Only 31% of responding Catalina owners typically sail with pets aboard, according to last week's Quick Quiz. Have you tried and given up, or is the very thought of furry crew too much to handle. If you have brought animals aboard, how do they deal with heel? And of course, the ultimate test of sailing pets: sanitation. Deposit your opinions here.
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Paul Schumacher
Pets On Board
I would never allow any pets on board for several reasons the most important of which is that I'm allergic to all cats and most dog and I hate animal hair. I do sail frequently on two boats where the skipper allows his pets on board. In one situation the skipper allows his two large dogs on his 60' tri hull which has ample room and he permits this only during day sails - never during a race and he races often. In the other situation, the skipper rarely races but even in a race across Lake Ontario and back from the Port of Rochester, NY his dog is with us and is not ever in the way. He says that he will never sail again without a dog on board because of their nose - they can sense land long before any human. Sanitation can be a problem but it's taken care of without any real mess - the dog does his thing on the fore deck and the first mate promptly hoses it off. This dog actually made a lake crossing (over and back, 85 miles over 24 hours) without ever releaving himself. He won the "top dog" award at the awards banquet. I would consider this animal cruelty before anything else. In closing, I don't think there is a right or wrong answer to having pets on a boat. I wouldn't allow it but......
I would never allow any pets on board for several reasons the most important of which is that I'm allergic to all cats and most dog and I hate animal hair. I do sail frequently on two boats where the skipper allows his pets on board. In one situation the skipper allows his two large dogs on his 60' tri hull which has ample room and he permits this only during day sails - never during a race and he races often. In the other situation, the skipper rarely races but even in a race across Lake Ontario and back from the Port of Rochester, NY his dog is with us and is not ever in the way. He says that he will never sail again without a dog on board because of their nose - they can sense land long before any human. Sanitation can be a problem but it's taken care of without any real mess - the dog does his thing on the fore deck and the first mate promptly hoses it off. This dog actually made a lake crossing (over and back, 85 miles over 24 hours) without ever releaving himself. He won the "top dog" award at the awards banquet. I would consider this animal cruelty before anything else. In closing, I don't think there is a right or wrong answer to having pets on a boat. I wouldn't allow it but......
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wes
liveaboard golden
my golden and i liveaboard my cat.30. he loves it.he knows to go to leeward on a heel,and never has accidents on the boat.the only downside is the hair, goldens have lots of it,luckily i have a vacuum cleaner aboard. when we go somewhere i load him into the dink and take him ashore,or he jumps in and swims himself ashore in order to answer natures call. he's our f dock mascot and the best security system in the marina. if i could just get him to work a winch or mix a proper rum drink!!
my golden and i liveaboard my cat.30. he loves it.he knows to go to leeward on a heel,and never has accidents on the boat.the only downside is the hair, goldens have lots of it,luckily i have a vacuum cleaner aboard. when we go somewhere i load him into the dink and take him ashore,or he jumps in and swims himself ashore in order to answer natures call. he's our f dock mascot and the best security system in the marina. if i could just get him to work a winch or mix a proper rum drink!!
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Sue
Pets are companions
Pets should always be allowed on boats. Sometimes you can't enjoy your boat and leave your pet at home unattended. Why can't you have both? Pets make great companions and should always be with their masters, besides whats a little hair? It can always be cleaned up!
Pets should always be allowed on boats. Sometimes you can't enjoy your boat and leave your pet at home unattended. Why can't you have both? Pets make great companions and should always be with their masters, besides whats a little hair? It can always be cleaned up!
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Hayden Watson
netting is the answer
Our lab has been on our new boat avery time we have. We got our boat when he was a pup. We have safety netting all the way around the boat so the he and our 7 year old daughter don't fall overboard.
Our lab has been on our new boat avery time we have. We got our boat when he was a pup. We have safety netting all the way around the boat so the he and our 7 year old daughter don't fall overboard.
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Brad Elbein
Pets Aboard
I'm curious about Wes' comment and others. I sail with a couple of new LARGE dogs on an early 80s C30--the ones without the walk-through transom. How do you get the dog down into the dinghy, and then back into the boat again? I keep asking people and haven't heard a reasonable answer yet. This is putting a serious crimp in my sailing style.
I'm curious about Wes' comment and others. I sail with a couple of new LARGE dogs on an early 80s C30--the ones without the walk-through transom. How do you get the dog down into the dinghy, and then back into the boat again? I keep asking people and haven't heard a reasonable answer yet. This is putting a serious crimp in my sailing style.
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wes
response to brad
brad, i will tie up along side and sam will jump into the dink,or he just jumps into water and swims himself ashore. getting him back on board isnt as easy, i,ll put his pfd on him,the canine pfd has a d ring on the back of it.i attach a line to it and then winch him onboard. it,s not as bad as it sounds,and 9 times out of 10 having him with us is a blast. like i said the other day,if i could just get him to mix a rum drink it would be 10 out of 10. yall have fun and take a dog sailing,it will keep him/her out of your neighbors yard.
brad, i will tie up along side and sam will jump into the dink,or he just jumps into water and swims himself ashore. getting him back on board isnt as easy, i,ll put his pfd on him,the canine pfd has a d ring on the back of it.i attach a line to it and then winch him onboard. it,s not as bad as it sounds,and 9 times out of 10 having him with us is a blast. like i said the other day,if i could just get him to mix a rum drink it would be 10 out of 10. yall have fun and take a dog sailing,it will keep him/her out of your neighbors yard.
