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a little big for our 34 footer
Since we lost (my best dog ever), Jake, last year, his younger brother, Spencer,(11), now has to sail with us rather than be bored at home. He's big for our boat (110 lbs) but does ok as long as we let him lie down during his watch. His preferences are either swimming or sleeping below. He's always PFD'd and "jack lined" when under way. I'll someday maybe have to give up my sailing, but never my dogs.
Since we lost (my best dog ever), Jake, last year, his younger brother, Spencer,(11), now has to sail with us rather than be bored at home. He's big for our boat (110 lbs) but does ok as long as we let him lie down during his watch. His preferences are either swimming or sleeping below. He's always PFD'd and "jack lined" when under way. I'll someday maybe have to give up my sailing, but never my dogs.
Coco on board the Catamaran!
Coco looks like Greggg's big hairy dog in yesterdays reply # 56 (now #3863 computer error?)and loves the Catamaran. I keep a dog life jacket on him. Coco hooks his paws in the lacing of the tramp and hangs on. Coming about in a high wind with a Cat only takes seconds and you better move fast. Somehow Coco has learned to get to the other side and stay out of my way. He has sailed in 20 knot winds with me and gone over board twice. Picture trying to get 80#'s of wet dog back on board in a wind. Both of us ended up in the water one time.
Coco looks like Greggg's big hairy dog in yesterdays reply # 56 (now #3863 computer error?)and loves the Catamaran. I keep a dog life jacket on him. Coco hooks his paws in the lacing of the tramp and hangs on. Coming about in a high wind with a Cat only takes seconds and you better move fast. Somehow Coco has learned to get to the other side and stay out of my way. He has sailed in 20 knot winds with me and gone over board twice. Picture trying to get 80#'s of wet dog back on board in a wind. Both of us ended up in the water one time.
Big Hairy Dog
Hi Gregg, I can't believe how much my dog Coco looks like your dog. Thanks for putting the picture in. I put Coco's sailing story in the form. Marlin
Hi Gregg, I can't believe how much my dog Coco looks like your dog. Thanks for putting the picture in. I put Coco's sailing story in the form. Marlin
Here's how he looks...
coming into port after an 8 hour passage. He lays in the dinghy (on davits) when motoring, and on the leeward cockpit seat under sail. He stands up on "ready about" and switches sides on "hard alee". -Least complaining member of the crew, but the only one who barks at waterfoul.
coming into port after an 8 hour passage. He lays in the dinghy (on davits) when motoring, and on the leeward cockpit seat under sail. He stands up on "ready about" and switches sides on "hard alee". -Least complaining member of the crew, but the only one who barks at waterfoul.
Charley
My dog Charley loves sailing. Frequently he puts his head between the lifelines and enjoys the breeze in his face. Luckily he seems to have a large bladder, but I often wonder what he is really thinking. *pop
My dog Charley loves sailing. Frequently he puts his head between the lifelines and enjoys the breeze in his face. Luckily he seems to have a large bladder, but I often wonder what he is really thinking. *pop
Our Guard Dog Rascals
Our miniature dachshund has sailed with us since we got her. I have sailed with larger dogs in the past but would not do that again. She loves being on the boat and is a great watch dog when we are at a marina. For her sake and my sons we make short legs on long trips here on the river and she does fine. I won't take her when I finally go north off shore, but neither will the rest of my crew. They plan to meet me in the San Juans when I get there. The only complaint about having her on board is her early morning wake up call.
Our miniature dachshund has sailed with us since we got her. I have sailed with larger dogs in the past but would not do that again. She loves being on the boat and is a great watch dog when we are at a marina. For her sake and my sons we make short legs on long trips here on the river and she does fine. I won't take her when I finally go north off shore, but neither will the rest of my crew. They plan to meet me in the San Juans when I get there. The only complaint about having her on board is her early morning wake up call.
Who said sailing?
