I was just wondering …how much weight they can actually hold…if a 300 lbs man wants to float down the stream with moose quarters…will that work??
do we know?
hope you can help me thanks
Steve 
300 pounds plus moose quarters would be pushing it. Maybe in the Alpacka Dory.
How much weight you can float depends largely on your handling needs. I’ve personally been totally underwater my Alpaca, in the surf. It didn’t rupture under even that stress, but when my raft is totally swamped, it paddles like a pig.
Forrest is right - the Dory is pretty good for big loads, for a couple reasons: 1, the tubes are big, so it floats high and handles much better at high loading. 2, it’s got lots of cargo space, and so it doesn’t “bulk out” as quickly. I’ve gone to the lake with a Dory plenty of times and had 2 people + 1 black lab out with the boat handling normally. So at 400 lbs. in a Dory, I’d say it’ll still handle perfectly normal. Add another several hundred pounds, and my guess is you’ll have a boat that simply acts like it’s heavy.
There’s going to be a new “hunting” section up on the website in a couple weeks that will have more details about how use your boat to bring out game. The gist of it: 1) Look at a Dory for moose quarters, etc. and 2) put in some kind of foam pad or mattress on your floor, to help cushion impacts that trap the floor between the rocks and the kill.
Also, you might look at getting a “Splat” or similar, tough kayak paddle for that purpose, since the oarframe won’t be of use when you’ve got the boat loaded up like a cargo ship w/ moose. You’ll probably want the extra power and durability of that big blade when you’re pushing around several hundred pounds + yourself + rifle, pack, etc.
Alaskabiggin, you might check this out to:
Awhile ago, a couple guys took their oarboat down in the Wrangells, carried 2 yaks up a siderive, and shot a bison. They loaded the meat, hide, and heads into their rafts, and planned to line the boats out. The shore was too rocky, so they ended up piling in their gear and lying attop both rafts, hand-paddling (they hadn’t brought paddles) back down to the junction of the main river. They said the yaks were sitting pretty low, but they did fine.
I forget their names, but if you contact Sheri, she can put you in touch, and I’m sure those guys would be happy to tell you about how things worked out.
Cheers!