packing gear in a kayak

individual plastic bags of food
a friend would stuff those in everywhere and spend an extra ten minutes pulling them out. My achilles heel was the large pvc dry bag that could only fit under the aft hatch. 9" diameter is too big.

Blue tape


I agree about the duct tape. Blue tape is an idea but it probably doesn’t hold to well when wet.



The reason to use trash bags is for a try-before-you-buy test. In the long run, with repeated uses, people will be much happier with nylon dry bags.

If packed right, it’s much easier
When loading the boat, I always put the heaviest items on the bottom along the keel line, and progress up to the lightest on top.



The more bottom-heavy your boat is, the easier it is to roll, and the less likely it will be to need to in the same conditions (In general). Same principle the USCG uses to make their self-righting cutters.



Properly packed, I can hand roll my Caribou. I can’t do it when she’s empty. I need at least a norsaq to roll her empty.

I have used this info in the past
It is from the San Diego Seakayers web site. I stumbled across years ago and printed a copy of it. At the bottom is a gear check list, too:



http://www.seakayak.ws/kayak/kayak.nsf/NavigationList/NT000050B6

good link
thanks for posting

Use a SOT
and packing is easy. http://i161.photobucket.com/albums/t237/Kayak_Ken/Assorted%20Pictures/Fargo001.jpg