Hello all, I've used myccr for years but this is my first post

I have a 75lb lab x pitbull and gear at ~60lbs. I'll be doing weekend and up to 2 week long trips in the Temagami area. 1' swells aren't uncommon in the main lake itself. And.... yeah I'll be paddling solo!

I found only one other post on a different site which, inconclusively, went back and forth between recommending 12 - 14' solo's or 16' tandem.

I've done up to 2 week solo trips without the dog in the area with a rented 16' with little difficulty. Thankfully, weight is NOT an issue; former infantryman haha.

Your recommendations are greatly appreciated!

The dog will make the bow heavy.. Why a dog would fit in a 12 foot solo ..a contortionist dog? Its a push with 14 as the trim will still be off.

16 foot and put your pack way back and your dog can be a little centered. I wouldn't think you want your dog way behind you.

^I'm telling Memphis you're calling her fat

Excellent idea! I never considered putting my pack behind me. I'll try to test this configuration before buying and report back.

Thanks!

You can call my dog fat! She is.. Down to 90 from 108. She is a rescue and we have had her two months.. If I only could get her in a boat. She won't get in.. Stubborn and when she won't do something she turns into a brick.

She would require an 18 footer!

Woah! Must be a Mastiff or Great Dane yeah? My dog is a rescue as well and initially had zero interest in getting in the canoe. But... since she can't stand being anymore than 3 feet away from me, I began to paddle away and she changed her mind XD

I know it's at the very maximum for a solo paddler to portage in terms of weight, but I'll be looking at a used 16' royalex next week. Thanks again!

When I was shopping for a solo a couple of years back I was more concerned with the weight capacity that canoe length. I'm 6'2" and thin is but a memory while Corky is 65Lbs. I ended with a Wenonah Wilderness which is 15'4".

Space is not an issue nor is trim. My initial thinking was to use two 30-35 litre backpacks for all my gear and food so I could position them for good trim but, frankly, it has never been an issue. The packs both go behind me and Corky in the bow. Lots of room. In fact, last year I took both Corky and Brownie, a Husky mix of similar size I had "adopted" when her human went down to the US to work, on a couple of weekenders. One went in front of the bow thwart and one behind.

I have more an issue (dog wise) with tandems. Corky will generally start out between my legs in the stern but I have to keep telling her to lie down because she gets in the way of my stroke so eventually she will settle in the centre of the canoe on top of the gear. When loading, I ensure she has a concave "nest" up there so she is comfortable and doesn't move around too much. She's not much of a water dog but likes being left behind even less.


"I'd rather be backpacking."


Corky watching the shore fade away


Double trouble!

Lots depends on hull design. Swede formed boats are very trim sensitive and
My Golden did fine in one boat and the other was bow heavy not apparent till 30 kph winds came up.

Get a Swift Shearwater.

That's one but not the only one. For me it's way too big. I like a Colden Nomad or a Hemlock Peregrine or the Swift Heron