Practice your rescues
First of all, and this is funny because it comes from somebody that cares less about fashion than most, but it’s uncool to kayak with stuff on the deck. Nobody ever told me that, so lets see if folks disagree.
Second, if you decide to strap the bag on the deck, you might want to practice your rescues with a large bag strapped on the back of the yak. Things might not work the same.
~~Chip
On deck only as a last resort
– Last Updated: Feb-11-06 9:25 AM EST –
There are simply too many disadvantages to carrying gear on-deck to make it anything but a last ditch solution.
- It increases weathercocking.
- It makes it difficult or impossible to do layback rolls.
- It adds drag that makes rolling more difficult.
- It gets in the way of re-entries and rescues.
- It exposes your gear to the elements.
- It exposes your gear to the risk of loss in rough water or surf.
If the sleeping bag is so bulky that it won't fit in the boat using the methods that people have outlined above, it's time to get a better sleeping bag.
Get a new bag
If you don’t have a bag that’s suitable for backpacking (it is a car camping bag), get one that is. Big Agnes synthetic bags are ideal for kayaking, as they pack small because the floor of the bag is a foam pad.
In that order
I think you got enough ideas by now.
Two trash bags will do if you can get most the air out. (I found it too much hassle. That’s why I like compression sacks.)
If not, you have no choice by to “get another bag”. Not another sleeping bag, just another dry bag to compression the sleeping bag down. Don’t start thinking you’re “man enough” to compress the bag and “need no stinking compression sack”. You’re NOT (and will be way happier with it).
Getting another sleeping bag will be the most costly. I wouldn’t go that far.
nope
if you can’t get a sleeping bag in the boat the bag is too big or the boat is too small.
Follow up… thanks to all
Ok, here is what worked and thanks for all of the responses. I placed a kitchen sized garbage bag in the stuff sack and then squeezed it real small and managed to get it in the rear hatch, sideways behind the bulkhead. I can attest to the dryness of these hatches. When trying to move the boat closer to the camp site along the surf (walking it) a wave swamped it and flipped it over. Draining and pumping the cockpit, everything was dry. No harm no foul. One of several lessons learned on my overnighter last night. It was cold. There was ice on the tent and kayak when I awoke. I slept in polypro, pants,fleece top and hat on a therarest pad. Time for a warmer bag. Another lesson learned, do not turn you back on brazen raccoon. Came right up to the table and took my hot dog. For those interested, I paddled from West Seattle to Blake Island in the middle of Puget Sound. There ended up being quite enough room for longer trips. The day hatch is huge. The Assateague handled quite well in beam seas, but suffers from stuck skeg syndrome when launching from the beach as it sucks up sand and pebbles, locking it in the enclosure.
A couple of ideas
Consider bringing your cockpit cover, assuming you have one, on camping trips so that you can keep water out of the cockpit when moving the boat, or if it rains or if it ices. Critters too if that’s an issue where you camp.
Get something to roll the boat on for moving it on land, either swimming noodles as suggested above or a small float like they have in marine stores to hang over the side of a moored boat to protect it from hitting the dock. To launch, if possible have the stern floating in the water and launch backwards.
Ice on the tent? Hot-dog gobbling racoons? Congrats - that’s more than I’d be up to sleeping outdoors with.