I just purchased a 17.5 ft canoe from a friend. I intend to use it mostly on the Kentucky River. It is a meandering river so I am not concerned about rapid current. I will be fishing and I will be sharing the river with other watercraft. I will certainly carry a psk but I think I need to add a few items specific to this activity. I thought about a small air horn and attaching a whistle to my life jacket. I am considering some reflective tape on the sides of the boat. I will also need a dry bag and thought perhaps I could improvise for a while so as not to spend too much cash on this canoe. I will be canoeing til dark and perhaps after. The river is not cold in the summer.
Any tips, sugestions, comments or snide remarks?

My fire dept is located on Lake Champlain and we consider any rescue in water under 72 degrees a cold water rescue situation. I would definately attach a whistle to your pfd. Since you may be on the water after dark I would even add a strobe/flashlight combo like this. http://www.trupoint.com/product9.htm If you are going to have a dry bag onboard pack dry clothes. Of course you will have your psk so you have a way to start fire. Some of the large heat packs like hot hands would work if you can't start a fire. Pack a couple of the AMK heat sheets. Cheap and if its pouring rain a great way to make shelter. Enjoy the river.

You want about your person: a Swedish Fire Steel, a Blast Match. Tinder. (I very strongly suggest that you get several Wet Fire cubes.) A good small (3" to 5" blade) sheath knife. If you go into the water, you will very likely find yourself needing to rewarm yourself. As a matter of some urgency. Thats the best combination of accelerants and ignition sources that I know of.

Pick up a combination flash light/strobe to pin on your vest, available through Brigade Quartermaster... I won't go out on the water without mine, if I go overboard at night, I want to KNOW that the other boats/barge traffic are gonna see me <img src="/images/graemlins/wink.gif" alt="" />.

Troy

Give them something to aim for?

Some good ideas already. Most of what you'll need is in your PSK. You'll have to tailor the provisions, food and water, to your expected trip, plus a reserve. I always like to ask the folks before we head out on a "day trip" if they are ready to spend the night if we need to. It makes you think.

Couple other random thoughts:
If you're on a tight budget, and don't want to buy a proper strobe, you can at least have a chem light stick attached to your PFD along with a whistle.

Be sure that you tie your dry bag to the boat... I have watched how quickly packs and dry bags can travel down a river. It's a depressing thing to watch as most of your kit rides down the river while you're tipped over on a rock... it's a mistake that you hopefully only make once, then get smart and have everything attached with a lanyard or straps <img src="/images/graemlins/grin.gif" alt="" /> That's also a reason to get a PFD with a couple pockets so you can have most of your gear on you.

You might want to have a spare paddle tied into the canoe, and some form of simple bailing device, even if it's just a cut off plastic Clorox bottle or something.

Also, have some line that you can throw, either to someone in the water, or to someone on shore if you're in trouble! They have weighted "throw bags" with line that pays out, but, you could at least have some lightweight floating line that has something that floats on the end of it, like a floating seat cushion, or ring.

Something that you don't take with you, but, is important... tell someone where you are going to be paddling in that canoe, and when to expect you back... when boating, we usually call that a float plan. It's always comforting to know that when/if you're overdue, someone knows that you're missing, and where to start looking.

jeffchem,

I don't know what part of Kentuckky you are in, but get that canoe into Elkhorn Creek in central Kentucky and you will not be sorry. As long as it isn't in flood stage it should be easy going. (It seems at least one kayaker dies every year trying to run it at flood stage.)

It is called a creek, but if it were one or two miles longer it would be classified as a river. There is a north fork and a south fork and they come together in Franklin county near Scott County. Parts are slow moving, others are more shallow with some faster water. None of it is too hard, at least not the parts I am familiar with in Scott and Franklin counties. It is a wonderful place to fish. There should be quite a bit of of info on the web.

I have posted this link before, but take a look at it (esp. the hypothermia section)

http://www.watertribe.com/Magazine/ChallengeHowTo/Contents.aspx?ucPtr=WhenGodsPlay.ascx

Regards,
Bill

A simple thwart bag ( ties on) with clothes in bags and gear in tupperware should get you started.

I'd also get yourself a fishing life vest -- for the extra pockets.

Teacher

PS ditto the 'float plan'; even if you just tell the wife and leave your information on ht ekitchen counter.

Yes,
I plan to get to Elkhorn. It has some good smallmouth bass fishing.

Thanks for the comments. I will be using all of these ideas. I am looking forward being on the water for Memorial Day weekend.

I avoid flashlight/strobe combos, you should have one of each of these. The combo units can drain the batteries quicker then the individual units. Yes, you have more weight but you also gain alot in relaiablity. There are many good small waterproof lights out there and a few good light strobes.

Here's an example of the kind of vest I wear, it has plenty of pockets, so you can always have things at hand. This version is inflatable, so it's not as uncomfortable to wear all the time. You can also get them in a regular version with foam floatation instead of the CO2 inflation method.

http://www.mustangsurvival.com/products/product.php?id=228

Yes it does. I've done more smallmouth fishing on the Elkhorn than all of my other fishing combined. Wading the Elkhorn was my favorite.

One thing that hasn't been mentionned that I carry in my gear is a pen flare with flares & bear bangers (at least 3 red, 3 green flares & 3 bear bangers). The air horn is also a very good idea. I find that canoeing on a busy waterway is unnerving because many boaters don't look where they're going, so make yourself & your canoe as visible as you can. Consider a flag, perhaps like a Bike flag on a 6' lightweight pole, if you find that motor boats get too close.

I like the flag idea -- maybe get one with a light/ flasher for twilight paddling?