: Bill,

: If Lucky (the dog) is in front, he would be about 4 feet away and out of
: reach. If he is behind, I can have the cockpits very close and he would be
: close enough to put his head or paw on my shoulder as he sometimes does
: when we are in a canoe. Either location he refuses to paddle as it is
: below his station in life. I am not too concerned about his reaction to
: the scenery or conditions as he has shown in the past to be a good
: passenger. I am more concerned with my ability to control a 16 foot kayak
: while sitting over 10 feet from the bow.
: Fred

Like in a canoe, I find it much easier to control the boat sitting in the rear. If you get enough boat behind you in almost any wind it can be almost impossible to prevent weathercocking. Most paddle craft balance better overall with more weight aft.

Bill H.