Hi,
I will be getting my Q700X in a couple of weeks and I am wondering if someone knows 1) how many and 2) what size of dry bags (in cubic inches plus diameter) it takes to fill the boat “comfortably” with gear using the “least number” of bags. If you could also tell me where you put the different sized bags (e.g., 1 3000ci round and 1 2000ci taper in bow hatch, 2 3000ci round bags in stern hatch) that would be great.
THANKS!
You may be over thinking this…
Everybodys gear is different and mine varies trip to trip… As a start you may want to get a few med. and a few small ones and see how it goes. Everything doesn’t need to go into dry bags… Do a few short trips and see what you need…
I’ve got a 700
and I can tell is that the NRS med tuff sack is the largest I can get through. Do like grayak said and just wait see. You don’t have to bag everything. Sleeping bag will probably be biggest. That boat holds a lot of gear!!!
Bill
Thanks
Will check out the NRS bag.
I agree with those above.
Also get a lot of small bags in clear or different colors to make it easier to find what you need. Outdoor guide has small military surplus pack liners for $3-4 ea, they’re all green so you have to put tags on them to tell whats inside. One “Old Indian Trick” tie a string to the first small bag to go into each compartment, you can the grab the string and pull the last couple bags out of the far reaches.
I always take too much stuff and on a six day trip I had room to spare in my Q700.
SYOR
Randy
Hi beaowolf
I agree with the above. Here is what I do to fully pack my “ruddered” QCC. Packing will be different if you have a skeg boat. I use Sealine tapered bags in the bow and stern. I use one five liter sealine bag, two twenty liter bags or one ten and one twenty liter dry bag. I only use back packing gear which is very small and very light weight. I bring a four man tent (I like the room), sleeping bag, compression pillow, thermorest prolite (compacts very small, I got the widest full length), liquid fuel stove (with a bottle of fuel), sometimes a liquid fuel latern, two six liter dromedary bags with I put as close to me as possible in the rear hatch (I had a plastic water jug leak on a trip…very bad. The Dromedary bags are bullet proof), cooking kit, one aluminum 20 oz. leak proof drinking thermos, head light and tent light. I put a fully collapsible aluminum table and aluminum full arm chair on the rear deck. The two together weigh about twelve pounds (very light). I put a three liter bag of water with a drinking hose behind the seat on the deck and a deck bag in front of me which holds a five liter bag. I also use several different shaped compression bags to feel in the voids If I want to take anything else (like a tarp to go under my tent). There is no spare room in my boat when I am finished. The boat is a little slower to get moving but once underway the boat still moves very nicely. It also rides in the water with the bottom of the seam tape about an inch above the waterline. It will be a wetter ride in the bumps but very stable.
I hope that is helpful.
Franklin
"least number of bags"
you want the bags that work,putting in the largest bags isn’t a good idea,especially sticky/stiff coated ones. The fitting end bags are useful but beyond that you’re better off with two medium bags parallel to each other than attempting one big bag. Look around for some slippery flat/rectangular nylon bags to fit around some of the tubular shaped bags.
That is what I was looking for!
– Last Updated: Mar-19-06 6:19 PM EST –
Franklin,
Thanks, that information is very helpful.
Beaowolf
Sealine tapered bags, 35L
Franklin,
The Sealine taper bags (at REI) come in a narrow taper (5.5"-11" x 39.5") and wide taper (7"-12" x 35"), both are ~35L. Which one(s) do you use for the bow and stern?
The info. on the backpacking gear was good too, that is what I plan on loading the kayak up with.
Thanks again,
Beaowolf
Hi beaowolf
I have a 35" tapered I put in the back and a 20" tapered I put in the front. You have a lot more distance between the rear hatch and stern than you do between the forward hatch and bow. Also, I agree with what has been posted by the others, good advice. The other dry bags you use should be between 5 liters (very small) and up to 20 liters. If you need to put a dry bag on the rear deck, I found that a 35 liter “Long” works really well. It is low profile, can hold a lot and will lay down nicely when tied. Get the bags that are shorted and wider to go into the hatch. These bags, if you don’t over stuff them, can be turned sideways so that the folded portion is not taking up space but is smashed into the sides of the boat. If you can find them all in nylon that would be good. Most of mine are a rubber type material. When I started camping out of my boat, I didn’t know this wonderful resource (Paddling.net) existed! I only have the tapered bags in nylon. The nylon bags are more expensive. If you’ll email me I’ll send you some pictures of how much stuff I’m able to get in the boat. You won’t believe how much you can pack into your boat if you plan right. The night before your first camping trip, pack the boat to see how it all fits and try to keep the weight balanced. You’ll impress your buddies the next day on how well versed you are (seasoned veteran) and you’ll know if you have enough room. Good luck!
Franklin
ps
if you intend on packing more than a few bags it’s worth finding one of those mesh duffle bags, hopefully with shoulder straps. I’ve found that having that as the last thing before the hatch goes on facillitates unpacking. You open the hatch and start tossing all the small bags into it. A friend would take forever to unpack his boat but I could get everything out of the boat and walking up to the camp in five minutes by putting lots of those gap filling bags into the mesh duffle on my back and the rest in both hands.