Does anyone have experience of taking a dog sailing? Or anecdotes to put one off even contemplating it?
Background - as mentioned elsewhere, I acquired a puppy last year (retriever/labrador cross), whose exercise and other requirements (I reckon about 3 hours a day: mind you, it has done miraculous things to my waistline) slowed my boat building progress down so that I wasn't ready for this past glorious season (only joking: yes, I do live in the UK and on this planet). Yes, I was asked and said no, and got him anyway: yes, he should have gone back pronto, but he was a sort of thanksgiving for my rather zippy recovery from potentially serious surgery, so I felt a bit muzzled (ha-ha). Anyway, 18 months down the line he is 40 kg of amiable, lively hound, and I've sort of adjusted to having him around and manage to depute some of the dog-walking - sometimes. And the boat is finished (see Home Builders' thingy).
One problem is that he has become an enthusiastic swimmer, aided and abetted by other members of the family and facilitated by a plethora of ponds hereabouts which have been brim-full of (fairly clean, thankfully) water all this year, thanks to the weather. But I don't think he'll make the distinction, fairly important in the circs, between IN and ON the water. After an initial period of quite useful (and entertaining?) 'man/dog overboard' practice, and bearing in mind his usefulness as ballast (not nearly so crucial in my new boat), I'm blowed if I want to spend my time hauling a big wet hound aboard every time he fancies a dip, which would be frequently, knowing him. I know he would need, but I doubt he'd appreciate, a considerable buoyancy aid. Etc etc.
Anyway, hints etc would be helpful, and I wouldn't mind being told, 'don't even think of going there', because then I won't.
Michael
