Here’s why
"1. Why carry something when you have a boat to carry it?"
The boat is still carrying it, since you’re sitting down. I don’t even notice the weight of mine.
“2. 1 liter PFD size is useless in S Florida.”
Who says you’re limited to one liter? I carry a 2 liter pack and larger sizes are readily available. It’s also a simple matter to refill it during a lunch break, if necessary, on longer trips. I’ve never found the size to be a limitation, even on 90+ degree summer days.
Search tip
Here’s a generic search tip. Use the minimim search term that you think will distinguish what you want.
For example, instead of “camelback” use “camel”. That will get things like “camel back”, but is unlikely to turn up anything unrelated, except perhaps in a forum on desert travel or smoking cessation.
Instead of “hydration pack” search “hydration”. That gets “hydration bag” and other variants, without risking much irrelevant stuff.
We now return you to your regularly scheduled programming…
–David.
Thanks!
70 Oz on the foredeck…
I clip a 70Oz camelback on the foredeck just in front of the cockpit, using a couple of cheap 1.00 carabiners (Key ring ).
the cheap insulation sleeve has a grab loop at the top, and a small webing strap at the bottom…perfect for running the carabiners through…they attach to the deck bungee…the tube is clipped to the shoulder strap of the sleeve within easy reach.
the bag drapes over the deck, so it’s low profile, and doesn’t affect the roll.
check your spelling
it’s camelbak
I used to do that…
until the surf ripped it off my deck. I stow it below now and run the hose out.
Question: For those that start out with a package on your back where the waterweight alone is 4.375 pounds, or 70 ounces,in addition to the sack and plumbing bits, how could you not notice it?
Augustus Dogmaticus
MMVI
I do notice it…
but its just not an issue, certainly no kind of liability or impediment.
I also notice my PFD, my VHF on a shoulder strap, etc.
This may, of course, be different for others.
Holmes
the only issue with the water
for me was doing hand rolls while I was learning them. Now i can do all of them with my hydration system on. But I would be lying if I said it didn’t make a difference. But for most rolls with the paddle I noticed no difference. Unlike Greyak I think a pfd hydration system is a good idea, because I can’t use a deck system from my surf boat that doesn’t have deck lines. Even on my sea kayak I never liked having the water on deck because more often than not I would waste 35 Bucks on a great platypus system that would get washed off in a surf landing or launch. But to each their own.
I have the Kokatat hydration system, if you think about getting one, it is a good system if you already have a kokatat pfd.
Actually, it’s slightly positively buoya
– Last Updated: Jan-26-06 2:18 PM EST –
nt, at least in the ocean, since salt water is denser than the fresh in your bottle, and I hope no one is drinking salt water. Even if it were neutrally buoyant, it would have to displace something positively buoyant in order to compromise buoyancy. So if you did something insane like cut a recess out of the back of your PFD to hold the resevoir, that's about the only way having water on your back would compromise your buoyancy.
I may change my system…
in the next few months to be capable of incorporating a limited reservoir of water, ie, a liter. It willl have to share space with my VHF in the backpack. Right now I’m tricking out the new boat and am going to glass loops under the deck to hold a pump and bladder. I’d much rather have the water there than on me, but that’s as always just what I like.
Augustus Dogmaticus
MMVI
I tried a hand roll…
last fall and didn’t have my EFT on my vest.
Didn’t make a lot of difference… I still nearly drowned myself!
You hand rollers amaze me.
Respectfully,
Holmes
Is it easier with or without?
I thought that having water on your back during layback rolls would lower the CG. Putting on your chest would raise the CG.Are you saying it’s easier or harder to roll with a hydration bag on your back?
I really don’t know because I’ve carried a back mounted hydrator for 8 years now so it’s safe to say I’ve never rolled without one.
I’m involved in a pool course this March and I found a used Walleyworld cheapy PFD to use instead of putting my good one in the chlorine so I’ll get a chance to try without the extra ballast on my back.
Cheers
Bert
LOL! Sorry for the
confusion, Bert.
I require a paddle to roll a kayak - with or without the hydration system on my back. When doing a simple sweep roll I honestly cannot tell the difference with or without it.
I DO NOT have a hand roll whatsoever. I was just messing around last year and gave it a try - ended up looking like an insect going in circles as it tries to avoid going down a drain. Flopped around, flushed my sinuses, gave the onlookers a laugh, and ended up wet exiting. I couldn’t even scull for support using only my hands!
I’ve decided the problem is that my hands are just too damned small 
Take care.
Holmes
definitely harder
Whether it’s on the chest or on your back, it still raises your center of gravity since it’s above your waist. More than a balance issue, the bag gets in the way when you are trying to slide up on the back deck. Anything that inhibits flexibility and adds friction to your roll makdes hand rolls more difficult.
this is my solution:
http://community.webshots.com/myphotos?action=showPhoto&albumID=546410669&photoID=2128803590084634827&security=JLzsbH
and i also read somewhere that it is good to have weight centered along the hull and weight near the cockpit, so i glued down tie-downs to the hull adjacent to the bulkhead. I keep my bladder in a Camelbak Mule (always carry it on shore) and simply bungee the Mule to the floor of the kayak.
Havent used the system yet, my lake is still iced over but will play with it next month in Florida.
Thoughts?
camelbacks
I used to carry a camelback on my pfd but now it gets strappped to the back deck. There was no hinderence to my rolling, but the straps would begin to hurt my pectorals after awhile.
Link doesn’t for me
I’d like to see your pics.
It’s not like you’re hiking uphill…
…with the water on your back. You’re sitting down and the weight is supported by your spine. Sure, it puts a bit of weight on your shoulders, but it’s not enough to cause any fatigue or discomfort.
What good is your VHF…
…if it’s in a pack on your back? Unless you have a shoulder mic attached to it, you’ll never be able to access it when you really need it.
It can make a bit of a difference…
…when working on more difficult rolls like handrolls, but not due to the weight; it’s due to the thickness of the pack holding you up off the deck. I’ve never noticed any difference when doing paddle rolls.