Yea I;ve been doing that for years on my old town camper. I've never convinced anyone else or seen anyone else do it. I use outriggers pushed into the water to make the canoe super stable (take them off for paddling. Also fit a hooped tent over the top for rainy nights. It works really well on rivers you can just tie up to a overhanging tree. I like it best because you can get to places no one else is.
The hoop tent sounds like a great idea. I haven't seen anyone else do this either, and it's obviously not common, but since posting this video I've heard from several people who have tried it. Have you had any mishaps with it?
Heck yeah brother I sleep in my canoe down here in Florida I drop an anchor over the white sandy areas down here in our Springs full moon camping is the best you can immediately determine any shadows off the white sand no matter what time of night 👍👍🛶
@@AdventuresInReach I've never had any serious mishaps but I have had a 4:00 a.m. angry beaver tail slap scare the crap out of me, early morning do that came in thicker than pea soup , and a 7 a.m. jackass firing up his generator (across from Ginnie Springs)
So I’ve slept in noe’s many times over the years, sometimes intentionally and some not. I’m not saying you’re 8:26 “wrong” necessarily on one point you made about “you don’t have to bear hang, because they aren’t out here…”, I feel like I know what you meant, but instead of being immature and cheeky I’ll just express my experience and we all win… I’ve intentionally anchored In water that was cross current enough to be and easy pass, but not necessarily easy to “cross on target” that is to say, you could get from one side to the other but getting a bead on me in the middle would be tough… id use this method when packing out our meat and wouldn’t make it out the day… using an old set of DL-99’s I’d sit there all night and watch a couple bear cross, stop, cross back, stop, repeat, ad nauseam. They were “on me” but due to my specific location it was hard to spec ref…. I say that to say…. AWAYS be mindful that “Bear big, bear run, bear swim, you not bear, behave accordingly.” Best advise I’ve heard and has kept me alive.
Great idea! I live near some lakes where overnight camping is not allowed on shore, but sleeping in an anchored boat is allowed. Now I’ve got to measure the space between thwarts in my 12 foot dory skiff!
Growing up near a river, I never realized that sleeping in a canoe constituted an adventure! I used to do it on a regular basis. Why? - the best canoeing generally coincides with high water, making suitable campsites hard to find, and river banks way too muddy to haul all of the camping gear to a site, if one CAN be found. - snakes, skunks, raccoons, etc. when camping out on the water you don’t need worry about them. Although I have had a very curious otter look over the side to see if I have caught any fish! - no sticks or rocks! But I was a bit more comfortable than you, I think. It’s pretty hard to capsize a 17’ Grumman, and there is plenty of room to move around. I slept on a foam mat to keep out of the water that always accumulated, and covered the boat with either a tarp or netting, if either was needed. I have a “bucket toilet” (the tarp provided privacy as well), and I used a board across the gunnels as a galley. All of my stuff was kept in waterproof 5 gallon waterproof “foodstuff” buckets. And I used a can filled with concrete as an anchor. Cheap and easy! Marriage, Grad school, and kids interrupted my canoe camping. My wife and kids love camping, but there really isn’t much room in a canoe for a family to camp! So we camped on shore, instead. But now that I am retired, I am fitting out an Old Town tandem kayak with movable seats for some easy coastal sound cruising. Just like old times!
Maybe you're just more adventurous than most and used to it. That's awesome. Sounds like you were way more set up than I was. You were actually living aboard. Was the current an issue?
@@AdventuresInReach just being a kid, really. I grew up near a lake/river, and have always felt very comfortable in canoes. The local reservoir was closed at night, so I just snuck out in the evening and camped out over night. Other times I camped on the river, just tied up to a tree. Generally there wasn’t any problem, but one night the reservoir upstream decided to let a bunch of water out. I learned to leave some extra line out to allow for riding water! Recently I have spent a couple of nights out on the Susquehanna, which runs past our home. I just watch the weather carefully, and tie a line to a tree on the leeward side of an island. It really is an easy way to explore and relax. But not when it’s 28 degrees!
@@knot4man we actually just got a pontoon setup from Expandacraft for doing exactly that. We had hoped to cruise the Erie Canal this summer, but health issues forced us to postpone it until next summer. I will get the whole thing assembled this September and post a report of how it works out. But I will still be camping out alone in my kayak. Solitude is a great thing )in small doses).
After posting this video, I heard from several others who have tried it or use the approach more frequently. It's certainly not common but it works pretty well. If you are interested in another video like this, a friend and I both slept in one long canoe. ua-cam.com/video/nVMc_-cRCjE/v-deo.html
True, water does regulate the temperature. When making the decision to sleep on or near water in the cold, also keep in mind that bodies of water maintain a higher humidity in their surrounding and that cold air settles to the lowest spots in the microclimate, which is of course where the water is.
Great video, I too have often wondered about sleeping in the canoe. I have also thought about a mobile camp site on a pontoon boat with nothing but astroturf and the steering podium, and area for small camp fire. "Camp Site Carrier"
Interesting idea. Regarding the no need to bear hang...bears swim very well and I would be concerned that it would tip the canoe over trying to get at the food bag/barrel. Sudden weather changes at night would be another concern.
Yes--bears do swim very well and could certainly tip a canoe. However, the likelihood of a bear going through the extra work and risk seems potentially possible but unlikely. As for weather, I'm confident that I would wake up and be able to paddle back to shore. The canoe was very stable while laying in the bottom and rain wasn't a big deal when a friend and I went camping together in a 4 person canoe. ua-cam.com/video/nVMc_-cRCjE/v-deo.html
Great video. Yes, a canoe is very stable when laying down. You can go through some very rough water by just laying down. One thought…we used to sleep at anchor in a sailboat years ago. We learned how important scope on the anchor is. Your line needs witness marks, which allows you to know how deep to the bottom. 5 to 1 scope is standard. If anchored in 10’ depth, you deep 50’ of anchor line out. 7 to 1 scope if hurricane force winds. If you cheat on the scope and the wind picks up, you drag anchor till running aground. Also, if in rocky bottom, anchor chain keeps you from getting cut off. And…get a real anchor!
