What are some must have items to keep in kayak bag for possible repair or issues one can be prepared for on river. Have a Old Town Dirigo 120
Kayaking fishing essentials - #6 by kayakbasser This is a reply to a similar question. Recently I have added a Leatherman Bond multi-tool. Hope this helps.
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I’m lazy, so I move my bike tool bag into my day-bag for kayaking: leatherman, a small selection of allen keys and wrenches (important but not urgent to-do: switching my kayak fasteners over to metric). Electrical tape and a little gorilla tape. I’ve just added a roll of 4" flex-tape just for paddling. I figure for a giant hole (bigger than flex tape only could handle) I could cut up the dry bag itself as a patch.
For non-whitewater trips I’ve usually got a few small (4’-10’) random pieces of line and carabiners. Would plan to have enough for a Z-drag if going to whitewater.
Also my first-aid kit moves with me throughout the day (including onto the boat, of course).
Other things that live in the little dry bag that comes with me on every trip: emergency blanket, spare hat and gloves/mittens, small hand towel (so much easier to accomplish a lot of small tasks when you don’t have wet hands). Sharpie, pencil, and notebook (in the event of a medical emergency you want to record the time of things like “started CPR” or “applied tourniquet” or “administered narcan” -sharpie that right onto the person).
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Don’t forget aspirin in case somebody has a heart attack (probability high)
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Is aspirin needed so you won’t have a headache during your heart attack?
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Aspirin makes the platelets less sticky so they will not clot as easily; making more blood flow to heart which is good
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And/or stroke.
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Duct tape, Gorilla tape, some wire.
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Never underestimate the humble zip tie.
Along with what others have mentioned, I also carry replacement buckles for the straps that hold down my hatches, some Velcro strapping and Flex seal tape.
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I carry a small zip-lok bag with an assortment of the various screws, nuts, washers and other hardware that are used on my boat. (Have actually had to use one – in open water on Lake Superior – on my wife’s boat when one of the screws holding the footpeg rail came loose and fell into the water. It left an open hole into the hull right at the water line.) Also zip-ties (which have countless uses) and a length of both duct and electrical tape wrapped around a pen.
I always have a Leatherman or Swiss Army knife on me for the screwdrivers, pliers, etc. None of my boats have any allen screws so no need for allen wrenches.
Remember a paddle float for self rescue, and a bailer or pump, and make sure you know how to get back in your boat
Get chewable aspirin if possible - gets absorbed faster into the system - those coated aspirins are terrible.
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No - aspirin is a blood thinner and will help a clot in your coronary artery to dissolve and let the blood flow better.
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sounds like an excellent plan!
That seems like a lot of stuff. Also carry 3 five pound bags of sand in case you need to throw something overboard to lighten up the boat. In fact, keep them tied on ropes so you can pull them back in later to protect from flooding. lol
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Indeed. I still have a pair of Tevas that I put back together on Isle Royale a year and a half ago. They live at the cabin up north for night time & creek duty.
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And make sure the aspirin is chewed up and not swallowed whole.
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If the victim is unconscious who is doing the aspirin chewing? How about a transdermal Nitro patch instead. Not considered useful for strokes but I’m also reading aspirin should not be given for strokes. If stroke is due to a ruptured vessel and not a clot, could make things worse.
Maybe take along a first aid manual after having taken first aid training. And stop listening to anonymous people on the internet, myself included.
No way for lay person to determine type of stroke without medical scans and evaluation.
Nitro should only be given when blood pressure able to tolerate the drop in pressure once nitro given. Which you would need equipment to know proper blood pressure before nitro given.
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Regarding nitro, I was thinking in terms of myself. When I had a MI scare years ago, my doctor gave me nitro pills, dissolve under tongue. I thought the patch was an interesting alternative. But it remains that having pills and other first aid things require training to go with them.