I'd like to take my 75lb German Shepherd onboard my Catalina 30 for day sails but I'm not sure how to get her up from the inflatable tender onto the deck. Any suggestions? I've heard about using the boom as a crane but concerned about stessing it. Is there a better way?
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LaDonna Bubak - Catalina Owners
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Pete
Jump?
I have found that my dog (55 lb dalmation mix) can easily jump onto my C22 from my dink. She is quite agile and the C22 is lower than the C30, so it may not work for you. It does help to have a hand on her pfd handle and kind of help her up if she is hesitant. Getting her from the water is a little tougher though. I just grab her pfd handle and yank her up. Tough on my bad back though. Wish I had an easier way, but the vang route seems like a lot of trouble. If there were a swim platform on my boat I think she could easily get in from there. Not much room for a platform on a C22 though (swim ladder on one side outboard on other). Might be an option for you though. For my problem I keep thinking about designing a floating or hanging platform of some sort, but I never seem to get around to tinkering. Pete
I have found that my dog (55 lb dalmation mix) can easily jump onto my C22 from my dink. She is quite agile and the C22 is lower than the C30, so it may not work for you. It does help to have a hand on her pfd handle and kind of help her up if she is hesitant. Getting her from the water is a little tougher though. I just grab her pfd handle and yank her up. Tough on my bad back though. Wish I had an easier way, but the vang route seems like a lot of trouble. If there were a swim platform on my boat I think she could easily get in from there. Not much room for a platform on a C22 though (swim ladder on one side outboard on other). Might be an option for you though. For my problem I keep thinking about designing a floating or hanging platform of some sort, but I never seem to get around to tinkering. Pete
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Greg Ketley
A little push.......
I have a 55 pound mutt(Doberman/Beagle mix if you believe it) and let her stand on the side tube of the dinghy with her front paws on the deck of the boat . She jumps most of the way and I give her a little push on her rear and up she goes! She jumps into the dinghy from the deck and I try to break her fall a little bit on her way down. This is on my H-34.
I have a 55 pound mutt(Doberman/Beagle mix if you believe it) and let her stand on the side tube of the dinghy with her front paws on the deck of the boat . She jumps most of the way and I give her a little push on her rear and up she goes! She jumps into the dinghy from the deck and I try to break her fall a little bit on her way down. This is on my H-34.
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Warren
Dog Life Jacket
I strongly suggest you purchase a life jacket for your dog. If the dog goes overboard (trust me this will happen!), a dog tires quickly in the water. I have a 90 lbs. Black Lab, she goes boating with me from time to time. I purchased a doggy life jacket for her at West Marine. This jacket has a handle on the back...I can lift her clear of the water with it. Cost was less than $20.00...Worth its weight in gold, when you need it! Good Luck
I strongly suggest you purchase a life jacket for your dog. If the dog goes overboard (trust me this will happen!), a dog tires quickly in the water. I have a 90 lbs. Black Lab, she goes boating with me from time to time. I purchased a doggy life jacket for her at West Marine. This jacket has a handle on the back...I can lift her clear of the water with it. Cost was less than $20.00...Worth its weight in gold, when you need it! Good Luck
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Bob Camarena
Carpet on Coaming
I've found that a carpet type doormat draped over the cockpit coaming gives our dog something to get a grip on. A boost from behind is all she needs to get aboard. She weighs about 65 lbs but is pretty agile.
I've found that a carpet type doormat draped over the cockpit coaming gives our dog something to get a grip on. A boost from behind is all she needs to get aboard. She weighs about 65 lbs but is pretty agile.
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Don Evans
Same Predicament...
