Do you fasten your packs/fishing tackle/paddle/other gear to your canoe when paddling, and if so, what methods do you use to do so?

This is something I need to be better at. It's one of those things I know I should do, but it's easy to get lazy and overlook it, especially when just going for a quick paddle.

I've never secured my gear to the canoe while paddling lakes. If I were to do so, I suppose that I'd prepare short lines with a loop at one end and a carabiner tied in at the other so that I could quickly attach (or detach) gear to the thwarts at portages. Cliff Jacobson has a rather detailed method for gear containment in some of his books, but his method is primarily for wild river travel.

In general I don't secure equipment in my canoe while paddling flat water.

The only time I secure my packs in the canoe is when the wind and waves are high. Otherwise packs, rod case and spare paddle just stow (always in the same spot) in the canoe.

When tripping, no I don't attach anything to the canoe. Once upon a time for river routes in Northwestern Canada, yes, we attached nearly everything. And I know people who do just the opposite.

For day trips or fishing, yes my CCS thwart bag is attached and contains the map and a compass in the clear screen attachment. In the bag are a few other essentials like sunscreen, katadyn bag filter, a few snacks, small fire kit, tp, spare gopro battery (those things sure don't last long), and tackle. I'll adjust a few items based on the weather too.

Unless your river traveling there is no need to attach your packs to the canoe. In fact you should not do it as it makes it very difficult to right the canoe in case of capsize. Little things like rods, extra paddles, or thwart bags are ok to attach. For those I just either Bungee Dealee Bobs or gear ties permanently attached with electrical tape.

I strap my spare paddle in; not much help if it's drifting away with the other . . .

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Only attach rods using Bungie Dealie Bobs or Nite-Ize ties. Add some of low cost mesh sleeves over the rods when traveling with packs going in and out to avoid snagging the rods and line. Not worth attaching any more when you're in and out portaging.

When portaging we carry the canoe with the following attached:
- GCI canoe chairs x2
- 2-4 rods secured in as above.
- Wedge our paddles atop the front seat and under the first cross bar. May only work with curved paddles, but have had success with this on most rentals.

We’ll use Velcro tape and secure rods and reels but never secure packs

I do not lash my packs to the canoe. My thinking is that if I lashed in with a rope and I swamp, there is a chance I could get tangled up in any rope and increase the probability of being dragged under water.

This could be solved by lashing the bags in with a shorter rope or bungies, but I think that would increase the difficulty of righting a canoe with the extra weight of the packs already in the canoe.

I do lash in my spare paddle so that if I am separated from my main paddle, I know there will be a paddle with the canoe to use when I recover it.

Link to a discussion about this topic from last year

I generally do attach almost all of my gear to the canoe. I use a single length of paracord tied to the canoe on one end and with a carabiner on the other end. I slip this cord through at least one strap of each bag.

In 45 years of canoe trips the only time I capsized was in a river rapids in Manitoba. I lost my hat and a fishing rod. So, I would not argue that attaching the gear is really necessary, it's just what I do.

Spare paddle and solo yoke are bungied in. Map case is velcroed to the thwart. Water bottle has a ziptie loop so I can clip it to another ziptie loop on my seat frame with a carabiner. Ditch kit is always in a fanny pack around my waist. My single solo pack is never clipped in. No other loose items in the canoe.

I'm primarily a day paddler. It's not the best pic but it shows my system. Day pack always secured to front thwart with a leash and carabiner or 2 velcro zip ties or just by clipping the waist belt around the thwart. Spare paddle attached to rear thwart with double velcro loop. Dry bag with spare clothes attached to rear carry handle with a leash.

I do not secure anything while paddling. Too much of a hassle to attend to when portaging. I have swamped, but it was close to shore (which is pretty much where I try to always paddle) and everything washed up pretty much in the same area and was easy to recover. Everything save my pride...

When you sink, you want all your floating gear to drift across the lake. It makes it easier for the rescue plane to spot your location. Bobbers #1 and #2 would agree.

I tend to always attach my gear. Having my canoe dumped in the past and losing valuable items (extra paddle) has taught me my lesson.

When traveling, I attach my portage packs, yoke (solo), map, and extra paddle. The extra paddle and map remains connected to the canoe even during portages. The packs are clipped in with their respective waist belt and buckle. It is simple just to wrap the waste belt around the closest thwart and clip the buckle. If weather is poor or traversing rough water, I will tie the packs in better with the fore and aft painters. This keeps them from moving around. I tend use bungee delee bobs, rope, and velcro straps to hold items.

