Need advice for solo overnighting in a kayak

[Levi Michael McQueary]

I solo overnight float in a canoe all the time, but I'm getting tried for paying the rental fees, getting busted up canoes. Even the cutouts in log jams seem to be fit for a kayak anymore. I pass people in kayaks that have been out for days and I wonder how when you don't have the space to carry anything. Now they are usually in a group of 4 to 6. I'm sure I pack too much or at least could be more efficient. I need advice on how people do it. What do you bring? How much? How big? Is it possible to do it solo with fishing gear included? I want to be as efficient as a multiday backpacker with a cooler and fishing equipment.

[Danoinark]

How about a tandem sit in.  Seems you could carry more weight along with a place to store more gear.

[Al Agnew]

So I'm assuming you already have a kayak, which means you don't want to actually buy a canoe (which would be your best bet for overnight trips).  The only way you camp overnight comfortably using a kayak is to think backpacking type gear...pads and sleeping bag that packs very tightly into a small bag, small one person tent, backpacking type stove, etc.  Heck, by the time you buy all that stuff you could probably just buy a canoe!  The only guys I know who do overnighters (and several day trips) out of a kayak are guys that come from a backpacking background and already have all the good backpacking stuff.

[Gavin]

Can do if you pack light and eat de-hydrated backpacker meals. No cocktails unless you bring some hard liquor to mix with a dry mix and water. Not fun, would rather eat like a king. Could do if you have a buddy with 17' tandem canoe. He will have to haul all your beer, fresh food, and some of your gear to make it pleasant. Some do 420 or Psybiciilin instead of booze. Not my deal but it packs light.

[ollie]

I have done a couple over nighters in my yak and a double night once.  All in a ten foot boat.  Yes, think back packing on the water and you should be fine.  The double we did we had to have a store on the creek to pick up ice and extra supplies for the second night.  Let's see, i had 2 large dry bags and I think 2 small coolers along with my fishing gear.  Start out with frozen things in the cooler as well.  Only bring what you think you will need and nothing more.

[budman]

I have done a couple three day kayak trips on the lower Buffalo. I have a Wilderness Ride 115 and it will carry a lot more than you think. We do eat backpack  meals, just boil water and add to pack and wait a few minutes. Usually get one called skillet breakfast and some flour tortillas for the morning and a meal for two usually works for dinner. I do have a jet boil stove but you could use any small one burner to boil water. Lunch is always small summer sausage, cheese and crackers and some trail mix. We carry a water filter so we don't have to carry a lot of extra water. You can get the small packs of Gatorade to mix with you water to add flavor and better hydroate. I do use a small tent and a backpack type sleeping bag, but I also have a small cot, Basspro for $40, so I don't have to sleep on the rocks. I store all my stuff either in the front dry compartment or in dry bags in the back hold along with a small tarp in case of rain. I always carry my fly rod and one spinning rod and a small amount to tackle. I can remove the seat from my kayak so I don't bring a chair but the other guys do. I also carry a lunch size ice chest for a six pack, cans, and the cheese for lunch. You can also carry a small flask if you want something stronger. I always pack some small fire starter logs, first aid kit, meds, flashlight and cell phone. These trips are not as fancy a base camp trips with steaks and other big meals but they are a great time. You will be surprised how much you can pack on a kayak and you can pack more than you will need. Attached two picture of what I packed the first year and what it looked like loaded. Packed less the next year. Hope you give it a try.

[jdmidwest]

On 6/19/2016 at 10:32 PM, Gavin said:

 Some do 420 or Psybiciilin instead of booze. Not my deal but it packs light.

People get stoned on the river?  I never noticed it that much. 

I have run across shake and bake meth labs.

[Coosa]

I do 2 three day trips every year.

Lantern..sheet, blanket, pillow in a dry sack....airmatress in a dry sack....2 person tent stuffed in dry sack, finding a spot for the tent poles won't be hard...1 dry sack with a few clothes and shave kit. You really don't need many clothes.Don't forget a towel....another dry sack with miscellaneous items like lighters, pump for matress with extra batteries ,Lantern mantles, 2 small propane bottles for lantern, flashlight...small pot to boil water, it only needs to hold like 2 cups.....Dry sack with food, poptarts, trail mix, candy, granola bars, tortillas,  plate and a spork. The hatch cover on some kayaks works great as a plate. Take it off wash it, eat off it, wash it and put it back....kinda funny, but it works. No need for a any type of stove. Just put water in pot and place in fire.

Day 1. 

Eat breakfast before hitting the water. Lunchables and a butterfinger for lunch. Dinner is a baked potato with a thick can of soup dumped on it. Make sure to get soup with a pop top so you don't need a can opener. Heat your soup in the pot not the soup can. That stuffs bad for ya. Or sometimes I eat 2 freeze dried beef stroganoff meals. 1 just don't do it. If doing the stroganoff I like to bring a small pack of Hawaiin rools.

Day 2. 

Breakfast...Freeze dried breakfast skillet (camping section at wally world) with some tortillas. Hit taco bell in the week b4 and grab a few extra taco sauces. Crackers cheese a sausage fir lunch. Spam works good too. I like the little tuna Salad kits also. Dinner 2 jalapeño cheese already cooked brats on buns with a whole can of stag or roadhouse chilli dumped on, followed by a bag of shredded cheddar cheese.

Day 3.

Breakfast....granola bars and poptarts if theres any left. ( I tend to get the munchies around the fire the night b4, sometimes the poptarts dissappear) For lunch it's basically whatever is left or just suck it up and eat a good meal when ya get off the river. Nothin like a good meal after 3 days on the water.

 

Cooler....3 one liter bottles of water, 6 pack of 6oz pop, 5 one liter bottles flavored sparkling water. I bring a lifestraw (Google it) also in case I run out of drinks.  Your brats, and lunchabkes.

No with all that being said, it will depend on the kind of yak you have. I have a coosa hd so I have a fair amount of room, although I think my regular coosa had more storage space. I have also packed this all into a jackson big tuna

[Flysmallie]

Hmmmm....more meals from bags. 

I bet I can find a place to put my skillet and that's all I need to make some magic happen around the campfire. I can skip lunch everyday but I like a good meal around the campfire at night. Or have some meat presmoked where all you have to do is warm it up. 

I sometimes get the munchies around the campfire too. So if I trade the skillet for a dutch oven it can be warm cobbler with ice cream. Much better than a pop tart.

I'm not beating up on ya for doing it your way. You have a system you like and that works great for you. I'm just saying with a little preparation you can eat pretty good on the river without taking up any more space. 

Best campfire dessert ever was when we pulled out the Andy's Frozen Yogurt we had stuffed in a small cooler with a bunch of dry ice. Heaven. 

[Coosa]

21 minutes ago, Flysmallie said:

Hmmmm....more meals from bags. 

I bet I can find a place to put my skillet and that's all I need to make some magic happen around the campfire. I can skip lunch everyday but I like a good meal around the campfire at night. Or have some meat presmoked where all you have to do is warm it up. 

I sometimes get the munchies around the campfire too. So if I trade the skillet for a dutch oven it can be warm cobbler with ice cream. Much better than a pop tart.

I'm not beating up on ya for doing it your way. You have a system you like and that works great for you. I'm just saying with a little preparation you can eat pretty good on the river without taking up any more space. 

Best campfire dessert ever was when we pulled out the Andy's Frozen Yogurt we had stuffed in a small cooler with a bunch of dry ice. Heaven. 

I would have to agree, your cobbler does sound much better than poptarts.  I can't give up my jalapeño chili cheese dogs though!! 

I do need to give the Dutch oven thing a try....never used one but it's been on my mind