We have used the same (5) SeaLine Boundary Packs dry bags for 5 years (about 160 days usage) in our open canoe...and although they have never been dumped into moving water, they have done well enough laying in several inches of canoe bilge-water, and in ferocious wind driven rain. Being somewhat neurotic about these things, our down sleeping bags go into 4mil plastic bags inside the dry bags, as do clothing,books,etc. I am fortunate that there have been no witnesses (other than my wife, who merely suspects that I may be "mad") to my "packing process" . I fill each drybag 2/3's full and roll the top seam down just twice.Then I "lean-over them" until nearly all the air is expelled ( from the bag!!) ...I am always amazed to find that the 2/3rds full bag is now only 1/2 full. Then, I quickly stuff the last few items in...and again apply the weight of my body to the bag, until the last whisper of air is driven out.THEN, I triple roll the seam. The dry bags when ready to load into the canoe have a "puckered" appearance to them.....from (I assume) a small vacuum within ...... The only "wetness" I have found inside the bags is when I pack a damp tarp, sneakers, or other "moist items" inside. (Which is think is merely internal "evaporation" as the dry bags warm in the sun. The amount of moisture is still within the "wipe off the inside of the bag range". Oh....and before we leave for each trip, I also stick the dry bag (empty) over my head, and stand in strong sunlight looking for pin hole leaks, and patch any I find with either duct tape of bicycle tire inner tube patches. My wife has accepted these antics, as "normal".... please do not let her know otherwise.....It too a VERY long time to meet her. rich dempsey Riverton, WY ridem_at_msn.com *************************************************************************** PaddleWise Paddling Mailing List Submissions: paddlewise_at_lists.intelenet.net Subscriptions: paddlewise-request_at_lists.intelenet.net Website: http://www.gasp-seakayak.net/paddlewise/ ***************************************************************************
At 07:57 PM 5/24/99 -0600, rdempsey wrote: >Oh....and before we leave for each trip, I also stick the dry bag (empty) >over my head, and stand in strong sunlight looking for pin hole leaks, and >patch any I find with either duct tape of bicycle tire inner tube patches. >My wife has accepted these antics, as "normal".... please do not let her >know otherwise.....It too a VERY long time to meet her. Hi Rich et al! See?!? I knew it! An arcane pre-packing ritual that I have totally ignored; no wonder my stuff got wet. Next time I'll be sure to perform the above ritual with each and every bag. Rich seems embarrassed to say so, (probably concerned lest his Ms. find out) but I'm sure the ritual involves more than simply standing in the bright sun with the drybag over ones noodle; perhaps a three-step in cadence while chanting "hydrophobia hydrophobic hydrophobe hydro-no" and holding the roll of duct tape aloft in one hand and the patch kit in the other . . . ;-) But seriously, folks, thanx for the input. Several suggested "burping" the bag; this is rather counter-intuitive. I had been more or less compressing the air inside the bag as I rolled it up, in the vague hope that a positive pressure on the inside would keep the water on the outside. Guess I need to experiment a bit down at the local puddle, hmmm? Also, someone put in a plug for the Watershed bags. Ouch! They be pricey li'l dudes, but sometimes you actually do get what you pay for. Any other satisfied Watershed customers out there? Also, someone from over at RBP chimed in suggesting that the only real sure-fire way to keep dihydrogen monoxide (DHM, see <http://www.cis.udel.edu/~way/DMRD/index.html> for more on this silent killer) from the river from permeating your supplies is to rigorously double and triple bag your gear, and then stuff the entire mess into a roomy canvas bag. I am forced to admit that this has a certain primitive allure, especially after seeing the price sheet for the Watershed products. Not exactly the hot ticket for quick -n- easy access tho. Perhaps a combination of tactics is in order, where items likely to be needed in the course of the day are kept in one of the high dollar guaranteed waterproof Watershed sacks while the remaining gear is confined within multiple layers of PVC and canvas. 'Course I always seem to drag so much s*** along that my day-bag would need to be dufflebag sized anyway . . . so it goes! ByeBye! S. *************************************************************************** PaddleWise Paddling Mailing List Submissions: paddlewise_at_lists.intelenet.net Subscriptions: paddlewise-request_at_lists.intelenet.net Website: http://www.gasp-seakayak.net/paddlewise/ ***************************************************************************
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