Kayaking and Solar Charging

[SpacePony]

One of my favorite things about the Mach-E compared to my last PHEV: Even though there's not much "utility" in this CUV (or at least a lot less than some utility vehicles), I do love that I can put my kayak setup in the rear without folding down the seats (which requires the removal of the child's car seat).

Even better when I got to the lake and there was free solar-powered charging! Not crazy fast, but added about 20 miles/hr.

 

[Sam2084]

How’s the inflatable kayak? My biggest issue with the Mach E is the lack of a roof rack for my kayaks. I’d look into an inflatable, but my dog would probably pop it when she jumps in and out.

 

[SpacePony]

How’s the inflatable kayak? My biggest issue with the Mach E is the lack of a roof rack for my kayaks. I’d look into an inflatable, but my dog would probably pop it when she jumps in and out.

It's amazing, I got it when I had a Volt because it would fit. I've been out on it about 20 times, I'd say. Inflatable kayaks aren't as fragile as you think. The cheap $100 ones are certainly fine for small dogs, but probably resilient enough for big dogs. But those cheaper ones are also low-pressure inflatables that sag in the water and swell under the hot sun. Fun for kids or a day at the lake, but not meant for long-term use.

If you want to really look into a usable durable one that would be good for dogs, there are several kayaks out there with high-pressure drop-stitch floors (the same as inflatable stand-up paddleboards are made of), which are tough as nails, and a good place to compare them is at https://airkayaks.com . I debated long and hard between the one I got, or an Advanced Elements, or one of the options from https://seaeagle.com (which aren't available on the other site, they even have some that are fully drop-stitch; floor and sides).

This one is a Kokopelli Moki I, which has the high-pressure drop-stitch floor, and the sides are pvc tubes inside durable nylon sleeves. It's very unlikely even a giant dog with sharp nails could damage it.

Other models (like the Sea Eagle ones) have very thick durable PVC like those used in the commercial rafts you can rent to float rivers (which I'm sure have seen plenty of dogs in their day).

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