:-?
I have a new challenge to solve...I am the proud owner of a 2 yr old Munsterlander Setter dog (adopted) who will add another 60 pounds to my already overloaded Poke boat kayak.  I've researched some plastic pods, made to pull behind kayaks, which seem doable but are also heavy compared to carry capacity.  So now I have ordered an Intex floating cooler (for tubing) which should carry 60 pounds and will try towing THAT with gear in it.  Dog will have to be in kayak with me.
It looks squarish and not too streamlined for towing so I plan to make a silicone-coated fabric "sled" to pull it on through the water which should help in making it slippery and I'll make a contoured, pointed front end on the "sled" to help make it more streamlined.
:D  Remains to be seen how this will work.  :o
Any other suggestions out there???

To paraphrase that famous movie line, “I think YOU need a bigger boat”.

That added 60 lbs in your boat is basically dead weight even worse than if you had gained it.
Add in towing even a streamlined POD, I just don’t think many people, myself included could do that except maybe in dead calm water and for a short distance.

Towing that POD is going to involve some sort of tow rope set-up which means it’s going to move independently of your boat. I can see so many bad possible scenarios that from a solo paddler’s perspective I don’t think anyone could feel to secure on a solo wilderness trip.

I’m all for McGivering, but I just think it this case you’re really pushing the limits.
NOW if you can figure a way for that 60 lb dog to TOW that POD or at least HELP pull it, then you might be in business. ;) ;D

Maybe a smaller solo/tandem canoe where everything is together and you can still use double paddle and portage it easily might be a safer option for you.

I do need a bigger boat...but looks like I'll be carrying something around 55 pounds if I got one.  I can do it...but not sure I want to do it.  I expect I'll have to stay in camp on really windy days, no matter what; since I can't be sure the dog will stay put until he is more used to the boat and perhaps settled down a bit more.  He's going to be the type to want to dive out of the boat after ducks, etc.  It remains to be seen if I can successfully train him not to jump out on a whim.

I am worried that any type canoe will be quite a bit more unstable than the Poke boat.  In the past I have taken one of our other 60 pound dogs out paddling in the Poke boat and she does very well...stays down and keeps her weight in the middle of the kayak.

A few years ago I had to do a trip where I paddled one poke boat and pulled a cooler and other gear in a second poke boat.  That was not too difficult to do although I did not have to do it against any strong headwinds.  I was in a fairly strong side-wind which drifted the "trailer" downwind from me; I didn't have any fancy towing rope plan to oppose that.  I see one of the pods I researched had a somewhat rigid towing plan made of PVC pipe to hold the boats apart and in line.
:-?

How about one of those smaller sit on top kayaks they sell around 8-9 ft that weigh little and can't fill with water and are really stable? Figure a system where you can pull a rope and disconnect the POD in case of trouble?

How long is you Poke boat, I forget? I know they make some smaller PAK type canoes people use for fishing/duck hunting. Holds a lot of weight and very stable. Something like the Wenonah Fusion canoe?
Wide/stable, even has a ruder option if you want it.

I'm sure you'll figure out something that works and is safe.

IC: If only you could pull on both ends of that poke boat and turn it into a vagabond    (You need to Login or Register

I do really like the idea of the Vagabond and it may be the way I end up going...but would be looking for a used one.  I can't remember off-hand but the price on the Vagabond I think was $2500-3500.  I am very used to the Poke boats and know they are tough...one of mine has been on several trips a year since 1996.  They are also much more stable than some others I have tried...my brother has Old Town kayaks and I can't balance to get in/out of them due to configuration of keel outside and junk under one's feet/butt on the inside.  >:(

I have three Poke boats up here now, they are all the 12 foot models.  I estimate I can get about 350 pounds of gear and self in a 12 footer, but I am pushing the limits of staying afloat and the weight makes the boat plow more than I like.  Once half the food is consumed floating and trim are so much better!

I did spend part of a trip pulling my (then 85 yr old) Dad upwind on Knife Lake; he in his own Poke boat.  It was a pain to do...mostly because of the jerk caused at the end of every stroke of the paddle.  Some kind of bungee cord shock absorb-er would help with that.

Towing anything by paddle will be a job.  Anything less streamlined than a canoe will be a PITA.  But if you insist, here's how to connect the towed object.  (This comes from having towed a loaded solo canoe behind a tandem some years ago.)

