solo canoe portage using the Paradox
Posted: Mon Jul 18, 2016 8:37 am
I plan on doing some solo canoe camping trips in the future and that will involve some portage of the boat.
I hate portages.
I recently got a very light solo canoe (~30 lbs) but I dread having to carry the thing on my head.
I figured out a way to use the Paradox pack to portage the canoe at my side with the weight held by the lowest part of the pack frame.
I tied some cord to the canoe so that I have a loop at it's bottom edge at the gunwhale that I can use to hang into a hook/toggle that is lashed to the pack frame.
The canoe's weight is on the pack frame and you use your "canoe side arm" to keep the boat tight to you and steer it. The canoe does block your field of view to the left but it is ridiculously comfortable to portage this way - trivial
I plan to use narrow webbing (less stretch) with quick release buckles so that the carrying system is ore easily adjustable AND quick release. In a pinch though, cord works fine.
I hate portages.
I recently got a very light solo canoe (~30 lbs) but I dread having to carry the thing on my head.
I figured out a way to use the Paradox pack to portage the canoe at my side with the weight held by the lowest part of the pack frame.
I tied some cord to the canoe so that I have a loop at it's bottom edge at the gunwhale that I can use to hang into a hook/toggle that is lashed to the pack frame.
The canoe's weight is on the pack frame and you use your "canoe side arm" to keep the boat tight to you and steer it. The canoe does block your field of view to the left but it is ridiculously comfortable to portage this way - trivial
I plan to use narrow webbing (less stretch) with quick release buckles so that the carrying system is ore easily adjustable AND quick release. In a pinch though, cord works fine.