Any Kayakers here?

I've done both medium speed river and lake kayaking. I love it and just went today! I've currently got a sit in which I like a lot. I used to take Harlow but she and I don't fit in the boat together anymore. I would like till start taking Rider and Tulsa separately more often.

We do take the yaks camping and do rivers up north. With a dog who has been taught on a lake and it's wearing a jacket with a knowledgeable "driver", do you think it's irresponsible dog ownership to take them on a medium pace river with small rapids?

I'm finding that NC seems to have lots of paddle trails, most class 1 and 2.

I found an AWESOME store that sells *and* rents a huge variety of kayaks and spent a good 40 minutes discussing things with one of the owners.

I think we shall rent kayaks from them several times over the next year, maybe take advantage of their demo days where you can try out 10-15 different models for 10-15 minutes each on a local lake, and then look into buying during their 2015 rental sale next September.

I don't think it's irresponsible at all if your dog is comfortable with it. Hugo will be going on lowish class rivers as soon as he gets more boat training. You already said all the things I would suggest (life jacket, knowledgeable boater etc.) so as long as you eased into it I think it would be great. Our previous dog (lab mix) loved the water and road on several rivers with rapids. She knew that when we were in the boat she had to hold still and listen closely to commands. She only fell out of the boat once in her life and it was on a slower river when we were both captivated by a weird bird and the bow of my boat went right between two branches that were just under the surface. I managed to stop myself from tipping but she fell right out of the boat and promptly swam alongside the boat until my fiance paddled up to me and stabilized me so I could pull her back in.

That's another thing, if you're with someone else who can hold the side of your boat from their boat, it's surprisingly easy to pull a 40ish pound dog into the boat once you get the hand of it. She jumped out and swam alongside frequently. I knew that when she came up to the port side (I'm left handed) and swam really close she wanted to be pulled in and ride for awhile.

I probably don't even need to say this because I've seen you post stuff and your dogs seem super well behaved, but watch out for a**holes on rafts. I had a drunk guy throw a beer bottle at my dog once, exclaiming that she's the "biggest beaver he's ever seen."

I tried out my first sit on top (Tarpon 120) and LOVED it. Kes came with and it was super stable while still being fun to paddle and comfy.

The Tarpon 160 was what I was gonna get before I settled on my Predator 13. The tarpon is awesome and I still want one. My predator is rock solid stable but it is crazy heavy compared to the tarpon haha.

I tried out 7 kayaks at a local lake thanks to a demo day hosted by the local paddling store. I still like the Tarpon best (well outside of the Carribean 14 that was super light and way out of my price range for being as sensitive to rocks and dropping as it is). Now, to figure out how to get one for a steal AND outfit my car so I can get all 63lbs of it on and off of my RAV by myself....

Cheaply, no idea. Do you have a factory rack?

I use Thule Glide and set. It has rollers on the back to roll the kayak onto the roof.

Yea, I have a factory rack with cross bars. With the rentals I just use their ratchet straps. Considering just doing the pad on the back of the roof (like the Waterslide contraption Thule makes) for now, then maybe something like a Showboat rolly bar thing. I'll need a stacker so I can carry two when DH goes with as well.

I got to use a $400 paddle today - I seem to have expensive tastes.

Don't kayak but it looks like fun... Paddle trails? Like on lakes? How are they marked? What's the difference between a class 1 and class 2? Just curious...

I've seen kayakers out in the Sound when we were vacationing on the Outer Banks, and then I think about the 10 ft hammerhead that cruised the boat basin at my uncle's fish house on the mainland side of the Sound... Nope, wanna a bigger boat...

These folks passed me by the other day. I think they were in canoe's though.
Very dangerous hobby , especially in a commercially busy part of the Mississippi River.

Do any of you get into big busy rivers , or stay on little rivers? I am always curious how the size of a river affects handling , or if it does. And while I would take a river cruise on a paddle boat , you couldn't pay me to get into something the smaller than a tug boat. lol