Stupid drybag question
 

"AMG" wrote in message
.. .
Although experienced day-running moderate rivers, I've never done any
canoe
tripping. Which is to say I'm not used to loading down a canoe with lots
of
gear. Normally, I lash a large dry-bag to the canoe, so that if I turtle,
the bag won't dissappear downstream. Now I'm wondering what folks do on
open water/lakes.

My personal preference is to lash everything securely, not just tether it.
I've spent enough time in the water to know that there's a lot going on in
the first few moments after a dump, and I don't want to be worrying about
the gear. People, paddles, current, rocks, and strainers all take
precedence. I don't want tethered things or unraveling painter coils
floating around either. I want stuff in the boat. Below the gunnels. This
is especially true if there's another boat handy where recovery of a clean
boat is so much easier.

It would seem that lashing gear would counterproductive,
as it would make the canoe impossible to right.

I confess that I've never practiced righting a loaded boat in deep water.
(Sounds like a good project for later this summer.) But in any case, I'd
much rather empty a capsized boat under more or less controlled conditions
than to plan for automatic offloading at the initial dump. Things like axes
or firearms have to be secured in the bilge.

On the other hand, I don't
really even know if a dry bag with heavy contents (camping gear, food...)
will even float?!

Try it. My sleeping bag and the tent nylon is in with the food and cook
gear, the tent poles out. I don't carry cast iron dutch ovens. When I roll
up my bag, I try to trap enough air to assure buoyancy.

Just my vote,
Fred Klingener

Stupid drybag question
 

"AMG" wrote in message
.. .
Although experienced day-running moderate rivers, I've never done any
canoe
tripping. Which is to say I'm not used to loading down a canoe with lots
of
gear. Normally, I lash a large dry-bag to the canoe, so that if I turtle,
the bag won't dissappear downstream. Now I'm wondering what folks do on
open water/lakes. It would seem that lashing gear would
counterproductive,
as it would make the canoe impossible to right. On the other hand, I don't
really even know if a dry bag with heavy contents (camping gear, food...)
will even float?!

Headed for Maine ;-)
===============
Ours have always floated. maybe a little low in the water, but thet don't
sink. Even the ammo cans we carry cameras in float.
We prefer things tied into the boats too. Many people don't. The thought
is you'd lose everything if your boat gets trapped, but the idea of having
your boat, but not your gear isn't really very appealing either.

Stupid drybag question
 

Hi
I always strap my drybags to the deck when on a tour, ocean or lake, and
just live with the "wet exit".
Never lost one yet, and the righting isn't a problem if your dry bag really
is dry.
Actually I prefer a "wet exit". Beats snapping a paddle any day..but then I
live in the tropics so going for a swim isn't a dilemma.

"rick etter" wrote in message
...

"AMG" wrote in message
.. .
Although experienced day-running moderate rivers, I've never done any
canoe
tripping. Which is to say I'm not used to loading down a canoe with
lots
of
gear. Normally, I lash a large dry-bag to the canoe, so that if I
turtle,
the bag won't dissappear downstream. Now I'm wondering what folks do on
open water/lakes. It would seem that lashing gear would
counterproductive,
as it would make the canoe impossible to right. On the other hand, I
don't
really even know if a dry bag with heavy contents (camping gear,
food...)
will even float?!

Headed for Maine ;-)
===============
Ours have always floated. maybe a little low in the water, but thet don't
sink. Even the ammo cans we carry cameras in float.
We prefer things tied into the boats too. Many people don't. The thought
is you'd lose everything if your boat gets trapped, but the idea of having
your boat, but not your gear isn't really very appealing either.

Stupid drybag question
 

One way to figure "will it even float?" is -- volume minus weight =
buoyancy. Multiply volume in cubic feet by 62.4 lbs of water /cubic foot.
The other way is to throw it overboard and see.

"rick etter" wrote in message
...

"AMG" wrote in message
.. .
Although experienced day-running moderate rivers, I've never done any
canoe
tripping. Which is to say I'm not used to loading down a canoe with
lots
of
gear. Normally, I lash a large dry-bag to the canoe, so that if I
turtle,
the bag won't dissappear downstream. Now I'm wondering what folks do on
open water/lakes. It would seem that lashing gear would
counterproductive,
as it would make the canoe impossible to right. On the other hand, I
don't
really even know if a dry bag with heavy contents (camping gear,
food...)
will even float?!

Headed for Maine ;-)
===============
Ours have always floated. maybe a little low in the water, but thet don't
sink. Even the ammo cans we carry cameras in float.
We prefer things tied into the boats too. Many people don't. The thought
is you'd lose everything if your boat gets trapped, but the idea of having
your boat, but not your gear isn't really very appealing either.

Stupid drybag question
 

"Qajaqer99" wrote in message
...
One way to figure "will it even float?" is -- volume minus weight =
buoyancy. Multiply volume in cubic feet by 62.4 lbs of water /cubic foot.
The other way is to throw it overboard and see.

Or send it to Dave Letterman

Stupid drybag question
 

On Tue, 15 Jul 2003 16:44:45 -0400, "AMG"
wrote:

It's been interesting to see the replies so far. I'll admit that I expected
a stock 'experienced paddler' answer. Now I'm thinking the best thing is to
take a loaded boat out in shallow water - with gear lashed - flip it, and
see if I can right it again without pushing off the bottom.

Not real gear. Just stuff of about the same size and weight as gear.
Stuff you won't care about if it gets wet or you lose it.

I used to buckle up my dry bags (with my sleeping bag in a plastic bag
inside, if I remembered, that was tied shut) and run a line through
the gap left in the buckles and tied off to the portage bar. That way
I was unlikely to be entangled in a dump if paddling from the stern.
Other way around would work, too. I canoed on a mostly mellow river,
so YMMV. If two are in the canoe, middle placement of gear would
work, I suppose.

My only canoe tipping was on a day trip and it flipped so hard and
quickly that almost everything stayed right in the canoe (floated
there), so I just swam it to shore, dumped it out, paddled over and
picked up my husband and we gathered up the little stuff as we paddled
downstream. A downstream sand and weed bar helped with that.
--
rbc: vixen Fairly harmless

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