Grizzley has lived on board with us for over a year now. Life is easy at the marina, but even though he has to "hold it" sometimes while sailing he still loves it. Like most canines, he like a nice fresh breeze to sniff, preferably without waves. He loves the dinghy too as that means chewing sticks on the beach and swimming. He is an australian shepherd mix and would probably rather be herding sheep on a farm somewhere, but he says herding ducks is ok too. Sara
Grizzley has lived on board with us for over a year now. Life is easy at the marina, but even though he has to "hold it" sometimes while sailing he still loves it. Like most canines, he like a nice fresh breeze to sniff, preferably without waves. He loves the dinghy too as that means chewing sticks on the beach and swimming. He is an australian shepherd mix and would probably rather be herding sheep on a farm somewhere, but he says herding ducks is ok too. Sara
Never go without your dog
We have never entertained sailed with out a dog on board. Shadow and Shelby have been sailing with us since they were about 5 months old. They love meeting new people and other animals as well as swimming, chewing sticks and chasing tennis balls. Sure some days are long but the dingy ride ashore at the end of the day makes it all worthwhile. These two Flat Coated Retrievers are a ton of fun and lots of company for us on and off the water.
We have never entertained sailed with out a dog on board. Shadow and Shelby have been sailing with us since they were about 5 months old. They love meeting new people and other animals as well as swimming, chewing sticks and chasing tennis balls. Sure some days are long but the dingy ride ashore at the end of the day makes it all worthwhile. These two Flat Coated Retrievers are a ton of fun and lots of company for us on and off the water.
Pomeranian Crew
Our two Pomeranians (Koko and Romi) have crewed on our Ericson 28+ and now 34 for three years. If its rough, they prefer to be below, after taking small doses of Bonine (1/4 tablet, one hour before sailing). If its nice, they hang out in the cockpit, although when in port, Romi guards the bow with all the determination that eight pounds of fur can muster. They have cruised with us for as long as two weeks, and could have gone longer. On our longest day (eight hours while crossing Lake Michigan) they were fine without getting to take a walk. I only wish my 57 year old kidneys were as forgiving.
Our two Pomeranians (Koko and Romi) have crewed on our Ericson 28+ and now 34 for three years. If its rough, they prefer to be below, after taking small doses of Bonine (1/4 tablet, one hour before sailing). If its nice, they hang out in the cockpit, although when in port, Romi guards the bow with all the determination that eight pounds of fur can muster. They have cruised with us for as long as two weeks, and could have gone longer. On our longest day (eight hours while crossing Lake Michigan) they were fine without getting to take a walk. I only wish my 57 year old kidneys were as forgiving.
Help Need Info
Hi Folks, We sail a "87" 34 and have a 3 yro yellow lab. She loves to be with us but at 60some lbs is a bit to handle. How do others get big dogs on/off without a walkthru when on anchor? Direct us to a halter/life-preserver link please. Our last child graduated college this year and when he moves so goes our dog sitter. We need now to take Gracie with us. Your ideas are welcome. Thanks
Hi Folks, We sail a "87" 34 and have a 3 yro yellow lab. She loves to be with us but at 60some lbs is a bit to handle. How do others get big dogs on/off without a walkthru when on anchor? Direct us to a halter/life-preserver link please. Our last child graduated college this year and when he moves so goes our dog sitter. We need now to take Gracie with us. Your ideas are welcome. Thanks
Sailor Dogs
I guess Phil will have to develop a separate website just for boat dogs. How about: http:www.sailordogs.com?
I guess Phil will have to develop a separate website just for boat dogs. How about: http:www.sailordogs.com?
Here's what we do Dock
We have two labs that sulk whenever we go to the boat without them. We have installed lifeline netting all the way around the boat. The dogs use it like a hammock. They like laying on the leeward rail watching the water go by. They both respond to tacking orders. When I say “ready about” they wake up and get their feet under themselves. On the command “helms to lee” they crouch in preparation of moving to the new leeward rail. On the command “tacking” they quickly move across the boat and lay down into the netting before the sails fill. We get them on and off the boat by having them jump into the dingy which is tied broadside to the stern. They do their “business” on command so from the dingy I point to the section of shore I want them to go to and tell them to go Potty. I usually anchor on isolated shores that are not more than 100 yard from the boat. Swimming is their favorite activity so this is a special treat for them. When they get back to the boat they are easy to load into the dingy by a light pressure on the back of their head. This allows them to climb up the side of the dingy. This has the added benefit of removing all sand from their legs. Hayden Watson 88 C30 tr/bs Papillon Spokane, WA
We have two labs that sulk whenever we go to the boat without them. We have installed lifeline netting all the way around the boat. The dogs use it like a hammock. They like laying on the leeward rail watching the water go by. They both respond to tacking orders. When I say “ready about” they wake up and get their feet under themselves. On the command “helms to lee” they crouch in preparation of moving to the new leeward rail. On the command “tacking” they quickly move across the boat and lay down into the netting before the sails fill. We get them on and off the boat by having them jump into the dingy which is tied broadside to the stern. They do their “business” on command so from the dingy I point to the section of shore I want them to go to and tell them to go Potty. I usually anchor on isolated shores that are not more than 100 yard from the boat. Swimming is their favorite activity so this is a special treat for them. When they get back to the boat they are easy to load into the dingy by a light pressure on the back of their head. This allows them to climb up the side of the dingy. This has the added benefit of removing all sand from their legs. Hayden Watson 88 C30 tr/bs Papillon Spokane, WA
Hayden do you have a soft dingy?
