I’m selling the boat and a potential buyer asked. The guy is probably 150 but I didn’t ask. He said they wouldn’t exceed the advertised max load.
I can’t see it. A lab standing up in the boat would seem to be a good way to swim.
If he removed the bungees covering the stern compartment, would the dog fit there?
Hope he has good bracing skills if he goes for it.
Well here is a 50 # and a 80# dog with Qruiser in a 12ft SOT. The key is the big dog is real calm. The 50# (now 60#) puppy is young and impetuous . She jumps off to swim a lot. Of course Qruiser is experienced.
Note the big dog is good for an hour before he gets up and finds a new position. Once he did that a mile off the shore in the river. They were both in the water. Rescue practice.
Paddling a Skimmer 140 myself and have my 70lb Lab sit in the rear well (with the bungee cord removed. Have tried to have him sit between my legs, but that interferes with my paddle stroke.
I’m tipping the scale at 250, and Cooper is 70lbs - plenty of freeboard, and paddling fun!!
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When my 50 lb Std Poodle fell out of my Tarpon, it took 2 of us to get her back in. The other boat stabilized me so I could pull her in. She had her doggy PFD on which had a good handle for lifting and it still wasn’t easy and the Tarpon has a good flat tankwell to put her in.
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Notice that dog is wearing a life jacket with handle. Grab dog on left side of boat. Lean right as you pull dog into boat as dog tries to climb in. Dog has to try to get in. Pulling dog up to put it in the back would be more difficult. You want all this in front of you not behind. Keep paddle across cockpit so it could be used if a brace stroke is necessary.
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The picture is of a sit on top. Better than a sea kayak. But we also take the dogs out in a 19ft tandem sea kayak. But it is a lot wider and more stable than our swifter boats. Big dog sleeps in front cockpit. Pup stands on the mid hatch, or swims next to the boat, on leash from jacket to boat.
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The real key is the dog has to be wanting and trying to get back in.
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When we were a mile off shore. Qrusier bailed out and helped the big dog get in as I , in sea kayak, assisted with her SOT rescue. The big dog is more likely to stay still now days as the youthful dog gets in and out.
PS…you’re not really “lifting” you are pulling the dog on board.
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My advice: don’t go anywhere there might be ducks or geese. They can get even a well trained lab pretty excited. And even with a stable boat expect a big job getting the dog back in. They want to brace themselves (back of head/neck) to create leverage to climb. And they bring gallons of water with them! And then they want to stand up and shake vigorously… Years of hunting with labs from canoes and kayaks has given me this hard earned knowledge!
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To me this thread reinforces that it just depends on the dog and maybe the owner as much or more than the boat. The boat can handle the weight…but my dogs have always liked to sit in front of my solo canoes. The kayak doesn’t seem like it gives the dog much room to change positions. My lab never rocked the boat a bit and actually saved us from swamping once…and she was fine with ducks or other critters a couple of feet away. Several times my lab jumped into an empty floating solo canoe when we were launching; I put the boat in the water, turned around to get my day pack and she jumped in while I wasn’t looking. Apparently no one told her it wasn’t possible.