Paddling flatwater with a dog

[SamWestover]

I’m in love with my Alpacka Wolverine for whitewater, but I’m interested in building one of your packrafts to be able to paddle on alpine lakes and quiet rivers with my dog, Lucy, who weighs about 50 lbs.  I’m not looking to pack a lot of gear, though I guess I might have a backpack, if I’ve hiked in somewhere with the boat.

– Do you recommend any particular model?

– Should I get an extra large one just to make sure she has room to sit or lie down in front of me?

– Should I get a heavier material for the floor, so I don’t have to worry about her puncturing it with her nails?  Actually I guess I need to worry about the side tubes, too, since she’ll probably try to stand on them at some point.

Thanks for any advice you can share!

-Sam

Topic

[mttgilbert]

I made the two person for my dog (55lb english lab) and I plus camping gear and I’ve really liked it. There’s plenty of space and weight capacity. I have a closed cell foam piece cut to fit the front of the boat for the dog (simple blue closed-cell sleeping pad, which doubles as the dogs bed in camp).

I was hesitant about the canoe style seats, but I’ve actually found them really versatile over time. I’ve gone back and forth with canoe/kayak style paddles but both seem to work pretty well.

[Matt (Admin)]

Hi Sam,

Other than the Ultralight, any model will handle a 50 lb dog without popping. For alpine lakes, I would probably choose an Atlin (the largest size), because it’s wider in the foot area so there’s more room to share between the two of you. If you were going to be paddling with the pup for hours at a time, I’d consider a Skeena XL for even more room, but on alpine lakes I doubt that would be necessary, and the extra bulk and weight might not be worthwhile.

Cheers,

Matt

[Author]

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