K-9 crew

[Joe11688]

My First Mate, Penelope Pitbull

I've always sailed with my dog because my wife won't go anymore, and it's just as well. When I adopted Penelope Pitbull,I started her out as soon as the boating season got underway. I put a doggy PFD on her anytime we got in the sailboat or kayak and she seems to love both boats. She has no trouble climbing into the kayak from the sailboat, and she can leap right out of the kayak and up into the cockpit of my O'Day 222 with ease. She's not too eager to go into the water, but she will go in if I call her in, or if she sees another dog that she might want to go over and play with,only when I give her permission. I usually take her over to the Island to curb her at about 8:00pm and she's good for the night. She hasn't fallen off the boat accidently, but I am planning on teaching her this summer, to put her head underwater, by holding her favorite ball just below the surface for her to take from my hand. I did this with my other dog and it allows them to learn to control their breath underwater. Penny is from Little Rock Arkansas, and is part Pit Bull and part Greyhound. She's 14 months old now, but she shows a lot of promise and loves to be with me. She also loves our yacht club as a second home. Dogs are great company on boats, and are a lot of fun to have along. Some of my friends have sold their boats,with the lame excuse,"I couldn't get anyone to go boating with me." I say, " take your dog!"

 

[s sauer]

Salty Dogs

We've had Labs on our boat since 1987. As with all personalities, some loved it, some just tolerate it, but there are a few very important issues to remember. They need their water dish as much or more than they do on land, particularly in the summer heat. Ours seemed to control their water intake and wait to do their 'business' after they got off the boat. We also don't take a Black Lab or Chocolate Lab out when it's too hot and make sure they have shade under the bimini. We always have a body harness on them and a doggie life jacket if they are not leashed. We never let any of the dogs walk around on deck when the boat is underway, as we once had our black lab loose her footing and slide backwards through the life lines even though there were lacings from the toerail to each life line. They love to swim and play in shallow water when we anchor close to shore. When I dive under to scrub the bottom, our oldest gets concerned and paddles out to 'save'me. We are able to lift them by the harness as they climb up the sloped transom. Since going down ladders can be dangerous for them, I have 'helped' them off the boat by carrying them down the ladder to a dingy or falling in withthem in my arms if we're swimming. It's been a lot of fun to share this part of our life with true water loving dogs.

 

[Greig Carroll]

Missing crew

Like Bill V. I lost an important member of my crew this fall. Barney was a beagle/greyhound mix. Perfect for the boat. We had a lifejacket for him because he had a habit of backing to the high side when heeling. A couple of times we either heeled too far or he backed up too far and went over the side. He soon learned that if he sat on the cockpit deck all he had to do was put up a paw to brace himself and after a tack he would just raise the other paw. It was really neat to watch. Mind you when sailing flat he would curl up on the cushion and bask in the sun. When ever anyone went forward he would assist them and when ever I got close to land he would start to whine to let me know it was soon time to tack. After 15 years as a member of the crew he is missed very much. I have decided not to get another dog. I plan on doing some long distance sailing and I don't feel it would be fair to a dog to be confined to the boat for long periods. I know a lot of people do it, but I believe in giving them lots of running room. So for now I'll sail alone if no one else is available. Bye Barney

 

[Nelson Windsor]

Sailing Dogs

We sail with two Keeshonds. We used to have one but my wife thought one dog was lonely so she bought her a puppy. Fortunately neither dog gets sea sick and we have been out in some pretty rough weather. They normally wear life jackets when on deck unless just sleeping on the cockpit sole which seems to be their favorite place. We do not have netting on the life lines but it probably would not be a bad idea. Usually each dog will fall in at least once during the season but it is usually when we are in a marina and they try to jump from boat to dock or vice versa. The only negative is the hair but our friends have learned to adjust. The best thing we did is send the dogs to "puppy bootcamp". The trainer was amazing and now we don't have to take them ashore when anchored, a piece of astroturf on the bow does the trick.

 

[liken]

Iris and Lilly

I sail with my two dogs Iris and Lilly. They are pomeranian's. They are great sailing dogs. When my husband and I are on the water we thread their leash to their harness's and tie it to the pedestal. They love sailing. I dip them in the lake often when its hot.

 

[Steve and Patti]

Feline Crew!

We sail with "Grace", a three-year-old tortioseshell female. She's logged over 3,000 miles of coastal cruising over the last two years. She is equally at ease tied alongside or heeled 25 degrees on a beat. We find here MUCH easier to sail with than a dog, as the number of trips ashore for, well... business...is zero.

 

[David Lundeen]

Dog crews

We are on our fourth boat and second black lab in fifteen years and have never had a significant problem. Our dog has always worn a bright yellow vest while underway or in the dinghy.

 

[capn Bill]

You bet your boots!

Well - I no longer have a dog, but if my pooch was still alive, you bet your boots he'd be my sailing buddy! Bill on STARGAZER

 

[Coach]

Dogs and sailing go hand and hand

Took the dog quite a few times last year and she loved it! Just lays down and enjoys the wind in her face.

 

[Quiet Island]

The Dog-Plank

We constructed a boarding gangplank for Arthur T. Dog, to make life a little easier while boarding from the dink. It made it a little easier for us as well.

 

[Quiet Island]

Arthur T. Dog

Could life get any easier than this early morning dog walk?

