Re: [Paddlewise] Quetico Provicial Park

Gee, it's nice to come back from a lengthy trip in Glacier Bay (nothing
but sunshine, countless whales, lot's of brown bears, unbelievable
scenery, thundering glaciers, spectacular icebergs, and whales, whales,
whales) and find a nice post to pick at.  While I agree with some of
Chuck's remarks, I have a few points with which to quibble:  

Chuck Holst wrote:
> 
> ...SNIP...
> 
> The main reason is that sea kayaks are much harder to portage than
> canoes. First, you have to portage two kayaks instead of one canoe.

Huh? This assumes a tandem canoe. Some of us paddle solo canoes for the
same reasons that we paddle single kayaks.  Why would you paddle a
single kayak but a tandem canoe?

> Second, they are heavier than a good lightweight fiberglass or Kevlar
> canoe (my foam core, skin coat, fiberglass Jensen 18 weighs about 52
> pounds; Kevlar versions weigh about 20 pounds less). 

According to Wenonah's figures, the lightest Jensen 18 weighs 39 pounds,
and most lay-ups (including most Kevlar lay-ups) weigh well over 40
pounds.  My Wenonah Advantage (a fast, solo cruiser) weighs 50 pounds in
"Tough-Weave" with a center rib.  This compares with 42 pounds for my
favorite sea kayak (a kevlar Caribou; the Caribou is also available in
Carbon fiber at a weight of 29 pounds--just don't use it for
surfing).    

> Third, it takes
> two people to carry one Sealution versus one person to carry one canoe
> for two people. 

If you think that it takes two people to portage a kayak then you either
have the wrong kayak or the wrong portage system.  A kayak can be
portaged from the center using the same basic approach as a canoe. (I
won't bother to explain how this is done, as everyone on the Paddlewise
list is smart enough to figure it out on their own.) 

> Fourth, tight turns and steep hills on some portages
> made it more awkward to carry a kayak from the ends than a canoe from
> the middle. As for carrying them with one person on either side, forget
> it; many portages are too narrow for that. Fifth, many portages are
> rocky, rooted, or slippery; when two carry a boat, falls and twisted
> ankles are more likely if the people move out of sync, which is likely
> on rough ground. 

See comment above.

> Sixth, food and gear must be stowed in small packages
> in kayaks versus two or three large packs in a canoe. This means a lot
> of time unpacking and repacking on each portage (I don't recommend
> carrying a loaded kayak).

Ah, at last--a reasonable point.  Canoes are much easier to load and
unload. They also have other advantages:  they can be paddled from a
wider variety of positions, and they are aesthetically superior to
canoes.  But they are not necessarily easier to portage.  A lightweight
single kayak can be portaged just as easily as a lightweight solo canoe.
   
Perhaps the original poster should consider renting lightweight kayaks
rather than lightweight canoes if for some reason they prefer paddling
kayaks.  If they want to cross over into caneoing, I would recommend
that they give solo canoes a try.  (Although if they are like most sea
kayakers that I have met they will have to improve their paddling skills
to handle a solo canoe effectively.) 

Dan Hagen
Bellingham, Washington
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