Bell Magic rigging

Well this may sound odd but here are two questions that I’ve not found good solutions. I have a Magic and have paddled it for 6 or 7 years. I’ve done 5 BW trips and these questions are germaine to multiple day trips.



Securing a spare paddle?



I’ve used velcro, BDB’s (bungie-dealy-bobs) and tried different places in the boat. Typically the main pack is in the stern behind the thwart and takes up the entire hull width. Auxilliary pack, fishing tackle and portage yoke are in the bow forward of the thwart. Fishing rod is velcro’d to the seat cross beams (this is satisfactory).



Need to figure a placement that is within reach but out of the way of gear and secure for portage without having to fool with it.



Water bottles.



Usually two 32 oz. nalgenes on a given day. Any clever means of stowing with access but secure for portage, again without fussing around.



Perhaps simple questions but with what mileage I have I’ve not discovered really good answers.



TIA

Wes

A couple of solutions

– Last Updated: May-06-09 8:04 PM EST –

but no pictures Wes.

I have added BDBs to seat hangers for protaging, but the locations on the seat are not good for paddling. And I have modified a couple of Nalgene brand holsters to hang on the rear thwart. They rotate downside up when the boat is shouldered.

As I said, no good pics. But I will be futzing in the shop on Saturday and I will take some shots and post them ASAP.

Jim
I have an older version of this.http://www.nalgene-outdoor.com/store/detail.aspx?ID=1057

portage outfitting
I don’t like a water bottle hanging on the canoe while portaging. I find they always swing vigorously as you walk down the trail and become an annoyance. So much so that you must use your hand to stop the swaying. I use one water bottle on trips and use a large carabiner to hook it on my portage pack when portaging or on the thwart in front of me when paddling. Save yourself a couple pounds of weight and ditch that second bottle. Just fill your one bottle at breaks and lunch and you will be fine. I find a steripen is quick and convenient for treatment directly in your bottle. Here is what I did to outfit my Voyager for a spare paddle. Construct a pocket of minicell that will securely hold the blade tip of your paddle and strategically place and glue this pocket on the sidewall in the bow or stern of your canoe. The grip is bungie corded to a thwart that you can reach. Of course this weight has to be counterbalanced with weight in the opposite end of the boat to maintain balance for portaging.

Thanks Guys
Jim, the "holster looks promising though I agree with Duluthmoose about the dangling thing during portage. I may try a similar holster the can fasten to the rear thwart and the second bottle will reside in a pocket attached to the pack.



Great idea with the minicell pocket for the spare paddle. very secure and accessible. I tried to BDB the grip to the front thwart and kinda wedge the blade along the the seat truss but this does not stay put.



BTW Jim, I bought a Black Gold from a fellow in Charlotte and my buddy from SC is hauling it up before memorial day (we’re meeting for a fishing trip on the Juniata).



Cheers

Wes

Brother!
Cool. Are you going to sell your old Magic? No, I am not in the market for another.



I am at work, making use of the shop for some smallish projects (including a folding buck saw). I will snap a couple of shots of the holsters and the paddle stowage system this afternoon and post them tonight.



I agree about the swinging. I have made short carries (ramp to parking space) with them swinging, but I would not want to do a full portage that way. They un-clip easily, and can be clipped to my pack or barrel.



Jim

Bungi and drill
I carry my spare paddle grip bungied to the front thwart, blade to the back. This is best accomplished by drilling holes through the thwart at appropriate widths.



Bungi can be knotted for tension, but there is a hole diameter for each bungi that will allow it to slip through the hole when stretched and lock when tension is released.



The easiest way/place to carry a fluid bottle is in a front thwart bag, but two fore to aft holes through front and back thwarts would allow a bottle to be carried on the underside of each thwart, properly resting on the thwart when under portage.



Someone might have mentioned this earlier, but it is a terrible waste of space to tote water in bottles during Margarita season, which runs 1 May to 1 October.

Margarita season
Charlie,



I thought we had established that due to global warming, Margarita season now extends through the second weekend of Oct (at least in PA).



Dave

I stand corrected
And also feel compelled to give out a new Mango/Margo recipe. The key is Mango-Lime juice from Nellie & Joe www.keylimejuice.com.



1 part N&J’s Mango lime juice. 1 part good tequila. 1 part Gran Marnier, [sub 1 part plus splash Gran Gala]. 2 parts ice. Add all to a Vortex blender,[GSI], and crank. Hard. Add a douse of sugar for Nancies.



Rub a lime wedge along the rim of damn near any fluid container; dip in Kosher salt. Pour in mixed paddler’s fluid; enjoy!

Yeah, old faithful will be seeking
a new home. Got started yesterday with cleaning up and should be posted on classifieds in a day or two.

Thanks Charlie
I understand the dilemma regarding Marguerita v. Water, we consider single malt to be the compromise as it needs no ice and if a splash of cold water is desired it is readily available in September in the BW.

My bad.
Plans changed and I was unable to paddle today. I will try to get pics tomorrow after work - going to do an evening paddle on the Coal River.



Jim

“Rub a lime wedge
along the rim of damn near any fluid container”…



Hmmmmmmm…including BPA-containing Lexan containers? Personally I don’t give a damn, but there are folks on the board who are sensitive to environmental issues such as this.



Jim (;-)>

Better Nate than Lever
(that was a reference to an obscure “groaner” joke)



Wes, here is a link to the outfitting. I hope the pics give you some ideas.



Oh, BTW, I tried portaging with one of the botles filled (2 lbs) and it did NOT sway appreciably. I will have o try with both filled.



Jim





http://www.grovestreet.com/jsp/picview.jsp?album=89728

Harmony paddle clips


In my old Magic I used harmony paddle clips http://www.coloradokayak.com/Harmony-Paddle-Clip . I used short wood screws with the points filed off to fasten them to 2 inch by 2 inch by ¼ plywood. Then used bath tub calk to glue them to the inside of the canoe. The paddle laid against the side of the canoe with the handle under the seat.

How 'bout double checking
the recipe at AFS in July? No need to consider the portage aspect, either.



tracy

Interesting
Where did you install the clips? In the side “cheeks”?



Jim

spare paddle attachment

– Last Updated: May-13-09 8:20 AM EST –

Jim,

You guys are making a mountain out of black fly scat.

Spare paddle storage--- take off your life jacket (real men never wear them anyway), take off the BUD LITE shirt and duck tape the spare paddle onto your back, handle up. It's out of the way and if you ever need it just reach over your shoulder, grab the handle and rip it off. May hurt a bit, but being a canoer, you're tougher than a kayaker. Anyway, the ladies will like you better with less fur on your back.

As to water, replace the nalgene containers with two stainless steel bottles, avoiding the plastic taste and possible chemical leaching. Join the tops with a carabiner and clip them to your clothing for portages. The stainless bottles clanking together on each step will warn off bears. Also, when bears see the angry red stripes on your bare backs (have to rip off the spare paddle every portage) they will run the other way. They have old memories of the need to avoid bare chested white men on portages, even when they aren't singing in French.

Dave

Not in front of the church ladies!
Remember its a church camp…however we have hiding places…so bring an appropriately disguised container.

As I said Dave
the Devil makes work for idle hands.



Jim

Did Pam throw your KUC
(kayak under construction–taking over the living room)



into the front yard?



LOL