That is excellent advice. I certainly didn't have enough rope...or chain...or a real anchor. I think with being such a lightweight craft without much wind, it worked just fine and I woke up in the same place I fell asleep. I have that anchor since I generally don't want to carry or have a metal anchor bouncing around in a small boat. Thanks for watching!
It is pretty fun. I'd be super curious to hear how it goes for you! Did you see the one where two of us camped in the same canoe? ua-cam.com/video/nVMc_-cRCjE/v-deo.html
I worked at Outbound in Florida. It was an at-risk youth program. We would canoe for a month. During the winter months we paddle Everglades National Park. We would tie the canoes together at the yokes. We would put wood down to have a flat area to sleep. We would cook dinner, walk normally, sleep, and pee in this setup. We had 4-8 canoes tied together. It was super stable. We actually tried to flip over during my training. It was extremely difficult.
Did you have a roll up wooden platform like travel tables? I've tied up 4-5 canoes a few times when guiding and it was super windy. We sailed with it rafted up and it was super stable.
@Adventures In Reach no it was just wood planks. We put the wood on the floor of the canoe when not in use. It was long and narrow pieces of wood. I should say we would put our bags under the wood to help support of weight. We would pack the things we thought we needed for the night into our bucket seat.
I have never even thought of sleeping in my canoe. I have to try this now. I agree with you about the canoe being very stable. I have a few very stable kayaks and I prefer my canoe over those yaks. Thanks for the video and the idea for a new way of camping.
It's certainly not something that most people seem to consider. It was stable when laying down although I still awoke or dreamed a few times from thinking I was flipping. If you want it to be more stable you can use outriggers or multiple canoes together. I did this again with a friend with both of us in the same larger canoe and made a video (ua-cam.com/video/nVMc_-cRCjE/v-deo.html) It's certainly a different experience.
I do this too, in a huge inflatable canoe, with a cosy cabin yurt made of from a 2 metre polytunnel, with an alloy steel frame...all wrapped in several tarps. Very cosy!!
I do it on the canal system in england, sometimes there isn't enough room for even a bivi setup on a tow path so i sleep in the canoe bow and stern tied off on the towpath with mooring pins and then i made a custom tarp the length of my boat to do an A frame tarp shelter set up that fits my boat. to punting poles at the stern and bow provide the up rights for the tarp.
Sweet. That's awesome! I'm always excited to hear about others doing these adventures. How do you secure the tarp to the outside of the canoe so rain doesn't funnel in? I'm imagining snaps like in the canoe spray skirts.
@@AdventuresInReach I use the rope i drilled an inch and half below the gunwale as tie off points for the tarp. The material was cut to shape for the arrangement and then i sowed the hems and reinforcement points and brass gromits. inside the arrangement especially in the bug season i have a mozzi net that covers the 'Sleep area and one of the seats. also have a table that is a simple sheet of thin marine ply that i fibreglassed that slip over the gunwale. I don't even bother packing a tent anymore as i can even pull my canoe on dry land and it can be my tent. i use 4 boat mooring pins as tie offs to make it stable and also use another tarp in a lean too or plow point from one of the punting poles as another dry area/cooking space when at camp. Also need to add that the punting poles are also used as the mast and boom for mt sail set up when on lakes/locks or even coastal waters (Yes i take my canoe on the sea but i do use outrigger floats just to be on the safe side but my canoe is my tent, fishing platform and preferred method of travel
This sounds well thought out and functional. I would love to see some pics of your setup. If you would like, feel free to send pictures to my email (in the "about" section).
thanks for the video ...maybe my wife will not think I'm the only one doing these sort of things . p.s. I have a cortex bivouac bag , great for small quarters like sleeping on a canoe .
Don't worry...she'll probably still think you're crazy, but that's just part of the fun. Your bivy looks a little bigger and more comfortable than the one I was using in this video.
Nice work. When myself and a couple friends paddled the whole Yukon River we also traveled from Whitehorse to Dawson in a week (June 9th-June16th). However, we made up time by sailing lake LaBerge with 2 canoes lashed together and 3 sails. Did you go on your own? Did you paddle the whole river?
@@AdventuresInReach I paddled once from Wrangell in Southeast to Skagway and over to lake Bennet and down to the Dalton highway, above Fairbanks. Once from whitehorse all the way to Emmonak, and twice did half the river. The hardest by far, 250 miles from Wrangell to Skagway on the ocean. Did all those by myself.
I've been day dreaming of portage-able mini cabin cruisers(lmao) after trying to find campsites in Algonquin.. This is probably a little more realistic. I'm curious what back country parks would think about this. Would they require a reservation, or multiple day passes?
I think for me, I would consider this option only if I was out with another canoe and we lashed together for the night. That way we would be very stable and safe and have the chance to enjoy a little more practical space to get bedded down for the night or when getting squared away in the morning. Also, as someone who has to pee in the night...the option of solo sleeping and risking going over the side in the dark is not something I would relish! Having two boats rafted together would make the whole thing good fun and allow for some cooking and a maybe a tarp cover for warmth or weather protection. Great experiment though.
