Learning to Portage...

[le Voyageur 72]

If there is one area where most canoest agree on, is that they hate to portage...

 

Here's a technique that'll help get one in shape, and will help to take a little drudgery out of this task...

 

Build yourself a ladder like frame, about 10 to 12 feet long that'll rest on your shoulders. Pad the center of gravity very well for comfort. Now, at each end of the frame you can screw, or nail a 3/4 inch piece of plywood with a center hole to the frame to support the weights that you'll be using. Add eye bolts to attach painters to.

Now at Wal Mart, you can buy free weights, the round cookie kind that has a hole in the center. These can be bolted to the frame, and by starting light you can work your way up as you gain strength.

Once assembled, all you gotta do is toss it up on your shoulders, and go for a walk....

[nldscout 18]

LV,

Sounds like a good idea for preparing for a trip that involves long portages. However, I can see all the stares and laughs when you walk down the street with this rig.

[le Voyageur 72]

 

 

Aye, that may be true...however, when I explain what I'm doing and why, most folks tend to change their attitude and become supportive...

[OldGreyEagle 5]

Actually, if we could make kits with all the components and video to show how to assemble it and use it, it might become a fitness craze. I have seen far less on infomercials

[JoePro 10]

Are the canoes carried on the shoulders? If so, how do you see where you are going?

[le Voyageur 72]

In a way, yes. There's a yoke at the canoe's center of gravity that splits the weight of the canoe a bit. This yoke settles the load a bit below the nape of the neck, and across the back on a line to the shoulders.

 

The way you see on a portage is to tip the bow up a bit, not much, just enough to see the trail ahead while not dragging the stern in the dirt...you do this by holding the forward thwart to control the balance.

 

This training rig isn't 100 per cent correct as there is no yoke...however,it's purpose is to build up the muscle groups used in a portage, as well as for one to learn the correct to get the canoe up for the carry....for the novice,the rig is a bit more forgiving than, say learning how to toss up an 85 pound Old Town 175 for the first time.

[Mike F 10]

LV,

After getting down the basics, might try climbing stadium or, better yet, a stair well, so can practice tight turns. And maybe an obstacle course of fallen trees and rocks hidden beneath muddy pools. And don't forget the swarm of mosquitos so can practice one-handed balancing and swatting while maintaining balance on greased rocks.

You're absolutely nuts, buddy! I look forward to meeting you someday, even though I'm not sure I could measure up for a crew.

Keep 'em coming!!

[eisely 13]

This really sounds like fun. I wanna go.