Topic: What are the chance that the Upper Pet trip happens this weekend?

[Annie V.]

I bought everything I need to cary my boat. Unfortunatly I hurt my next putting my drytop today. I just took an anti-inflamatory, a muscle relaxant and codeine. I am hoping to be fine for tomorrow.

I'll meet with you guys tomorrow in Cobden but not for breakfast.

Annie

[ChristianG]

Larry, Larry... In the past month I have hiked this railway bed twice, and can attest that it IS slightly uphill. But don't take my word for it. Fire up Google Earth, find the start of the railway hike (approx. 45?56'36.12"N,  78? 4'28.54"W) : it's 248 m above sea level. Then locate the put-in (approx. 45?57'1.89"N, 78? 7'54.77"W): it's 271 m above sea level. Now I was never good at math, but you know, over 4 km, that's a little over a 0.5 % gradient.

As for the water filter; very good idea. I've been using a filter-bottle for three seasons, works wonderfully well (despite what Paul says...). It's a Katadyn product, either the 42$ or the 55$ version will do for Canada (there are no viruses in the water here, essentially).

BTW, I have just put this together, and it is very stable and relatively confortable. I added a waist strap and a little strap bringing the two shoulder straps together:
http://kayakhotdogs.blogspot.com/2011/01/diy-kayak-backpack-for-under-25.html

--C.

[DaveH]

Well I'll leave this trip for tougher girls than me! My titanium collarbone says that packing a boat in, and then paddling is a bad idea. Besides 6:30 A.M.!! I need my beauty sleep  

If anyone wants to borrow my Salamander Bak Yak give me a shout:
http://salamanderpaddlegear.com/product/bak-yak-harness


DaveH
613-233-1370 (will be out towards westfest later this evening)

[Larry W]

hi

Harness system. For you folks that spent the day at the Great Glebe Garage sale should have looked for a back pack with removable shoulder straps and waist belts. There are sufficient number of tie on points on the creek boats to attach the straps.

Uphill or down hill http://atlas.nrcan.gc.ca/site/english/maps/topo/map , the railway bed where we do the "uphill" walk follows a contour line therefore is level ...

I can go. Bringing a water filter for the trip up, no use carrying too much water.



I should be home tonite watching to see if the Sedin sisters can muster any strength to overcome the Big Bad Bruins

Larry
613-721-7108

[ChristianG]

The trip is on--are the girls wimping out? Ha! Ha! There's always the middle channel for something more relaxing... We'll be leaving Ottawa around 6:30 to meet in Cobden.

[Adrian]

  I believe Ray developed the optimal system for transporting a boat a few years ago.

 Tie one end of a cargo strap around your waist. Tie the other end to a brand spanking new rental boat.  Drag the boat behind you.  Look apologetic when you return the thoroughly scratched up boat on Monday.

[ChristianG]

Well well... It's all in the details! Ha! Ha! Technically, and as plainly seen with your own eyes when there, it is uphill. You are walking along a serious whitewater river, going upstream. Not much gradient since it's an old railway bed, but uphill nevertheless. Ray's suggestion to wear your PFD+gear is good. Last Sunday it was so hot under the sun (it was around noon) that wearing anything other than light clothing would have contributed to heat shock and dehydration. Next time I'll wear my water-soaked Tilley hat... Some people do prefer to bring playboats, lightweight might rule here:  
Dagger Id 6.9:  31 lbs.
Jackson Villain: 48 lbs.
But when water levels are high, or in case of emergency, equipment loss or failure, being in an empty playboat seriously restricts the ability to offer help. But hey, if you don't expect to participate in rescues, why bring extra gear? Some of us however prefer to bring along a good throw bag, a pin kit, a spare paddle, spare clothing, a first aid kit... All that 'extra' gear is heavy, and typically isn't even a benefit to its owner. I recall an instance this spring where one paddler was very happy that he wouldn't have to bushwhack his way to the take out because I supplied him with the spare paddle I had in the back of my boat. I don't feel bad if I don't want to carry all this on one shoulder...

Therefore I will spend some time refining my crappy homemade harness...

Which brings us to the original question: is a trip to the Upper Petawawa a serious possibility this weekend? Sunday, the river discharge was 135 cu-m/s, it is now 115. At this trend it should be around 105 Saturday, not too scary a level...

--C.

[DaveH]

And here are a bunch of other ideas:
http://www.earthenexposure.com/kayaking/packsystems.htm
(that site is a wealth of info for back-country paddling)
 
They say this about noodle packs:
"Due to its simplicity and low cost, the "pool noodle" system has been the most popular packing method in the last five to eight years. Though the possible configuraions are numerous, the most basic system consists of a cam buckle strap or two (the kind used to strap kayaks to cars) threaded through two sections of pool noodles (shoulder padding) then through the kayak's safety bars and around the seat towers, or....in some such manner that essentially forms two loops for shoulder straps. While it doesn't get any simpler or cheaper or lighter, with the cockpit resting against your back and your shoulders bearing all the weight, you'd either better be tough, enjoy pain or have friends who'll tolerate you crying like a baby."
I'll be bringing my ear plugs 

[Bill Schlarb]

Good Question! I hope the trip is on b/c I love the Upper Pet and I haven't done it for a few years.
Can someone explain the noodle contraption?

Here a couple of links,

first one is a setup with pool noodles and straps:
http://slave2h2o.blogspot.com/2006/09/kayak-carrying-harness.html

second one is a more comfortable version using pool noodles since it doesn't cause you to bend your neck
too far forward like the first one:
http://outdoors.webshots.com/album/551497000ueGpOE

third one is a mod of Phitty's idea:
http://kayakhotdogs.blogspot.com/2011/01/diy-kayak-backpack-for-under-25.html


Bill

[Late Ray]

For all intents and purposes, it's a flat hike in unless the road is snowed in and you have to start from the take out parking lot.

Personally, I just use a single, long length car strap, strung in a diamond shape: through the 2 side grab bars just behind the keyhole on my stern, and up under each hip pillar of my seat (this is what forms the arm loops), then up to the bow grab loop for stabilizing the boat (keeps it from swinging).  I don't bother with a noodle, foam, etc.  The system works well enough for the hike distance, is compact and produces no waste (unlike shredded foam noodles).  I've seen other people just shoulder it. 

Don't load your boat for the carry, load your body.  I put on my PFD and carabiner/tie gear & water bottles to the PFD to distribute the load around my core and hips.

Or you can build a pretty simple, compact setup with some seatbelt width strapping:
http://www.vimeo.com/23133925

[Sandra K]

Uphill. Really? When I hiked in last time I carried my Id the entire way, beating some of the boys in and I don't remember that many hills...are you an 'up hill both ways' kind of guy Christian??

[ChristianG]

My three cents, from my experience:

1. Due to the specifics of the hike in question, i. e. on loose dry slag, using some sort of cart, even one with big wheels (e. g. https://www.ottawapaddleshack.ca/node/432) is worse than carrying your boat+gear on your back using a harness. Such a cart would be a good option on a normal portage trail however.

2. When putting a 'backpack'-type harness together, do it well. The loaded boat is heavy, the hike is long, under the sun without shade, it's uphill the whole way and you have mediocre traction on the loose slag.

3. For design ideas: Google 'kayak harness' etc.

--C.

[Sandra K]

Good Question! I hope the trip is on b/c I love the Upper Pet and I haven't done it for a few years.
Can someone explain the noodle contraption?

[Annie V.]

Hey!

I just want to know if I should start working on a system to carry my boat.

Annie