The next time when a buddy and I both slept in the same 4 person canoe, we actually invited a couple who couldn't find a campsite to join us and tie the canoes together (we had an extra canoe stashed)...unfortunately they didn't. I do agree that having 2 would be safer and if you are relying on that second boat to prevent flipping then you may want to either tie the middle thwarts across the gunnels and under both hulls so they don't "taco" and trap you in, or lash a stick or paddle across. As for peeing I did this with a half of pipe...I could kneel and pee down the pipe chute then rinse it off after. I wasn't sure that people would be interested in hearing about that in the video...I appear to be wrong. The tarp cover would be a nice addition. Another nice addition would be using outriggers.
@@AdventuresInReach Excellent! Yeah the lashing together idea always had in my mind, either using a pair of spare paddles to make a catamaran style boat or finding poles from cut wood ashore. I love the idea of the half pipe for peeing down! Once, while out sailing in a very small dinghy with my brother, we had a lull in the wind and came to a stop. I was desperate for a pee and so grabbed the bailer so I could relieve myself while still sitting and do so without attracting the attention of other boat users and families in the estuary....first, it turned out the bailer was not quite large enough for the 'full amount'...and then I realised that my brother had tied it to a thwart with a short line...too short to reach the side to empty.....so having stopped in 'mid flow' as it were and was trying desperately to untie the line with one hand while balancing a bailer full....the wind kicked in and off we went like a rocket! I won't go into detail. but it didn't end well!
Ha! That was a good laugh. I've used a bailer on my Sunfish sailing trips even out in big waves so I don't risk (as much) falling in with my drysuit unzipped...but I've never tried with it tied on.
Realyinteresting, nice video, I would not choose for the middle of the lake though. In the netherlands as well as several other european countries, wild camping is prohibited. However sleaping on a (any) boat is allowed ion most waters! Ofcours brovided you gave some lights on and youare at a location that you are allowed to anker at.
I slept in the middle of the lake because it was more interesting for this video, however I would probably sleep closer to shore if I were using it as a logistical means to get around camping regulations... although it was nice to avoid bugs and not bump into bushes or rocks. I have heard from several people since making these videos that they have camped in canoes and rowboats to do just what you're describing. There's also better setups out there than what I did including floating kitchens and tarps covering the canoe.
The wool hat is actually from a little shop in Reykjavik, Iceland. I got off the plane and knew I would need one. Bought if from a little Icelandic lady I couldn't understand. Love that hat. The Souris river canoe doesn't have a keel and therefore doesn't track well in wind. The pointed bow and stern help. However, I like the ability to turn and my wife and I have plenty of experience that the wind doesn't bother us in it.
Depends, it's not easy and you have to paddle from wind side. Go up wind, you sit in the front. Go down wind you sit at the back. The canoe is light enough so it acts like a windvane in any appreciable winds. But except that its easy to paddle.
Awesome!... and your boat is a bit smaller than mine. We might need to gather together a bunch of use floating sleepers for a trip. Did you catch the one when a friend and I slept in the same canoe? ua-cam.com/video/nVMc_-cRCjE/v-deo.html
Hello. I'm doubtful that the kayak would keep you warm. Most warm sleeping pads are foam or air with either a radiant barrier or some sort of insulation (foam, down, thinsulate, etc) in addition to the air. Air does help, but trapped air helps a lot more. I would suggest at least bringing a foam pad.
It was pretty stable laying on the bottom. It would most likely take a big wave or some outside influence to flip it. I might have been able to roll really quick and flip it, but that didn't seem likely. I've paddled from the gunnels for a half mile one time...but that was MUCH more tippy.
I'm doing something like this very soon and I am impressed with how you filmed it! Would you mind sharing how you captured the time lapse shot? What kind of pole did you use and how did you mount it? Thank you!
It was surprisingly stable lasting on the bottom. With the shape of my canoe I don't think I could have flipped by rolling to the corner. It might have flipped if doing that in waves. Outrigger would certainly give a bigger margin of error.
What size canoe is this? I have considered doing this but I have an Esquif Cargo. Very stable so not really a concern that it'll overturn during the night. Sounds like I need a hoop tent.
This was a 17' Souris River Quetico. I bet you'd be fine in your canoe. That looks big and stable. If you really want to be official you could do the hoop tent but the bivy worked really well too.
It has been a good week since I had a sleep walking incident, so I figured it was safe.... just kidding-- I'm one of those who can sleep on a tiny camp pad because I'm aware of my location and movements when sleeping.
Certainly stable when laying in the bottom. Flatwater you sit on the seat. Whitewater you kneel. Sleeping you lay on the bottom. Did you see this video with 2 of us sleeping in one canoe? ua-cam.com/video/nVMc_-cRCjE/v-deo.html
No just keep going the way your headed, I’ve said it before, but I’ll say it again your channel needs to go big 👍 can’t believe your subs to the quality of video ratio, it makes no sense ATVB from northern England
That can be tricky. This time I had a couple pieces of angle iron for my anchor and ended up keeping one in the boat as a trough to pee down then rinse off. Much easier than leaning over and risking a flip.
Hello. I didn't grill out, but there's always room for expansion in upcoming videos... I did think about cooking with my camp stove but decided it wasn't worth the risk, especially with the canoe camping experience being a new one for me.
I chuckled at first while reading this because I was originally going to anchor much further out and ended up in a cool looking bay instead. I guess my thought was that a few hundred feet could be paddled in a very short time. I also think about this like swimming in water that's over your head. Whether it's 7 feet deep or 700 feet deep, it's more dangerous and requires you to have some ability, readiness, and fitness. Aside from all that, there are less bugs further from shore...
In this video I was anchored in place, although I generally have a similar sentiment. I did another video with two of us sleeping in a longer canoe and we just hung an anchor down 10 ft so that we hopefully wouldn't hit shore wherever we happen to float too. It certainly adds another element to the mix but was also part of the adventure. It's a little bit disorienting waking up in a different place. Here's the link for that video... ua-cam.com/video/nVMc_-cRCjE/v-deo.html
At 0:55 I talk about safety including how I tried rolling into the very corner of the canoe to see if it would flip...it was quite stable when I was in that position so I was then confident that it would not flip. Outriggers would certainly add another degree of safety but I was comfortable with my situation.
