Know How TECHNIQUE | CANOE TREE | CAMPCRAFT | EXPERT TIP | GEAR | FOOD
CATCHIN’ A BREEZE, SWAYIN’ IN THE TREES. PHOTO: STEPHEN BREDE
[ CANOE TREE ]
MODERN TRAPPERS
CONTEMPORARY CAPABILITIES, CLASSIC LINES
T R A PPER C A NOE S
Vultur
www.trappercanoes.com • $TBA Designer Notes: One of Trapper Canoes’ short- est boats, the Vultur is well suited for those who want a small and stable canoe. The Vultur is pleasant to paddle and its short length together with its three keels makes it resistant to wind even when unloaded. It also performs very well when paddled solo and has plenty of storage space. Available March 2012.
NOVA C R A F T
Trapper
www.novacraft.com • $1,095–$2,699 CAD Designer Notes: The Trapper is a 12-foot solo canoe modeled after a Chestnut Canoe Com- pany 1952 wood-and-canvas boat. Chestnut built the original canoes for trappers and oth- ers who needed a small canoe for maneuver- ing in small streams and ponds. Nova Craft’s updated version is available in six contempo- rary materials.
OL D T OWN C A NOES
Koru
www.oldtowncanoe.com • $2,300 Designer Notes: The Koru is a modern adap- tation of Old Town’s older hunting canoe designs. By adding tumblehome and extend- ing the waterline slightly, the Koru features an efficient hull. Designed with minimal rocker, this canoe is not only eye-catching, it will also track to your destination with ease. The cherry and ash trim complement its lightweight and durable fiberglass construction for a tradi- tional look and feel. —Michael Mechan
CANOE VULTUR 14’8” TRAPPER 12’ KORU 28 17’5”
LENGTH WIDTH 33”
34” 33.8” SPRING 2012 MATERIAL Glass Composite
Fiberglass, Aramid, Aramid Lite,
Spectra, Blue Steel or Royalex Lite
Fiberglass
WEIGHT MAX. CAPACITY 70 lbs
661 lbs N/A 60 lbs 600 lbs 1,050 lbs
INSIDE THE CHRYSALIS. PHOTO: STEPHEN BREDE
[ CAMPCRAFT ] FULL SUSPENSION HANG A HAMMOCK FOR AN UPLIFTING SLEEP
The best reason to move up to the trees is the elevation in comfort. The logistics of ham- mock camping are similar to tarp camping, except the sleeping area is off the ground. Gone are problems with uneven or wet ter- rain, roots and rocks. The cocoon structure is cozy, and lying diagonally flattens the ham- mock so you can sleep on your back or side. The basic setup is simple: You need two
trees, 12 to 15 feet apart. They should be alive with no overhanging widow makers. They need diameters of at least six inches, as the force exerted isn’t simply your weight divided by two, but hundreds of pounds at each end. The hammock attaches to the trees with 1-to-1.5-inch nylon straps, which prevent damage to the bark. Hammocks ideal for this application are
sewn of lightweight nylon. A high-tensile line stretching from the head of the ham- mock to the foot establishes the hang. It also forms a ridgeline for draping an attached or removable bug net. Access is usually through a zipper or Velcro opening along the hammock/net interface, or through a slit in the bottom. Guy lines can be rigged from each side to keep the net from sagging, and to reduce swing. A tarp suspended from the pair of trees and guyed out over the ham- mock weatherproofs the setup. The downside of hammock camping is, well, the downside. It’s colder sleeping in the
air than on the ground. Your body compress- es the bottom of your sleeping bag to the thickness of a tortilla, so you need to insu- late. Some campers use traditional sleeping pads, but these slide around and most are too narrow to hug your hips and shoulders. One fix is to attach a second layer to the ham- mock bottom, into which you can sandwich a wider pad, clothing or tortillas. Another op- tion is to suspend a down quilt—known as an underquilt—beneath the hammock. It’s usually easy to find a pair of suitable hammock anchors. But what to do if the trees don’t cooperate? If you have to go to ground, suspend one end of your tarp from a paddle, trekking pole, stick or single tree, and stake and guy the rest. Then hang the hammock underneath, attaching the head to the vertical support and staking the foot. A hammock with attached netting will keep the bugs at bay. The ridgeline will be slack, so shorten it with a loop to keep the netting from sagging. Before you pitch your tent, Google “ham- mock camping” or ask around at your local outfitter—you’ll find several hammock man- ufacturers and lots of uplifting advice. Stephen Brede honed his hammock hang-
ing skills during a three-month canoe circum- navigation of Lake Michigan. He prefers cedar trees, with a view of the water.
DEPLOY IN BIVY MODE. PHOTO: STEPHEN BREDE
BUT OUT OF TREES? OUT OF DOORS,
Page 1 |
Page 2 |
Page 3 |
Page 4 |
Page 5 |
Page 6 |
Page 7 |
Page 8 |
Page 9 |
Page 10 |
Page 11 |
Page 12 |
Page 13 |
Page 14 |
Page 15 |
Page 16 |
Page 17 |
Page 18 |
Page 19 |
Page 20 |
Page 21 |
Page 22 |
Page 23 |
Page 24 |
Page 25 |
Page 26 |
Page 27 |
Page 28 |
Page 29 |
Page 30 |
Page 31 |
Page 32 |
Page 33 |
Page 34 |
Page 35 |
Page 36 |
Page 37 |
Page 38 |
Page 39 |
Page 40 |
Page 41 |
Page 42 |
Page 43 |
Page 44 |
Page 45 |
Page 46 |
Page 47 |
Page 48 |
Page 49 |
Page 50 |
Page 51 |
Page 52 |
Page 53 |
Page 54 |
Page 55 |
Page 56