I've gone round and round with this issue for the last few years. Have even ordered various deck bags, used some, returned others for various reasons... poor aesthetics, difficulty opening and closing, flimsy quality, etc. So far I can't seem to find anything that I like. I used to think I wanted something "waterproof." But my feeling now is, if it is "water resistant" to rain and deck spray, then it would be sufficient. For quick access I don't think I'd want to store anything too valuable. For those items a dry bag or waterproof case is the solution. Please let me know your experiences with deck bags. If anyone has particular experience with "underdeck" bags (like Current Designs Pica Boo Bag), I'd value your opinion. What works best that is high quality, attractive, and easy to use? Thanks in advance for your thoughts! Tom *************************************************************************** PaddleWise Paddling Mailing List - Any opinions or suggestions expressed here are solely those of the writer(s). You must assume the entire responsibility for reliance upon them. All postings copyright the author. Submissions: PaddleWise_at_PaddleWise.net Subscriptions: PaddleWise-request_at_PaddleWise.net Website: http://www.paddlewise.net/ ***************************************************************************
Deck bags- I don't like to clutter my deck with too much stuff, especially in the rough stuff. I will occasionally put a medium sized fanny pack on the foredeck with nav tools, sunscreen, waterproof camera. This bag rides in back of my seat most of the time. Under the deck bags- I have a North Water bag and don't really like the closure. It is hard to close/open when the bag is full. I keep a snack/ compass/ gps/ camera in this bag. steve *************************************************************************** PaddleWise Paddling Mailing List - Any opinions or suggestions expressed here are solely those of the writer(s). You must assume the entire responsibility for reliance upon them. All postings copyright the author. Submissions: PaddleWise_at_PaddleWise.net Subscriptions: PaddleWise-request_at_PaddleWise.net Website: http://www.paddlewise.net/ ***************************************************************************
I really prefer a mesh bag attached to the deck at four points. Everything I put in it is either waterproof or water friendly. I usually keep a water bottle, Nalgene bottle of trail mix, sunglasses, paddlefloat and waterproof chart. Cost is about $4 and another $3 for all the clips from West Marine. I bet the mesh helps reduce windage too. I find bags to be clunky, leaky, and unbelievably overpriced. Jim et al ----- Original Message ----- From: "Tom LeTourneau" <tletourn_at_maine.rr.com> > Please let me know your experiences with deck bags. If anyone has > particular experience with "underdeck" bags (like Current Designs Pica Boo > Bag), I'd value your opinion. What works best that is high quality, > attractive, and easy to use? > > Thanks in advance for your thoughts! > > Tom > *************************************************************************** PaddleWise Paddling Mailing List - Any opinions or suggestions expressed here are solely those of the writer(s). You must assume the entire responsibility for reliance upon them. All postings copyright the author. Submissions: PaddleWise_at_PaddleWise.net Subscriptions: PaddleWise-request_at_PaddleWise.net Website: http://www.paddlewise.net/ ***************************************************************************
PVC pipe siliconed in under the deck is the only way to go. I have some pictures of my old boat with this modification at: http://www.patrickmaun.com/photos/outfitting/outfitting.html You could easily make this waterproof by threading them for pipe caps or whatever it is they are called. I also use a small diameter pipe as an under-the-hull hand pump holder. It's also the cheapest solution and no problem with entanglement that you might get from a bag. -Patrick *************************************************************************** PaddleWise Paddling Mailing List - Any opinions or suggestions expressed here are solely those of the writer(s). You must assume the entire responsibility for reliance upon them. All postings copyright the author. Submissions: PaddleWise_at_PaddleWise.net Subscriptions: PaddleWise-request_at_PaddleWise.net Website: http://www.paddlewise.net/ ***************************************************************************