Ha. Yeah, leaning over it peeing off the side certainly creates danger for tipping. I actually used a half of a pipe to pee onto and direct it off the boat, then rinse it afterwards. A bit goofy but it worked really well and didn't risk tipping since I could kneel in the center.
Great idea, bad execution. Go find a tree branch hanging over the water, tied one end of the canoe to it(make sure the rope is tight). IF a bass boat pass by at 50 mph, your canoe won't flip. Added bonus, no morning dew as you are under the tree canopy.
That also sounds like a good idea, although the couple trees that hang over that lake were too close to shore so I'd be bumping rocks all night. I was in a remote lake with very little boat traffic. We didn't have any dew. I did it again since this with 2 people in a bigger canoe (upcoming video) and it rained but I still stayed dry in my bivy.
Yes. I did pee off the boat a couple times. I actually had a piece of angle iron that I used to channel it over the edge, then rinsed the angle iron afterwards. I thought about including that explanation...
I was physically quite comfortable with my pad and sleeping bag setup. The beaver splashing me didn't help but that wasn't the canoes fault. It took some mental calming at first and a oh-crap moment or two at night when dreaming about flipping. It was cozy enough that I did it again and made a second video with two of us sleeping in a canoe. Did you see that video?
Here's the link: ua-cam.com/video/nVMc_-cRCjE/v-deo.html It really wasn't that bad for turning over and all. It's about as much space as sleeping in a tent.
I was 300 feet from shore so it would probably only take a few minutes to paddle to land if needed. There was actually an outhouse at the end of the lake.
Terrible idea. So unsafe. Sorry, but this is something I wouldn't suggest to anyone. Perhaps with the stabilization floats it would be safer. It seems to me that there is no reason to moor yourself in the middle of the river. A few feet offshore makes sense but what you did was really unnecessarily dangerous. And some kids watching your video are going to try it and drown. You should take this video down.
I understand that this looks incredibly dangerous. However, as I explained in the video, the boat is stable in general and even when I tested it by rolling into the corner it still didn't flip or feel like it was about to. Outriggers would certainly be more stable, although I don't think they are necessary for many boats. I don't think it would be much safer anchoring next to shore vs further out, just like falling from 50 feet probably isn't better than falling from 80. Either way the outcome wouldn't be good. Just like with climbing or rappelling you taking the precautions that reduce the risk like safety gear, anchors, proper rated equipment, etc. Sleeping in a canoe, you go on a calm day, test the stability before being inside a sleeping bag, go when its warmer, be a good swimmer first, etc. I appreciate the concern, put faith in the ability if people to adventure safe with the appropriate equipment, knowledge, and skills, and believe people can safely handle this adventure.
Yea I;ve been doing that for years on my old town camper. I've never convinced anyone else or seen anyone else do it. I use outriggers pushed into the water to make the canoe super stable (take them off for paddling. Also fit a hooped tent over the top for rainy nights. It works really well on rivers you can just tie up to a overhanging tree. I like it best because you can get to places no one else is.
The hoop tent sounds like a great idea. I haven't seen anyone else do this either, and it's obviously not common, but since posting this video I've heard from several people who have tried it. Have you had any mishaps with it?
Heck yeah brother I sleep in my canoe down here in Florida I drop an anchor over the white sandy areas down here in our Springs full moon camping is the best you can immediately determine any shadows off the white sand no matter what time of night 👍👍🛶
@@AdventuresInReach I've never had any serious mishaps but I have had a 4:00 a.m. angry beaver tail slap scare the crap out of me, early morning do that came in thicker than pea soup , and a 7 a.m. jackass firing up his generator (across from Ginnie Springs)
He ha someone else is on to a fun time .
So I’ve slept in noe’s many times over the years, sometimes intentionally and some not.
I’m not saying you’re 8:26 “wrong” necessarily on one point you made about “you don’t have to bear hang, because they aren’t out here…”, I feel like I know what you meant, but instead of being immature and cheeky I’ll just express my experience and we all win…
I’ve intentionally anchored In water that was cross current enough to be and easy pass, but not necessarily easy to “cross on target” that is to say, you could get from one side to the other but getting a bead on me in the middle would be tough… id use this method when packing out our meat and wouldn’t make it out the day… using an old set of DL-99’s I’d sit there all night and watch a couple bear cross, stop, cross back, stop, repeat, ad nauseam. They were “on me” but due to my specific location it was hard to spec ref…. I say that to say…. AWAYS be mindful that “Bear big, bear run, bear swim, you not bear, behave accordingly.” Best advise I’ve heard and has kept me alive.
Great idea! I live near some lakes where overnight camping is not allowed on shore, but sleeping in an anchored boat is allowed. Now I’ve got to measure the space between thwarts in my 12 foot dory skiff!
I'd be curious to hear how it goes if you try it out. Happy camping!
Awsome! I've slept IN my canoe, UNDER my canoe, hammocked over streams and such...you really do get in touch with nature and your inner beast.
It sounds like you're half way there!
Growing up near a river, I never realized that sleeping in a canoe constituted an adventure! I used to do it on a regular basis. Why?
- the best canoeing generally coincides with high water, making suitable campsites hard to find, and river banks way too muddy to haul all of the camping gear to a site, if one CAN be found.
- snakes, skunks, raccoons, etc. when camping out on the water you don’t need worry about them. Although I have had a very curious otter look over the side to see if I have caught any fish!
- no sticks or rocks!
