by Ron Foster
Bow Bag 10 6
“They make some nice backpacks also that I was meaning to outfit mine with but never got around to it. Being on a small boat or kayak makes you think more when you pack. If it isn’t in something reasonably waterproof it’s going to get wet.
Backpack
Dry bag
“I use a bunch of different sizes and colors of dry bags and when I go camping I put out what looks like a clothes line for a gear organizer and hopefully remember what I put in which color bag. That string system works real well for me when I am doing my setup base camp routine. I got flashlights and such in one, cook gear and clothes, etc., in another one and just go down the clothesline getting what I need and sealing them back up. If they get caught out in the rain, no biggie. When its time to leave camp I just grab the bags off the rope and put them back in the backpack or back in the nose cone and away I go. I don’t lose things at the bottom of a backpack that way and pretty much know where everything is.’ Hogan said.
“Sounds like a good plan. How long is it that you all are going to be gone for?” Marilyn asked causing Hogan to cringe and temporarily attempt to evade the subject.
“Not too long, they make a bigger size pack that also that fits a lot of their smaller boats. It has extra room for gear in it also but I had considered making me a big base camp pack out of one. You know for when it’s only a short distance to a camp site and I want my big tent and awning and such. You can even pack that size in your luggage to fly with! Imagine being able to fly into the airport and get off the plane and pick up your Kayak or whatever at the luggage claim. That would be great!” Hogan said thinking how nice it would be to be able to do just that and check into a hotel or rent a car and go boating because you already had what you needed with you. Kind of gave a whole new meaning to the term “Bug Out Bag” he mused.
Hogan grabbed his trolling motor and battery in either hand and carried them down to install on the boat.
“It ain’t everybody that can tote their battery and their motor at the same time!” Hogan said bragging on the fact that his Lithium Ion battery weighed less than half the weight of a normal lead cell one. At 100 Amp Hours and weighing just 30 lbs., the ReLion brand battery was a technological marvel.
“Well, you have either been taking your vitamins or that’s an empty battery box you got there, Hogan.” Dixon said looking incredulous.
“No, it’s got a battery in it and it ain’t a very light one, either.” Hogan said sitting it down with some effort.
“Oh you got yourself some kind of small battery hid in that big box then.” Dixon said with a smile thinking he had caught on to Hogan’s alleged ruse of being super strong.
“No, it’s a full size battery. It’s just one of the latest greatest big investments I made in the technology world that makes my life easier but will last a long time.” Hogan said opening the box up to show him the battery inside.
“I heard of lithium Ion batteries but I have never seen one that big before. What are you going to do when you run that battery down? I see you got a little outboard motor also so I guess then you will just be dependant on that until you run out of gas.” Dixon said pondering if he could maybe cut himself a deal trading with Hogan for some of the gas he had in his car tank.
“A 100 Ah battery is pretty much over kill for what I would normally need for a day’s fishing but I put a lot of thought into how I power my boat as well as various electronic devices needs when I am going long term camping.” Hogan said.
“I also have a few ways to recharge that battery off grid. I can use an inverter off my car battery to plug in a high speed battery charger (special offer for my readers at end of book) but that requires gas for the engine though to spin the alternator. I do have considerable solar power capability though, with a very cool set of foldable panels.” Hogan said opening the bow bag in his boat and removing what looked like a pouch and handing it to Dixon to inspect.
“That’s pretty lightweight! You say this little solar package can charge up that big battery?” Dixon said handing it back to Hogan.
Folded: 13.25" x 7"
“Oh sure, no problem, and it can do it better than any other solar panels on the market that I know of for its wattage. They fold out bigger than you think, check this out.” Hogan said quickly unfolding them.
Unfolded: 47.5" x 51.5"
“Now that’s pretty slick, if you ask me!” Dixon said as he and Marylyn moved closer to observe and listen to what they were told were amorphous panels.
“Why choose an amorphous panel?” Dixon said knowing a thing or two about the differences in solar panels.
“Well for my application this type of panel outperforms crystalline and other thin film technologies in many real-world environments collecting energy in cloudy, shady, hazy environments where crystalline panels will not. I travel down a lot of shady creeks with tree over hang so I really prefer this type of technology. Both types of panels have their pluses and minuses but Power output is exceptional even in low light conditions. These panels fold very easily and are so compact I can even carry them in my backpack. The company that makes these panels was chosen by the military to make panels for them because of their unmatched durability. The manufacturer designed these for use in even the harshest environments and PowerFilm’s proprietary processes produce a panel that works even after being punctured. There is a video on their website showing them shooting a panel full of bullet holes and then putting a voltmeter on them. The panel lost very little performance! That’s the kind of rock solid dependability I want in a product that I have to depend on as much as I do with trolling motor recharging capability. That Relion battery of mine is rated at something like 20 years so paired up with these solar panels they will probably outlast the motor. I don’t know though, that Water Snake Venom 34 lb thrust motor is made for both saltwater and fresh. You won’t see that particular corrosion resistant model outside of Sea Eagle vendors, though. They chose this energy efficient motor as a great match for many of their boats.”
