These days fishing kayak modifications can easily run up into the thousands of dollars for cutting-edge fish finders, motors, tackle boxes, rod holders, sonar and just about every possible add-on under the sun, but YouTuber and kayak angler Ryan Beauchesne had a different sort of modification in mind.
With his dog Crusoe reaching his senior years and facing mobility challenges, Beauchesne rigged up his fishing kayak to most comfortably accommodate his senior dog.
Custom Kayak Build For Senior Dog To Kayak Fish
“Since I’m not as stable on my feet these days, Dad made a railing and a sun shade system for the kayak so I can still go out fishing with him,” said Crusoe the dachshund in the caption of the video.
The build involved creating a railing from PVC pipe, a faux-grass area on the bow of the boat for Crusoe and his sister Daphne to sit, and a sun shade. Beauchesne even took the time to paint the pipe to match the color of his kayak and integrated a spare paddle into the railing system. The senior dog-friendly build came about as a way to get Crusoe out on the water to enjoy kayak fishing even with his mobility challenges.
Beauchesne manages Crusoe’s YouTube page, Crusoe the Dashshund, with over two million subscribers. Crusoe himself is the subject of New York Times Bestselling Adventures of Wiener Dog Extraordinaire Crusoe The Celebrity Dachshund. Crusoe has struggled with liver and gall bladder issues for which he underwent surgery. Then, when Crusoe was 12 he experienced a spinal injury that resulted in another surgery from which Crusoe didn’t bounce back as easily as the first. Crusoe is now 15 years old with mobility challenges and announced his retirement from the spotlight on YouTube in May 2025.
Senior dog Crusoe the Dachshund and his sister Daphne on their custom kayak fishing deck. Feature Image: Ryan Beauchesne | YouTube
In Florida that would be called Gator Bait