Crew Wanted: 2 girls need a one-way to virgin islands!

[Auspicious]

Fly. Next?

[captsam54]

Originally Posted by s/v Jedi

What's wrong with booking a cruise and stepping off? You might even step back on later when you want to go back!

cheers,
Nick.

You can certainly do that.. That's how I went to Roatan last Dec... But no dog... You still have to pay for the whole trip...

Have been wondering why the Cruise ship company's don't offer more 1 way trips with the state of the economy Expensive Airline flights and TSA crap....

[David_Old_Jersey]

If the Dog can use a Chartplotter could sign on as Crew (or Skipper?) and avoid any quarantine issues. If anyone asks, just say he's from Canada.

[s/v Jedi]

Originally Posted by David_Old_Jersey

If the Dog can use a Chartplotter could sign on as Crew (or Skipper?) and avoid any quarantine issues. If anyone asks, just say he's from Canada.

[Sheabutta]

Originally Posted by hellosailor

Your fear of taking the dog flying??

Shea, I don't know how to tell you this but on real airlines, dogs can fly in the passenger cabin. yes, you may have to buy one or even three seats for them, depending on size. And yes, there are limits to the number of dogs allowed in the cabin so you have to reserve ahead. But dogs do not have to fly with the luggage, and the luggage does not have to be unpressurized, and in October the weather is generally moderate enough so there's no problem even if they do.

You ask your vet for a doggie sedative, drug bowser, spend a couple of hours on the place with him/her. That's going to be WAY less traumatic for the dog than being cooped up on a boat, with no place to pee, and all that rocking and rolling and heaven help you if there's a storm as October is still hurricane season.

Couple of hours in a strange environment, versus more than a week in one equally strange.

To me, the math says fly the dog. Unless you've got one of the few breeds that is considered too big to fly except as air cargo. They're not gonna be much fun on a boat, either.

I haven't found any airline that would let me fly him... Period. From north Carolina to the USVI had been so much more trouble that I thought which is why i thought boating was better. I just don't see how it's so hard to let him fly on the same flight, even if it is in the lower cabin. They're only allowed inside the cabin if they're small enough to get under the seat and I don't know how to make him into a service dog haha he's 80 lbs and this shouldn't be so impossible!!!

[hellosailor]

Where you fly from, and which airline you fly, makes a difference. I could fly my beast out of JFK, but not out of LGA (which is generally considered big enough to do anything) because of her size. Under the seat is one thing, but you can usually BUY multiple seats for the dog, who may still be required to be crated. In some cases the rear seat row will be removed so the crate can be flown there. In others, you just have to restrain the dog in the row.

Maybe from NC you've just got puddle jumpers to deal with. Call a few big-name airlines that fly into the USVI and ask them where you can load & fly out of.

An 80# service dog is not impossible but you'll have to explore that one their own. I've been heard to say that I will get another Newfoundland (175# bone dry) and have her trained as a service dog. Specifically, trained to jump on me and restrain me when some *hole asks me what the dog does. "He stops me from punching out *holes who think they're entitled to my medical history. My parole officer is amazed at how well he's been trained!"

You have a LITTLE dog. Airlines WILL will you fly it. You're going to have to work the phones for a while first.

[avb3]

Originally Posted by Sheabutta

I haven't found any airline that would let me fly him... Period. From north Carolina to the USVI had been so much more trouble that I thought which is why i thought boating was better. I just don't see how it's so hard to let him fly on the same flight, even if it is in the lower cabin. They're only allowed inside the cabin if they're small enough to get under the seat and I don't know how to make him into a service dog haha he's 80 lbs and this shouldn't be so impossible!!!

Have you checked any airlines?

It took me all of 2 minutes to verify that American Airlines flies from Raleigh, NC to USVI and it takes dogs.

You can see their pet policy here.

How come you could not find that?

The only exception are dogs with goofy noses (like bull dogs). If you have one of those, your SOL.

Here is the restricted list:

• Affenpinscher
• Bulldog (All breeds)
• Lhasa Apso
• Pug (All breeds)
• Cane Corso
• Mastiff (All breeds)
• Shar Pei
• Boston Terrier
• Dogue De Bordeaux
• Pekingese
• Shih Tzu
• Boxer (All breeds)
• English Toy Spaniel
• Pit Bull
• Tibetan Spaniel
• Brussels Griffon
• Japanese Chin
• Presa Canario

[carstenb]

WEll gals,

It is hurricane season about that time and virtually nobody is going to make that trip just then. What about the dog? Does he have any seagoing experience? Just for the sake of argument, is the dog trained to pee and shit over the side? At the masthead? Do you really think a skipper is going to agree to take a dog that will be crapping all over the salon?

When the seas get rough ( and they will) who is going to put on their lifeline and "walk the dog" on deck?

Better rethink this

[ArtM]

Originally Posted by Sheabutta

2 girls and 1 dog need a one way ride to the US Virgin Islands... We want to leave in October an are trying to plan now. We don't have any sailing experience, however, we are fast learners and can cook like crazy! Compensation can be negotiated- help! Thanks
Shea & Amanda

Speaking of crazy, here's an idea.

What if you BUY a boat, then try to find someone who will help you sail it there? Then you can load it up with as much "crap" as you wish (household crap, dogcrap, whatever you like)

Ehh, this is probably too crazy and complicated to consider. I can see some upsides, but then I can also see some headlines in the N.C. newspapers.

[Cormorant]

That's the idea that occurred to me, too. Maybe not a sailboat, but a motorboat with some sort of sleeping quarters. Something cheap but functional that can be sold as a fishing boat / light cruiser once in the Virgins.

Take the ICW to Miami, then hop along through the Bahamas . . . read up on "the Thornless Path." Tons of fun, relatively safe, an adventure to remember . . . and you get yourselves and your dog and your stuff safely to the BVI.

[Cormorant]

Here's one in Orrum, just an hour and a half from you, with trailer! Sell the trailer before you go for a bit of extra cash.

25' steury cuddy cabin

25' steury cuddy cabin - $3500 (orrum)

Date: 2012-06-27, 11:58AM EDT
Reply to: x9xp9-3104482933@sale.craigslist.org

motor was just rebuilt it might have an hour on it. have clean and clear title. boat is water ready could use some cosmetic work nothing major call or txt james @ 9103012819 or sandra at 9103012820 thanks for looking...


Have a great trip!

[carstenb]

So you want to send a couple of gals with no sailing experience, no navigational skills out on the open water in the middle of hurricane season, brining an 80 lb dog with them, in a motorboat that they probably have no idea of how to buy or maintain.

Did someone say we have responsible skippers on this forum?

Get real - the chances they would make it are small - but it's only themselves they will be killing (although I feel sorry for the dog - who has no choice in this)

[Cormorant]

Well, it was a bit of a joke. . . .

Though if they found someone with boating experience to serve as their captain and engineer, they could certainly do it. No need to be exposed to a hurricane on "open water" on that route, with decent weather forecasts. Most of the legs are day trips or less. The longest hop is maybe 2 days, and plenty of safe harbors to hole up in if the dreaded whirlygirl approaches.

Anyway, I know it's not a workable proposition for these two, who seem to be on a tight time schedule, and need expertise as well, whether learned or hired. But it's an interesting thought experiment.

[carstenb]

I know I'll catch hell for this from some of the female skippers here, but Atoll is right

Change the title on your thread to

"2 virgins seeking 3 way to the islands".

Should get a response on that

Did I just make myself into a male chauvinist pig? OH what the hell.

[atoll]

wasn't me that came up with that variation!

twas ex-calif! i wasn't that brave