I’m looking for 72" solo end bags, I found alot of 60" but no 72" other than Mohawk. Was looking for other options.
Thanks, Mike
72" bags
The only maker I know of that produced bags that long was/is Mohawk, and perhaps Voyageur, which is no more.
Voyageur also used to produce a center split canoe bag that could be used to extend the length of an end bag. You just butted the center bag up against the end of the end bag and ran a cage and strap over both bags. You might be able to use a smaller center bag this way, if you want.
The Mohawk bags are pretty good. 72" bags are heavy and about the only use for them is if you are paddling a 15+ foot canoe solo and planning to roll it.
Harmony is offering clones of some
Voyageur bags, but not 72". It would be interesting to know what sort of canoe these will be tied into. For example, with the 17’ Old Town Tripper I used to paddle, 72" bags would leave only about 5 feet in the center of the boat. Little room to stand for poling or to keep any gear I want readily at hand.
Bell makes 72s…
Bell makes em’.
Thanks
I will look into the Bell bags.
They are for a 13’ WW boat. I want as little water left in the boat after a roll. I have 60" front and rear now, but when I roll it takes awhile till the boat feels magable. I can fit a 72" in the front, less water means my electric bilge will clear it faster.
You have a 13’ boat, and a 6’ float bag
in the bow? Does this allow you to kneel at the balance point of the boat?
I just outfitted a 13’ Millbrook Big Boy with 48" bags. This leaves room for a Mohawk triple saddle, and I am in exactly the balance point.
g2d
Dude, I just read your other post on bags. I’m just looking for 72" bags, and the other poster was very helpful with the Bell bags, thanks. This isn’t my first day on the job and I got everything under control. I don’t care about weight and please don’t try and analize what I want to do or why I want to do it. What works for you is great for you, but not everyone paddles with your skill. I too have a few river miles under my belt. So while I apreciate your input, please don’t start in about the weight and how I don’t need such big bags. Thanks.
Would you like me to delete my post?
It will also remove your response. Whatever floats your boat.
Don’t worry about it
I have a 72" bag in the front of my Encore - maybe someday I’ll even learn to roll it. Went with Mohawk.
big bags
Some do prefer having the biggest bags that the boat can take. I can see the sense of that if you are running through long trains of big waves, or if you have a killer roll, as it minimizes the amount of water the boat can take on.
I have always prefered to leave enough space in front of the saddle to be able to stick my head into in the event of a capsize. You are much better protected if running a rocky, shallow rapid upside down. If there is a decent runout or recovery pool at the end of the rapid, you can usually breath from the air pocket, ride the rapid out, and roll in the calmer water below.
Not being “expert” in open boats, I do
not expect to be running rapids upside down, waiting to roll. I don’t roll open boats, only c-1s. I set up my open boats so that I can exit easily. This is the “Louie” strategy for running rapids.
Oh come now
We all know Mike never swims!
Well, no, he just somersaults out of the
boat and onto the nearest bank, where he dumps the boat.
It is true
Rolling an open boat is much less beneficial than rolling a decked boat as the water in the boat makes maneuvering quite difficult and, unless you have a pump, you still have to empty the boat, which requires getting out anyway. But there are plenty of situations in which staying in the boat is better than swimming.
If I screw up and manage to capisize near the top of Tablesaw, it’s generally better to hang out and (hopefully) roll up when the heavy wave action stops, as opposed to swimming with the boat and trying to horse it over to the bank.
That can seem like a long swim. Oddly
I don’t think I ever swam in Tablesaw, not even on my inaugural run when the guys I was with said, “Just stay left, you’ll be OK.”
I stayed left, and crump-bump-thumped down through the ledges on the left side, in my glass Hahn.
I very much admire people who can roll open boats in a useful fashion. It just doesn’t fit with my “old man” paddling style, and isn’t necessary on the rivers I’m running now.
Take a few deep…
Hey Mike, calm down, and open a beer.
Have you used bags that large?
You may already know this, but if you bag out your boat so that the bow bag is up to your knees and the stern bag is nearly to your pedestal, you are going to create a water dam with the saddle that greatly inhibits the flow of water from the downside bilge to the opposite side when you attempt to roll, and tends to make the boat very hard to control if you do make it up.
If you choose to proceed and if your bilge pump placement does not provide an efficient pathway for water transfer across the saddle, I would suggest putting one, or more, water transfer tubes or cutouts at the base of your saddle first.
If you are already aware of this problem, disregard.