Thanks for the response. Gracie also is good under way but getting her on the boat from the dingy or off our C34 to the Dingy is a problem to us. Your dogs do extreamly well to jump from the stern of your C30 to the dingy. Grace would never do that. She will climb a ladder but as we have our stern ladder rigged it won't work. Do you have to lift your dogs up from the dingy to the deck? Thanks. PS I wish you had a video tape of this. You could send it into the pet channel.
Thanks for the response. Gracie also is good under way but getting her on the boat from the dingy or off our C34 to the Dingy is a problem to us. Your dogs do extreamly well to jump from the stern of your C30 to the dingy. Grace would never do that. She will climb a ladder but as we have our stern ladder rigged it won't work. Do you have to lift your dogs up from the dingy to the deck? Thanks. PS I wish you had a video tape of this. You could send it into the pet channel.
Sailor the Dog
We named him Sailor but we later found out that he hates water (oops!). But he does love the boat, especially the dinghy. After anchoring he waits not-so-patiently on the aft swim step for the dinghy to be launched and the motor attached to "his" boat. The hardest part is keeping him cool during the summer. A fan on the floor helps. Early on we clipped him into a leash in the cockpit, but he has proven steady on his feet. You have to remember to trim his nails short enough so his pads get a good grip. When underway he's not a deck dog, preferring to wedge himself someplace in the cabin where he can see the action in the cockpit.
We named him Sailor but we later found out that he hates water (oops!). But he does love the boat, especially the dinghy. After anchoring he waits not-so-patiently on the aft swim step for the dinghy to be launched and the motor attached to "his" boat. The hardest part is keeping him cool during the summer. A fan on the floor helps. Early on we clipped him into a leash in the cockpit, but he has proven steady on his feet. You have to remember to trim his nails short enough so his pads get a good grip. When underway he's not a deck dog, preferring to wedge himself someplace in the cabin where he can see the action in the cockpit.
Here is what we do Dock II
Our dingy is a 9.4 foot Zodiac. It has two rings on top of each side tube. We have 4’ lines tied to the rings on port. We tie each line to a small cleat on each side of the boarding ladder. This keeps the dingy tight against the stearn. Our female (70 lbs, 5 years old) jumps in and out of the dingy with out problems. She is the athlete in the family. The male (90 lbs, 7 years old) will step down into the dingy. The biggest challenge is to get the dog to stand on the top of the hump at the helm seat so that he is centered on the gate. He usually needs some coaxing but he can do it by himself. To get him back into the boat, we get him to put his front paws up on the gunnel and then lift his back legs up. He helps with his front legs and it doesn’t take much strength. Hayden Watson 88 C30 tr/bs Papillon Spokane, WA
Our dingy is a 9.4 foot Zodiac. It has two rings on top of each side tube. We have 4’ lines tied to the rings on port. We tie each line to a small cleat on each side of the boarding ladder. This keeps the dingy tight against the stearn. Our female (70 lbs, 5 years old) jumps in and out of the dingy with out problems. She is the athlete in the family. The male (90 lbs, 7 years old) will step down into the dingy. The biggest challenge is to get the dog to stand on the top of the hump at the helm seat so that he is centered on the gate. He usually needs some coaxing but he can do it by himself. To get him back into the boat, we get him to put his front paws up on the gunnel and then lift his back legs up. He helps with his front legs and it doesn’t take much strength. Hayden Watson 88 C30 tr/bs Papillon Spokane, WA
Lacey on Livin Laid Back
This is Lacey our six year old Boxer who loves to sail! She grew up on the boat and knows how to pee on the bow, so we dont have to take her up on an island everytime she has to go!