Damage to individual area shuts down the damaged area not the entire solar panel producing power after being punctured or scratched. This is Critical in potentially high-stress environments or applications
“Sea Eagle was the one that turned me onto Power Film’s line of solar products, by the way. Boy, that was an education. Now foldable Solar Chargers are better suited for typically dry environments and must be dry when in use. For marine/wet applications, I was advised to reference Power Film’s line of Rollable Solar Chargers. Now you might ask me why I didn’t go rollable and that’s a fair question. You see my education started when I was admiring a Sea eagle offering of a very cool setup. This is where you get into your size versus technology set up.” Hogan said describing the neat craft that had caught his eye.
“Now that particular solar rig uses a special panel that PowerFilm developed just for a Torqeedo electric outboard motor. Notice I said outboard, we are not talking about a trolling motor here but something much more powerful that is equivalent to a three horse power gas motor. It uses a Lithium battery also that actually fits on top of the motor head and is much less powerful than the one I am using for my trolling motor by the way. They use a lower wattage panel with a very specific voltage output designed to match the needs of that brain board circuitry in the Torqeedo motor and battery. Now that system is cool and a good alternative to gas for a lot of power but I designed my system to run a trolling motor for long distances. You see that solar panel on the Torqeedo doesn’t extend your travel distance at all. That was an amazing fact that I didn’t know until I talked to Torqeedo themselves about different applications. My setup gives me about a 25% increase in motor use travel time as well as I have that big amp hour battery so my system is actually much more efficient and way less pricy than that Torqeedo rig if I want to travel a long distance. Of course, I am giving up considerable power and speed but that isn’t a factor I concern myself with. Mostly because I am not in a big hurry when I
go fishing. I have a little gas outboard if I want to go faster with for sightseeing or whatever so I am all set. Now if I really wanted to get some speed out of this boat I can put up to a fifteen horsepower on this thing and fly around like I am going to the moon but that ain’t my idea of fun. I like a more relaxing and less invigorating ride you might say.” Hogan explained detailing why he thought his solar boat setup had many practical advantages over the more technologically advanced Torqeedo commercial setup for what he wanted to accomplish.
“So you didn’t tell me why you ended up getting a fold up one and didn’t get a rollup panel.” Dixon said.
“Oh that’s simple; those rollup panels are longer than fold ups. A rollup 60 watt panel is long and skinny at 86 inches long and won’t fit on my canopy. My fold up panel is wider and only 51.5"long. While mine is not waterproof, it is very durable and water resistant. PowerFilm recommends wiping it dry if it becomes wet. The panel rides above the water on top of the canopy so I don’t much worry about it.” Hogan declared and started moving supplies to the bank to be loaded on the boat after he launched.
“So I take it that you are not worried about your boat getting punctured by some submerged tree limb or rock?” Dixon asked.
“Oh no, I am not worried at all. Of course that doesn’t mean I am not safety conscious of sharp pokey things but I wouldn’t say that I was overly concerned. If the grid was still up and the internet was still working I could show you a toughness video Sea Eagle made of a man beating pretty hard on the top and sides of this model boat’s hull a bunch of times with both ends of a claw hammer and there was no damage or leakage to be noted. That’s a pretty amazing test to video and put out for your customers. The bottom of the boat is even tougher. There is a 3" Rubbing Strake around the hull for extra protection as well as two layers of material on the lower tubes to afford it the greatest abrasion and puncture resistance. I will be floating around on that boat for many years to come with no worries.” Hogan said confidently.
“I suppose you’re totally right, I guess I never gave it much thought before but they use those kind of inflatable boats for search and rescue all the time and you always see the Navy Seals outfitted in full combat gear using them. They got to be making those boats these days really tough and durable for that kind of trusted dependability.” Dixon said with new admiration for Hogan’s boat.
“Annie, if you are ready to launch your Kayak, I guess we load you first.” Hogan said noting Dixon and Marylyn didn’t look like they had any intentions of leaving at the moment and pondered his next move of loading his boat with all that extra gear.
“I am ready; let’s get loaded then.” Annie said picking up her boat and carrying it to the water.
“That’s amazing how that girl can carry that thing so easily.” Marylyn said as Annie launched her boat.
Annie made a comical making a muscle movement with her arm and smiled back at the group. She then waded out into the river about ankle deep with her backpack and put it in as Hogan picked up a duffle bag and walked in about knee deep and put it in the front of Annie’s Kayak.
“Would you please hold this line, Marylyn?” Annie said handing her the Kayak rope.
“Sure, wouldn’t want your kayak floating off before you can get on. The river has a pretty good current going today, it appears.” Marylyn said as she grabbed the line and stood watching Annie and Hogan pick up his boat from each end and carry it down to the river.
“I got the heavy end.” Hogan said using his height and strength because he had already attached the bow bag and it contained about 35-40 lbs. of gear on top of his end of the boat.
“You are still moving it around easy enough though, it appears.” Dixon observed giving him a compliment and wishing he was younger.