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Dave
Pets on Board
My wife and I sail a Capri26 on Northern Lake Michigan. Gus, our Brittany, goes with us on day sails, but for overnight, we put him in the kennel. On day sails when it is rough, he is uncomfortable and nervous. Our Vet advise us to give him one Drammine tablet about 45 min before we go out. He has never been sea sick, but the tablet puts him to sleep. He usually curls up on the rear berth and sleeps like a baby for the day sail. The older style drammine is better than the new "Less Drowsey" type.
My wife and I sail a Capri26 on Northern Lake Michigan. Gus, our Brittany, goes with us on day sails, but for overnight, we put him in the kennel. On day sails when it is rough, he is uncomfortable and nervous. Our Vet advise us to give him one Drammine tablet about 45 min before we go out. He has never been sea sick, but the tablet puts him to sleep. He usually curls up on the rear berth and sleeps like a baby for the day sail. The older style drammine is better than the new "Less Drowsey" type.
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Mike Hagerman
Labrador Express
If you own a dog (or like us, 4) and really love your dog(s), then they without question get to go sailing - but not all at once. We own 3 purebred Labradors and a part yellow Lab/part border collie/part people. Of the purebred Labs, one is the Mom and the other 2 are 2 of her puppies we couldn't part with. The puppies have been out 3 times on our '77 Cat 30. We bought 2 West Marine dog PFDs which give a Lab even more mobility and buoyancy in the water. The puppies have learned to go forward and show no signs of actually jumping in. (Momma, on the other hand, spent half the day yesterday trying to jump in.) We tried using "piddle pads" but the puppies seem to prefer the bow or even the side rail where everything flows out anyway. When we anchor at our favorite cove in Narragansett Bay, the puppies love to go swimming. The lack of a walk through transom is a challenge so we grab them by the PFD handle and plunk them in. To get them out, I designed a "PRV" (Pet Recovery Vehicle) out out a big laundry basket to winched up by a spare halyard. Unfortunately the tensile strength of the basket handles were no match for a 55 pound chocolate Lab puppy. Bottom line: Take your dog but plan ahead, and keep the pooper scooper handy. They're great sailing companions. We're working on tacking but they'll get the hang of sail trim next year.
If you own a dog (or like us, 4) and really love your dog(s), then they without question get to go sailing - but not all at once. We own 3 purebred Labradors and a part yellow Lab/part border collie/part people. Of the purebred Labs, one is the Mom and the other 2 are 2 of her puppies we couldn't part with. The puppies have been out 3 times on our '77 Cat 30. We bought 2 West Marine dog PFDs which give a Lab even more mobility and buoyancy in the water. The puppies have learned to go forward and show no signs of actually jumping in. (Momma, on the other hand, spent half the day yesterday trying to jump in.) We tried using "piddle pads" but the puppies seem to prefer the bow or even the side rail where everything flows out anyway. When we anchor at our favorite cove in Narragansett Bay, the puppies love to go swimming. The lack of a walk through transom is a challenge so we grab them by the PFD handle and plunk them in. To get them out, I designed a "PRV" (Pet Recovery Vehicle) out out a big laundry basket to winched up by a spare halyard. Unfortunately the tensile strength of the basket handles were no match for a 55 pound chocolate Lab puppy. Bottom line: Take your dog but plan ahead, and keep the pooper scooper handy. They're great sailing companions. We're working on tacking but they'll get the hang of sail trim next year.
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GB
Hounds
Own the c-dogg have two bassets born to sail sleep on a heel haqve met more people with doggs if not a animal lover have no use for you.
Own the c-dogg have two bassets born to sail sleep on a heel haqve met more people with doggs if not a animal lover have no use for you.
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Lee
Newfoundlands on board
Take a Newfie! We sail our C22 out of South Lake Tahoe. Having a Newfie on board means that we don't have to run the motor when becalmed. She would tow us anywhere. Haven't gotten the direction thing down yet, nor have we figured out how to get her back on board without docking (she weighs 150 pounds) or using a crane. Any suggestions? They're great day sailers, but the lavatory problem means having to come in at least once a day.
Take a Newfie! We sail our C22 out of South Lake Tahoe. Having a Newfie on board means that we don't have to run the motor when becalmed. She would tow us anywhere. Haven't gotten the direction thing down yet, nor have we figured out how to get her back on board without docking (she weighs 150 pounds) or using a crane. Any suggestions? They're great day sailers, but the lavatory problem means having to come in at least once a day.
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Paul Schumacher
Getting Large Dogs On and Off
Brad Elbein, I would do with your large dogs (on and off the boat) as I did with my handicapped mother - a bosuns chair type of arrangement works great!
Brad Elbein, I would do with your large dogs (on and off the boat) as I did with my handicapped mother - a bosuns chair type of arrangement works great!
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