L&L's GEAR Opinions

CANOE SPRAYDECKS:

A SprayDeck is a fitted waterproof fabric “deck” that seals the top of your to prevent waves from sloshing over your gunwales. It will contain all your gear in one unit, not allowing a “yard sale” of lost gear in event of a capsize. It also makes rescue more difficult – a decked canoe pretty well has to be towed to shore or righted to allow more difficult deep water re-entry and pumped out. It's hot in hot weather, but warm and dry in cold, wet weather (tuck the skirt tunnel up under your lifejacket or rain coat). Makes the canoe not as easy to jump in and out of. Most importantly, it keeps rain and big waves from swamping your and reduces the need for bailing.

First thing I have to say : If you’ve never used one & unless you’re a kayaker & used to being tied into an upside down boat, PLAY with one first in a safe, warm environment & get used to how it feels to get out of it after capsizing. I’ve used a few different types & my opinion used to be that they were maybe a necessary evil… until I finally used a well designed one: it was a Northwater http://www.northwater.com/ 2-piece (split between stern seat & cargo hatch) with a full size cargo-hatch. Northwater (ps – I’m not a rep & they didn’t pay me!) will make a deck to your canoe specs (they have most factory specs for most on file, but if you’ve done any customizing at all, it’s worth it to send Very Detailed measurements of your own), which means they fit tight & sleek to the boat but allow full paddler mobility. (Disadvantage: does not allow for expansion of load much above gunwale height, which is a GOOD thing, IMHO). Stiffeners fore & aft of paddlers skirts are essential for deflecting water rather than having it gather there & then collapse into the boat. Their lashing system is light, efficient & strong, though I’d recommend extra lashing points amidships in case of damage there – that’s happened to me. The full length cargo hatch will roll back & tie out of the way for portaging & cargo access so you don’t have to be dismantling the whole darn system several times a day (which gets time-consuming & annoying). If I was to order one again, I’d ask for more attachment points on top (had to sew on my own for map case, camera, water bottle etc), a better ‘stuffing’ system (like a throw bag?) for bow & stern lining ropes, and I’d ask them to extend that 3” webbing that protects the deck along the gunwales ALL the Way to bow & stern (for some reason, they stop it 1 –1 ½’ from the ends & that’s where we now have abrasion holes). Bailers are not easy to use under a deck & between gear, so we use a pump & big sponge.

Only thing I'd change now is I'd recommend a 3-piece deck rather than cargo hatch. We had Peter Brebner Manufacturing & Repairs of Ottawa (he's a paddler so understands our needs) customize ours from a 2-piece to a 3-piece when he adapted it from our Appalachian to our Starburst. A 3-piece deck is a better cargo hatch.

Many reasons Why: 5/6's of the deck can be left secured for most of the trip = time-saver +: 1) center section can be rolled to either SIDE for portaging. (not rolled in your line of vision!) 2) Easy/fast cargo load/unload (from either side!). 3) Zipper on cargo hatch = potential failure. The zipper on the cargo hatch will be the first thing to fail when dirt/sand gets into it + it's more difficult to get 2nd barrel beside 1st in & out of the ltd size opening = more stress on zipper. Dara's has held up well because she's the only one who uses it (I helped her install it on her boat before we used it on the Broadback). 4) 2-piece was a pain to get out of the way for portaging. ALSO: Order extra features such as:  pockets will need to fit ALL lengths of : One is enough, but one for each paddler is better if they can make them fit properly (we don't want a 64" paddle to extend beyond the gunwale or into the paddlers range. MAYBE USE 2 WIDE STRAPS INSTEAD of a closed-end POCKET so longer paddles can slide forward or aft.  Order map d-rings + anchoring strips (to attach water bottle/map etc) in front of EACH paddler  Order extra 4-6 extra attachment LOOPS for the SIDE of the canoe amidships (attachment loops can be damaged by abrasion when dragging loaded thru & past rocks), so installing a few extra is WELL worth the $2/ea). amidships = at the widest point of the canoe, usually close to the yoke. So instead of 11(?) loops down each side of the boat, I recommend 13 or 14.  NO NEED for "extra attachment points (on top of spray deck) mid ship" if you can't reach them from cockpit - you don't want additional 'loose shit' tied on top to become snags.