Carrying Gear in Small Watercraft?

[Steven Paulsen]

Short question turns into long rant. Thus is Me. My condolences.

Need to visit my Pop. He laughs at my photo hobby as much as I laugh at his obsession with water. I call him "The King of Assofwoman Bay." < Yes, it is on the map.

His backyard is a private lagoon w/personal boat moorings. He has a 22+ foot Tri-Hull with a large outboard and a smaller, "Boston Whaler," which I haven't seen or rode in, yet. It's a long ride, but he took me as far as where ocean meets bay, Ocean City, Maryland.

I know the 1st thing coming to mind is some sort of pelican case. I have an ancient 1600 but it isn't air tight. My thoughts are... to get a larger case that holds one of my heavy padded Backpacks & Bungie Cord it so it doesn't impact & bang on the deck.

Sorry for being, long on words. Even on calm bay water, going any speed, there is always the "bang, crash, bang. How does one keep a camera body & lenses from shaking every bit of internal dust, while riding in even, a padded case?

This is likely to be close to the last chance to get together, as I'll be turning 60 soon & he is 23 years my senior. (We never really get or got along. My Mother separated before I was born.)

I have to chuckle....The both of of, alone....(we were pretty much poured from the same mold.)
I want to take my better cameras. (D800/D3x) & the best glass. (70-200VR, 300/400mf primes. The old 80-400 seems to do OK on the D3x. Tiny D3200 does the 70-200 pretty good.

Any input and suggestions would be much appreciated. If I end up in the water, nuts to the gear. I'm dealing with pacemaker # 4 or 5. The gear is insured. I'm screwed.

Another thought, I can use the KeyMission 360 on a bay rod & see how it works  underwater.

In Advance, a Kind Thank You,
Steve

[armando_m]

I have taken longish boat rides - 4 to 5 hours - in the ocean and have been through my share of jumps and crashes due to waves, as well as water  collecting on the floor

I rely only the padding off my back pack and have not had a problem with equipment failing, some of the jumps have been violent enough to hurt people, bruises and sprain ankle, not mine thankfully.
I put the back pack inside a large plastic bag then place it inside one of the boat trunks on top of other things like diving fins

If things calm down and there is something worth taking photos, I go through the ordeal of getting the camera out and I'll keep it on my neck and protected from sea spray by a plastic bag, things happen , the camera has been dripping sea water from splashes, but it keeps going, I'll put everything back inside the backpack before getting of the boat as we arrive at the beach and there is no dock.

The combination subject to this is usually the D800 with the 70-300 afs vr zoom and I had it since 2012, it has been through trips like this at least 5 times.

I once fell into the water while disembarking with my backpack on, the backpack went underwater for a few seconds while I struggled to standup, I was lucky and the only thing that got wet were AA batteries, lenses camera memory cards, etc were safe.

if the boat sinks I'll be worried about me and my companions, we're sometimes 40 miles from land.

the kind of dingy


And why we keep doing it

[armando_m]

...My thoughts are... to get a larger case that holds one of my heavy padded Backpacks & Bungie Cord it so it doesn't impact & bang on the deck....

That will work