Have a 75 lb.golden and would love to bring her with us but the only time I did she caught her claw in a cleat and ripped her pad very badly as she was negotiating her way off the transom and into the dink. The one idea I've been tinkering with, and Pete from Maryland mentioned it, is to make a set of 3 ascending platforms that get a bit deeper in size say from 1' at the top to 2' at the bottom, towards the water, like a staircase and leading from my gate in the pushpit railing. I also have a disabled daughter who has sensory issues with her feet and does not like the feel of ladder tubeing under her feet. This would make it easier for her to get on and off the boat. I was thinking of using somethink like "Starboard" to make the treads and somehow attach them to the transom, maybe so they can fold up against the transom when not in use. I know you can attach smaller, shallower treads to a regular boarding ladder using tube clamps, but these treads would be much deeper. If anyone has made such a boarding ladder I'd love to here about it. Don
Have a 75 lb.golden and would love to bring her with us but the only time I did she caught her claw in a cleat and ripped her pad very badly as she was negotiating her way off the transom and into the dink. The one idea I've been tinkering with, and Pete from Maryland mentioned it, is to make a set of 3 ascending platforms that get a bit deeper in size say from 1' at the top to 2' at the bottom, towards the water, like a staircase and leading from my gate in the pushpit railing. I also have a disabled daughter who has sensory issues with her feet and does not like the feel of ladder tubeing under her feet. This would make it easier for her to get on and off the boat. I was thinking of using somethink like "Starboard" to make the treads and somehow attach them to the transom, maybe so they can fold up against the transom when not in use. I know you can attach smaller, shallower treads to a regular boarding ladder using tube clamps, but these treads would be much deeper. If anyone has made such a boarding ladder I'd love to here about it. Don
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Pete
boarding platforms etc.
Don, I usually board the dinghy then pull along side, lower the lifeline and let Cookie hop into the dink from there. That way she always comes or leaves from the same familiar place, where there isn't much to get hurt on. As far as the three platforms go. I have seen a picture of a single platform suspended from 4 lines. It might be possible to make a tiered one the same way. It gets a lot of it's stability from the edge resting against the hull so it might have to be above the waterline. That might not work for your daughter, but I think might for a dog. The flat topped treads that attach to the rungs of the swim ladder might be enough for your daughter. It might be worth checking them out if you haven't already. Pete
Don, I usually board the dinghy then pull along side, lower the lifeline and let Cookie hop into the dink from there. That way she always comes or leaves from the same familiar place, where there isn't much to get hurt on. As far as the three platforms go. I have seen a picture of a single platform suspended from 4 lines. It might be possible to make a tiered one the same way. It gets a lot of it's stability from the edge resting against the hull so it might have to be above the waterline. That might not work for your daughter, but I think might for a dog. The flat topped treads that attach to the rungs of the swim ladder might be enough for your daughter. It might be worth checking them out if you haven't already. Pete
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Brad Elbein
dogs
Sorry to be so late on this issue ... I have the same problem by the way, with the 60# dogs. Even if I felt comfortable that I could keep them on board or get them in and out of a dingy, I'm not sure how they get in and out of the cabin. They can climb up the ladder but then what? If anyone out there wants to contact me with how they handle their BIG DOG issues, please feel free to contact me at belbein@ftc.gov. I found a site that has some info on cruising with a big dog: see http://www.sailcharbonneau.com/PetSail.htm There's a company that makes a doggie boarding device. It is not for sailboats, but for power boats, and apparently is essentially a swim platform. I tried to discuss modifying their product for sailboats and they kind of cut me off, but maybe if a bunch of people addressed them, they'd be more responsive. I can't find the site, but I'll post it if I do.
Sorry to be so late on this issue ... I have the same problem by the way, with the 60# dogs. Even if I felt comfortable that I could keep them on board or get them in and out of a dingy, I'm not sure how they get in and out of the cabin. They can climb up the ladder but then what? If anyone out there wants to contact me with how they handle their BIG DOG issues, please feel free to contact me at belbein@ftc.gov. I found a site that has some info on cruising with a big dog: see http://www.sailcharbonneau.com/PetSail.htm There's a company that makes a doggie boarding device. It is not for sailboats, but for power boats, and apparently is essentially a swim platform. I tried to discuss modifying their product for sailboats and they kind of cut me off, but maybe if a bunch of people addressed them, they'd be more responsive. I can't find the site, but I'll post it if I do.
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Brad Elbein
doggieladder
Here's the name of the outfit that does the dog ladders: Doggieladder.com. They weren't helpful to me, but they may be to others.
Here's the name of the outfit that does the dog ladders: Doggieladder.com. They weren't helpful to me, but they may be to others.
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