I'm thinking about doing the Delaware and Raritan Canal race (11 miles in New Jersey, USA) with three 100 yrd portages, transitions from relatively steep canal banks.
I will be using my E-V12-U for the race. In pictures of previous years’ racing, the banks appear to be at least 2:1 slope, of about 2 to 3 foot elevation difference from WL to top-of-bank. The drive time to the race area is about 8 hrs, so no pre-race scouting for me.
Throwing the V12 on my shoulder in a beachy environment is simple as pie. For this race’s portage transition areas, it looks to be slippery, muddy walls to climb.
I was thinking about installing a simple handle of 1" webbing on the centerline of the cockpit hump, being that position is very close to Lcg of the boat. Both ends of the webbing would be fixed to the hump, forming a loose but flat handle of sorts. A water bladder on the aft deck will likely change the Lcg position. I really don't want to put the bladder on my back and destroy my torso rotation with the added sloshing mass. Carrying the boat like a ICF sprint K1 would require webbing handles on the interior vertical sides of the cockpit, again, near the hump. I would need to reinforce the attachment points with oversized holes, filled with high density epoxy filler, then redrill for screws fixing the webbing to the boat.
Any ideas or experience in these matters?