I'm with Jim on the mesh bags. I've used the same $18.00 bag for 4 years and love it. It attaches at 4 places on the deck. I attached wire ties into the deck fittings to clip it to. Works great. I treat it like a pocket. I have a bandana to clean my glasses with, a paddle leash for jut-in-case, and a place to put my gloves if I have to take them off, the camera, a pocket for things others hand me, and I keep my gloves and winter hood in it when not paddling so I never forget them. My water is a I-forget-what brand plastic bag intended to go into one of those hydration back-packs but the mesh seems to keep the UV off well enough that each bag has lasted at least 2 years before springing a leak and I suspect that is from the crease where it bends up when I use the tube to drink out of it. I really hate the stuff on my deck but I always seem to have this and that. I can have a VHF, goggles, even an extra paddle on my front deck. The water and bag are bad enough but add new things and I bump into them. I paddle Greenland and have a Gulfstream with a rather high deck so it is very easy to thump things with my 2X4. I have a knee tube but it is full with the paddle float and pump. I don't want to HAVE TO reach things inside my boat. It is pointless to carry anything behind my seat because they are inaccessible back there unless I get out of the boat. I don't want to add to the knee tube because I can hardly get my legs on the same side of the boat as it is. I made the knee tube from 4" PVC, the light kind used for drains, with the holes. It is SO much lighter than the regular PVC and I like the holes because I know the water will drain easily, which is particularly important because my stuff lives in there and salt water is unfriendly to all paddling things. Joan I really prefer a mesh bag attached to the deck at four points. Everything I put in it is either waterproof or water friendly. . . .. I bet the mesh helps reduce windage too. I find bags to be clunky, leaky, and unbelievably overpriced. Jim et al > Please let me know your experiences with deck bags. If anyone has > particular experience with "underdeck" bags (like Current Designs Pica Boo > Bag), I'd value your opinion. What works best that is high quality, > attractive, and easy to use? *************************************************************************** PaddleWise Paddling Mailing List - Any opinions or suggestions expressed here are solely those of the writer(s). You must assume the entire responsibility for reliance upon them. All postings copyright the author. Submissions: PaddleWise_at_PaddleWise.net Subscriptions: PaddleWise-request_at_PaddleWise.net Website: http://www.paddlewise.net/ ***************************************************************************
Joan, I too paddle a Gulfstream but have a completely different idea about the front deck. The only thing ever on my deck is a chart case when I need to be using a map to navigate. Otherwise, I have seen too many people capsize when a wave breaks over their boat and "catches" the deck back. The mesh ones especially seem to shift and that has caused several of my friends to have problems while launching through surf. For on the water storage and accessability, nothing IMNSHO beats the day hatch on the GS. I carry my emergency repair kit, signalling kit, jacket, neoprene hood, tow line, water, snacks or lunch in there all of the time. While others are fumbling around trying to remove skirts, I can just reach back, get what I need and close the hatch again. By keeping the deck clear, there is nothing to interfere with the paddle while doing rear sweep strokes amd high or low bracing turns. I don't use a knee tube only because I need the space in the cockpit for me. My paddle float and pump fit very nicely in the space between the hull and the seat. Steve Holtzman ----- Original Message ----- From: "Joan Spinner" <jspinner_at_peoplepc.com> > I really hate the stuff on my deck but I always seem to have this and > that. I can have a VHF, goggles, even an extra paddle on my front deck. The > water and bag are bad enough but add new things and I bump into them. I paddle > Greenland and have a Gulfstream with a rather high deck so it is very easy to > thump things with my 2X4. I have a knee tube but it is full with the paddle > float and pump. I don't want to HAVE TO reach things inside my boat. > *************************************************************************** PaddleWise Paddling Mailing List - Any opinions or suggestions expressed here are solely those of the writer(s). You must assume the entire responsibility for reliance upon them. All postings copyright the author. Submissions: PaddleWise_at_PaddleWise.net Subscriptions: PaddleWise-request_at_PaddleWise.net Website: http://www.paddlewise.net/ ***************************************************************************