“Now for the fun part.” Hogan said carrying the trolling motor and wading out in the water to hook it to the transom in the upright position after he had gotten it affixed. The battery came next and he connected the positive and negative leads from the motor to it.
“That’s easy enough to do wading in during the summertime but getting in the water in the winter and then into the boat is not something I like. I have been threatening to get me a pair of hip waders for that season but I keep scaring myself thinking I will fall in and fill the boots full of water and sink like a rock. I have never messed with a pair of those but like everything else I suppose there are some insights I can get from somebody that uses them regularly to guide me.” Hogan remarked as he grabbed his overloaded bug out bag and got it situated as Annie busied herself grabbing more gear and letting Hogan splash around loading it where he wanted it.
“You certainly have got enough tie down points on that boat with all those grab lines.” Dixon said noting the boats 5/8” rope looped safety lines.
“Yea, this thing is probably impossible to flip, unlike a kayak but I am one for securing my gear down tight just in case. Those grab lines could help a swimmer like a life raft does but it gives you a place to hang on to if you’re putting the boat through its paces in rough water also. This boat is proven to be seaworthy in most conditions but I don’t want to try my inexperienced hand at any Class Three rapids. I am sure the boat could handle it but I don’t think my nerves could. By the way, I think those tourist white water rafting trips are for the birds. I am not that crazy to think hanging on for dear life looks like fun and have no desire to do whitewater river running whatsoever.” Hogan said now retrieving his shotgun from the front seat of his van.
“Mossberg Mariner?” Dixon asked recognizing the Marinecote™ finish.
Mossberg provides shotguns to the U.S. military. They claim that only their Model 500/590 tactical shotguns fully meet or exceed the U.S. military MilSpec 3443 requirements for endurance, chemical resistance, drop tests, patterning, parts interchangeability and quality assurance.
“Let me see that shotgun, if you don’t mind.” Dixon said reaching for it as Hogan warned him it was loaded and gave it to him for inspection.
“Well there ain’t no rust on it, that special finish really protects it, don’t it?” Dixon said handing it back.
“Oh there has been rigorous testing that proves the Marinecote resists corrosion better than stainless steel. This finish is harder than ordinary gunmetal and provides the added bonus of greater resistance to wear and a distinctly smoother action. I take good care of my guns though and do regular cleanings.” Hogan said loading it into his boat.
“Hey Hogan, if you don’t want too much for them and have some extra shotgun shells, I would like to buy some. I have me a Mossberg hunting shotgun at home that needs some ammo. I have some cash or maybe you might want some gas in trade.” Dixon offered.
“I can give you a few rounds no charge, I got plenty. What kind of rounds are you hunting?” Hogan asked.
“Pretty much anything that goes bang. I want to pay you something for them, though.” Dixon argued.
“You helped them young bucks out with some fishing gear; I reckon I can help you out with some of the same sentiment. Take five boxes of whatever shells you need out of that ammo can sitting under that army blanket by the vans backdoor. Like I said, I got plenty of ammo… There is a mix of shells in there but if you want me to make suggestions as to what to pick maybe I can advise you on what to grab.” Hogan said dismissively waving Dixon towards the side of the van while he tried to offload the two weighty buckets of beans and rice without showing how truly heavy they were to Marylyn or her husband’s scrutiny. It didn’t help that the sides were emblazoned with the manufacturers logo either saying “Emergency Essentials.”
“We have got gas in our cars you might be able to use; we aren’t going anywhere that I know of.” Marylyn said noticing Hogan had hold of something pretty heavy in the back of the van that he was trying to get out. She saw it was two huge buckets then and began wondering what it was in them and worried if his inflatable craft could hold each ponderous bucket without sinking low in the water.
“What do you ha
ve in those? That stuff ain’t going to put your boat over its weight limit is it?” Marylyn said unabashedly making Hogan flinch in an “oh hell moment” that he was finally caught moving substantial preps.
“We decided we would stay about a week so. Me and Annie decided if we were going to be gone that long that we needed bucket loads of bull shit you might say.” Hogan said not willing to let on yet what exactly those five gallon buckets might contain.
“I could be here looking in this box all day Hogan deciding what I need to get. You better come help me out. I never heard of some of these manufacturers before let alone what it is I am looking at or using them for. You better help me choose. What the hell is an armored Brenneke slug used for anyway?” Dixon said digging around the steel ammo box.
“That’s what I call an attitude adjuster round; they will go through the steel engine block of a car. You don’t need any of those unless you plan on going to Africa sometime soon to hunt a cape buffalo or something. Here, get you some regular rifled slugs, buckshot, no 4 bird and a big twenty five round economy box of number 6 for an assortment.” Hogan said grabbing several boxes and putting them next to a half full pillow case.
“Dang, Hogan, that’s over 50 rounds you are giving to me, would you take a fifty dollar bill for all of it?” Dixon questioned.
“I would take it gladly if you got fifty in some smaller bills. I will only take that cash from you because I am short on any kind of funds whatsoever these days with no banking, as you well can imagine. I will do that deal with you, that is if you also take that bag of canned goods and a bag of rice and some advice Annie has for you without complaining too much.” Hogan offered.