Packing Your Kayak for Camping

Written by Jason Learned on 06 August 2012. Posted in Gear & Outfitting

Do you want to take your paddling to a new level and try your hand at kayak camping? Are you intimidated by all the extra gear and wondering how in the heck you’ll fit it all in your boat? I was too: here are some tips on how to get it done in a quick and efficient manner.

I came to kayaking with a strong background in backpacking so I use my backpacking gear for camping out of my kayak. I do this because my backpacking gear is compact and lightweight and I didn’t have to go out and it saved me from spending more money. Yes, it is true, kayaks can haul more than a backpack but that doesn’t mean we have to or should. . . more on this later. It is my hope that you can take the information here and turn your first kayak camping adventure into a positive experience.

Camping Gear

First things first, the camping gear. The nice thing about camping is that you basically take the same stuff with you each time. I have come up with an inclusive list of ALL my kayak camping gear. I use this list as a guide when packing for an overnight trip whether it be for one night or several weeks. This doesn't mean I take everything on the list every time.

For shorter trips you can bring along a few luxury items such as a dutch oven. Longer trips require more food and/or water, of course, and more exposed or isolated trips require you to pack additional repair and survival gear, but the basics remain the same: Emergency Kit, Food, Water and Shelter.

My list works for me and I would encourage you to come up with your own list that works for you. My list is broken down in sections according to use and color coded dry sacks. Here is a copy of my Extended Kayak Gear List47.81 KB and an explanation of how I have it broken down:

The “Paddling Essentials” section is everything I wear or have within reach while paddling. The “Hypothermia Kit” is always in a dark blue, 15L dry sack. The Emergency Shelter is only carried when I am leading a group and is in its own bag. My “Emergency/Repair Kit” is always stored in an orange, 5L dry sack. My “First Aid Kit” is always stowed in a red 5L dry sack and is labeled and marked with large black crosses. My “Clothing” is stored is a grey, 13L dry sack. My “Personal Care” section is always stowed in a green, 10L dry sack with my deodorant, toothbrush & paste, & Q-tips stored in a small ditty bag inside the green bag. I also include my headlamp and lantern in this bag as I always bring this bag to the campsite with me. The “Outerwear” section is stored in an orange, 15L dry sack. My “Kitchen” supplies are stowed in a non waterproof stuff sack and the stove and fuel are not in a bag. My “Food” items are there just to remind me to pack them. These items are generally in various bags or are rat holed (a highly technical term: meaning storing it wherever you find space) in various spaces depending on packaging. My “Camping Gear” is also in various non waterproof bags except for the sleeping bag and it is in dry compression sack. The items listed under “Miscellaneous” are generally items not kept in specific bags and may or may not be taken depending on the trip.

The important point I am trying to make here is to explain how I have chosen to divide and store my gear. This is a system that works for me and that I have developed while kayak camping from the Puget Sound to the Washington and Vancouver BC Coastlines.

Dry Sacks

Most modern Sea Kayaks have “watertight” hatches and bulkheads, I use the term “watertight” here loosely. Water inevitably will get in and get your gear wet. Which is where dry sacks come in handy. They also serve a safety function, by essentially creating several small float bags that will help keep your kayak afloat if you happen put a hole in the hull.

When it comes to dry sacks, size matters and bigger is not better. Choose smaller bags because they are easier to fit through your hatches and pack into your boat.

It helps to organize your bags by color. It really helps when every time you pack, the same stuff goes in the same bag. It’s no fun to reinvent the wheel for every trip.

Dry sacks are sized by volume and measured in liters. I use dry sacks that are 15L or smaller. Dry sacks are made of many different materials explore the tabs below for a comparison of each type.

Harstine Island is the largest island in the south sound and one that can be easily paddled around in 2 days by taking advantage of the WWTA campsites nearby. For those looking for a challenge you can do this 22nm paddle in a single day by harnessing the spring tides.