I keep my mesh bag tight as a drum to the deck to prevent any movement. I mean tight! When I had an Avocet with a day hatch I had trouble grabbing anything out of it when conditions began to get interesting. Perhaps its simply the difference between the Gulfstream and Avocet and or the actual placement of the dayhatch. Unfortunately my Pintail does not have one. As far as keeping the deck clear it is my Holy Grail of kayaking. I love the simplicity of kayaking. When I first started I had nothing on the deck. Now all I have to do is get back to that level without sacrificing anything important. Now to figure out what is important........... Jim et al ----- Original Message ----- From: "Steve Holtzman" <sh_at_actglobal.net> The mesh ones especially seem to shift and that has caused several of my friends to have > problems while launching through surf. > For on the water storage and accessability, nothing IMNSHO beats the day > hatch on the GS. I carry my emergency repair kit, signalling kit, jacket, > neoprene hood, tow line, water, snacks or lunch in there all of the time. > While others are fumbling around trying to remove skirts, I can just reach > back, get what I need and close the hatch again. > > By keeping the deck clear, there is nothing to interfere with the paddle > while doing rear sweep strokes amd high or low bracing turns. > Steve Holtzman > > ----- Original Message ----- > From: "Joan Spinner" <jspinner_at_peoplepc.com> > > I really hate the stuff on my deck but I always seem to have this and > > that. I can have a VHF, goggles, even an extra paddle on my front deck. > The water and bag are bad enough but add new things and I bump into them. I don't want to HAVE TO reach things inside my boat. *************************************************************************** PaddleWise Paddling Mailing List - Any opinions or suggestions expressed here are solely those of the writer(s). You must assume the entire responsibility for reliance upon them. All postings copyright the author. Submissions: PaddleWise_at_PaddleWise.net Subscriptions: PaddleWise-request_at_PaddleWise.net Website: http://www.paddlewise.net/ ***************************************************************************
I bought a drybag of clear plastic, I glued on some attachment points, added some bungy and hooks, and that's my deck bag. I hook it to the decklines in front of the cockpit. It does leak a little bit, but not more then a few drops. I keep a small cotton towel in it to absorb the moisture, and make sure to store it open, without emptying it, so it can dry out completely. Things normally stored in the bag, apart from the towel: - Small first aid kit - Small flashlight - Spray-proof photo camera - 2 lighters - Cigarettes - Sunglasses - Sun protection - Bug protection - Pocket knife - GPS, when not in use - In winter: Pogies, hat The sun and bug protection oil are stored in a seperate, small drybag. I once had a bottle of bug oil leaking inside the bag. It took about a whole season to get the smell out of it, even after washing the towel. When you attach the bag to the decklines, you can push it out of the way when paddling, and pull it closer when you need something. Don't push it too close to the compass, at least not when there is any metal inside. Been there, done that. Niels. *************************************************************************** PaddleWise Paddling Mailing List - Any opinions or suggestions expressed here are solely those of the writer(s). You must assume the entire responsibility for reliance upon them. All postings copyright the author. Submissions: PaddleWise_at_PaddleWise.net Subscriptions: PaddleWise-request_at_PaddleWise.net Website: http://www.paddlewise.net/ ***************************************************************************
What I carry in my PFD pockets or a fanny pack ON me are things that I CAN'T live without and they include sun screen, bug spray, a small waterproof flashlight, a mirror, knife, a fruit bar, and a 6' nylon hank of string. In cold weather I have my hood inside my pfd. Having anything critical in my boat is not helpful if I'm not in my boat, too. I don't carry my VHF because if I come out of my boat I may well not be able to get back in with that much stuff hanging off of me. I have to trade one safety for another. Joan <<Things normally stored in the bag, apart from the towel: - Small first aid kit - Small flashlight - Spray-proof photo camera - 2 lighters - Cigarettes - Sunglasses - Sun protection - Bug protection - Pocket knife - GPS, when not in use - In winter: Pogies, hat>> *************************************************************************** PaddleWise Paddling Mailing List - Any opinions or suggestions expressed here are solely those of the writer(s). You must assume the entire responsibility for reliance upon them. All postings copyright the author. Submissions: PaddleWise_at_PaddleWise.net Subscriptions: PaddleWise-request_at_PaddleWise.net Website: http://www.paddlewise.net/ ***************************************************************************
