carry-straps

[prudenceb]

Very nice, Gary!  
 

Question:  what brand is the retractable doohicky for attaching camera and where did you get?  I had one for years that finally broke and haven't found replacement that works.

I also have plastic trash bags and more personal items: a book (always!), a couple of head lamps and extra batteries, small notebook and extra pens, toiletries (toothbrush and toothpaste most important), small hand san bottles attached to cooking and toilet bag, a LOT more TP than you pack in the vid for longer expeds..and also, the ladies use more than the gents ?.  Small towel.  You get by with just crocs on your feet.  I've done expeds where you really needed low rubber boots (either in place of, or in addition to, land shoes) and they take up room!  Thermos.  And this is just off top of my head…  

But I follow your general principle of soft stuff in bow (no metal to interfere deck compass), hard stuff in stern and food jammed in just everywhere!

Looking forward to seeing you both on vids and in person.  And I'm totally jealous of your garage!

Prudence

PS…the issue of what clothes to bring could be a whole different thread…  especially on longer trips where space is at premium…

 

 

 

 

 

 

Edited March 30, 2023 by prudenceb

[gyork]

On 3/30/2023 at 10:44 AM, prudenceb said:

....what brand is the retractable doohicky for attaching camera and where did you get?  I had one for years that finally broke and haven't found replacement that works.

The old thingamajigs/thingys I have are stainless steel. Can't vouch for this item which I found by this search "retractable ID badge holder." Share with friends as a party favor!

You get by with just crocs on your feet.  

WADR, prefer "muck shoes" found HERE. The ground is ALWAYS wet, and I hate feet, esp. when cold and wet! Sturdier for hiking, too.

 

Will add links to resources on vid. after tutorial.

[kate]

Whoa, those retractable thingies are a great idea! Surely I must have one or two around from my prior life as a worker bee....

[David M]

Thanks for this Gary!

I've used this brand with no complaints...

They are available in a variety of sizes.

Amazon.com : Gear Keeper Hammerhead Industries Net Retractors – Features Various Mounting Options with QC-II Split Ring Accessory – Ideal for Fly Fishing and Kayak Fishing - Made in USA : Diving Retractor Clips : Sports & Outdoors

And the company site...

Kayak Fishing » Gear Keeper Retractors by Hammerhead Industries

Edited March 31, 2023 by David M

[Sue H.]

Thanks Gary, great video packed with information and helpful tips !  Looking forward to more in the series.  What a practical resource for our kayak community.

[Jeff Charette]

Great video Gary. Thank you for sharing.

[Barbara Ryan]

This is a terrific and very helpful video Gary. Thanks!  I too look forward to more "how I do its" and to see you packing your boat. 

I also am an admirer of your garage.?

 

[Barbara Ryan]

Is there a Part 2 yet Gary?  I'm not seeing it .   I'm packing my "New" to me Cetus LV  for a 3 nite trip and wondering where is best for my 2 heavy, 7 L water bags.  I have room in front of my feet in the cockpit taking the foam pads out. Maybe one behind my seat (and one down by the bow bulkhead. Food could fit in there too.  There is at least a foot from my feet to the bulkhead.  Then put the last/largest foam pad back in as. "lid" in case I swim- and to put my feet against. ?

Any suggestions appreciated. 

[EEL]

Barb:

Keeping weight as close to your center of gravity is a good thing.  This helps handling and makes achieving good trim easier.  Personally I have never  tied down water bladders, but some do.  I have found placing one bladder behind the seat and one in front of the seat (both across the hull) a nice way to store them.  The one in front of the seat provides nice cushioning for the thighs. I have never had an issue of them causing problems in rough water. The one behind the seat uses space that is often not used well, but that assumes the outfitting allows the space to be used.  One reason I have never foamed out the area behind the seat.  Kayaks are amazingly sensitive to total weight load and weight distribution.  It does not take much to totally change the boat's personality.  Using the space between the foot pegs is a good idea, but I would only put relatively light items there.  Not sure i would foam out a bulkhead if it meant a very thick block so I was losing useful storage space assuming the primary purpose of the boat was touring.  As much as I like foamed bulkheads, using foot pegs is no big deal.  I would not put stuff next to front bulkhead and then put in a foam block.  Seems to me it would just make life difficult and make the foam block even "squishier".

Ed Lawson

[gyork]

I agree with Ed; behind your seat, and between your thighs. Keep track of how much water you actually use, Barb. For a 3-night (four full days) trip, I (Joe camel) would be fine with 8 L, figuring 2 L per day. I don't address this aspect in my second chapter, found here, a good part of it filmed in fast forward mode.

[Barbara Ryan]

GREAT FEEDBACK Ed and Gary!   All makes sense.  Thanks so much!

[EEL]

Barb:

If this is your first touring trip, then a couple more comments that may be useful.  Assuming you are following Gary's sage advice of having a bag for the gear that goes in each hatch, then fill each bag with the gear you expect to put in the respective hatches and weigh them.  As a general rule you will want the hatches astern of the paddler noticeably heavier than than the bow hatch.  Then get an impression of the weight of each item and try to put the lightest ones at the farthest ends.  Very good idea to load the boat up at home in a trial run when you can take you time fiddling to get things right as opposed to being hectic as in a hurry to launch.  Finally, on the first day after I load the boat up, I float it and verify that it looks properly trimmed fore and aft as well as from side to side.  It can be a pain to deal with a badly trimmed boat, especially on the first day.

Ed Lawson

[Karen Volkman]

Barb, for future trips consider 2 of the smaller 4 liter dromedary bags. Easier to handle and one fits in your day hatch with room to spare and one under your legs in the cockpit. Yes Gary is on the camel side but 14 liters of spare water for 3 days seems a bit much unless you are in Florida paddling 18 hours/day in a race in the summer. I think the math is one liter equals approx 2.2 pounds

[Barbara Ryan]

Hi Friends!

I took your advice- and all went well!

Thanks so much! I love this group!