i’m not sure if this has been asked before, but is there some sort of towable, waterproof box type thing that you can tie up behind your kayak/canoe for extra storage? i’ve tried googling but i keep getting gear boxes for the roof of your car or trailers for kayaks that you tow behind your car. i doubt i’m the first person to think of this idea…
second kayak?
I know a guy who towed a second kayak for a camping trip. This was for a trip where he was camping for a bunch of days at the same place, and doing day trip/play paddles from there. Basic paddle was maybe 5 miles.
He paddled out in his longer boat (~17’), and towed his shorter surf/rock garden boat (~13’) out. Had a cooler in the cockpit of the shorter boat, which he would not have been able to bring otherwise.
Think light
have you ever tried to tow anything behind your kayak? You’d probably get a mile or maaybe two.
The extra kayak…
idea is probably the best. if you must tow something.
I’ve tried towing a large innertube with a light person on it, and I wouldn’t want to have to add wind and waves to the mix.
Heck, when my grandson drags the dipnet, I notice the difference.
Try it under many conditions whatever you use, before you take any serious trip. I can’t imagine how a tow vessel would behave in cross winds, twisty rivers, or even if you had to backpaddle.
Let us know if you try this.
I think that’s why they sell bigger canoes and kayaks.
T
yep
ive used an innertube with a cooler in it several times.
I only do that when taking a group of folks where my pace will be slow and id be worried about new paddlers flipping and leaving 30 beer cans to float away.
slows me down a bit, but is easy managable and can be a good workout if you try and maintain a quick pace.
I can fit enough gear food, and beer in my 14.5 old town dirigo to be out 4-5 days comfortably… then im running out of beer and need to head back to civilization lol. so you may not need a raft in tow for your stuff if you pack right
Towing anything pretty much puts the
issue outside the “wilderness” zone. You might try asking on the “Advice, Suggestions, and General Help” forum.
I once towed some extra gear in a decked c-1, behind our tandem canoe. We only had to go about four miles, but towing made the whole business tedious. I would not do it again. Take what you need in one boat. If that boat isn’t big enough, get a bigger one.
Towing anything is very tiring
even if it is floating. Go out and give it a try for a mile or two. You will quickly see why noone makes products for this purpose.
Yes… The least costly is…
Quit taking so much sh!t… Pack less crap & only take what you NEED. If you are gonna take all the compforts of home, you may as well just stay home.
I carry eerything I need for a "compfortable weekend in a 9 foot boat & have stretched it out for a week before.
Paddle easy (& lighter),
Coffee
yes there is, don’t waste the money
Friend of mine showed up last yr with the coolest thing. You can put your huge cooler in it and it works like a life vest for your cooler. Just tow it behind you.
After about four of eight river miles, she collected her cooler and stashed it on board the crowded canoe. There is no hydrodynamic joy in tugging this thing along. If and only IF all other boat space is completely filled and you just cannot do without every last thing in the cooler, would I consider this poor option.
I would much highly recommend towing and extra canoe behind you if you need the room. They have some glide, some proper shape, etc. Tugging a fully loaded extra canoe would be miles ahead of this stupid cooler float idea.
towing
I have an old sea snark sailboat[12’ long] that I use if we’re base camping and not going to far. The first time I didn’t bring the rudder, the thing was sideways more than it was straight. With the rudder tied off to keep it straight,it works pretty good.
had to tow
a couple of clients I was guiding a couple of miles in a tandem last summer