Kayaking and Cameras

[mark]

No longer workin on boats so I might just be able to get away from work this summer to get some R&R in. We have 4 tandem (2 were free and just need patching) and 2 single sit on top kayaks.

Anyone kayak with their LF gear?

 

[jp498]

Sorry, I canoe rather than kayak especially so I can take a pelican case or two of photo gear.

I was thinking if it were possible to attach to a kayak, one could build a little sidecar/outrigger for gear. It would be more difficult to paddle then though. A better option would be to pare down and only take a speed/crown with a grafmatic or something compact like that in a small case on your kayak.

 

[Mark Fisher]

I wouldn't see a problem on the tandem as long as you have good, reliable dry bags. For the sit-on-top, you could secure a Pelican case to the back pretty easily. I've only put my camera gear in the boat a couple of times and it was fine. The space required would be a problem, though, if you are planning to camp in it.

 

[mark]

Just a thought thing right now. What about towing something like one of those ride on tubes that get towed behind power boats with the stuff in it in dry bags or a pelican case. Is that plausible? I have only messed around on Kayaks. never seriously paddled anywhere. Yes I will do plenty of practice before going anywhere with my precious (insert golum voice)

 

[Mustafa Umut Sarac]

Stability and the safety could be an issue , If you capsize the boat , may be you will adventure hard times to recover.

I think small dinghy and a engine can make you ready to fit for composition.

You can even make 1 , 2 or 3 sheets dinghy at home. There are excellent free plans at wooden boat forums .

Only you have to do is to find cheapest grade plywood painted with enamel paint. You can try also glass fiber 1 kilogram per square meters and two liters of polyester. It stinks too heavily and it is difficult to protect the wet fiberglass from bugs but if you wait 2 days , you can build very strong boat.

You can try also skin on frame.

Sunfish is a good design and with a tent on it and a keel under it.

I dont advise you to carry heavy and expensive gear on kayaks.

Umut

 

[mark]

Already have a boat. Paddling will get me exercise and places the boat wont go. You would think a boat shop owner would know better and avoid boat ownership, but in my defense it was inherited from the same limey that we inherited the boat shop from.

 

[Mustafa Umut Sarac]

Mark ,

I understand you. Rowing is an excellent sport for health. I am dreaming to do the same at a lake in istanbul. There are few sports clubs at this lake and it is not clean as you want to exercise for health concerns. Erden Eruc , an Turkish rower crossed the Atlantic , England to US and rowed from California to Australia in 330 days - longest spent time in a row boat - and crossed from Australia to Africa , all alone.
Find his dispatches and he crossed the US and Australia with bicycle. From Alaska to California with bicycle.
And he climbs every highest peak in his way.
He will cross the south atlantic from africa to south america in next few months
I think best way is to buy a rowing machine to home.

You will like him.

Best wishes ,

Umut

 

[KEK]

I've been kayaking for years with my 6 x 6 and have thought of but haven't done anything about LF. I have field cameras and i think they would be difficult to use on the water. Maybe a rangefinder LF camera would do the trick.

 

[mark]

No where near as crazy as the guy you are talking about. I just want to have some fun.

Are dry bags really as dry as they say they are?

 

[MattKing]

I think MurrayMinchin here on APUG. I think he has done a lot of this.

 

[moki]

Good, expensive dry bags are indeed as dry as the name suggests. I once was on a raft and kayak tour in scandinavia. We had everthing in those bags (food, foto equipment, clothes, etc.) and there wasn't a single drop of moisture inside, though there was a lot of water and one actually fell into the river. The nice thing about those was, that there was still enough air inside to keep them afloat, even with heavy stuff inside. With such expensive equipment, I'd put some silica inside, just to be safe and bind any moisture from the air.
Pelikan cases are good too (some of those are designed to withstand explosives and tsunamis!), but I think, the bags are more practical and probably a lot cheaper.

...but I still think, it's crazy to carry LF gear on such a tour. I'd choose something lighter and faster. At least carry one 35mm or small medium format camera, just in case you want to take photos from the boat.

 

[TimVermont]

I kayak in a folding kayak with MF cameras in a dry bag. When I used a hardshell kayak I kept a Pelican box on deck or floating on a tow line. Note that the tow line arrangement can be dangerous in a rough surf landing. I can't imagine it would be fun, or that the reward ratio would be high enough to take my 5x7 gear. I suppose the upside is I could just throw a tarp over the tripod I use for 5x7 and skip bringing a tent. Also consider the joys of changing sheet film in a changing bag while being drilled by black flies and midges... You can't swat them......

 

[Matthew Rusbarsky]

I use one of these for kayaking with MF and 35mm gear. Cheap (but heavy) and totally waterproof. I can fit it in a rear hatch but it's usually lashed between my knees so I can access the camera while paddling. Just be sure to use a leash. It will sink like a stone.

 

[lonepeak]

I whitewater in an Inflatable kayak and I've had good luck double bagging my 35mm in ziplocks and putting it my my drybag. I've noticed that there are ziplocks big enough for a LF but haven't yet tried that one. Just a thought.

 

[jon.oman]

I've never heard of a 'dry bag'. Can anyone tell me the name of a good brand?

 

[Dave_ON]

I don't kayak but I canoe in Northern Ontario. I use a Lowenpro Dryzone 200 for my LF gear. I've been caught out on the lake in the rain and never had my gear get wet. I only carry my Toyo 45A, 2 lenses and minimal related gear on the lake. I've got a second one I bought for my MF gear a few years ago and never used. I've never thought about before, but I could be tempted to part with it.
http://products.lowepro.com/product/DryZone-200,1935,18.htm

 

[John Koehrer]

Ortlieb make a range of them. Including saddlebags for motorcycles based on the "drybag" idea. If you google drybag you're going to find quite a selection.

 

[jon.oman]

Thanks! I'll look into google.

 

[insertwittynamehere]

My dry bag of choice

I've never heard of a 'dry bag'. Can anyone tell me the name of a good brand?

I use these:

http://cascadedesigns.com/sealline/dry-bags/baja-dry-bag/product

Both canoe expedition and lashed to the back of my motorcycle when on tour. I haven't tried large format yet, since I just got my first 4x5 camera but it's kept clothes, food, 35mm, MF and digital dry. Only thing is if you get rain in them, everything STAYS damp! And they are tough as boiled owl.