Getting Dog from Water into Sailboat

[kcoffey]

I want to take my dog cruising this season. he is six months old now, well on his way to what will be about 70 lbs full grown, loves water and swimming, and is a good car traveler. One problem: how can I get the dog from the water back onto the boat?

My sailboat has pretty significant freeboard, and the transom is slighly past vertical. No problem for humans climbing the fold-down boarding ladder with standoffs, but there is no way that the dog will be able to climb a vetical ladder with small steps. So I hope that one of you has some experience with an attachable, stowable, device that the dog can use to climb out of the water.

[kokopelli9]

There is such a device...it resembles a ramp that fits on the side and a dog can be trained to climb aboard via this path...and there are several marine equiment catalog stores that carry it..seems like to me that Overton''s may be one of them. I would like to caution you, though, against letting your dog being permitted to jump overboard from your boat. I know of someone who''s dog was killed when he jumped overboard trying to reach another boat with a dog on it...he was hit by a third boat in the water. Practice the same safe rules with your dog that you would with any small child.

[entwistle]

Just ordered a new vest for my dog that I think will help you . Check out there web site headsupflotation.com . My friends in Key Largo had one on Mister Wally there dog . Thought it was a great product.Have not tried it on my boat but if you hook up the handles on the vest to a halard you could pull her right on board. Rob

[i670684]

This outfit has some products that may be of use, depending on your boat:

http://www.divendog.com/

Dave

[catamount]

Our dog is a 140-pound Newfie-Retriever mix. He loves swimming in the water (even ice water!), and also enjoys riding on the boat, but we don''t combine the two activities (at least not on purpose) ... He won''t even jump off a low floating dock, preferring to wade in from shore.

[Irwin32]

Here is another source for boarding devices:

http://www.pawsaboard.com

[grumoll]

great products, perhaps a bit pricey for a retired old man -- but my concern is not getting louie in/out, its how to get him to poop on board -- anybody solved that one??

thanks, bob

[dahoser]

I too would like to know the answer to this one. My lab "jontue" will wait forever.
Russ

[Sasha_V]

I guess I must count myself lucky. The very first time we took our Newfoundland out on the boat, the only time he left the cockpit was to hop up on the aft deck, prop himself so that the pushpit rail was against his back and do his thing right over the side!

I am also grateful that the upright support of the pushpit has been designated "tree" as well....Rather then the mast, with all the halyards coming out of the base.

Friends of ours have an astroturf mat on the foredeck. Their collie always goes on it and then one of them throws it over the side on its rope (its attached by one corner) and thus washes it off before hauling it back on deck.

Considering jib sheets and things. I definately think I got the better end of the deal.

Sasha