When you’re out on the water with beginner paddlers every day all summer, you’re likely to run into challenging conditions and unusual scenarios. While in calm waters it might be easy to dig for your emergency gear, the conditions you’re most likely to need your backup gear in are the same conditions that might make that gear hard to reach. Here are the essentials I keep at the top of my day hatch and on me in my day trip guiding kit.
What’s in Editor Maddy Marquardt’s sea kayak day trip guiding kit
North Water Micro Tow Line
MSRP: $130 CAD
Marketed as an entry-level tow belt, the North Water Micro Tow Line packs more punch than meets the eye. Ideal for conditions I typically encounter while commercial guiding, the tow line comes with both a 17-foot and 50-foot line and is easily customizable by adding a shock absorber or floats to the ends.
northwater.com
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Quick-Fix Snacks & Mental Boosts
MSRP: $21+
Whether hungry, dehydrated or seasick, it pays to carry a few ginger chews, small snacks and Liquid IV, even if just to give new paddlers a mental boost to help them push through challenging conditions.
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DICK’S SPORTING GOODS AMAZON LIQUID IV
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VHF Radio With Tether
MSRP: $159
In addition to flares, a signaling mirror and other essential safety gear, a VHF radio, like Standard Horizon’s HX210, is one of the best tools to carry on the water, but it doesn’t do anyone much good buried in a hatch. Tether your VHF to your person with a bungee cord long enough to comfortably make a call.
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Micro First-Aid Kit
A full guide’s first-aid kit is a must-carry, but there are a few items that come up regularly on trips and are worth keeping a little closer at hand. I like to separate out key items like ibuprofen, Benadryl, blister patches and a few Band-Aids into a smaller Ziploc and stash near the top of my day hatch or in my PFD pocket.
Astral Bluejacket
MSRP: $265
Now discontinued and replaced by the Astral Bowen, the Bluejacket is still my PFD of choice. It features a large clamshell pocket to store gear and is highly adjustable, with most of the flotation around the waist.
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Sunscreen
MSRP: $19
Mineral-based zinc oxide sunscreens are considered reef safe and protect my skin from both UVA and UVB rays. At the same time, carrying a few options can be helpful to meet group needs while out on the water, and sunscreen is one of the things I’m most likely to be asked for as a trip leader.
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Zip Ties
MSRP: $3 per dozen
When a rudder breaks on the water, pulling out a screwdriver in choppy waters isn’t always the best option. Enter the zip tie: a quick fix that can get my clients through the day, or even the week, until I get a chance to do a full repair.
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Emergency Layers
A space blanket, fleece and a stashed raincoat can go a long way if paddlers get cold. Search for layers in larger sizes to fit a variety of body types, and check the thrift store first; this way, you won’t be heartbroken if a paddler walks off with your extra layer after the trip.
Waxed Journal & Bic Pen
A simple waterproof notebook can help you keep notes on weather and route, or act as a cheat sheet to help you remember names. In challenging conditions, I’ve found paddlers will respond a lot faster to their names than, “hey, you!”
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This article was published in Issue 75 of Paddling Magazine. Tools of the trade. | Feature photo: Courtesy Maddy Marquardt