But I was a bit more comfortable than you, I think. It’s pretty hard to capsize a 17’ Grumman, and there is plenty of room to move around. I slept on a foam mat to keep out of the water that always accumulated, and covered the boat with either a tarp or netting, if either was needed. I have a “bucket toilet” (the tarp provided privacy as well), and I used a board across the gunnels as a galley. All of my stuff was kept in waterproof 5 gallon waterproof “foodstuff” buckets. And I used a can filled with concrete as an anchor. Cheap and easy!
Marriage, Grad school, and kids interrupted my canoe camping. My wife and kids love camping, but there really isn’t much room in a canoe for a family to camp! So we camped on shore, instead.
But now that I am retired, I am fitting out an Old Town tandem kayak with movable seats for some easy coastal sound cruising. Just like old times!
Maybe you're just more adventurous than most and used to it. That's awesome. Sounds like you were way more set up than I was. You were actually living aboard. Was the current an issue?
@@AdventuresInReach just being a kid, really. I grew up near a lake/river, and have always felt very comfortable in canoes. The local reservoir was closed at night, so I just snuck out in the evening and camped out over night. Other times I camped on the river, just tied up to a tree. Generally there wasn’t any problem, but one night the reservoir upstream decided to let a bunch of water out. I learned to leave some extra line out to allow for riding water!
Recently I have spent a couple of nights out on the Susquehanna, which runs past our home. I just watch the weather carefully, and tie a line to a tree on the leeward side of an island.
It really is an easy way to explore and relax.
But not when it’s 28 degrees!
Instantaneous white water canoeing while sleeping.... 28 degrees was actually pretty nice sleeping weather.
How about putting the Grumman and the kayak side by side a few feet apart and making a catamaran? Add a deck and set up for the whole family!
@@knot4man we actually just got a pontoon setup from Expandacraft for doing exactly that. We had hoped to cruise the Erie Canal this summer, but health issues forced us to postpone it until next summer. I will get the whole thing assembled this September and post a report of how it works out.
But I will still be camping out alone in my kayak. Solitude is a great thing )in small doses).
I think about this all the time oddly enough! Thanks for attempting this! Awesome to see an idea turned reality!
After posting this video, I heard from several others who have tried it or use the approach more frequently. It's certainly not common but it works pretty well. If you are interested in another video like this, a friend and I both slept in one long canoe. ua-cam.com/video/nVMc_-cRCjE/v-deo.html
I tried something similar in the Everglades in a Folbot Greenland 2 tandem kayak, except the beavers were alligators.
Sweet. Are those pretty stable? I might think twice if there were alligators.
@@AdventuresInReach They're about 36 inches wide with an air chamber at the gunwale. Hard to flip if you tried
The nice thing about sleeping on the water on cold nights, the water temp keeps the boat temperature stable.
True, water does regulate the temperature. When making the decision to sleep on or near water in the cold, also keep in mind that bodies of water maintain a higher humidity in their surrounding and that cold air settles to the lowest spots in the microclimate, which is of course where the water is.
awesome. this definitely convinced me to try canoeing even more than ever, getting one tomorrow fosho
Sweet! Are you getting a canoe to camp in it?
@@AdventuresInReach Yes will camp in it this summer, just looking for a good way to mount my trolling motor...
Great video, I too have often wondered about sleeping in the canoe. I have also thought about a mobile camp site on a pontoon boat with nothing but astroturf and the steering podium, and area for small camp fire. "Camp Site Carrier"
Ha. I love the name for it. That would be fun. Now would you plant a pine tree on it?
Interesting idea. Regarding the no need to bear hang...bears swim very well and I would be concerned that it would tip the canoe over trying to get at the food bag/barrel. Sudden weather changes at night would be another concern.
Yes--bears do swim very well and could certainly tip a canoe. However, the likelihood of a bear going through the extra work and risk seems potentially possible but unlikely. As for weather, I'm confident that I would wake up and be able to paddle back to shore. The canoe was very stable while laying in the bottom and rain wasn't a big deal when a friend and I went camping together in a 4 person canoe. ua-cam.com/video/nVMc_-cRCjE/v-deo.html
Lookin great! I would definitely use stabilizers though 😅
Great video. Yes, a canoe is very stable when laying down. You can go through some very rough water by just laying down.
One thought…we used to sleep at anchor in a sailboat years ago. We learned how important scope on the anchor is. Your line needs witness marks, which allows you to know how deep to the bottom. 5 to 1 scope is standard. If anchored in 10’ depth, you deep 50’ of anchor line out. 7 to 1 scope if hurricane force winds.
If you cheat on the scope and the wind picks up, you drag anchor till running aground.
Also, if in rocky bottom, anchor chain keeps you from getting cut off.
And…get a real anchor!
That is excellent advice. I certainly didn't have enough rope...or chain...or a real anchor. I think with being such a lightweight craft without much wind, it worked just fine and I woke up in the same place I fell asleep. I have that anchor since I generally don't want to carry or have a metal anchor bouncing around in a small boat. Thanks for watching!
Man I’ve been canoeing for years and never thought to do this. Great idea buddy I can wait to try this! Going to be an awesome adventure!!!!
It is pretty fun. I'd be super curious to hear how it goes for you! Did you see the one where two of us camped in the same canoe? ua-cam.com/video/nVMc_-cRCjE/v-deo.html
Just started dabbling in canoeing. Feel like I am getting the bug😂. Wanting to do some canoe, catch, clean, cook, camping with my kids. Love this1
I worked at Outbound in Florida. It was an at-risk youth program. We would canoe for a month. During the winter months we paddle Everglades National Park. We would tie the canoes together at the yokes. We would put wood down to have a flat area to sleep. We would cook dinner, walk normally, sleep, and pee in this setup. We had 4-8 canoes tied together. It was super stable. We actually tried to flip over during my training. It was extremely difficult.
