Multiday Rigging

[skijoeyski]

How do most of you guys rig your boats for multiday overnight trips?
How much gear are you able to bring?
I want to do self support oc1 trips and am interested in what people have found to work and not work.

[Paddle Power]

You should be able to search this forum for some information.

What kind of trips do you have in mind?

Do you already have a boat that you want to use?

I do 3-5 day trips, Vertige, saddle, big gear bag forward, smaller gear aft.

[billhay4]

What doesn't work is not lashing your gear in properly. Therefore, you need to install lash points in the canoe and use them to prevent gear from being strewn all over the river if you upset.
That being said, in general, less gear is better, and dry gear is essential. I've used Bill's Bags from NRS for years and they make great dry bags and are fine as portage packs, too.
Bill

[Roy]

I have done 5-day trips in 13'x 70cm solo boats. I go with two 3,000 ci bags...one right in front of my knees, one just behind the toes.

As the previous poster suggested, you want d-rings to hold your gear bags down, firmly, against the bottom of the boat. No flop.

I would think 14 days would be pretty easy. I have gone that long in C-1s; and, I even know someone who packed out 14 days into a Dancer. Of course, all this assumes backpacking gear and food.

[billhay4]

I, too, think 14 days would work. I put a bag in front of me and one behind. I separate food and cooking gear in one bag, and camping equipment in another. I also lash a third bag (smaller) with food for the day and extra dry gear on top to be accessed easily.
Weight is a definite consideration if portages are involved, but the above set up did me fine in the Boundary Waters with its portages. Bag and boat in one trip. Second bag and paddles, etc. in the second.
Bill

[Roy]

The OP needs to come back and tell us: whitewater or flat.

If it's flatwater tripping...30 days, no problem, with the right boat.

R.

[DougB]

With 48" float bags my Vertige has room for either a 50L barrel or 70L Sealine baja bag for and aft of the saddle. Gear strapped in or not is a bit of preference and the type of river, but I go strapped down tight so gear acts as additional flotation and I only have one thing to chase. Sometime I carry additional gear in smaller dry bags under the airbags or on top. My trips are typically around the 5 day mark however I've gone 16 days with the same set up. I usually take the same gear regardless of the trip length, the variables being food, fuel and beer. I trip with people who stuff a similar amount of gear into Ocoee's and those who solo a 16' Prospector so they can take the kitchen sink. There's always a way to make it work.