This article on how to pack your wanigan and what to put in it was originally published in Canoeroots and Family Camping magazine.

While the traditional wanigan—that bulky wooden box, custom-built to fit snugly within a canoe’s contours—has largely been replaced by plastic tubs or barrels, its purpose has remained true: to cram as much kitchen stuff as possible. But one portager’s perfect stash is another’s albatross. Wanigans reveal trippers’ traits, classifying them as one of three wanigan personalities: extremist, minimalist or middle-malist. And there’s wisdom—and warning—to be dished from each camp.

“Most paddlers want to eat like they do at home,” says Andrew Rafton, an extreme tripper and waniganer who won’t compromise on meals. It’s why he invested in a food dehydrator and vacuum bag sealer, which allow him to fill his wanigan with all the fixings for everything from shepherd’s pie to pizza to cobbler. He won’t scrimp on his eco-friendly clean-up, either; he makes room for three—yes, three—folding sinks.

“That’s not gonna happen on any trip I take,” says Jason Picard. “Not even a luxury one.” A self-proclaimed minimalist tripper, Picard uses his cook pots as sinks, eschewing anything that only has one use.

In Eugene Mohareb’s barrel-cum-wanigan you’ll find plenty of lightweight just-add-water meals. Whereas Rafton needs his full assortment of spices, minimalist Mohareb is happy with his tiny vial of hot sauce. Picard does one better by loading up on individual packets of condiments when he’s at a deli counter.

Your wanigan’s contents may also depend on your camping skills. Take Barb Russell, who describes herself as a middle-malist and worked as a guide and chief cook for a tripping company. “A percolator takes up too much room in my wanigan,” she says, before describing how to make cowboy coffee by literally swinging a pot of hot water above your head. “So my kit always includes a billycan.”

The Minimalist

The Extremist

This article originally appeared in Canoeroots & Family Camping, Early Summer 2011. Download our freeiPad/iPhone/iPod Touch App or Android App or read it here.

This article on how to perfect your pry stroke was originally published in Canoeroots and Family Camping magazine.

All pries use the paddle shaft as a lever against the gunwale to move the canoe away from the paddle. The resulting action of the canoe differs depending on the placement of the pry, whether the canoe is moving (dynamic) or not moving (static), and whether the pry is used in a solo or tandem situation. These four useful solo maneuvers are performed using variations of this adaptable stroke.

Solo Offside Abeam

STROKE Dynamic pry


WHEN Use to move the canoe directly sideways away from the side you are paddling on.

HOW This pry uses short, quick motions to lever against the gunwale. Rotate your upper body toward the onside gunwale and place the paddle at your hip with the shaft vertical and the powerface of the blade against the hull. Pull the paddle grip across your chest. Once your control hand reaches the canoe’s center- line, turn your control thumb out and slice the blade back under the canoe to repeat.

TIP Think of your shaft hand as an oarlock, and keep the paddle shaft anchored to the gun- wale throughout. Avoid rocking the canoe back and forth as you pull.

Solo Offside Sideslip

STROKE Stationary pry


WHEN Use to sideslip the canoe around an obstacle without having to turn, change direction or sacrifice speed.

HOW Get some speed paddling forward. At the end of a forward stroke, turn your control thumb back and slice the blade into the hull at your hip. The powerface is facing the hull. the blade should be slightly angled in the direction you want to go. Keep the blade in this static position. Weight your onside knee so the canoe meets the least amount of water resistance as it moves sideways.

TIP: Adjust the paddle shaft slightly forward or backward of your hip to ensure that the canoe does not turn as it moves sideways.

Solo Offside U-turn

STROKE Sliding pry

WHEN Use to turn the canoe around 180 degrees without switching paddling sides. This elegant, exciting offside turn requires good boat control and balance.

HOW Initiate the turn with a forward sweep, edging the canoe to the outside of the turn. Following the sweep, knife the leading edge of the paddle blade to meet the hull. The paddle shaft is vertical and the force of the water is on the back of the blade. Smoothly slide the vertical paddle shaft along the gunwale toward the bow as far as you can comfortably reach, rotating your onside shoulder forward.

TIP Maintaining an upright body position (j-lean) is essential for keeping your balance.

Offside Capsize Recovery

STROKE Righting pry


WHEN Use to recover your balance and prevent a capsize to the offside. if you are tipping away from the side you are paddling on, the righting pry is a very effective and powerful correction that takes guts and commitment.

HOW Slice the paddle toward your hip, keep- ing the paddle shaft vertical. set the shaft against the gunwale and turn your control thumb back so the blade is parallel with the canoe. push down on the grip to submerge the blade deep in the water. pull the grip toward you, past the centerline.

TIP Push down on the grip and choke up your shaft hand to submerge the blade deep in the water for a successful pry.

—Words and photos adapted from Gary and Joanie McGuffin’s Paddle Your Own Canoe.

This article originally appeared in Canoeroots & Family Camping, Early Summer 2011. Download our freeiPad/iPhone/iPod Touch App or Android App or read it here.