There is lot to see along the way such as Hope Island, a reef extending off the southern end of Squaxin Island, and miles upon miles of beautiful shoreline.

You have several different launch points to choose from depending on where you are coming from and what the currents are doing.
SKILL LEVEL:

Newcomers

As a newcomer you have had little to no instruction on how to wet exit and get back in your boat or prevent capsizes effectively. You should only paddle in protected waters near shore and with a friend that can show you the basics. Only attempt short crossings when accompanied and only launch when you know that the weather is good and not going to change. Avoid any tidal current. The Pacific Northwest is a beautiful place to discover by paddling but there are hidden dangers that you can avoid with a little bit of knowledge and skills.

To increase your knowledge and skills, find clubs and schools by visiting my Resources Page.

Transitional Paddlers

As a transitional paddler you have been shown and are proficient at wet exiting and self rescues in deepwater. You should have a solid brace to keep yourself upright, you may even be working on getting a reliable roll in the pool or on flat waters. You know the basic paddle strokes and are able to maneuver your boat proficiently on flat water with little wind. You should be able to paddle up to 8 miles in a protected inland environment over the course of a day.

This level of skill would be the equivalent of ACA L2 Skills or BCU 2 Star Skills.

Developing Paddlers

As a developing paddler you should be a self-sufficient paddler that has some formal training, can assess hazards confidently and are comfortable in moderate conditions. You should be comfortable paddling in winds up to 15 knots and waves/swell up to 3 feet, as well as be able to self-rescue effectively in these conditions. A developing paddler can maintain an effective course in wind and waves, as well as be able to roll their kayak in open water. You should be proficient with deep water rescues and towing systems. As a developing paddler you should have an understanding of trip planning, navigation and equipment selection and be capable of paddling 15 NM over the course of a day.

This level of skill would be the equivalent of ACA L3 Skills or BCU 3 Star Skills.

Progressive Paddlers

As a progressive paddler you are used to paddling with competent peers in more bumpy ocean settings and are confident in winds up to 20 knots with swells up to 6 feet, you look for more challenging sessions. A progressive paddler will have a well-rounded sea kayaking background and be able to perform all the fundamental skills in moderate to rough water. You should have a reliable roll in open dynamic water, be able to paddle 15 to 20 NM over the course of a day. At this level, paddlers should possess good seamanship skills such as environmental/weather and sea state awareness, tidal and trip planning, on-water navigation and be knowledgeable about emergency procedures and rough water rescues.

This level of skill would be the equivalent of ACA L4 Skills, BCU 4 Star Skills or higher.

SK Rating:

SK III

Pickering passage is a narrow constricted passage with current flows up to 2 kts. Wind against this current will mean rougher waters.

Distance:	22 NM
Charts:	NOAA 18448
Launch:	Fair Harbor Marina Boston Harbor Joemma Beach State Park Latimers Landing Arcadia Boat Ramp
Radio Channels:	VHF 16
Weather:	Puget Sound and Hood Canal
Tidal Stations:	Pickering Passage North (Currents) Graham Point (Currents) Pickering PAssage South (Currents) Peale Passage North (Currents) Squaxin Passage (Currents) Dana Passage (Currents) Walkers Landing (Tides) Arcadia (Tides) McMicken (Tides)

Outdoor Research and Sea to Summit make great dry bags. I have Outdoor Research’s Durable Dry Sacks, Ultralight Dry Sacks and Airpurge Dry Compression Sacks. I also use the Sea to Summit’s Ultra-Sil® Dry Sack and the eVAC™ Dry Sack.

Use a dry compression sack to reduce the volume of your sleeping bag or other bulky compressible items that need to stay dry.

Trimming The Boat

After looking at my list, you might be thinking, Ooh my god, how will this all fit in my boat? Going back to my backpacking roots, I was able to pack everything I needed into a backpack for an 8 day camping in the wilderness, so surely you can get the same into a kayak and more. In fact the average sea kayak holds twice as much gear as a backpack.

