Never, never, NEVER use a swim noodle as a portage pad! I just experienced a trip with an unprepared partner, who brought the canoe. The partner allowed a reposition of the noodle but not removal. We killed ourselves trying to double carry at thigh level. The partner was intimidated by a short rocky uphill portage trail. The partner was much taller than my 5'2" but got very tired too, carrying with the convex noodles, once repositioned. The canoe slid down the back of the shoulders. I explained over and over that we needed concavity. There is a REASON for tools that allow comfortable carrying on the shoulders. This partner has concave padded portage pads but did not want to drill into the carry yoke to install them!!! Bonus tip: replace the standard yoke with a portage yoke that has not just a curve but a dip. When you are on the trail carrying the canoe with bugs about your head, you will see why. The proper tools make the job easier. In this case, it took 1.5 days to physically recover and basically ruined the trip.

Had you or your partner practiced this technique before you left?

Mike

How about portage pads that clamp onto the yoke but no drilling?

quote Royce: "
How about portage pads that clamp onto the yoke but no drilling?




"

I use those

quote Blatz: "

quote Royce: "
How about portage pads that clamp onto the yoke but no drilling?






"

I use those"

Me too. My son and I like them spaced differently, so we adjust depending on who is portaging the canoe. (It has kind of shifted over the years from always me to always him.)

Portage yokes are made out of ash. They are very easy to replace 4 screws in the gunnels. Tell your partner to get over it and buy a decent portage yoke and install it.

quote Royce: "
How about portage pads that clamp onto the yoke but no drilling?




"

+1 to clamp-on pads.

Experience is the best teacher.

Paddling partners can be replaced. Try the Solo forum or the Paddling Partner Search forum. All joking aside, if it was a new canoe, I would look for other alternatives to fasten the yoke pads. After a few scratches, holes in the yoke won't likely be as much of a concern. There really is only one way to safely carry a canoe, and that is on your shoulders. If someone owns a canoe, they should know this. If they "borrowed" the canoe and could not make modifications, I would have made an executive decision at the last minute and rented one from an outfitter. If they don't know how to portage a canoe I probably wouldn't want to be in the canoe with them because it seems like an overall safety factor. What about being on a windy lake with this person? What happens when one of you injures your back carrying the canoe like this and one of you is the sole paddler and portager?

Fish Girl, I would suggest a new partner or you take charge of the situation. If you are in the Twin cities Metro - come paddle at Nokomis (June tuursday evenings - watch for the post) with the group and meet a few people who might assist you with this dilema.

Wow, yeah... a canoe should be fitted with a decent yoke and pads. I'm amazed at how people wait until they unload the vehicle at the landing to see how things are going to fit. And the first portage to even try out their latest portage concoction.
I was a little confused on how you were portaging... but it didn't sound fun at all. And definitely not very efficient. I've been lucky to paddle with people from this board. Even when their yokes fail, they don't bat an eye and quickly remedy the situation in a good way.

fishgirl welcome to BWCA.COM!

Assistance and help are enabled by a better description of and use of more standard terms. I read your OP and came away with the thought of 2 people portaging a single canoe, using swimming pool noodles as shoulder pads.
The reference to convex vs concave repositioning of noodles and proper tools seems confusing to me.
Most portaging done in the BWCA, Quetico, and other tripping areas that require portaging between bodies of water on a regular basis, is done by a single individual carrying a single canoe overhead from a point of balance. A single thwart equipped with shoulder pads, either permanently mounted or removable. Not trying to seem condescending just interested in a clear description.


butthead

Much of it is learning experience. Over the years us Old Timers have got the tehniques down and yes the proper equipment. Most of us our proud when we fine tune our equipment with like a good portage yolk or a nice bent shaft canoe paddle.
Also the leaky tent starting out happens to some.
We all started out without much of the above but learned from there.

Yes a good yoke makes a huge difference in portaging.

so many choices

Old forum and new- still very relevant. I myself love the CVC pads by far.

Welcome to the message board! I hope you have a better trip next time!

Yeah, different height, different walking speed, even just not stepping in unison. Lots of reasons canoes are carried ovoverhead. Clamp on portage pads. Ditto. Sounds like a sit down planning session would have helped.