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Sunset on Rock Lake
By Eric Raymond Lanning, CC BY 3.0, https://commons.wikimedia.org/w/index.php?curid=52747316
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Algonquin Provincial Park
Showing posts with label canoe. Show all posts
Showing posts with label canoe. Show all posts
Thursday, 3 August 2017
Friday, 14 August 2015
Lessons Learned: 10 Tips for Your First Portaging Trip - Part I
Hot off our very first portage trip Sam and
myself learned some valuable lessons and want to share them with you. Here are 5 things I learned about what to do before, after and during your portage trip.
1. Ditch
the Packaging and go All
A bear canister fills up fast with less food
than you’d imagine. My recommendation is to take any food that has air in it
and put it into a Ziploc bag. This will save you a ton of space. After repackaging
use a marker or painters tape and label each bag to easily identify your food.
Bonus Tip: Load the canister or bag in order
of your consumption plan (day 1’s meals at the top and your last days meals at
the bottom). That way you don’t have to dig deep to get your eats or repack it
daily.
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| Food transferred from store packaging to Ziploc bags. Saves a ton of space in your bear canister. |
2. Baby
Wipes over Toilet Paper
Ditch the toilet paper and jump over to baby
wipes. Not only do they pack up smaller but they can also get wet and are multi-purpose
(washing your face, hands, wiping your butt, etc). The only concern is their
scent, so save some room in your bear canister or bear bag. Trust me your butt
will be much happier after crouching in the bush with these!
3. Invest
in the Right Gear
Too often people buy an inferior product because
of the price tag. The truth is you get what you pay for; you don’t need to run
out and buy a $4000 tent. But think about this, do you want to spend $300 on a
tent now that is built to last 20 years or do you want to spend $80-100 every 3
to 5 years on one at your local big box? The way I have approached gear is that
I am slowly building up to having exactly what I want by making key purchases
every season. I’m spreading out what I can deal with and what I need to purchase
in order to maintain my budget. Make one big purchase (tent, sleeping bag or
pack) and add on one slightly less expensive item and within 3 summers you will
have a superb set up without breaking the bank.
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| Ed's new Kelty Grand Mesa 2 tent. Lighter and easier to assemble than his old tent. |
4. Aim to Pack Less but Pack Smart
Less is more, especially when you have to carry everything you will need on your back. The keyword there was what you “need”. Reduce clothing to items you can stretch out for the duration of your trip and pack layers. On a recent 4 day portage trip I wore the same shirt, shorts and sweater for the entire trip; I’m not trying to impress anyone. Also make sure you have only essential items that you are able to comfortably carry. Real Man Travels recommends laying out all of the gear you think you’d need on the floor of your home. Then start to pick out non essentials until you are left with about 60-75% of what you had. From there load up your pack and see how it feels. If it is still too heavy think outside of the box on how to reduce, or give weight to a partner that has a lighter load. Just remember that walking around the house for 2 minutes with a full pack is not the same as a trail for an hour or more.
Bonus Tip: Pack a bag with fresh underwear and other clothing and leave it in your vehicle for when you re-enter society. Fresh clothes will go a long way for the ride home, or that pit stop at a pub for a much needed beer.
5. Portage
with the Right People
This may be an oversight but if you are
going to be canoeing and camping out in the wild for an extended period of
time, you better like the people you are going with. Let’s face it, a trip can
be make or break depending on the people attending. Positivity is key so
eliminate anyone who will be a negative strain; the last thing you want is a Debbie
downer moaning and crying when the day is filled with bugs, rain or some other
undesirable element. If you are blending groups of friends, choose wisely who
can attend. Look for similar humour styles, similar attitude towards the
outdoors, similar interests, etc.
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| Fishing with a straw hat is an automatic in with our group. Sam and Derek doing some shore fishing. |
Those are my 5 things learned from this portage trip, be sure to come back later and check out part II when Sam will reveal what he has learned.
Thursday, 2 July 2015
Photo and Video Evidence: Man of the Year 2015
Another year has gone by and another one of our annual Man of the Year camping trips has come to a close. To keep with tradition we documented the struggles and hardships faced in all the challenges and feats of strengths in order to win the coveted title of Man of the Year. For the first time we also made a video, so be sure to watch it! We'd like to thank our friends at Honda Canada for powering our dreams and hooking us up with a Honda Fit to get to the Isle of Man.
A short video (make sure you watch in 720p or 1080p) followed by pictures of our weekend adventure!
A short video (make sure you watch in 720p or 1080p) followed by pictures of our weekend adventure!