This is Lacey our six year old Boxer who loves to sail! She grew up on the boat and knows how to pee on the bow, so we dont have to take her up on an island everytime she has to go!
Saylor is quite a sailor
Saylor, our 4 year old lab loves to sail. Actually, he loves to eat & sleep, but he doesn't mind sailing. We got him (as a 6 week old pup) on a Saturday & had him on the boat on Sunday. That was during Spring commissioning, so his 1st sailing experience was about a month later. Saylor loves people, everyone at the marina knows him. They don't all know my wife & I, to some we are just Saylor's mommy & daddy. Saylor is very well house trained & only pee'd on the boat once. It was his 1st overnight on anchor, he was about 3 months old. He woke us up at about 4am (as he could only hold it about 6 hours then). I put the little guy in the cockpit while I stumbled around for my shoes. The plan was to row him over to shore in the dink, but as I was putting on my shoes I heard the sound of pee hitting fiberglass. A simpler plan B presented itself, I dunked a bucket over the side, rinsed the cockpit & we went back to bed. Saylor prefers to be down below when we are underway (I mentioned he sleeps alot). We put his bed on the floor of the V berth. That way he can see us & is comfortable when the boat begins to heel. We have special harness for Saylor that my wife found on the internet. It was being sold by a police rescue organanization. These harnesses are made to pick a 120 pound dog (soaking wet) out of the water. It is so much better than others I've seen. Saylor has fallen off the dock a few time & I've been able to pick him right out, & they have a strong D ring so you could use a halyard if necessary. Saylor is kind of a pain to get in the dink, he is not much of a jumper & so he needs a little push both in & out. Hair is a problem, but it is so worth the trouble to have our sailing buddy aboard, he hasn't missed a trip yet. As a matter of fact, he is going down with me today to do a bit of winter maintenance, I'll work, he'll sleep.
Saylor, our 4 year old lab loves to sail. Actually, he loves to eat & sleep, but he doesn't mind sailing. We got him (as a 6 week old pup) on a Saturday & had him on the boat on Sunday. That was during Spring commissioning, so his 1st sailing experience was about a month later. Saylor loves people, everyone at the marina knows him. They don't all know my wife & I, to some we are just Saylor's mommy & daddy. Saylor is very well house trained & only pee'd on the boat once. It was his 1st overnight on anchor, he was about 3 months old. He woke us up at about 4am (as he could only hold it about 6 hours then). I put the little guy in the cockpit while I stumbled around for my shoes. The plan was to row him over to shore in the dink, but as I was putting on my shoes I heard the sound of pee hitting fiberglass. A simpler plan B presented itself, I dunked a bucket over the side, rinsed the cockpit & we went back to bed. Saylor prefers to be down below when we are underway (I mentioned he sleeps alot). We put his bed on the floor of the V berth. That way he can see us & is comfortable when the boat begins to heel. We have special harness for Saylor that my wife found on the internet. It was being sold by a police rescue organanization. These harnesses are made to pick a 120 pound dog (soaking wet) out of the water. It is so much better than others I've seen. Saylor has fallen off the dock a few time & I've been able to pick him right out, & they have a strong D ring so you could use a halyard if necessary. Saylor is kind of a pain to get in the dink, he is not much of a jumper & so he needs a little push both in & out. Hair is a problem, but it is so worth the trouble to have our sailing buddy aboard, he hasn't missed a trip yet. As a matter of fact, he is going down with me today to do a bit of winter maintenance, I'll work, he'll sleep.
2-PWDs
I sail with 2 Portuguese water dogs on a 30'ODay. Danny the oldest has been sailing with me since a pup when I had a 24' Seidlemann on a mooring. We would row out in a 7' glass dingy. The club menbers would laugh as danny tried to dump the dingy. We put on harnesses before we hit the dock and add a tether when sailing on deck. They want to be in the cockpit no matter what the wind. On a hot summer day they head for the water as soon as we dock.
I sail with 2 Portuguese water dogs on a 30'ODay. Danny the oldest has been sailing with me since a pup when I had a 24' Seidlemann on a mooring. We would row out in a 7' glass dingy. The club menbers would laugh as danny tried to dump the dingy. We put on harnesses before we hit the dock and add a tether when sailing on deck. They want to be in the cockpit no matter what the wind. On a hot summer day they head for the water as soon as we dock.
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