Did you have a roll up wooden platform like travel tables? I've tied up 4-5 canoes a few times when guiding and it was super windy. We sailed with it rafted up and it was super stable.
@Adventures In Reach no it was just wood planks. We put the wood on the floor of the canoe when not in use. It was long and narrow pieces of wood. I should say we would put our bags under the wood to help support of weight. We would pack the things we thought we needed for the night into our bucket seat.
This just came to me. It's a backboard for transporting people.
I have never even thought of sleeping in my canoe. I have to try this now. I agree with you about the canoe being very stable. I have a few very stable kayaks and I prefer my canoe over those yaks. Thanks for the video and the idea for a new way of camping.
It's certainly not something that most people seem to consider. It was stable when laying down although I still awoke or dreamed a few times from thinking I was flipping. If you want it to be more stable you can use outriggers or multiple canoes together. I did this again with a friend with both of us in the same larger canoe and made a video (ua-cam.com/video/nVMc_-cRCjE/v-deo.html) It's certainly a different experience.
I do this too, in a huge inflatable canoe, with a cosy cabin yurt made of from a 2 metre polytunnel, with an alloy steel frame...all wrapped in several tarps. Very cosy!!
The polytunnel is only 60 cms high too, just enough to sit upright, but low enough out of the wind not to turn into a sail.
That would be a good way to beat the no camping rules that we are getting here in the UK.
Ha. Yes! I've heard from a few others who do just that!
Definitely right about that.
I do it on the canal system in england, sometimes there isn't enough room for even a bivi setup on a tow path so i sleep in the canoe bow and stern tied off on the towpath with mooring pins and then i made a custom tarp the length of my boat to do an A frame tarp shelter set up that fits my boat. to punting poles at the stern and bow provide the up rights for the tarp.
Sweet. That's awesome! I'm always excited to hear about others doing these adventures. How do you secure the tarp to the outside of the canoe so rain doesn't funnel in? I'm imagining snaps like in the canoe spray skirts.
@@AdventuresInReach I use the rope i drilled an inch and half below the gunwale as tie off points for the tarp. The material was cut to shape for the arrangement and then i sowed the hems and reinforcement points and brass gromits. inside the arrangement especially in the bug season i have a mozzi net that covers the 'Sleep area and one of the seats. also have a table that is a simple sheet of thin marine ply that i fibreglassed that slip over the gunwale. I don't even bother packing a tent anymore as i can even pull my canoe on dry land and it can be my tent. i use 4 boat mooring pins as tie offs to make it stable and also use another tarp in a lean too or plow point from one of the punting poles as another dry area/cooking space when at camp.
Also need to add that the punting poles are also used as the mast and boom for mt sail set up when on lakes/locks or even coastal waters (Yes i take my canoe on the sea but i do use outrigger floats just to be on the safe side but my canoe is my tent, fishing platform and preferred method of travel
This sounds well thought out and functional. I would love to see some pics of your setup. If you would like, feel free to send pictures to my email (in the "about" section).
I have an inflatable canoe. Heavy Duty material. I've been thinking about this. Really cool
It would probably be safer with the air filled sides and less likelihood of flipping. I'd be curious to hear how it goes.
thanks for the video ...maybe my wife will not think I'm the only one doing these sort of things . p.s. I have a cortex bivouac bag , great for small quarters like sleeping on a canoe .
Don't worry...she'll probably still think you're crazy, but that's just part of the fun. Your bivy looks a little bigger and more comfortable than the one I was using in this video.
Nice way to see the stars
You bet. That was a pretty unobstructed view.
Wanted to get to Dawson City faster so slept in my canoe when I got tired. Made it to Dawson from Whitehorse in a week.
Nice work. When myself and a couple friends paddled the whole Yukon River we also traveled from Whitehorse to Dawson in a week (June 9th-June16th). However, we made up time by sailing lake LaBerge with 2 canoes lashed together and 3 sails. Did you go on your own? Did you paddle the whole river?
@@AdventuresInReach I paddled once from Wrangell in Southeast to Skagway and over to lake Bennet and down to the Dalton highway, above Fairbanks. Once from whitehorse all the way to Emmonak, and twice did half the river. The hardest by far, 250 miles from Wrangell to Skagway on the ocean. Did all those by myself.
I've been day dreaming of portage-able mini cabin cruisers(lmao) after trying to find campsites in Algonquin.. This is probably a little more realistic. I'm curious what back country parks would think about this. Would they require a reservation, or multiple day passes?
I'm not sure the answer about park reservations, but I'm guessing they might because you still need a place to cook and go #2.
Nice! A wider boat would make this easier but well done! Many views be yours!!!
For sure. The canoe I used is fairly wide as canoes go but that doesn't mean a whole lot. Two canoes with a platform on top would be fun too.
I think for me, I would consider this option only if I was out with another canoe and we lashed together for the night. That way we would be very stable and safe and have the chance to enjoy a little more practical space to get bedded down for the night or when getting squared away in the morning. Also, as someone who has to pee in the night...the option of solo sleeping and risking going over the side in the dark is not something I would relish! Having two boats rafted together would make the whole thing good fun and allow for some cooking and a maybe a tarp cover for warmth or weather protection. Great experiment though.
The next time when a buddy and I both slept in the same 4 person canoe, we actually invited a couple who couldn't find a campsite to join us and tie the canoes together (we had an extra canoe stashed)...unfortunately they didn't. I do agree that having 2 would be safer and if you are relying on that second boat to prevent flipping then you may want to either tie the middle thwarts across the gunnels and under both hulls so they don't "taco" and trap you in, or lash a stick or paddle across.
As for peeing I did this with a half of pipe...I could kneel and pee down the pipe chute then rinse it off after. I wasn't sure that people would be interested in hearing about that in the video...I appear to be wrong.
