canoeing psk

D

darkwaters

Joined
Dec 18, 2008
Messages
377
need help with a psk for myself and my wife.
going for 10 mile canoe trip in june and im trying to get everything together.
need some help with making a decent size kit for my wife that will give her everything she will NEED (not want) in case of separation. im going to drag her out and make sure she knows how to use every thing before we leave so she will know what to do. any suggestions on packaging, products and contents?
 
My advise is to give her something she will keep on her in case of overturn. When me and the wife are out on the canoe she carries a packed camelback. This is what I put in hers.

Adventure Bivy
Adventure Tarp
550 cord 25'
swiss army knife 'Farmer'
Small road flare in plastic
Bic w/ quick tinder in sealed plastic bag
Several granola bars
Water purification tablets
Camelback w/ water
Whistle
Button Compass
GPS
Flashlight
Spare AA X 2

This seems to be enough of the basics that I feel comfortable she would be fine if she took a swim. It is very basic but not including water it is small and light and she hardly notices it. In addition all of the items are easy to use and she is experienced using all of it. The only thing I don't like is the non locking folder. But she seems to be fine with it.

Good Luck
My .02
 
I have an old water jug that is watertight and it floats. I put my wallet, camera , keys... in it. Anything that I absolutely dont want to lose lose.
 
+1 on the camelback or any type of backpack style for the kit. Easy to keep together and grab on your way out.

Don't forget to clip the pack onto a brace on the canoe so you dont lose it in a deep hole if that's where you go shiny side up.

Dave
 
medium butt pack with water proofed items and side pockets for water bottles
fastened to the body.
 
You might at first think this is an odd suggestion, but it's born of experience...
Hair brush and lip stick (if she normally wears it.) The psychological boost it gives people to look nice is is worth the space/weight requirements. Have a women in the woods in an emergency situation, and just being able to brush her hair will make her 100% more comfortable and able to deal with the problems at had. Trust me on this one. Been there before...

Stitchawl
 
One thing I love about canoeing is that you can often afford to carry a bit more than you would on foot. This makes a kit a bit less bare-bones. I've got some ideas for mine when I hit the water real soon, but I'm going to keep an eye on this thread for some good ideas.

BTW, I too use a Nalgene bottle as a nearly bomb-proof dry container. The fact that it'll float is a great benefit. I run a section of cord through the cap loop and secure it to the canoe with a mini caribiner.

In addition to my Nalgene stuffed with safety gear, I have a small dry bag that I clip to a thwart so it doesn't go floating away.
 
Since I do some whitewater canoeing as well as flatwater, I'm usually wearing a PFD. Putting a shoulder mounted pack over a PFD sometimes seems a bit awkward or bulky. For that reason, I've often used a sturdy beltpack (lumbar pack). The back of my regular PFD doesn't come down quite as far as the front, so there's room to wear a beltpack without having to wear it on top of the PFD. [With some of the extra high-flotation whitewater PFDs, that may not be the case.]

DancesWithKnives
 
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