Cargo capacity of a kayak
I've been paddling three times (one week each) in rental (Canadian) canoes. My girlfriend and me brought all gear and food with us and there still was plenty of room for our dog in the boat.
I know from internet "research" that kayaks provide less space, but I'd like to try using one in the future due to the benefits of a kayak.
The cargo capacities I can find on various websites are somewhat meaningless since I don't know how many kilograms or liters I needed so far.
Therefore, assuming the following requirements:
- 2 persons
- one week
- light-ish tent, mattress, sleeping bags
- food for the whole time, preferably not only fully processed trekking food
- no need to carry water
Let's also assume
- moderate climate (night temperature not below 10°C, rain not unlikely)
- fresh water lakes
- Sweden
Will this be possible without crazy requirements on clothing and other equipment?
Will two one-man kayaks or one two-man kayak provide more cargo space?
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Kayaks vary, and while you will be able to do the trip you describe in anything described as a “touring kayak”, the convenience and time required to pack will vary a lot depending on the exact model. In any case, packing each morning will be significantly more of a chore than in a canoe. With a larger volume kayak it’s a matter of stowing a few dry bags, maybe not always in the same order. With a smaller volume kayak there may only be one particular arrangement that fits it all in, and you may need to optimize (cut your foam sleeping pad in half so it fits on either side of skeg, tie a string to your fuel bottle and push all the way to end of bow). You can tie a drybag to deck if it is not too windy / wind chop is not washing over deck too hard, and you can keep a bag between your legs IF you are ABSOLUTELY sure it will not impede your exit in an emergency when you are upside down under water, if in any doubt at all that objects in cockpit could tangle or wedge and pin your leg do not use the cockpit for storage.
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Roughly speaking, you can carry twice as much in a sea kayak as you can backpacking. There are expedition boats with larger capacity. It takes some doing to get it in the hatches. You waste some space because much of it has to go in dry bags. We did a four day trip in mostly doubles and had plenty of room. A week in singles should not be much problem with planning.
Our guides insisted it took four people to move a loaded single. One on each end and one on each side of the cockpit. A loaded double took six people.
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There's no specific rule for how much cargo a single kayak can take, but there is a general rule that says a two man kayak of a given model has the same cargo capacity as a one man kayak of the same model.
The distribution of cargo for a sea kayak is between two main volumes, the bow hatch and the stern hatch. When you add an extra person you're extending the central section, but not really affecting the cargo areas and not noticeably increasing the width of the boat.
As such you'll basically be able to take twice as much if you take two one person kayaks, but if you've got lightweight compact expedition gear you should be able to take it all in a single two man sea kayak type boat (but no dog).
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I have been kayaking around Corsica, Denmark etc for longer periods in one man boats. We brought everything with us except food for the entire period. We had some spare food and a one or two day supply, and that was perfectly doable.
If you want take food for an entire week, you will have to resort to trekking food, or high-density low-volume stuff, and then it's going to be tight*, to the point where I'd advize against it. Are you sure you cannot build in some 'shopping stops'? Fresh bread, vegetables and fruit are always nice.
Factors that are of further influence:
- Weather. When it's always calm you can pack some stuff on your upper deck, like loaves of bread in a plastic bag.
- Number of people. The larger the group, the less luggage per person you'll have (because: sharing).
I suggest one-person kayaks since:
- you then can assist each other in case something goes wrong;
- practically speaking, when fully loaded you need two people to carry one kayak already. A two person boat will be heavy if you have to cross a beach, or walk 500 meters to the camp site.
You will try this out before going on your actual trip, right?
* Literally too. Make sure to use small packages for everything, and prepare for substantial (un)packaging time at very stop.
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