The tarp cover would be a nice addition. Another nice addition would be using outriggers.
@@AdventuresInReach Excellent! Yeah the lashing together idea always had in my mind, either using a pair of spare paddles to make a catamaran style boat or finding poles from cut wood ashore. I love the idea of the half pipe for peeing down! Once, while out sailing in a very small dinghy with my brother, we had a lull in the wind and came to a stop. I was desperate for a pee and so grabbed the bailer so I could relieve myself while still sitting and do so without attracting the attention of other boat users and families in the estuary....first, it turned out the bailer was not quite large enough for the 'full amount'...and then I realised that my brother had tied it to a thwart with a short line...too short to reach the side to empty.....so having stopped in 'mid flow' as it were and was trying desperately to untie the line with one hand while balancing a bailer full....the wind kicked in and off we went like a rocket! I won't go into detail. but it didn't end well!
Ha! That was a good laugh. I've used a bailer on my Sunfish sailing trips even out in big waves so I don't risk (as much) falling in with my drysuit unzipped...but I've never tried with it tied on.
Realyinteresting, nice video, I would not choose for the middle of the lake though. In the netherlands as well as several other european countries, wild camping is prohibited. However sleaping on a (any) boat is allowed ion most waters! Ofcours brovided you gave some lights on and youare at a location that you are allowed to anker at.
I slept in the middle of the lake because it was more interesting for this video, however I would probably sleep closer to shore if I were using it as a logistical means to get around camping regulations... although it was nice to avoid bugs and not bump into bushes or rocks. I have heard from several people since making these videos that they have camped in canoes and rowboats to do just what you're describing. There's also better setups out there than what I did including floating kitchens and tarps covering the canoe.
Hey that looked fun! What type of boat is it?
This canoe is a Souris River Quetico 17.
Definitely want to try it. However I'll be using my 12 foot inflatable floor zodiac instead of my clipper haha. No worries about shifting in those
Hey, that works. A Zodiac would be way more stable and roomy. I'd be curious to hear how that goes.
What beanie hat is that? Also is it difficult paddling that canoe in wind?
The wool hat is actually from a little shop in Reykjavik, Iceland. I got off the plane and knew I would need one. Bought if from a little Icelandic lady I couldn't understand. Love that hat. The Souris river canoe doesn't have a keel and therefore doesn't track well in wind. The pointed bow and stern help. However, I like the ability to turn and my wife and I have plenty of experience that the wind doesn't bother us in it.
Depends, it's not easy and you have to paddle from wind side. Go up wind, you sit in the front. Go down wind you sit at the back. The canoe is light enough so it acts like a windvane in any appreciable winds. But except that its easy to paddle.
I've been sleeping in my boat since I bought it (I believe six times now) I just dropped an anchor and blow up my sleeping pad.. Swift prospector 16
Awesome!... and your boat is a bit smaller than mine. We might need to gather together a bunch of use floating sleepers for a trip. Did you catch the one when a friend and I slept in the same canoe? ua-cam.com/video/nVMc_-cRCjE/v-deo.html
now i'm sure to try this but in my inflatable x500 kayak, wil it act like a airpad and keep me warm? 🙃
Hello. I'm doubtful that the kayak would keep you warm. Most warm sleeping pads are foam or air with either a radiant barrier or some sort of insulation (foam, down, thinsulate, etc) in addition to the air. Air does help, but trapped air helps a lot more. I would suggest at least bringing a foam pad.
There is absolutely no way that canoe will capsize if you are sleeping on the floor.
Now standing on the gunnels….that’s another story!
It was pretty stable laying on the bottom. It would most likely take a big wave or some outside influence to flip it. I might have been able to roll really quick and flip it, but that didn't seem likely. I've paddled from the gunnels for a half mile one time...but that was MUCH more tippy.
use two canoes side by side with a platform, turning them into a catamaran. sleep on top.
Good idea. I might have to try that. Ordinarily, I guess I wouldn't want to haul a platform...or have 2 canoes, but it would be fun to try.
I'm doing something like this very soon and I am impressed with how you filmed it! Would you mind sharing how you captured the time lapse shot? What kind of pole did you use and how did you mount it? Thank you!
I made a custom mount that fit all the angles in the end of the canoe, made a pole mount gopro attachment, and used a ten foot PVC pipe.
@@AdventuresInReach thank you for sharing!
The original water bed 🐳👍
Ha! Awesome. That's probably accurate. It was physically pretty comfortable.
with outriggers yes :)
It was surprisingly stable lasting on the bottom. With the shape of my canoe I don't think I could have flipped by rolling to the corner. It might have flipped if doing that in waves. Outrigger would certainly give a bigger margin of error.
What size canoe is this? I have considered doing this but I have an Esquif Cargo. Very stable so not really a concern that it'll overturn during the night. Sounds like I need a hoop tent.
This was a 17' Souris River Quetico. I bet you'd be fine in your canoe. That looks big and stable. If you really want to be official you could do the hoop tent but the bivy worked really well too.
Well, just make sure you don't sleep-walk in your sleep. Otherwise, suddenly you might wake up walking on water. LOL!
It has been a good week since I had a sleep walking incident, so I figured it was safe.... just kidding-- I'm one of those who can sleep on a tiny camp pad because I'm aware of my location and movements when sleeping.
I build three canoes without any thwarts it nice to know i canoe are stable.
Certainly stable when laying in the bottom. Flatwater you sit on the seat. Whitewater you kneel. Sleeping you lay on the bottom. Did you see this video with 2 of us sleeping in one canoe? ua-cam.com/video/nVMc_-cRCjE/v-deo.html
Great video as always 👍
Thank you! That's what I strive for. Feel free to let me know if you have any requests / suggestions.
