Lake Superior
 

Little advice please....I'm an experienced canoer and solid wilderness camper-fisher. But were doing a kayak deal and havent the slightest.

Heres the trip. Leaving a westerly facing beach in northwest Lake Superior and paddling south along that westerly beach 6 miles. We are then hauling kayak and gear up the side of a Canandain "hill" about 4 miles to a wonderful little speck lake. There is no blazed trail, were cutting cross country. This is going to be a mother of all humps. Then of course we walk down the big hill and paddle back. Fot those of who don't know Superior its not what you would call a nice piece of water...in the spring...with not a beach but rock cliffs....get the pic?

Were dumping our canoes and taking kayaks. I'm looking to buy. Big question...buy a sit on top fishing kayak and hope the big lake is nice to me or buy a sit in kayak and accept enjoy the handling and so on and lose out on the fishibility, which is high on my list for future uses. Note that the kayak will be towed behind me and thus drug up the mountain and then most likelytosssed back down it. There will be no home made rigging of yokes. Like I said, there is no trial so on the shoulders is out.

Advice?????

If you are seriously portaging your shite 4 miles I would consider a packable inflatable kayak...

http://www.kayakfishingsupplies.com/...-Single/Detail

Inflatable
 

You have to plan this trip around the portage, nothing else matters. You cannot drag a kayak over rough terrain for 4 miles and have anything approaching a level of comfort as to structural soundness. If your kayak survives, you will be physically wrecked. Long portages take a long time. I am assuming this is only going to be a 3 or 4 day trip.

Dan is right on the money if you are restricted to using one vessel, inflatable is the only way to go. Or, get a kayak, paddle to the portage point and cache your kayak (cammy netting works well) and hike into this little lake of yours with a float tube. This to me makes the most sense.

Good luck, sounds like fun.

Eric

I'm not overly worried about the hump in. My canoe and normal pack load far outweigh this kayak tied to my rump...plus were dumping our tents, stove, cooking untenslis and so on....so my pack will go from 65 pounds to maybe 40. I'll make it.

I'm more worried about paddling down Superior's exposed shore having little kayak experience. I'm guessing the sit on's don't like 6 foot rollers...

I was checking out the inflatables. They seem solid enough but that's a lot to spend on such a limited use item. I live on Superior so I would probably wanna take whatever I buy out for a burn once in a while.

I think you will have an awesome experience.

My mom does an annual yak trip to Isle Royale on Superior in the spring. They're in reg sea yaks, but they make some pretty long crossings and portages. You don't know my mom, but she's not what you would call a "water" person. It takes a lot of will and fortitude for her to do these trips but she keeps going back. That said, you don't want my mom to show you up, do you? BTW I'm 40, so do the math on mom's age. Ha.

I recommend a rudder on whatever you choose to buy. That short-interval slop on the lake will wear you out if you have to compensate w/ only your paddle.

Ahhh..the UP..lived up there many moons ago. Bear hunted twice on Isle Royale, don't think they allow it anymore..that is some beautiful country, should be an outstanding trip