[dakota420]

Hi Ladies! I tried to get into ww kayaking a few years ago...got the lessons for me and my man and some of the gear...had a bad 1st try on the river and never went back. That being said, my husband totally got into it and now that's ALL he does from April- Sept (longer if the waters running).

I am thinking about giving it another whirl but this time in a duckie. Im not looking to ever boat class iv/v, just stuff like Ruby/Horsethief the Dolores slickrock to bedrock, and parts of the Arky.
The catch is I would like to bring our 2-dogs along with me...is it possible to fit 2-dogs, 1-person and some limited gear (for overnights) in a 2-person duckie? Or is there another option that would be more suitable? I want something easy to trasport.

My husband keeps wanting to get me a raft but Im just not sure I want something so big...plus I have only oared a raft once durring a Lodore trip on flat water.

Any suggestions or advice is apprciated! Thanks!

 

[leo_amore]

We went through the same thing a couple of years ago. We ended up with a 14' raft after much dileberation. which in hindsight was a good decision as within the year we had a little boy join our family (now 2) who loves the boat and can't wait for flows to come down so he can go.
IMHO 2 dogs in a duckie, unless small ones, would be too much, especially with gear. We figured out how to row and you can too. Go with a small Colorado sized boat, you will love it.

 

[dakota420]

Thanks for the recommendation! The dogs are both pretty big so the three of us in a duckie would probably sink.

 

[lhowemt]

Our pups don't even really like standing in the bottom of a boat, I'm sure they'd hate a ducky. I have made decking for them, and also a semi-rigid floor for the bow/stern when we take them, so they can run around and do laps on it. They never really enjoyed a canoe, they were so stuck in one place, and I imagine a ducky might be similar.

You could always do a smaller raft, one that you can oar alone and have the dogs and your hubby can still yak. Something like a 10 (?) -12' boat.

 

[shappattack]

some dogs like duckies

some dogs like duckies, although I was carrying the camp gear and my dog in my raft

 

[dakota420]

Those Pix are awesome!
Our dogs are a little bigger than your Golden (Rhodesian Ridgebacks, 80lbs and 115lbs) but it might just work with my husband in his kayak and the dogs and I in a duckie...

I have some options to ponder.

I appreciate all the input on this!

 

[shappattack]

On second thought, you need a sweep boat! for those animals and their droppings

 

[lhowemt]

some dogs like duckies, although I was carrying the camp gear and my dog in my raft

So sweet! Good for you, I think our girls are a bit more high strung than usual, which is still pretty mellow since they are goldens. You're pup is precious!

Yup, it all depends on the dog. Ridgebacks, not really fans of water usually, right? Maybe they'd prefer to be more dry on a raft than so close to the water on a ducky?

Shoot, go rent a ducky and give it a shot, on a mellow stretch.

 

[dakota420]

Hahaha! The big one won't poop in public so I wouldn't have to worry about his dropping... Don't worry, I 'leave no trace' with or with out my dogs along...

 

[dakota420]

Actually we cant keep our girl RR out of the water! She loves swimming...they also both totally love the snow. I know, kind of backwards for African Lion Hounds.

 

[Mr Beaver]

2 words,...........Super Puma

 

[dakota420]

Thanks!

Well...Im going to give a duckie a shot sans dogs on Sunday. If all goes well I will try it with the dogs!
Thanks again for all the suggestions!

 

[jacy]

Dogs in ducks...

My dog loves a duckie in calm water....but she is about 25 pounds. Regardless if you choose to duck or not to duck, you can get tandem ducks for cheap through gravity play...it's a company that uses them for adventure racing, then sells them. They are only used a couple of times. They are the tributary tomcats and Ziok boats. The pic is in Ruby Horse Thief...

 

[dakota420]

Very cool! That pic is great and exactly what I want to be able to do.
I really appreciate the info!

 

[brenda]

Make sure you post your pic's when you take your dogs out.
I cannot have my dog anywhere near the river when I paddle. I have tried and it is so stressful. She has swam some scarey stuff. It would be impossible to keep her in a boat and out of the water. Even when we are just having a relaxing day ... I can't even keep her off my air mattress.

 

[bookmillone]

Make sure you post your pic's when you take your dogs out.
I cannot have my dog anywhere near the river when I paddle. I have tried and it is so stressful. She has swam some scarey stuff. It would be impossible to keep her in a boat and out of the water. Even when we are just having a relaxing day ... I can't even keep her off my air mattress.

It is a very nice air matress

 

[1srh]

I saw a dog in a duckie this weekend. The dog swam every rapid and these were small wave train rapids. The dog (a German Shepard) didn't have on a pdf.

 

[cataraftgirl]

If the duckie doesn't work out, how about a cataraft? Two tubes are easier to transport and deal with than a raft. If your pooches enjoy the river you'll probably want a boat to carry some overnight gear. Here's some pics of my Aussie pup's first float over Memorial weekend on the Southfork Snake.

 

[sms24]

we took my sisters dog in a duckie and she wimperd the entire time. I don't think she like the soft floor. I agree with the suggestion of a super puma with a frame. It will be a lot easier to move all that weight with oars then with a paddle

 

[lhowemt]

I'm pretty sure our pups don't like the soft floor even in our raft, or maybe it's that it slopes so much they tend to slide towards the bail holes. I made a little floor for the bow for them out of polymax (search, tons of threads on this), and they seem very happy with that much more solid platform. I just have it strapped to the floor lacing, with some edges so their paws can't easily get stuck between the polymax and the tubes. It's light, drains well, and gives good traction for them.