Practical Advice

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As with all outings, weather and duration are your two big signposts regarding what to bring and what to leave behind—as always, plan against the highest highs and lowest lows when it comes to water and air temperature. But, unlike backpacking or adventure traveling, when touring by sea kayak, you can bring...well, as much as will fit in your kayak. Given this expansive space, consider the following strategy to save the hassles of hunting through everything to find that one thing: Compartmentalize your gear into different colored dry bags. For instance, keep all of your camping gear in one bag and all of your first-aid gear in another. This will make it easier to find the gear you need quicker. Also, you always want to load your kayak with the heavier bags closer to the middle of the boat. Make sure to keep items you may need in an accessible spot—water, maps, sunscreen, energy bars, and even duct tape. And be careful about putting too much gear on your deck. The heavier your deck, the easier it is to tip over, as a heavy deck acts as a pendulum, which will want to swing over when pushed by a wave or wind.

Kayak Gear

• Kayak
• Paddle/spare paddle
• Personal flotation device (PFD)
• Spray skirt
• Bilge pump
• Paddle float
• Float plan
• Sling
• Towline
• Sea anchor
• Knife
• Deck bag
• Paddle leash
• Dry bags
• Water bottles/hydration pack
• Sponge
• Whistle

Safety

• VHF radio in waterproof case
• Cell phone in waterproof case
• Mirror
• Strobe light
• Flares
• EPIRB (Emergency Position Indicating Radiobeacon)
• Rescue banner
• Smoke canister
• Air horn
• Chart case
• Navigation charts
• Compass (hand-held and deck)
• GPS
• Weather radio
• Tide and current table
• Binoculars
• Navigation tools

First Aid

• Bandages
• Moleskin
• Lip balm
• Sunscreen
• Insect repellent
• Thermometer
• Tweezer
• Scissors
• Safety pins
• Aspirin/ibuprofen
• Mylanta
• Seasick pills
• Sewing kit
• Cold and hot pads
• Salt tablets (or electrolyte replacement pills)
• Cold/flu medication
• Space blanket

Repair

• Duct tape
• Multi-tool
• Epoxy
• Seam sealer
• Extra rudder/cables/fittings
• Lighter
• Spare deck bungees

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