DaySailer.org Forum

Any tips for sailing with dogs? I just took our dachshund puppy out for her first voyage. She only fell in once. She has a cool lime-green life jacket, much nicer than my own PFD, with a tether and a convenient handle for dog-overboard recovery. I may have her wear it all the time, even in the house. But she's always pulling the wrong line (even though I labeled them all last week.) And her tether got caught up in the sheet and just about gybed her little tubuler body right through the main ratchet. Otherwise, she seemed to have a great time. I introduced her to the tradition of snacks on the lake, and as soon as we got back to the dock, she ran up to other sailors and began lying about the trip. So I think she'll do fine, but I'm open to suggestions.

The guy you see in the background here (Balto, a 70 lb White German Shepherd)



has been out twice on TRW. Both times he jumped overboard, and DOB drills were performed. He was hauled back aboard, and he was not a happy camper. However, another time he swam about 200 yards from the shore out to meet the boat as I was coming back in, when we were having a cookout at Lake Dias. So who knows? I don't think he likes being on the boat - all the motions tend to freak him out. Your mileage may vary according to dog type, size, etc. There are plenty of WCTSS folks who bring their dogs along, but they are generally in larger boats than the DS ...

I just saw a dog in one of those great limegreen lifejackets today. It put a big grin on my face and then I noticed its crew in the cockpit had noticed my grin and were grinning back.

Years ago my German Shepherd would chase me down if no one held onto her. I remember going out in our Sunfish with one of my kids and being, maybe a quarter-mile out and noticing that we had a chase dog. We had to go back and get her and haul her in with us, and of course she had to shake all over us. Dogs in boats!

Sailed for years on our C-22 with our cocker spaniel, he was a great sailing dog. He would curl up on top of the cuddy and snooze until a power boat came by and would then sound the alarm until they were out of earshot. He was first on the boat at the dock and first off. Never fell in. Just remember to give them plenty of water. They dehydrate quickly in the wind and sun. Dogs can be lots of fun on a sailboat. oh, the life jackets are great.