While visiting a museum I came across a hand drawn scroll which mapped a river allowing paddle boat captains to navigate their way. I wondered if something similar could be used while kayaking.

Using google maps I download screenshots of a river journey I would be making. These were joined together in excel (as it was handy). North pointing arrows were added in and then the maps arranged so a strip could be made of the journey. This long strip was then printed out and laminated. But how to use it? One way could be to make a scroll like the paddle boat captains did. Then, while having a beer a simpler option came to me - make a scroll using the inside of an empty beverage can. By making a couple of splits into the can, one end of the can inside could house the unread map while the other end would house what had been read and the part the middle would show the current section being travelled.

The beverage can scroll would then be attached to the shaft of a kayak paddle. To move to a new map section just move the strip along a bit causing the map strip to rotate inside the can.

Supplies

Empty aluminum beverage can

laminated map strip

Step 1: Making the Map

Screenshots of the river I planned to kayak were taken while viewing google maps. These were joined together by placing them as images on an excel spreadsheet. Arrows were added to show the direction of North along the river. For the first day of the journey, the river meanders westerly, so it was straight forward arranging a strip. On the second day the journey took a large u turn and hence the need for north arrows along the map. The two long strips were then printed out and laminated at my local office shop.

Step 2: Making the Scroll

An empty beverage can with its top removed had two slits made into one side of the can, off set, one nearer the top and one nearer the bottom. The strip of map which had the first day's kayak journey was then inserted into one of the slots and feed in so in rolled around the inside of the can. The other end of the map strip was inserted into the other slot.

Step 3: Attaching the Map Scroll

The map scroll was then attached to my kayak paddle using some tape. The idea was to have a compass placed on the surface of the kayak and by using it with the map would enable navigation and location. As we went along the map would be moved - Un scrolling from one end of the can and scrolling up on the other.

Step 4: And Then I Had a Thought

While trying out the map scroll attached to my kayak paddle it occurred to me that the strip of map could be attached directly to the kayak shaft and maybe a scroll wasn't required. So, this is what I did. A marker was made from some tape which would be moved along the map as we travelled. And for good measure a small compass was also attached to the kayak shaft.

Step 5: Navigating

A lager compas was attached to the deck of my kayak and off we went.

Step 6: Conclusion

Using the laminated strip of map attached to the kayak paddle shaft worked very well. I also have a Garmin Fenix 5x watch which has a built in GPS. I compared using the watch for navigation with the map and found the screen on the watch to be a bit small for viewing its map and with the need to scroll and zoom in and out while kayaking a pain. The map and compass is definitely the way to go. After the first day of kayaking, I replaced the map with the second day's journey map.

Using the beverage can scroll map will have to wait for another kayak journey.