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Any questions or comments? |
Knu-Pac Portaging System - FAQIsn't an external frame a problem in a canoe? The belief that frames don't belong in canoes is based on people taking their conventional external frame backpacks on canoe trips. Since the original pack bags are difficult to waterproof and are designed to stay on the frame, people placed the frames into the bottom of the boat in an attempt to keep their gear dry. Since rigid frames don't fit well in the bottom of a canoe, problems arose. The Knu-Pac, with it's 100% waterproof bag, can be safely packed with the bag down so the frame stays up and out of the way. The frame itself provides lots of good grab holds for lifting your gear into and out of your boat. If necessary, the frame can always be easily separated from the dry bag allowing you to pack the soft bags first, then laying the empty frame on top. External frames are still the best design to carry heavy weight and few of us carry more weight than on a portage. The myth that frames don't belong in canoes is just that...a myth. What if my boat is too heavy to carry along with my gear? Do I have to single carry with the Knu-Pac? While there are advantages to single portaging, it is by no means required and in many situations, it would not be called for (try single portaging with 2 kids too young to carry anything themselves). For multiple carries, the Knu-Pac System is designed so that the bag can be easily detached from the frame, so you can use the frame to carry your kayak or canoe, then go back and use it to carry your gear. You'll do all of your trips in comfort. You can also do two person carries using two Knu-Pac Systems for heavier boats including jon boats. When you split up the weight of an 85 lb canoe, each person is then carrying the equivalent of an ultralight kevlar canoe allowing each person to carry extra gear at the same time. How do I get my canoe or kayak onto the cradles? Our recommendation is to do an end roll or teepee lift. With your boat on shore, go to the stern and roll it over and above your head. Now walk your hands forward to the center thwart, lean forward a little and lower the thwart into the cradles and the nose of your boat will rise up. With just a little practice, you'll master it. If in doubt, ask your partner to help in the beginning. Onloading your boat can be the reverse of the loading process or simply press the boat straight up and lower it to your thigh and then to the ground. Each Knu-Pac System comes with a free instructional video that demonstrates the loading and unloading techniques. How do I balance my canoe or kayak while portaging? First, you want to ensure that your boat, including whatever gear you choose to leave in the boat, is well balanced to begin with, . Think of a teeter-totter. The better balanced it is, the easier it is to move and to keep in one position. You're boat is carried just like a teeter-totter! Next, we provide you with our "Hands Down" Control Line kit. Just add two lengths of light weight line which you tie to the bow and stern and adjust to length so that you can hold it in one hand with tension going to both ends of your boat. The boat is stabalized when your hand is stationary. A gentle pull back on the line will pivot the bow down or a pull forward will bring the bow up. With your arms down, your shoulder muscles stay relaxed and, since you always have full visibility, you can keep your boat parallel to the trail which means no more bumping the stern on those steep downhills. It sure is handy to always have a free hand to shoo away those pesky flying critters or to use a walking stick for extra balance. You can always hold the gunwale with one hand during particurally tricky or trecherous trail sections or if the line is snagging on branches. What's the advantage of being able to single carry? Bottom line...more time on the water. Single carries only take the amount of time necessary to walk to the other end of the trail. Carries and a half take twice that. Double carries, which require three trips, take three times that of a single carry. Every minute that you save in portaging translates directly into extra time on the water or lounging in your next campsite. In a week long trip with moderate portages, you can earn almost an extra day on the water. We do single carries and take a short break at least every fifteen minutes. While single carries are our personal preferance, it doesn't need to be yours. If the combined weight of your boat and gear is more than you can manage in one trip, then use your Knu-Pac to make all of your portages as easy as possible. Enjoy your wilderness experience, don't suffer for it. How do I use the Knu-Pac with my solo canoe or sea kayak? Our Universal Thwart easily clamps onto the gunwales or spray skirt combing at the balance point to provide your "center thwart". Sea kayakers will need to transfer their gear to a bag (provided with the Knu-Pac Kayak System) or secure it directly to the frame during portaging and then secure the empty frame to the deck while paddling. The empty frame will not interfere with your ability to roll the boat or provide any significant wind or wave resistance. I thought that you couldn't or shouldn't portage a kayak? Until the Knu-Pac System was invented, kayaks were very difficult to carry across lengthy portage trails and few people choose to do so. Now, with the Knu-Pac, they are easier to carry than a canoe on your shoulders. It will take you a little longer to transition from water to land and back to water than with a canoe since you will need to unload and reload your hatches at each portage. This can be minimized by using a kayak with larger hatch covers to reduce the overall number of gear bags or by using a kayak that does not have closed hatches. It is also helpful to choose a route with longer portages to reduce the effect of the extra transition time. You will probably see fewer people since most canoeists still try to avoid longer portages....except Knu-Pac owners, of course! Since most kayaks are faster in the water than a canoe and are capable of handling windier conditions, you'll probably make up any "lost" time while paddling. If a kayak is your boat of choice, there is no longer any reason to not take it into portaging country with the Knu-Pac Kayak System. The first single season kayak crosing of Canada was accomplished using the Knu-Pac System. 135 portages in all and several over 20 miles in length! Who says you can't portage a kayak? What about control in windy conditions? You will enjoy much more control in windy conditions for several reasons. #1: In headwinds, you can pivot the bow down so that the wind bounces off the hull instead of carrying a large wind scoop over your head. #2: When you get hit by a crosswind with your boat directly on your shoulders, you only have the strength of your arms to counteract the wind trying to twist the boat off your shoulders. With the Knu-Pac, the boat is secured by the cradles and frame to your upper body allowing you to use your entire body to counteract the torsional forces. #3: If the wind is strong enough to actually begin to lift the boat out of the cradles, simply push down harder on the control line to counteract the lift. The extra carrying height of the Knu-Pac System in no way makes it more vulnerable to the wind. Will the Knu-Pac work with all thwarts or yokes? The Knu-Pac System is designed to work with most standard flat ash yokes and all tubular or straight style yokes and thwarts. The cradles will support the yoke 6.75" on each side of center at which point the yoke should not be more than 2.5" wide. To prevent side slipping on a straight thwart, tape foam pipe insulation where the cradles will support the yoke. Deep dish or carved yokes are generally too wide at the support points but can be narrowed to accomodate the cradle's width. The curved, laminated Wenonah yoke is also not designed to work well in conjunction with the Knu-Pac System. One custom yoke that works very well with the Knu-Pac and what we're currently using on our own boat is the 3rd Wave Yoke (contact John Murch at 320-352-2524). This lightweight tubular yoke has a large neck bend and thick foam padding. When we have to carry the boat on our shoulders, this is the yoke we like best. |