Paddledog52. Your comment is pretty aggressive and you make a lot of assumptions. I also see you questioning my honesty. I’m being very upfront and have come here to seek advice not criticism.
If I wasn’t willing to train and practice I wouldn’t do it. For both the safety of my dog and myself but I’m fairly confident it can be done and done safely. Again that’s why I am here. To hear different ways that can be done. And quite a few people have already given some great advice and introduced ideas to me I wasn’t even thinking about. Although your comment seems to be purely an attack with no actual advice except the apparent conclusion of you don’t think I should do it.
I appreciate your concern for my dog. I even saw someone mention “with a little training” I can cure my dogs anxiety. But it’s not really a matter of training my dog. I think I’ve made it clear my dog is obediant and well trained. Another reason traveling with her has been so easy. And if you must know how traveling with her around the world was possible with all the “restrictions” you speak of is because my dog is an emotional support dog. But if your interested for your own pets you can get a pet passport through your vet and probably will have to pay entry fees when abroad. It’s a fairly simple process actually.
I also don’t see how my budget reflects my life style choices. I travel modestly and do tons of work exchange and volunteering which allows me to do so with very little money. So I don’t have the luxury to just drop 3000$ on a hobby. But I do have a lot of used options and super loving the idea of customizing things.
But hey. Thanks for your very constructive response.
It’s not meant to be aggressive just my thoughts. Your emotional support dog is great. I just hear of many people who travel a lot like actors having problems with quarantining. Service dogs must have a way. Glad you can take yours. Your dog may be super obedient but you won’t be able to tell him / her get back it the boat. Glad you have a way to travel economically still more than I could afford.
To go in the ocean takes more than some training lessons. It takes experience in many conditions and usually with a experienced group. Not sure how many kayaking groups would want to add a dog when training or traveling in open oceans.
As for 1200 you can buy used like I did. I purchased a 22’ current design Libra XT for 900 but it took a couple of years to find. Many have a dog in the center hatch but it’s super stable and requires two paddlers. I would still not feel great trying to get a 50 lb dog back in with two experienced kayakers even a 3’ chop.
First thing is to read the books mentioned above. It’s a lot more than modding a kayak so your dog fits and the kayak doesn’t flood.
Good luck on your venture many dogs would follow their owners into a fire. It’s not there good choice it’s emotional.
Your can’t stand and lift your dog back in. Can you lean over and pull 50 lb. Back in while it’s kicking. There is a dog here Paris who goes with the owner Chuck everywhere. Chuck is not 120 lb. and Paris is a long way off 50 lb. He probably started training her as a puppy. He is probably your best resource here or anywhere. I would get his thoughts for sure.
Mtcpaddler
OK, to start with then the separation anxiety issue is at least part yourself, not just the dog. Clarifies that a bit.
As to the rest of it - the absolute bottom line is that to try sea kayaking somewhere like the San Juans, open water, you have to prepare for a surprise that puts you in the water. It is not optional.
PaddleDog52’s point here is well taken.
What you would have swimming should that occur, even if all three of the components stayed attached to each other, is way harder than you understand. It would be you, the dog and the boat. The first two, you and the dog, would have to be gotten back into the boat probably by you getting in first (maintaining contact with the dog as well as the boat the whole time) then helping to haul the dog in. And add holding on to the paddle too, and water temps that could be in the lower 60’s.
By the way, tethering the dog to the boat is likely unsafe for the dog. In wind a sea kayak loaded with water from a capsize could easily carry your dog away out to sea, and while you kno’t know this right now all is takes is a millisecond of inattention for you to lose grip on the boat.
A sea kayak is the correct paddle craft for those waters. The size of the dog, the size of you and the fundamental issues of getting all of that back into the boat in likely bouncing waves (there is likely a reason you capsized in the first place) are at best at the outer reaches of possibility - for anyone.
Appreciate your desire to continue your adventures. But in this particualr case, I still think you should reconsider whether this is the right approach.
I agree that taking a dog set up in a hatch is NOT a good idea for cold open water with strong currents as you would find in the San Juans. The guide with the Keeshond brought his dog along on flatwater rivers, quiet streams and inland lakes in fair weather and warm water conditions – NEVER far enough from shore that the dog and even he himself could not get to shore if they capsized. The dog always had a PFD with a rescue handle – and the guide was strong enough to haul his dog into the kayak without capsizing. A strong 6’, 180 pound guy can do that with a 40 pound dog. But can you do that with a dog that is nearly half your weight? I kind of doubt it. My suggestion to look into that sort of arrangement was predicated on using it for more modest recreational outings with your dog and NOT the San Juans…
The issue of you paddling in the San Juans (with or, more likely, without your pet) is a separate issue. I’ve got 15 years of kayaking under my belt including ACA open water training and experience in coastal conditions, and I would be very cautious about paddling in those islands. I would certainly not want to be burdened with a pet in the kind of conditions present in that environment.