Kayaks for dogs

I currently own a Necky Narpa and love it lots, but after one not-so-successful attempt at paddling with a puppy in front of me, I’m looking at getting a boat more suitable for canine passengers.



Here’s the models I’ve narrowed it down to. And I may have trouble finding some of these in my area. Haven’t looked as far away as Coeur d’ Alene or Spokane yet, and Moscow’s selection is extremely limited.



So:

Perception Sundance 12 http://www.kayaker.com/new/products/boat.asp?type=recreational&ID=96 Really hard to tell what the cockpit looks like from that ugly picture.



Perception America 13.5 http://www.kayaker.com/new/products/boat.asp?type=recreational&ID=100 Paddled one of these several years ago at a demo, don’t remember being real impressed with it, but then I was looking for something much more sport and less utility at the time.



Wilderness Systems Pongo 140 http://www.wildernesssystems.com/kayaks/rec/pungo140.php Best friend has this boat and likes it really well. I’ll be trying it out next weekend to see if it will work for the dog.



Old Town Canoe Loon 138 http://www.oldtowncanoe.com/kayaks_loon138.php Seems to be a very popular boat, but I’ve never actually seen one in real life.



And the ultimate Predator K140 http://www.oldtowncanoe.com/kayaks_sporting.php One darn ugly boat, only available in camo, but it’s got the area in back that’s just made for a retriever sized dog!



So I’m wondering if anyone has any experience with any of these boats, or paddling with dogs in general.

any of the above mentioned
boats would work with a canine paddling buddy. I paddle with my Golden Retriever occasionally . You need to have em well trained to hold still or you may be swimming with em. Seems they think that whatever intresting they see should be looked at up close. If you do take em, try out on a calm area for a while before anything bigger. Good luck. And camo is pretty not ugly!

Dog paddle
My son and I both have the Loon 138. he routinely takes his dog with him. She loves it. He used to take her on his SOT, but she seems to love the security of the cockpit better. He’s able to fish with her in the boat as well which makes it interesting when he lands one.

Some Options

– Last Updated: Jul-23-04 10:16 AM EST –

I bought my Bell Rob Roy (now named The Miss Molly) specifically for paddling with my 50 lb lab/pit mix. It works great. She is pretty well behaved in any canoe but this boats rear cockpit keeps her from being able to shift her weight too much. As well the boat is a pleasure to paddle.

http://community.webshots.com/photo/95847375/95848578qQCuSm

Another great option is a sit on top.

http://community.webshots.com/photo/64199922/64384008pRUmEn

This picture is from a sailing trip we took, with friends, in Savannah. None of the dogs would go to the bathroom on the deck of the boat, so we had to stop regularly for a paddle to shore.

Topher-which SOT is that? I like it.

Necky Cruiser II

– Last Updated: Jul-23-04 12:07 PM EST –

http://www.necky.com/cruiserII.htm

They are a little on the heavy side but are suprisingly pleasant to paddle.

http://community.webshots.com/photo/64199922/64382722GwDCke

They make a great tow behind dinghy for sailboats.

I saw the subject line
on the board and my first thought was:



“Wow, somebody has one smart dog if they’ve taught him to paddle and are now in the market for his own boat!”

My Brittany rides
well in my Loon 138. The biggest challenge is to get him to lay centered rather than to the side. He doesn’t quite understand tracking. Also, I have a Ruffwear PFD (Pup Flotation Device) for him. It floats him several inches higher than he normally swims. Dogs can get exhausted and hypothermic just like we can. This PFD has a leash attachment for shore use and a handle on top for holding onto said K-9 to prevent a jump out, or to help haul back in if you were too slow to prevent the former. Several comfort and quality features in it. I think it’s the best dog pfd around.

Taj

oooh.
I like the look of that Rob Roy. Unfortunately, it looks very expensive. Never heard of Bell, either. Don’t know if it’s because it’s a canoe brand and I’ve never looked at canoes (I’m a kayak snob), or if it’s not something that’s commonly available around here. Still, I’ll keep my eye out for it when I’m shopping.

Not Too Pricey

– Last Updated: Jul-25-04 7:58 PM EST –

A Bell Rob Roy in Fiberlar is about $1500 new and they show up used, from time to time, around $900.

http://www.bellcanoe.com/products/canoes/robroy.html

If you are handy with tools you can buy plans and build a ply-wood Rob Roy for less than a grand.

The design works well in keeping the dog centered in the boat, but out of the paddlers way.

Loon 138
I have the Loon 138 and absolutely love it. I have a Brittany/Golden mix (about 70 lbs.) who occasionally goes with me. One time, he saw a duck and jumped out of the boat mid-stream. I thought, for sure, I was going over, but the boat had different ideas. Dog jumped, I rocked back and forth a few times, no problems. The only issue I had, was when the dog wanted to get back in the boat. Had to find a shallow area. All in all, a very stable boat.



Jim

Dog Paddling

– Last Updated: Jul-26-04 7:41 PM EST –

I was an avid kayaker having paddled many kayaks including my current QCC600. When I got a Labrador Retriever things changed. I looked for kayaks that would support a 75 pound dog, safely. My research took me in a direction that I thought I would never go? Canoes...? With all the poor press on how slow and laborous canoe paddling was I thought this was not even an option. I read several articles about canoe tripping and efficient canoe designs. I paddled a kevlar Wenonah Jensen 18 and was so impressed that I bought the boat. My wife, Morgan and I paddle this ultra fast tripper that will give any kayak a good run for the money. I found that I needed a solo boat so that Morgan and I could go on short camping trips, I found a great used 16' Kevlar Bell Magic. This solo tripper is a rocket. I paddled 8 miles against a 3 knot current with ease. Using a single or double bladded paddle is your decision. Choosing kevlar also reduces weight, increases efficiency and makes paddling more enjoyable. Don't rule out canoes. They can be fitted with weather resistant covers, making them pretty seaworthy. You can lower the seat to increase stability. They are logistically more efficient and make getting in and out more easily, add couple of waterproof bags and life is dry and great. Paddling with my companion has made my time on the water a lot more fun. Give it some thought and don't let other's opinions stop you from exploring a canoe. PS I found my Bell on paddling.net's classifieds. Cleckout the product reviews they are a great resource too.

Great Kayak for dogs
Not sure if you’re interested in an SOT but our OK Scupper Pro TW is just what our mini-pin needed. It has several places for her to relax, she loves to stand in the rear tankwell with her face in the breeze while paddling. The OK ‘pebbled finish’ is great for traction, she was always falling off our other kayaks (Pelican Viper/Tarpon 140).

THE pooch paddling yak
is the Tarpon 140. Hell, I even take my 10 year old boy out for wave riding in it. He fits justfine in the tank well. You can get a 60 pound dog back there easily.