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| Unloading our custom canoe trailer. |
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| Unloading the Honda Fit at the boat launch. |
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| We made it to the Isle of Man, time to set up and get fishing! |
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| Scott's tent all set up with a nice view of the lake. |
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| Sam trying to catch us some dinner. |
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| Scott fighting to reel in his 0.01 pound perch. |
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| Who needs a canoe when you have a good sitting rock? Porter fishing like a boss. |
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| The fish we couldn't keep. Scott caught a fat bass that was unfortunately out of season off the shore. |
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| Washer toss and beer is next! Porter showing off a champion technique of tossing washers. |
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| Chris is focused and determined to get a sewer! |
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| Top 3 finishers. Also might be the only photo of Ed from the weekend as he was always behind the camera |
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| The sun is setting over the lake. |
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| The boats are packed up for the night. |
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| The views that we really do this trip for. |
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| Starry night. |
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| The stars through the trees on our campsite. |
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| Campfire with a view. |
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| Enjoy the fire boys, tomorrow we crown a champion! |
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| 2015 Fishing Technician and Sharpshooter Champion |
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| 2015 Xtreme Challenge and Without a Paddle Champion |
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| 2015 Washer Toss Champion and 2015 Man of the Year! |
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| Porter being knighted Man of the Year by the previous years winner Sam. |
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| Another year of good friends, good times and memories that will last a lifetime! |
Thursday, 14 August 2014
Simple Ways to Outfit a Fishing Canoe
A post by Scott F
No one is going to debate that having a big ol’ bass boat is pretty fancy. But fishing from smaller vessels, like canoes and kayaks, opens up some opportunities unavailable to those inclined to motorboat madness: access to “virgin” lakes where engines are prohibited, ease of transport, maneuverability to access tight coves and rivers, quiet and serenity, physical activity, and the numerous options opened up by the ability to portage, just to name a few. Fishing comfortably and effectively can be challenging without a properly outfitted fishing canoe. Below are some suggestions for making your excursion comfortable and efficient without going to extreme measures.
No one is going to debate that having a big ol’ bass boat is pretty fancy. But fishing from smaller vessels, like canoes and kayaks, opens up some opportunities unavailable to those inclined to motorboat madness: access to “virgin” lakes where engines are prohibited, ease of transport, maneuverability to access tight coves and rivers, quiet and serenity, physical activity, and the numerous options opened up by the ability to portage, just to name a few. Fishing comfortably and effectively can be challenging without a properly outfitted fishing canoe. Below are some suggestions for making your excursion comfortable and efficient without going to extreme measures.
Canoe Seats
Whether you’ve been paddling for years or are a “newb,” it’s
unlikely that you’ll stand up after a long paddle and not have
your back feel like a rusty hinge. Having a seat back allows you to shift
positions and lean back to relieve pressure. They make both paddling
and fishing quite relaxing. I use the GCI Outdoor Sitbacker, highly
recommended (watch for an upcoming Real Man Approved review). Find them on Amazon (buy multiple to save dolla bills).
Canoe Anchor
The same benefits that make a canoe ideal for a quiet day of
fishing - lightweight, engine-free, maneuverable - also make them susceptible
to wind. Without a way to hold yourself in place, even the lightest breeze can
push you into the reeds; forcing unwanted paddling every two or three casts.
Traditional grapple, navy, river, claw or mushroom anchors are heavy, and while
you might be able to get away with a 3-5 lbs version, it’s weight you would
rather avoid. One very simple and highly effective solution is to use an anchor bag and nylon rope.
Simply bring a tough, easy-to-drain bag and fill it with rocks
prior to setting off. I use polyester mesh bags, but have seen burlap and other
materials used as well. Weight-free during transport, and perfect for keeping
you in place while you hunt the big one. A good anchoring system, preferably
mounted at the bow of the canoe with a pulley system with which to operate
it from the stern, is a wise investment.
Canoe Rod Holder
If you’ve spent a pretty penny on your rod the last thing
you want is to have it smashing around in the belly of your canoe while you paddle. A simple road holder system, either store-bought or homemade, can
solve this issue. My homemade version (created by my father) is just a piece of
plastic pipe attached to a clamp (from an old fish finder) with a pipe clamp. Just
make sure your solution fits over the gunnels and gunwales of your canoe. Find
the mounting location that works for you; for me, it was behind my seat. Added
bonus: having a rod holder opens up trolling as an option while you paddle.
Canoe Cup Holder
Whatever you’re drinking during your paddle, chances are that without a sturdy holder, it’s going to end messy. A good, solidly
mounted, well placed cup holder will allow you to keep your mind on what’s
important, fish, the beautiful day, or perhaps nothing at all. I found out that double sided tape is not enough to secure my holder, so proper mounting is key.
Canoe Gear Straps and Holders
As mentioned with the rod holder, keeping items out of the belly
of the boat will help with comfort, and will also reduce noise and stress.
Straps, bungee cords, carabineers and mounted hooks can all be used to secure items
such as nets. If possible, suspend your tackle box from the yoke or a thwart to
keep it dry and accessible.
Thursday, 7 August 2014
Photographic Evidence: Man of the Year 2014
It's a legend; an enigma believed by only the devote; some say a myth: the annual Men vs. Wild weekend to crown the Man of the Year. We decided to document this famed tradition in all its enigmatic glory and share it with the world. Special thanks to Honda Canada for powering this year's trip.
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| Our ride: the Honda Pilot |
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| Being hometown Alliston boys we decided to park in front of the Honda plant and grab some shots |
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| Honda Canada Plant In Alliston, ON (our hometown). |
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| Lock um' up. We've arrived |
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| Check out the mirrored water |
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| How bromantic |
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| Goofs |
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| A classic Chris photo: filter all the things! |
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| Sammy takes Man of the Year and celebrates the only way he knows how: epic-ly |
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| Roll out |
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| Game over. Until next time |
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