Keep in mind, kayaks do have weight limitations set by the manufacturers and going beyond these limitations can adversely effect boat performance, stability and maneuverability. The trick is to make sure the weight of your gear and you does not exceed the maximum weight range set by the manufacturer and is distributed correctly in the boat. Being over the weight limit is not necessarily a show stopper, but you must understand that the boat may not perform as you are used to.

The goal when placing gear in your boat is to have the weight distributed equally fore and aft (front and back) and side to side, this is called trimming your boat. A neutral trim would mean an equal distribution of weight along the length of the kayak so the bow and stern were equally weighted. Boat speed will be best if you have the trim adjusted correctly.

When loaded, if the bow is higher than the stern, (tail heavy) the boat speed is usually reduced as the kayak tries to “climb over its wake” and this allows the bow to be more easily pushed by the wind.

This could be beneficial when traveling down wind in heavy seas as your stern is anchored in the seas and your bow is kept pointed down wind.

If the bow is excessively lower than the stern, (nose heavy), the water line length of the kayak is not efficient, and excessive bow wave making slows the boat. This also makes steering difficult as the bow acts like a knife edge carving the water throwing the bow off course and the stern is more easily pushed around by any wind or waves.

If you have one side loaded with more weight than the other, this causes you to be constantly on an edge, making controlling your boat more difficult as it will always want to turn in one direction.

If your skeg or rudder fails, on long stretches with a beam wind you could pack slightly more weight on the windward side of the boat, placing your boat on an edge to help counteract weather cocking

Packing Your Boat

Once you ave have amassed all your gear it is time to do a dry run and truly see if everything fits. Take your boat down and place it on the ground in a place where you will have plenty of room. Place all of your gear in a large pile away from the boat. Now start by placing items on the ground next to the boat where they will be stored.

You could also do this at a local beach or kayak dock so you could also see how well trimmed your boat is once fully loaded.

Here are some simple guidelines to help you when deciding where to place items:

1. Heavy items should be placed low in the boat and near your butt. Water, if you have to carry it, will probably be your heaviest item and should be placed behind your seat, if you have room, or in your day hatch. This keeps the center of gravity low and near you which means better stability.

If you have a deck mounted compass DO NOT place any metal objects in your front hatch. The metal will throw off your compass bearings.

2. Smaller and lighter items can be placed farther out from the cockpit. The smallest and lightest should be shoved up in the ends of your boat. Tent poles, flat items, etc. do well along the hull of the boat.

Tie strings to the small items you place in the bow and stern ends. You’ll be happy that you can easily pull the fuel canister or tent stakes out of the stern end when your tired and hungry after a long day paddling.

Safety Considerations

Now, lets talk about storing items on the deck of your boat. Whenever you place items on the deck of your boat, you are effectively raising the center of gravity of your boat and making it less stable. You also make rescues more difficult if you have large items strapped to your back deck because you’ll have to climb up and over this stuff to get back into your boat. I personally try to get everything inside my hatches as I like a clean top deck and cockpit.

Here is an excellent to link about kayak stability and center of gravity by Guillemot Kayaks

You should avoid putting anything in your cockpit that could stop you from wet exiting from your boat. Don’t place ANYTHING between your legs. If an item is stored between your legs it inhibits your ability to bring your legs out of your cockpit thus trapping you in your boat when upside down.

You can safely store an item in front of your foot pegs or behind your seat so long as it is secured in place with no chance of coming free and sliding between your legs.

I hope this has helped a bit.

Gear & Outfitting

Packing Your Kayak for Camping

Camping Gear

Dry Sacks

SKILL LEVEL:

Newcomers

Transitionals

Developing

Progressive

SK Rating:

SK III

Trimming The Boat

Packing Your Boat

Safety Considerations

Have Fun and Be Safe