"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