----- Original Message ----- From: "Tom LeTourneau" <tletourn_at_maine.rr.com> To: "PaddleWise" <PaddleWise_at_paddlewise.net> > So far I can't seem to find anything that I like. I used to think I wanted > something "waterproof." But my feeling now is, if it is "water resistant" > to rain and deck spray, then it would be sufficient. For quick access I > don't think I'd want to store anything too valuable. For those items a dry > bag or waterproof case is the solution. > > Please let me know your experiences with deck bags. If anyone has > particular experience with "underdeck" bags (like Current Designs Pica Boo > Bag), I'd value your opinion. What works best that is high quality, > attractive, and easy to use? Coming from a background of folding kayaks, there have always been good underdeck bags available. Kleppers came with a small one that you placed alongside you in the cockpit on a special primitive fitting. So folding kayakers are attuned to using them. Baidarka Boats in Alaska used to offer great ones for the same location but I believe no longer do. The bags were not waterproof, just water resistant and worked well. What such bags have/had in common were straps to attach them slung between crossribs alongside you. Later with Feathercrafts, I have used underdeck bags in a different location, out under the front deck. This is possible using the top frame bar just under the peak decked. You strap one end webbing strap to the bar. The strap acts like a shower curtain ring allowing you to push the bag forward and bring it into your lap when you need to grab something. It otherwise rests between your legs (make certain to test that this will not entrap you in a capsize). Of late, I have switched to something similar but smaller. I use the sidepockets available in the aftermarket to attach to the sides of backpacks. Mine is from Gregory. I pre attach it to the top deck bar when assembling the Feathercraft K-Light or Kahuna. It forms a small glove compartment capable of hold lunch, energy bars, binoculars, sunglasses, etc. I believe the volumen is in the 250 cu in range. One can also use a fanny pack. With a hardshell you could glass in some rings and attach such a side pocket to these. This way you can take the whole underdeck bag with you as a fanny pack. Multiple usages is nice to have. ralph diaz *************************************************************************** PaddleWise Paddling Mailing List - Any opinions or suggestions expressed here are solely those of the writer(s). You must assume the entire responsibility for reliance upon them. All postings copyright the author. Submissions: PaddleWise_at_PaddleWise.net Subscriptions: PaddleWise-request_at_PaddleWise.net Website: http://www.paddlewise.net/ ***************************************************************************
Jim, Did you get the mesh bag from West Marine, too? Marsanne > I really prefer a mesh bag attached to the deck at four points. >s.net/ > *************************************************************************** > *************************************************************************** PaddleWise Paddling Mailing List - Any opinions or suggestions expressed here are solely those of the writer(s). You must assume the entire responsibility for reliance upon them. All postings copyright the author. Submissions: PaddleWise_at_PaddleWise.net Subscriptions: PaddleWise-request_at_PaddleWise.net Website: http://www.paddlewise.net/ ***************************************************************************
--- Tom LeTourneau <tletourn_at_maine.rr.com> wrote: > Please let me know your experiences with deck bags. If anyone has > particular experience with "underdeck" bags (like Current Designs Pica Boo > Bag), I'd value your opinion. What works best that is high quality, > attractive, and easy to use? If you can find a nice dry-bag which matches your deck -- which is easy with, say, a folding-boat which is all fabric already -- it makes a fairly decent deck bag, which you can tether with a bungee and store underneath your chart holder beside your chart. You can size the bag to keep just a few items, it stores mostly flat, and you won't be tempted to keep lots of things where they don't belong. Most deck bags are enormous, with endless pockets, zippers, compartments, bladders, etc. I don't think it would be very practical to keep fifteen items on hand. Accessories for boats seem to be designed with the principle that more features means better. Two pockets are better than three, etc. But, it's easy to design something complicated, it's not as easy to design something simple. __________________________________________________ Do you Yahoo!? Yahoo! Mail Plus - Powerful. Affordable. Sign up now. http://mailplus.yahoo.com *************************************************************************** PaddleWise Paddling Mailing List - Any opinions or suggestions expressed here are solely those of the writer(s). You must assume the entire responsibility for reliance upon them. All postings copyright the author. Submissions: PaddleWise_at_PaddleWise.net Subscriptions: PaddleWise-request_at_PaddleWise.net Website: http://www.paddlewise.net/ ***************************************************************************
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