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Bear went sailing with me this weekend on my . I don't take him with me very often - mostly because I worry about him falling out of the boat. He's very attached to me and follows everywhere I go, including walking on the skinny bits of the boat when I go forward to the mast or bow.

But, this picture was nice so I figured I'd share it with y'all. I hate leaving him behind all day. Maybe I should get him his own harness so he stays put in the cockpit? Bathroom breaks for him also are a concern.

Anyone else want to share pictures of their sailing adventures with their pets? Or have any tips for keeping them safe?

FYI, include a line from the harness to an anchor point for extra safety.

LordElsinore wrote: ↑Sun Jul 06, 2025 8:55 pm

Bear went sailing with me this weekend on my . I don't take him with me very often - mostly because I worry about him falling out of the boat. He's very attached to me and follows everywhere I go, including walking on the skinny bits of the boat when I go forward to the mast or bow.

But, this picture was nice so I figured I'd share it with y'all. I hate leaving him behind all day. Maybe I should get him his own harness so he stays put in the cockpit? Bathroom breaks for him also are a concern.

Anyone else want to share pictures of their sailing adventures with their pets? Or have any tips for keeping them safe?

dlandersson wrote: ↑Mon Jul 07, 2025 8:42 am FYI, include a line from the harness to an anchor point for extra safety.

Ha ha, not the kind of pets I had in mind, but same principle I guess

Chance on Lake Weir


Molly on the St Johns south of Jacksonville

Eggzactly

Be Free wrote: ↑Mon Jul 07, 2025 5:18 pm
Chance on Lake Weir


Molly on the St Johns south of Jacksonville

We love bringing MacGregor with us in the cooler weather.
He has his own life jacket with a lifting handle and we tether him to the pedestal eye with one of those spring reel type leads.
He loves the freedom to move to wherever the Admiral is…
I like that should he ever go over he’s gonna be visible neon green, float and I can reel him back in!

Back in the ninety’s we sailed a MAC 25 with two children and two Boxer dogs for weekend camping trips in Arizona (yeah, I was younger then!). We trained both the bitch and the dog to hang their rear ends over the side to pee, and they had done so for years. One day a sudden gust tossed the male overboard “mid stream” so to speak in lake Roosevelt January water. No harm, the floaty worked and he was still attached to the boat on a long line so we could loose the sails, start the motor and back up to get him. But for the rest of his life, we had to anchor and take him ashore when it was “time”. He was no way ever going to risk that cold plunge again!
I also learned that day, no matter how tough you think you are, getting a furious, 85 pound dog back in a high freeboard sailboat won’t happen without mechanical advantage! You ain’t bending down and plucking him from the water! We immediately started planning and practicing for how my 90 pound wife would ever get 200 pound me back aboard in a similar situation