3 uses for a dry bag that you never thought of

Most of us kayakers have dry bags.  We put our lunch in one.  We put our first-aid kit in one.  We put our extra clothes in one.  Dry bags come in many sizes and they can keep just about anything dry, but they have several other uses as well.  Here are just 3 uses that you might not have foreseen:

1.      A medium or large dry bag can be duct-taped over an open hatch if you lose your hatch cover.  I lost my rear hatch cover on the interstate and paddled all day on the Delaware with a dry bag as a hatch cover.

2.      You can fill dry bags with rocks or sand to create ballast bags that you put into the hatches.  This will help your kayak ride lower in the water while paddling in windy conditions.  We learned this trick while paddling in 20 knot winds up in Maine.

3.      You can tape a dry bag to someone’s leg to keep their foot / ankle dry if they sustain an injury.  (Haven’t had to use this one yet- knock on wood).

I used to bring only the dry bags I needed on paddling trips; now I bring several extra ones.  They don’t weigh much or take up much room, so why not?

See you on the water,

Don Urmston

Mrurmston@gmail.com