This open canoe technique article describes how to effectively brace and was originally published in Rapid magazine.
Any brace is a good brace—even if you high braced when you should have low braced or vice versa. Having your paddle in the water contributes to your stability.

FORWARD STROKE


When to Use: Flipping to either side.


Pros and Cons: The best brace is often a for- ward stroke. When a paddle is in the water with force against the blade, it’s extremely stabilizing. For beginners, doing a forward stroke takes the guesswork out of which brace to choose. The forward stroke has the additional benefit of keeping your canoe moving. Also, some paddlers become habitual low bracers—bracing their way down the river rather than paddling. Using the forward stroke as a brace will help break this habit.

LOW BRACE


When to Use: Flipping to your onside.


How to: With your paddle perpendicular to your canoe, slap the water with the back of your blade and use the momentary support to drop your head and move your body towards the opposite (high) gunwale.


Pros and Cons: Repeated efforts to low brace often result in the paddle sinking and the canoe flipping. Ideally, this brace is a one shot deal to recover and get moving. Doing a stationary brace has one drawback—it’s stationary. A boat is easier to control when it’s underway and this brace doesn’t provide momentum.

RIGHTING PRY


When to Use: Flipping to your offside.


How to: Hold your paddle vertically, blade in the water at your hip and lever off the hull with your top hand.


Pros and Cons: This is an unbelievably solid way to keep your boat upright but it takes presence of mind to employ. The force that’s created from levering your paddle off the hull is very strong. Avoid mashing the thumb of your lower hand between your boat and paddle by keeping it on top of the shaft with the rest of your fingers.

When you’re tipping to your offside, the water feels a long way from your blade. A key part of an effective righting pry is reaching to place your entire blade in the water. Unlike the low brace, the righting pry is often most successful after multiple attempts as you continue to work at finding purchase in the water.

HIGH BRACE


When to Use: Flipping to your offside


How to: Reach your paddle over the high gunwale and grab the water as if you were doing a draw.

Pros and Cons: Much maligned as the least effective brace, it nevertheless looks spectacular in photos. Be aware there is concern that doing a high brace may cause shoulder injury. A good rule of thumb to avoid injury is to stop doing the high brace if you find your lower arm is being forced away from your rib cage.

No matter which brace you use, bring your head and body back over the canoe’s centerline to restore stability.

Remember—even if you have the perfect paddle position for a brace, it’s worthless unless you right the boat and correct your center of gravity.

This article originally appeared in Rapid, Early Summer 2011. Download our free iPad/iPhone/iPod Touch App or Android App or read it here.

This technique article discusses how to rappel with your kayak to the water and was originally published in Rapid magazine.

Steep walled canyons make accessing some runs a challenge. Down climbing often seems easier but when done properly, rappelling makes canyon access much safer.

Kayakers don’t usually carry heavy climbing gear so we have to do our best with a limited set of tools. Master these four basic components to a rappel and you’ll be tackling runs otherwise left behind.

Anchors

Sturdy trees make great anchors. Tie a segment of nylon webbing around the base of the tree using a water knot and clip on a locking carabiner. Wrapping the rope direct- ly around the tree can damage both the tree and the rope. If a tree isn’t available, artificial anchors such as nuts or pitons also work, though these require more expertise to set securely. Always place two or more artificial anchors to provide adequate protection.

Rope

Think about rappelling when selecting a throw rope. Only rappel off throw ropes with a Spectra core because it’s the strongest option. Spectra has a low melting point so rappel slowly or wet the rope be- forehand to help dissipate heat from friction. Getting adequate rope length may require tying two throw ropes together using a double fisherman’s knot. To ensure the rope doesn’t get caught, untie it from the bag. Feed the rope through the locking carabiner that is attached to your anchor. On more popular runs, secure a fixed line.

Rappel Devices

A harness can be improvised with a long sling. To control your descent, attach a friction device to a locking biner affixed to your harness’ belay loops. A figure eight or ATC are common mechanical friction devices. If you’re rappelling on a single throw rope or fixed line, a Munter hitch can also be used, requiring one less piece of hardware.

Rappeller

To descend in control, face the wall with feet shoulder-width apart and lean back slowly, keeping the rope taut, until your legs are perpendicular to the slope. The breaking hand controls the speed the rope travels through the friction device and must always remain on the rope.

Boats should be lowered separately unless you are descending straight into the water. In this case, secure the kayak to a cowtail attached to a quick release belt on the your PFD. Be prepared for the extra weight to pull you off balance. Another option that’s easier on the rappeller but takes a little longer is to tie the boat directly into the rope.

When paddling with a large group, keep in mind that rappelling is fairly slow and creates bottlenecks. For more information refer to the latest edition of The Mountaineers Books’ Freedom of the Hills.

This article originally appeared in Rapid, Early Summer 2011. Download our free iPad/iPhone/iPod Touch App or Android App or read it here.