Portaging Stabilibily Enhancement Device - University of Waterloo Project

Hello all,

I recently joined your forums as part of outreach for my 4th year design project. We are atteming to design a device that assists in the loading/carrying/unloading of a canoe, including self-stabilizing and a load transfer from the shoulders to the back.

To gain some necessary community insight/experiences we have made a short survey on Google forms to help us identify some key aspects of the design problem to better steer our concept development.

The link to the survy is below:
https://forms.gle/GPqHa1M1ivQEiHVZA

We really appreciate anyone willing to take 5 minutes and fill this out.

Disclaimer: none of the information submitted will be sold for anything, we are merely trying to gain insight into a community we aim to help.

Thanks alot!

-Robb

 

Cool! My son is also a mechanical eng student in his senior year and starting work on his senior project at Alfred U. I recently finished a 180 mile trip through the ADKs with a solo canoe (52 lbs), which included 12 miles of carries most of which was accomplished using a wheeled carrier. Good luck! I take a look at your survey!

 

Thanks Scott for sharing. Sounds like an amazing trip!

 

Thanks Robb for reaching out.
And good luck in your research- and results.

Your questionnaire is short and sweet- thanks- but probably doesn't capture all the nuances of tripping. As you acknowledge, not every portage is the same!
I typically use either my Chestnut Pal or 16 Langford when tripping- both are in the 65 pound range dry. Typically I double portage- canoe, then packs. Both have good yokes to which I have added yokes pads and they portage well except on steep portages. On these the balance of the canoe comfortably on the yoke pads and my shoulders is the problem. I've tried lines to the bow and stern with limited success and thought of tump lines but nothing worked out yet.

Good luck!

Bruce

 

Don't count this on your survey, but at my age, I favor slaves