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RyanM
- Male
- Harriman, NY
- United States
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Profile Information
- What kind of Paddling are you into?
- Flatwater (Lakes and mellow rivers), Fishing Kayaks
- What boats do you own? (kayaks, canoes, rafts, etc.)
- 10' Manatee (Perception) fishing kayak
- Favorite place to paddle?
- Lakes
- Most memorable paddle?
- Looking glass pond
- How long have you been paddling?
- 1-3 year
© 2012 Created by Geoff Jennings.
Comment Wall (2 comments)
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I hope you have as much fun with your pup as I have with mine. Salsa is probably closer to your dog's weight and body mass. She fits just fine, but it is more noticeable if she moves around to change position. Mostly Salsa sits still and looks around, if she does shift her weight to the opposite side I simply move my weight over to compensate the opposite way. It's really easy to balance out.
Oh, one thing I do, is stay fairly close to shore. I have cut across the middle lakes if the daylight is waning and need to take a quicker route, but most often I am paddling within 30 ft. of shore "just in case". You'll figure out what works for you though, I'm sure.
Enjoy your new purchase!! :-) Happy "doggy" paddling, TJ
Lava is a 34.3 lbs. Border Collie, but I also use the same kayak for Salsa, my 60 lb. mixed breed. Wish I could bring them both at the same time, but for obvious safety reasons, I only bring one at a time. The cockpit size of the Manatee is wonderful and spacious for me to fit with Lava or Salsa. Of course how much space you have depends on your size, but I find we both have plenty of wiggle room. I find putting a bathmat in the bottom of the boat gives either dog a more comfortable, non-slip area to sit. Although, I have also been adding one of the crate pads for extra padding for the dogs if I'm going for a longer paddle. I have had a hard time finding a lifejacket for Lava as she is very petite in frame but has a long body, but I do recommend using one when paddling with a dog. Get one that has the handle on the back in case you need to lift the dog in from the water at some point. So far neither of my dogs have had any inclination to leave the boat while we are in route, even when Lava saw a beaver or when we set off a flock of Canadian geese.
If you have a dog that seems amenable to joining you on a paddle, I highly recommend doing it. You may want to start by putting your kayak on the ground in the yard and teaching them to enter the boat by command and to sit while you enter the cockpit yourself. Or you could be in the boat and train the dog to wait while you get situated and then train them to "load up" or "hop in" or whatever you want to call it.
I bought my kayak because Lava is a waterbug and I thought she'd enjoy being out on the water with me. Turns out we both enjoy it equally out there on the lakes. I'm glad I bought the kayak I did, because it fit my needs perfectly and has been very stable if Lava or Salsa turn around or shift their weight in some manner.
If you have any other questions I didn't answer, feel free to ask. Have a great day! Happy paddling, TJ