I am thinking about a triple kayak, and there is very little info and few models available. Can anyone offer some advice about a triple? Would be two people and a good sized dog in it. Thanks.
Stitch and Glue
Look at the Pygmy Osprey Triple. Anything other than stitch and glue will be insanely heavy.
I’ve been wondering about the same thing
for two native americans and a russian priest
North West
NorthWest Kayaks www.nwkayaks.com makes an actual triple with 3 cockpits. Thier are lots of tandems with a large center cockpit that will fit a dog or a small child.
Boreal Beluga, Valley Aleut II, Cureent Designs tandems, etc… should all fit the bill.
OT Loon 160t
should hold two people and a dog, large cockpit, very stable, but heavy.
I’ll let you know how it works witha dog in the spring/summer, we just got a puppy, and we intend on bringing him on a paddle or two.
SOT or Sit Inside? Cobra builds both
a triple and a quad SOT. Heavy, but very stable.
question
What are you hoping the kayak will do that a canoe won’t? Not being negative – I paddle both – just curious what you’re thinking.
My wife & I demoed a Boreal Beluga (double with big center hatch) last year. She liked it because the front cockpit was a reasonable fit for a smaller person, and not as “bathtubby” as some she’d tried.
I’m thinking mainly that the seats
should be more comfortable in a kayak than in a canoe. Also the kayak should offer better efficiency and speed. Also be closer to the water, and put the paddlers more into the overall experience. Also would like the prestige of being a kayaker. Also wondering what happens if you flip over in one of these majestic triple kayaks?!?! Anybody ever done a tandem or triple roll?
Seaward Passat G3
Worth thinking about if you’re talking Libra XT or Seascape III (Northwest’s 2/3 seater). The Passat G3 is considerably narrower at 26" wide than either the Libra or Seascape and is more fun to paddle (my opinion).
Even the Pygmy, which is a nice boat is only 20’ long which makes for tight quarters when used as a triple for three people who want to paddle (as opposed to two paddles and a dog/child etc.)
Tandem roll
Seen it done, but never tried it.
heavy
May I please say my brother has an 18ft 6 in kevlar wenonanah sundowner that weighs 44#. Used maybe you could buy a wonderful canoe for $1200 and add seats to your liking. LOts of room. Get on your knees if very big wave. Double kayaks are so heavy that you almost need a trailer. Please be practical and consider canoe with double paddle.
Thanks all, for the tips!
There sure is plenty to consider and research this winter. I’d like to build a paddling craft before I “crack the paddle”, if somehow I can make some work space. Time will tell, and I’ll keep in tune with the latest from pnet. Happy paddling!
kayak vs. canoe
My brother in-law went on a week-long expedition in Rio Grade. He took the canoe and his friend took the kayak. The kayak always circled around the canoe. You can’t beat the cargo space in canoes, but…
loupe1–except for price, the Passat G3
looks to be a very nice boat, width-wise (26, narow for a tandem, good), and finish-wise (removeable middle seat, Seaward reputation, plastic keel to prevent bottom damage, sliding rudder controls–Seward has thought of it all).
http://www.mec.ca/Products/product_detail.jsp?FOLDER%3C%3Efolder_id=677077&PRODUCT%3C%3Eprd_id=742391
Now if I could only find a pot of gold over a rainbow, I’d get one.
triple vs. double
A triple has less dry storage than a double (space for building dry hatches). Because bow and stearn are farther apart in a triple, you can’t easily pass sandwiches to each other. However, you can paddle solo in the middle seat without worrying about the trim.
tandam paddling
i have an older precption that i paddle solo most of the time , yes it’s a little heavy, but lighter than a discovery canoe? doesn’t blow around in the wind, and handles class II with no problems at all. once you add a partner and a dog,a cooler ,and a dry bag or two, it does get tight!
not necessarily more comfortable
some folks don’t do well sitting in a kayak either. Not much better speed for cruising speeds compared to a nice canoe. No prestige for being a kayaker. If you flip over in a double/triple you are trying to or so over your head in the conditions that you’re screwed for a rescue anyway.
If you want a kayak it’s pretty much because you’re in higher wind/waves and have developed the skills to be there.
Check out a Wenona Itasca. The Northwest doubles/triples are the bread and butter of a lot of rental fleets.
Yeah, if the canoeist will carry most
of the kayaker’s gear, what a deal! But if the “friend” had been following my canoe down a western river, paddling circles around me would not have been easy. Not at all.