This arrangement will prevent the towed craft from slewing sideways badly and eliminate the bumping involved in rope towing.

Don't use a rope.  Use a curved stick about 6 feet long; it should have at least 2-3 inches of curvature.  The stick needs to be arched to clear the deck plates of the two canoes.  If you aren't using canoes, you might be able to use a straight stick.  Attach one end to the stern of the tow craft and the other end to the bow of the towed craft.  If the stick is curved, the arch, should be upward, and the method of attachment should keep it that way.

A much better approach is to use the proper craft so you don't have to tow.  If you're concerned that a canoe won't be stable enough, do the following:

1.  Learn to paddle a canoe.
2.  Get a canoe with a shallow-arch hull and enough capacity to carry what you want.

Quote:

1.  Learn to paddle a canoe.

You obviously don't know IC or read her trip reports.
She has as much or maybe more paddling experience than most of us here.

I'm still going to give the towable cooler raft a try since it is on order and only cost around $30.00.  I know it is not going to be fun to pull anything but shouldn't be too hard except when the wind is against me. 
Meanwhile I am on the hunt for a Vagabond Poke boat.  Found a fairly extensive forum for used Poke boats on "Mykayakingbuddies" web site and might have some luck there.  Anyone know someone with a Vagabond they want to get rid of?  I have several of the 12' Poke boats and could trade or sell one or two if someone wanted to scale down.

I have located and made a deal on a Poke boat Vagabond; unfortunately it is located in Florida and I will need to pick it up next time I am there.  It raises my canoe weight for portaging to 46 pounds, but still lighter than a lot of watercraft.  In the meantime I am still working on the towable floating cooler plan.  When I get it put together I'll share photos and how well it works.

Can you put a clamp on portage yoke on it?

I plan to...I'm thinking I will have to make the area that clamps to the gunwale wider and maybe use 4 clamps instead of the 2 I use on the smaller Poke boat.  The biggest issue is if it will hold while I swing the boat up to my shoulders; once it is "on" me there isn't a lot of weight shifting that would cause it to slip.  The Vagabond has a #550 payload limit so will be good for me, Blue, my gear and the kitchen sink  ;D Here is my new camping partner...he's so handsome! 

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You might want to consider/try a different approach IF swinging that heavier boat up traditional style seems too hard for you?

Take your packs and lay them next to each other and then flip poke boat over so you can wedge the bow into the packs. Then just "walk" the boat up and set it on your shoulders. Might be a viable alternative to trying to swing it up?

He is a handsome boy! You have to rig a pack system so he can at least haul his OWN eats. ;) ;D

ST, that's an excellent idea re: using packs to "walk the boat up" to one's shoulders.

Also, if anyone could stitch together a great "dog pack", it would certainly be IC!  I've seen what she can do with shelters and it's quite impressive.

Jimbo   8-)

Quote:

ST, that's an excellent idea re: using packs to "walk the boat up" to one's shoulders.

Sometimes necessity makes you do crazy things.

At the end of a long day of portages that swinging the canoe up especially in rough spots can be less than a sure thing. Walking it up on the packs keeps it centered too.

In fact I've been putting duct tape over that aluminum bow tip and just walking the canoe up that way in tricky spots. It's a little harder without the packs but still easier in some conditions. Put couple layers on and it will last a whole trip. Nice option to have.

"Sometimes necessity makes you do crazy things."
That would probably be an entertaining general discussion topic for QJ  :D
I have shoved my canoe up into the crotch of a tree or a sturdy bush to get it higher, never have tried doing it on the packs.  I'll keep it in mind.  :)
Blue is definitely getting his own food pack to carry; at 3-4 cups of dry food a day x 10 days, that is a full pack for him IMO.  I thought about sewing a pack for him, but found a big one with a detachable harness set-up on e-bay for $37.00 which included shipping. It looks just like some much more expensive models for a far more reasonable price, so I'll try it. 

Speaking of shelters I sew, here is the most recent model of 2015:

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You want to try one of Bernie's old packs? If they both worked you could do what I did and split the food up since I'm a double tripper.  I can drop them off for Dan to grab Tues or Wed on my way to Canada. Maybe some alterations.

Sorta of a mini-version of the Dry-Fly I like so much. 8-)
Speaking of Blue, what if any plans do you have to keep him tick/black fly free?
I know they have Permethrin "clothes" for dogs as well as ground cloths they can sleep on.
Bugs hit that cloth they're dead on arrival.

