[C320-list] Crew Overboard!

[bruceheyman at cox.net]

We had a live-a-board on our dock with a curious cat.  Unfortunately we all found our dodgers leaked wherever the cat chose to climb.
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-----Original Message-----
From: Robert Seastream <robert.seastream at comcast.net>
Sender: c320-list-bounces at lists.catalina320.com
Date: Wed, 15 Sep 2010 18:32:56 
To: <C320-List at Catalina320.com>
Reply-To: C320-List at Catalina320.com
Subject: Re: [C320-list] Crew Overboard!

If more than an overnight, we take our ~4 year old cat, Kepler,  
along.  She's seaworthy in all but the worst weather...at which times  
we may be 'singing lunch' along with her.  She knows she want's  
nothing to do with water, so as long as we're on an anchor or mooring,  
she requires little watching.  Put us in a slip and she's like a  
teenager...wants to explore the world and confident she can save  
herself.  Even if there exists a lifejacket for such a small being, we  
doubt she'd wear it.  We have netting along the lifelines to keep her  
'in play', since we believe she could fall overboard out of  
curiousity.  While not declawed, her claws would have little effect on  
fiberglass.  Regarding your dog, count your blessings.  I wish our cat  
wasn't so inquisitive, thus requiring watching.  You might consider  
lining your cabin stairs with some 'nonskid' material if you wish to  
encourage her to go in/out of the cabin/cockpit herself.  The booties  
likely feel strange to her.

Bob Seastream
Intuition # 906


On Sep 15, 2010, at 3:36 PM, Annie Bennett wrote:

> I wonder what percentage of us take our dogs or other animals  
> sailing with us  My miniature schnauzer, Fitz, always accompanies me  
> on Topcat but as soon as we get on the boat she whoofs to be taken  
> below deck out of the sun  She keeps a beady eye on what is  
> happening on deck from the couch and is quick to jump to the low  
> side after a tack but she can't manage the companionway stairs and  
> finds the cockpit very slippery so only comes on deck when she is  
> sitting being held on someone's lap.  In winter she makes a good hot  
> waterbottle.
>
> We tried lifejackets and little red leather booties for better grip  
> but as she only wants to be on deck when we are moored and with the  
> sun awning up decided not to get either - although with a more  
> active dog I think a life jacket would be essential.
>
> Annie Bennett
> 1073
>
> On 15/09/2010, at 3:48 AM, Alan Goodman <goodmanalanlee at hotmail.com>  
> wrote:
>
>>
>>
>> I single hand on Lake Michigan with Molly, my 50# chow/husky mix.   
>> I will not take her out when small craft or worse warnings are in  
>> effect.  As a result, when she does come with me, I do not need to  
>> tether myself to the padeye mounted on the outside bulkhead under  
>> the companionway.  Molly wears the same 'sled dog type' harness on  
>> the boat that she wears when ashore.  When underway I use a tether  
>> just long enough to allow her up on the benches and short enough to  
>> keep her from interfering with the helm.  At anchor, she just uses  
>> a life jacket.  Like my human crew, my focus is keeping her on the  
>> boat.  It will take a real SNAFU to have her go DIA (dog in  
>> water).  Alan Hull 67 Holland MI
>>
>>