 

[Hector]

Let's get real !

OK it's time to disagree, I am sad for the selfish people that must have a dog on board. I find it very hard to beleive that so many sail boat owners love to sail with their dogs, I personaly think it's Irresponsible. No matter what size of a dog they might bring onboard,ALL of them are violating some fundamental principles of mother nature. Just think of the many implications, such as: the physiological needs of those poor beasts on board a confined space, the chance that they might become orcas/sharks or crabs chum. If you love your dog leave the creature at home on solid land !

 

[Jose Venegas]

Canine bad weather gear

Hector, you are missing a point!. A dog's life on board is usually better than on the ground. ;D

 

[Les Blackwell]

A story about a boat, the dog and the owners

There is a delightful story about a friend who had just bought a 30 foot sailboat. It was in great shape but had no dinghy. I said to the new skipper he could use my old but in excellent shape 9 foot Avon inflatable until he found what he wanted ina dinghy. He accepted and came over to get it. I asked had he ever used one before and he remarked that he had used an Avon on a number of occasions on other boats.A short time later he decided to go for a day sail with lunch in a particular cove. His wife came along and brought their black lab. They had a good sail, the lab and wife did well and they reached their cove in good style.Once anchored, the wife wanted to get the dog ashore for a visit. The skipper pumped up the Avon, put the caps on and lowered it into the water. Then his wife got in and he picked up the dog and lowered the dog into the inflatable. With that the wife proceded to row ashore. But a slight problem existed--the Avon seem to have a leak. There was enough air to get to shore but the wife was concerned about getting back. While the dog raced around and did his thing, the wife proceded to try and blow up the Avon tubes with her mouth. When the dog was finished, she put the dog in the inflatable and pushed off to return to the boat.A short time from shore, it was obvious that the Avon was sinking. The wife rowed harder but it was a losing cause. Shortly after that, the dog decided that swimming was the better of the situation and jumped overboard. Meanwhile the wife was getting lower and lower in the water. When she reached the boat, the dinghy was essentially under water. The skipper got the wife on board, then looked for his dog who had swam over to a different boat. The other skipper got the dog and rowed him back to the right boat. After retreving the now flat inflatable, the skipper and his wife discussed my parentage.When they got back, the skipper called me and asked if the inflatable had a leak? I said not that I knew of. He then told me this story. I asked had he "fixed" the air intakes so they would not leak air back out. After a long pause he remarked that maybe he had forgotten that little step in blowing up the inflatable. I don't know if wife and dog have gone sailing since.....

 

[Bruce Gant]

Cabin Dog

Our dog likes to go wherever we are. While he wears a life vest when underway, he doesn't like to get his feet wet(maybe he's part cat!!). The one time he ended up in the water, convinced him not to chase other boats again!

 

[Fred Ficarra]

As I type this, with a dog on my lap,

many of these stories are hard to take. I guess I'm not the only dog lover here.

 

[Jenny]

Sailing Dog

Our dog Taos always sails with us. He wears a PFD and prefers light air sailing. He's never fallen overboard but has fallen off the dock at the Marina - he didn't like being in the water at all.

 

[Dave]

Companion animal on-board

The pros and cons of having your furry companions on board are as varied as the people who bring them along or leave them home. As for us, for day sailing and weekend cruising we took the critters with us. They were our family. The dog loved being out and could not wait to get on board. The cat HATED motoring and nid out in the Vee-Berth, but would come out to the cockpit for sailing. Both critters always wore lifejackets as do all on board. If we were racing, then they stayed home, although the picture shows my favorite tactical advisor hard at work. Both have lived out their lives and are sorely missed. Fair Winds.

 

[Don H]

Sailing Border Collie

When I take the family out sailing, I include Molly, our 70lb Border Collie. She really enjoys sailing on my ComPac 16 sailboat in the Los Angeles Harbor behind the break wall. Even when I do not plan to take her along, she shows her interest as I hitch up the trailer because she wants to come. When I send the night anchored off Island Grissom, Molly sleeps before the mast up on the Vee storage shelf (ComPac 16's are too small to have a Vee berth suitable for people, but its OK for Molly.) I typically keep Molly's harness on along with the leash while we sail, in part so she can disembark with the rest of us when we pull up to a dock. I have purchased a yellow "doggie" life vest but have yet to go sailing with it. The greatest accomodation I must make for Molly is in limiting the total time out on the water between visits to the shore, for she simply is not able to use the porta-potty. With only this limitation, she is a great sailer.Don H.

 

[David]

100 Lb Collie

Back in the late 50's, 60's, & 70's when I was a kid we had a beautiful 100 pound Collie named Jeff. I grew up with him and he as much a part of the neighborhood as any of us kids were. My folks had a 35' Chris Craft and Jeff came with us every weekend. His favorite spot was on the transom seat under way or pierside. When we went swiming he did too. He jumped right in. Jeff was always the center of the party. We would anchor close to the beach so he could go ashore or an old carpet sample worked on board. I remember Dad telling the story that he spent $800 on a teak swim platform just to get Jeff in and out of the water. I had him from the time I was 8 until he died 16 years later when I was 24. I met more girls with that dog than you can imagine. What a wonderful memory. Today we don't have any dogs but we do have a cat and he stays home.David