David Bahnson, 67, a retired orthopedic surgeon from Vermont, has figured out the perfect way to share his favorite pastime with his pets.
Bahnson realized that since his dog, Susie could fit so easily inside the baggage compartment in his kayak, that there had to be a better way to accommodate her.
The addition of a ring, or coaming, around the opening helped her stay cozy and dry as they piloted the vessel through the water on their outings.
It wasn’t long before Bahnson, his wife and Susie were joined by another canine family member, Ginger. And not wanting to leave the new pup out during their kayaking trips, he made another modification to the boat.
“When we got Ginger, I just put in another hole” Bahnson says. It’s like a triple kayak, only there isn’t enough room for the paddlers to put their feet- but it’s perfect for a dog.”
Bahnson says, “Our dogs have always loved to travel with us in cars, in my airplane, in boats. Building a way for them to kayak with us just seemed like a logical choice, and the boats are fun to build anyway.”
“They seem to love it. They get excited when we’d pull the kayaks out and see that we were going,” says Bahnson.
“I love my dogs. I love training them, the companionship. We’ve gone miles and miles of paddling with our dogs,” said Bahnson. “They just really enjoy going places.”
And the best part is, neither of the dogs have jumped out!
How awesome is this doggy-accommodating kayak? Would you ever build a custom kayak for your dog?
[Featured Image Credit: David Bahnson]