No just keep going the way your headed,
I’ve said it before, but I’ll say it again your channel needs to go big 👍 can’t believe your subs to the quality of video ratio, it makes no sense
ATVB from northern England
Much appreciated. Keep sharing the videos to people who would find them useful and it will keep growing.
It looks great but I’m trying to imagine having to go pee in the middle of the night 🤣
That can be tricky. This time I had a couple pieces of angle iron for my anchor and ended up keeping one in the boat as a trough to pee down then rinse off. Much easier than leaning over and risking a flip.
Winter backpackers and climbers know you pee in a water bottle labeled with skull and cross bones to avoid any “errors” when drinking.
LOL! Probably a bad idea but doable.
I wasn't sure, but it worked out better than imagined and I'd probably try it again.
You were fine, did you grill out
Hello. I didn't grill out, but there's always room for expansion in upcoming videos... I did think about cooking with my camp stove but decided it wasn't worth the risk, especially with the canoe camping experience being a new one for me.
Why so far from shore?
I chuckled at first while reading this because I was originally going to anchor much further out and ended up in a cool looking bay instead. I guess my thought was that a few hundred feet could be paddled in a very short time. I also think about this like swimming in water that's over your head. Whether it's 7 feet deep or 700 feet deep, it's more dangerous and requires you to have some ability, readiness, and fitness. Aside from all that, there are less bugs further from shore...
I think i would prefer camping on soil, just to be sure I wake up on the same place I went to sleep:)
In this video I was anchored in place, although I generally have a similar sentiment. I did another video with two of us sleeping in a longer canoe and we just hung an anchor down 10 ft so that we hopefully wouldn't hit shore wherever we happen to float too. It certainly adds another element to the mix but was also part of the adventure. It's a little bit disorienting waking up in a different place. Here's the link for that video... ua-cam.com/video/nVMc_-cRCjE/v-deo.html
28 degrees? Id take a sleeping bag with u to use as a blanket and store it in a waterproof bag until u wana use it as a cover thru then
Are you saying to do this instead of being inside the bag...as a safety measure?
What lake were you on this time?
Low lake.
You look like Tyler from dp
That's a first. Funny.
i slept in sharon lake for 4 years nobody evr noticed me
You slept on a boat for 4 years? What kind?
So let's talk safety !
So Where is your safety outriggers for stability ?
At 0:55 I talk about safety including how I tried rolling into the very corner of the canoe to see if it would flip...it was quite stable when I was in that position so I was then confident that it would not flip. Outriggers would certainly add another degree of safety but I was comfortable with my situation.
Dangerous if you have to pee during the nite🤔👀
Ha. Yeah, leaning over it peeing off the side certainly creates danger for tipping. I actually used a half of a pipe to pee onto and direct it off the boat, then rinse it afterwards. A bit goofy but it worked really well and didn't risk tipping since I could kneel in the center.
@@AdventuresInReach clever
I didn't know if that would be something people really wanted explained in the video...
Just don't hit a waterfall !
Good call! That would be a sudden wakeup.
@@AdventuresInReach definitely lol
Great idea, bad execution. Go find a tree branch hanging over the water, tied one end of the canoe to it(make sure the rope is tight). IF a bass boat pass by at 50 mph, your canoe won't flip. Added bonus, no morning dew as you are under the tree canopy.
That also sounds like a good idea, although the couple trees that hang over that lake were too close to shore so I'd be bumping rocks all night. I was in a remote lake with very little boat traffic. We didn't have any dew. I did it again since this with 2 people in a bigger canoe (upcoming video) and it rained but I still stayed dry in my bivy.
Pee? What if...
Yes. I did pee off the boat a couple times. I actually had a piece of angle iron that I used to channel it over the edge, then rinsed the angle iron afterwards. I thought about including that explanation...
That sure doesn't look comfortable.
I was physically quite comfortable with my pad and sleeping bag setup. The beaver splashing me didn't help but that wasn't the canoes fault. It took some mental calming at first and a oh-crap moment or two at night when dreaming about flipping. It was cozy enough that I did it again and made a second video with two of us sleeping in a canoe. Did you see that video?
@@AdventuresInReach No I sure didn't. Seems like it would be cramped and hard to turn over and switch sides or to turn over on your stomach or back
Here's the link: ua-cam.com/video/nVMc_-cRCjE/v-deo.html It really wasn't that bad for turning over and all. It's about as much space as sleeping in a tent.
@@AdventuresInReach Thank you
If you ever get the shits doing this bet you won't do it again. That's the worse thing I could see happen on calm water.
I was 300 feet from shore so it would probably only take a few minutes to paddle to land if needed. There was actually an outhouse at the end of the lake.
Terrible idea. So unsafe. Sorry, but this is something I wouldn't suggest to anyone. Perhaps with the stabilization floats it would be safer. It seems to me that there is no reason to moor yourself in the middle of the river. A few feet offshore makes sense but what you did was really unnecessarily dangerous. And some kids watching your video are going to try it and drown. You should take this video down.
I understand that this looks incredibly dangerous. However, as I explained in the video, the boat is stable in general and even when I tested it by rolling into the corner it still didn't flip or feel like it was about to. Outriggers would certainly be more stable, although I don't think they are necessary for many boats. I don't think it would be much safer anchoring next to shore vs further out, just like falling from 50 feet probably isn't better than falling from 80. Either way the outcome wouldn't be good. Just like with climbing or rappelling you taking the precautions that reduce the risk like safety gear, anchors, proper rated equipment, etc. Sleeping in a canoe, you go on a calm day, test the stability before being inside a sleeping bag, go when its warmer, be a good swimmer first, etc. I appreciate the concern, put faith in the ability if people to adventure safe with the appropriate equipment, knowledge, and skills, and believe people can safely handle this adventure.