Packing your kayak can be a joy or total misery. At the end of a trip have you ever wondered why you brought so much junk! Repeatedly hauling all your equipment and "stuff" up and down a river bank can turn any kayak camper into a minimalist!
The diagram below shows the basic methodology for packing your kayak.
For the best trim keep light items in the bow and stern, next heaviest items as you move toward the cockpit and heaviest near the cockpit.
Now, first things first - make an equipment list, gather all your gear, lay it all out for inspection and then decide what will fit in your boat. Decide which items are essential, good to have and luxury items. Start with essential items that need to stay dry. These items will probably go in drybags. Remember that a bunch of small drybags are good - one big dry bag is not! You also need to determine how dry your front and rear hatches stay - that will help you decide what needs to go in a dry bag or watertight container.
Also keep in mind what items you want to pull out first when you land. If you'll be paddling long hours and it's dark when you arrive, have your headlamp handy. A small first aid kit in your deck bag is good for easy access (store a more complete kit in the boat). Everyone keeps their water bottle handy, but also remember to keep spare water handy too. If you need to refill at the next rest area you don't want to unload your entire boat to get the water. If you will be stopping for lunch on your way to the next campsite, have your lunch easily accessible.
Your kayak will achieve some extra stability and tracking ability with the addition of properly packed weight. Make sure you are aware of the manufacturer's stated weight capacity. Pack heavy gear as low as possible to keep the center of gravity low and make sure your gear doesn't shift around in rough paddling conditions.
Remember, just because you CAN take the "kitchen sink" doesn't mean you should. Packing light and efficiently will make your trip much more enjoyable.
Front Deck
Anything on your deck will add windage and raise your center of gravity. However, and especially on long trips, you may need some essential items assessable to you without having to pop your spray skirt.
Essentials may include water bottles, snacks, VHF radio, paddle float, sun screen and your chart. A deck bag is perfect for these and other small items. For extended voyages, you may want to strap on a small survival kit. Anything on your front or rear deck must be secured for foul conditions.
Rear Deck
Use the rear deck to store your spare paddle. This is an essential item for expedition or long distance trips. Store the paddle halfs with the blades facing the back of the kayak under the deck lines and the shaft towards you so you can get to them easily.
One thing to remember - do not load your front or rear deck with bags that do not fit into your boat. Re-examine your equipment list and leave behind unnecessary items. Think like a backpacker - even if you do have much room!
Hints:
1. Use water bags or bottles that deflate or collapse when the water is used up.
2. Carry one or two large duffle bags to carry gear back and forth from the boat to the campsite. Select bags that will easily stow away when the boat is packed.
3. Don't carry your kayak when it is loaded with gear.
4. The new compression dry bags are great for sleeping bags and clothes.
5. Make equipment do double duty - sleeping pad/chair combos are good.
6. Keep your dry top handy in case of sudden storms.
Suggestions
If you have a somewhat bulky, synthetic sleeping bag, it packs best in a standard nylon compression sack. To waterproof it for kayaking, simply place a heavy-duty garbage bag (trash compactor bags are excellent) inside the compression sack, then stuff the sleeping bag into both. Twist the top of the garbage bag a few times, and synch down the compression straps. You'll never have a damp sleeping bag and the outer nylon compression bag slides easily into your hatch. The same trick works for tents in their original stuff sack (don't put the poles in the garbage bag - just the tent and fly) and makes a much smaller package than a dry bag would.
Use your float bag for a pillow.
Use a strap on the small dry bags that get stuffed into the bow or stern or attach the cord of one bag through the clasp of another. Then when you pull out one bag the other slides out with it. You can use the straps to easily unload your bags. Buy different colored dry bags so you know what is in each one; pack like items together, clothing in one color; dinners and lunches in one color; breakfast, snacks, coffee in another. When paddling into the wind, packing more of the weight into the front of the boat can help. Take special care to tie down your water bottle. They tend to get lost easily when entering through small surf.
Bagology - The science of packing a kayak
Kayak trips are an exercise in organization. It is always amazing how all that stuff ever fits into that tiny kayak. Bags are the essence of finding what you need without frustration. "Bagology" is my term for the careful science of grouping articles into appropriate bags.
Grouping of articles is the first step. Group your things into the following categories: camp cooking, camp clothing, food, paddling clothing, safety gear, boat gear, plus some other odds and ends. A consideration is who you are travelling with and how organized they are. You need to carefully delineate who is bringing what, especially if you have no option to stash stuff.
You can use a variety of bags for different things. Many things do not even need a bag. Food can be put into nylon stuff sacks with garbage bags inside. (Remember that some green garbage bags have a heavy duty toxic substance coated on them making them unsuitable for food). Mesh bags are handy for keeping things together like pots and pans. A canvas or burlap bag is handy for your fresh catch of the day. Keeping the bag damp with the occasional paddle splash will keep your fish fresh for days.
Waterproof bags come in either nylon or vinyl (or derivatives of these). Nylon is more puncture resistant than vinyl but does not seal as well. Nylon bags are especially leaky if the opening is more than a foot wide. Vinyl bags ("dry bags") are the most popular. These bags seal well and come in a wide variety of sizes. The 20 litre size is the most popular as it fits a sleeping bag. (The trick for getting your sleeping bag into the bag is to hold the bag upside down and push the foot of the sleeping bag well into the bottom. Make sure the bottom of the waterproof bag is well packed before packing the balance of the bag.) Be careful not to step on your bag or leave it within spark range of a fire. It helps to write your name on the outside when part of a group to minimize confusion over otherwise identical bags. But I recommend not writing the contents on the bag as the insides will invariably change.
Colours and labels play an important role in bagology. Waterproof bags should be purchased in as many different colours as possible. Try use colours logically. With food bags we use green bags for go (breakfast), yellow for lounging in the sun (lunch), red for stop (dinner), blue for adding spice and mood- lifting things (spice kit, beverages, goodies, etc.). Also pack your food bags by meal. A complete dinner will be in its own bag labeled "Dinner #1" (you can make laminated tags). If you have leftovers from one meal, you can always throw them into another bag with complementary ingredients.
Transparent or translucent bags have great advantages when looking for your clean clothes a couple of feet down inside. Use three 20 litre bags for the sleeping bag, for camp clothing and for paddling clothes (cockpit bag). Your needs will of course vary with your choices in gear.
Any discussion about bags cannot go without some mention of rigid containers. Rigid plastic containers are tough to pack in kayaks, but a Pelican case for camera gear is a must. Never trust a fabric bag to your precious camera. With your Swiss Army Knife you can put small holes in the flanges at the back of the box. You then thread a 3 mm static cord through these holes and the holes in the handle to tie it down to the deck eyes in front of the cockpit. This makes the camera ready for action shots. While you should try to keep rigid containers to a minimum, there are some uses for them. Nalgene containers (500 ml) are great goodie containers for the cockpit. Fishing gear fits nicely into a compartmentalized plastic lure box. Spices work best in screw top containers (film canisters are not waterproof for spices). Cookies hold together better in a Tupperware container.
One final tidbit - a contradiction to what has been said about not carrying things on deck - You can secure a kitchen dish drainer to the deck behind you with shockcords, just perfect for giving easy access to your fishing gear, water bottle, kite, fish glove, fish bag, cup, etc.
Bagology is an ever evolving effort. I invite you to send your packing secrets.