Ben,  Yes, I'll try Bernie's old packs.  Thanks!

My son uses Vectra on his dogs, both repels and actually kills ticks if they get on the dogs.  It also seems to keep the mosquitoes and black flies off of them too; it is something applied to their skin along the line of their spine, which then soaks into the dog and works for about a month.  Toxic to humans... :( ...or wouldn't that be a nice way for us to repel those bug-gers!  His being black is going to be an extra draw for the bugs and a sure test for the Vectra. 

Check this out. IF you wanted too, you could use the clothing soak on your fly/tent and clothes and since you sew, you could make your own Dog Armor.
Permathrin is non-toxic to dogs and humans ( proper dose) and lasts thru multiple washing. Easily last thru a season of tripping.

One of the best things I ever did for bug protection.

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Does the Permethrin work to deter those ankle biting flies?  They are the only ones that sometimes can drive me totally crazy!  How well does it work on mosquitos if you want to sit around a fire at/after dusk?  Those are the times I really can't tolerate the bugs.  The rest of the time I do not find them much of a problem...but then again, I do not camp much in June and July.

I would say it does but you'd have to be wearing socks as any open skin is going to get bit.
You can see it working. A fly/mosquito lands on treated surface, it just fall off dead.

You can buy Permethrin at places that carry horse/cattle products in "bulk' so to speak. You'd just have to dilute it down to percentage that is safe for humans/dogs.

I bought a 4 bottle pack which comes with ziplock bags/gloves. Each bottle treats 1 outfit, shirt/pants/socks.

I did it a little different than they recommended.
I put ALL my tripping clothes minus raingear in washing machine and added just 2 bottles. I wanted to see if getting less than what they recommended would work okay becasue I wanted to limit my exposure to the chemical.

Since it lasts thru multiple washings, I figured if it didn't work I could boost the dose before next trip.
Worked fine and now I just renew it every year with a single bottle.

I wear that ball cap/doo-rag combo and the bugs never bite my neck/ears. I think it would be the same with those ankle biter flies as long as you had socks on?

I don't go in the peak of mosquito season like you do, but I don't see them even landing on treated fabrics, just open skin.
You do your tarp they won't swarm underneath and land on it becasue it will kill them on contact.

It's cheap enough to make it at least worth a try to see if you think it's worth it?

intrepid_camper wrote on Apr 23^rd, 2016 at 3:47pm:

Does the Permethrin work to deter those ankle biting flies?  They are the only ones that sometimes can drive me totally crazy!

NOTHING keeps them away!  Absolutely nothing.....

VERY thick socks or netting around your ankles is your ONLY hope for relief (and they have bit through my sock nets many-a-time)!

THEY are the scourge of humanity!

What do they eat when they can't get ankle?!?!

Jimbo   8-)

While my answer has nothing to do with towable gear pods, my defense against ankle biters is sealskin socks. I got them initially for the advertised purpose of keeping my feet dry, not so good, but discovered by accident, that while my paddle partner was chewed bloody, I was not getting bit. Go figure. :o 8-)

How about something like this treated in Permethrin to keep those ankle biters off you? I know they make all cotton/canvas ones too. Pair of socks treated and these would seem like they would do the trick?

Of course THEN the little devils might develop a taste for those meaty calfs portagers are prone to have.  ;) ;D :'(

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We call them "fish flies" here because they do eat dead fish.  They also seem attracted even more to one's ankles if you have had your feet and legs in lake or beaver dam water...something they smell in the water I think.   :-X

ST,

Yeah, they would do the job, for sure.

For me, those critters are mostly a pain immediately following my daily afternoon dip.  There I am, refreshed from the water, trying to dry off and enjoy a sunny day (that's when they are at their worst), and those things zoom in like heat-seeking missiles!  They are bad enough when you are dry; however, they become absolutely ravenous when your feet & ankles are wet!  It's like syrup on their pancakes and they dig in, savage-like.

I suppose it would make quite a sight, me in those low-rider gaiters over top of my Teva's, as I skinny-dipped my way out of the water.

Well, we ARE always looking for (ab)original forms of entertainment at my camps.  I'm game....

Jimbo   8-)

IF you combine the thoughts/info in your and IC's posts about those ankle biter/fish flies it makes for much "speculation" on why they bother SOME people more than others.  ;) :-? ;D ;D

Yes; and considering that you fishermen are also smelling like fish from handling them....