Loading Your Kayak

No matter the length of your trip, you should always store your gear in dry bags.  Use several small bags (21 L maximum) opposed to one large one because smaller bags are easier to store in compartments and more practical to find things in.  Scattering multiple small bags as opposed to one large bag also helps balance the load and increases kayak stability.

Keeping your boat balanced is really important to remember when you are loading a kayak.  Remember that the front of your kayak should be heavier than the back.  You should also try to keepy light things such as tent poles and ground matresses at the very end of the bow or stern of your kayak.  Tieing your bags together with pieces of rope will make things easier to get to because you would only need to pull on the end of the rope to retrieve them.  Place your heaviest bags towards the center of your kayak (the compartment behind the paddler).  In tandem kayaks, these heavy objects should be placed in the compartment in between the two paddlers.

Some useful tips for long trips:

• Separate your food into meals.  For example, store one meal per bag.  Keep meal bags on top so they are easily accessible
• Share baggage evenly among all the paddlers.
• Remember where everything is stored! It'll make things easier for you and continue to keep the kayak balanced.