I usually have two packs, and all gear is stowed inside to minimize loose items. Those small loose items that are needed quickly are stowed in a pack pocket or a pants pocket.

For fishing, I attach my tackle box and keep the lid closed. My 'day pack" is attached as described above.

We have our fishing rods and spare paddle secured to the canoe with Old Scout Bungee Dealee Bobs. Our packs never get secured to the canoe.

Our packs have all the gear inside 3 mil plastic liner bags that are tied off. In the unlikely event that we would dump, the packs would float for days before sinking. Plenty of time to upright our canoe, get back in and collect our packs.

Dealing with connecting and disconnecting the packs from the canoe at each portage landing is a hassle that isn't necessary, at least in our experience. Your mileage may vary.

Spare paddle-yes

Pack-no unless the conditions are sketchy, then I would tether with 10' of line. In the unlikely case of a capsize, the pack will float (I've tested) and make keeping everything together easier. If I needed to self rescue, I don't want to end up with a pack that is far away from me. If I have capsized, something went wrong and the conditions likely aren't good making retrieval of a loose pack more difficult. I would not lash a pack down on a "flat water" trip. Self rescue would be a bit more difficult in that case.

I use a CCS thwart bad/map case combo (fantastic item btw). It is attached to the thwart. Smaller items like snacks, TP, B-Free bottle are all secured inside that. I don't use a second pack or anything else. Clean, neat and easy to transition at portages.


John

jfinn: "Spare paddle-yes


Pack-no unless the conditions are sketchy, then I would tether with 10' of line. In the unlikely case of a capsize, the pack will float (I've tested) and make keeping everything together easier. If I needed to self rescue, I don't want to end up with a pack that is far away from me.



John"

This is good advice. Your packs will float, but you have to corral everything if you dump and that’s not easy if you are also trying to Stay alive.
Like wearing a seatbelt. Almost completely unnecessary until you need it. I’ve worn a seatbelt my entire life and never needed it.

I dumped once. Not fun. Tie in the stuff that won’t float that you want to keep cuz when it sinks, that’s it. Take your wilderness skills seriously and pass on your wisdom to others.

Statistically, a dozen BWCA.com readers will dump their canoes this year, and at least two will not return. How you plan and prepare yourself will improve your outcome.
Tom

While I do not usually secure my packs in the canoe, I do lash my fishing poles underneath the rear thwart. That thwart was a replacement, and it is wider than a standard thwart, so my poles (in a soft case) are secured via BDB. My map is attached to the thwart, as is a CCS thwart bag. My compass rests on the thwart in front of me, tied with the compass lanyard, and also secured with velcro. There is nothing loose in the boat at all. Aside from the packs, nothing will go in the water if we dump.

Mike

I never tie in my main packs. The only thing secured in the canoe is my thwart bag that has a map attached with a carabiner and if I take a one piece fishing rod I attach that with Bungee Dealee Bobs. And then if it's really rough out I throw my day pack waist belt around a thwart because it has stuff in it that's not designed to float.

Tony

I used to secure my packs though I no longer do. To me, the potential risks outweigh the potential rewards. If I capsized, I'd hate to get tangled up in cordage & packs. It would also make righting the canoe more difficult if not impossible. For the most part, my packs are buoyant & watertight enough that they'd float for hours or days, I can collect them after I collect myself. The one thing I lash on occasion with a bungle dealie bob is my spare paddle if it is windy & I don't have it tucked below the gunwales. If I'm not traveling/fully loaded, i.e. out fishing, I'll clip my fishing bag strap around a thwart, if I remember (the box would probably be open anyways if Murphy decides to strike haha).

Yes, I imagine that everyone's situation is different. I'm paddling on moving, cold water where there is zero chance of corralling loose floating gear and if I end up in the water I don't want to have the chance to make a bad decision about chasing after gear versus just getting out of the water asap.

Depends on the conditions and the place. Always tie in rods. Jam in spare paddle. In rough weather or running rivers may secure packs, especially if solo tripping. On really big water (Basswood, Rainy, Sag) where stuff can come up fast and we are out in it will secure gear. With Duluth packs there is a technique of making a quick-release attachment of the shoulder straps so you can loop those over a thwart and then get them out when you hit a portage. Although I've never done it, I would not want to dump in big water then try to retrieve packs, etc. in the waves. Packs should always be lined so they stay dry and float.