CATS...(MEOW TYPE)

[lotuseker]

First time for me to this forum, and I hope that my first question isn't too dumb! I'm working 3 jobs to get the down-payment for my boat and start my new life and sail to the isle of MOREA, w.n.w. of Tahiti and live in hopes of starting an island charter service.(if I make money? Great! if I don't ? WHO CARES! ). I also have 2 "cats...meow type" and intend to take them with me . Does anyone know of possible links to sites where animal flotation devices can be had? Y'all will be seeing a great deal of me in this room! after all CEASAR AGUSTUS wasn't Great because He was Brilliant, He was Brilliant because He surrounded Himself with GREAT Generals! I hope that my query doesn't cause too much laughter?

[knottybuoyz]

Don't waste your money on a PFD for a cat. They're big and bulky and the cat will for sure be able to wiggle out of it. Cats can swim really well if they have to. We bought one for our cat and she can't even stand up in it. Pretty much useless except for a few laughs when tormenting the cat by putting her PFD on.

[Microship]

I have a PFD for my cat and it seems to be fairly stable, although to be fair, she hasn't had occasion to try to seriously escape (a piteous "mew" is enough to make me relent, remove it, and soothe a ruffled ego). The best part, though, it that it has a handle. She looks a bit bewildered and is strangely calm when I carry her like a briefcase.

More seriously, the biggest issue (for me, anyway) with taking a cat cruising is her wandering off... even though she has done about 25,000 miles with me on land. There are disturbing tales of kitties exploring the marina, finding an intriguing open hatch with interesting galley smells, and jumping onto a V-berth somewhere... only to have no way out. My solution to all this is a light-weight harness with a bit of electronics: a remotely actuated blinking LED and beeper along with a simple RF beacon (not GPS, just a homing signal... tiny and lightweight, though a bit challenging to track). I've played with getting her to haul around a wireless video camera, but the range is too short to be practical and they gobble too much power.

(The beacon is surprisingly easy - just a crystal oscillator worth a couple of bucks and a quarter-wave dipole antenna threaded through the harness. The circuit power-cycles it at 2 Hz to make a recognizable signal, and standard ham-radio "fox hunting" techniques are used to home in. Good for a mile or so on land, and very low current drain. A better solution would be one of the systems they sell for falconry, with a hand-held folding yagi antenna... but they are EXPENSIVE.)

The remote-actuation bit is easy with some of the RF modules from sparkfun.com (no relation, just a happy customer of their varied gizmology).

Cheers,
Steve (and Java-the-cat)

[lotuseker]

Hi knottybouyz,
That is what I have come to believe about the devices! I on the other hand have come up with a design that circumvents the bulk and hassle of putting it on and time constraints. When I CAN FIND A "GRAPHICS DESIGNER" TO RENDER MY IDEA FOR PRESENTATION TO A PATTEN LAWYER, I'll be able to market it. honestly? in rough seas or mild , I don't want to think about my cat overboard and possibly becoming a "snack" for some barracuda or shark! lol . that's why I asked for links to possible sites. to see if ANY other devices come close to mine. and I don't think any do.please keep in touch if I can answer ANY questions about it. and thanks for your interest, and not laughing too hard at my query. [IMG]file:///C:/DOCUME~1/GABRIE~1/LOCALS~1/Temp/Emoticon1.gif[/IMG]
lotuseker
======================
"Dream as if you'll live forever! Live as if you'll die today"
Jimmy Dean

[blahman]

Good luck picking a cat up in a rough or mild seas. It's hard enough to see a flailing human on a calm sunny day! Cats don't like the deck when it's snotty - they get wet. Mine hate it, at least. Further, they're not clumsy like other animals - I don't expend much thought on whether they'll stay aboard. In fact, I'm always astounded to find they don't even wake up for storms.

Fair leads,
Aaron N.

[Steve Rust]

Have you checked the laws reguarding bringing an animal into French Polyensia? Many of the pacific island nations have strict regulations about this and in some places it is not allowed.
Have you checked into the regulations about operating a business there. As a foreign national (my assumption) you cannot just show up with your boat and set up a charter operation. Get some facts so your dreams have a good foundation to build on.

[lotuseker]

blahman,
if you've read earlier on this post you would have seen that I had said that my design was very innovative in its concept. not to worry in an animals retrieval , its ALL made into the design! since I lost my wife , my cat is the only family I have and she is one soul more i chose not to lose. call me a sappy romantic if you chose but in the same breath? call me practical.

[lotuseker]

Steve Rust,
be it known that EVERY thing you have said is of invaluable worth! where I was in the dark ? you have lighted a torch of insight.all you have said is worth intense scrutiny and research! it shall be done! as a brief insight into my Psyche? if we can indulge in metaphors. at this point in my life , I am a land-lubing grub who is attempting to break out from the chrysalis of B.S. cooperate sloth and excuses and emerge as a free spirit of the trade winds of life. I realize this may all sound rather bellicose , but hey, f**k it ! that's my reality.I'm working 3 jobs in order to earn the down payment for a "Belize 43 or a Trimaran of equal length and girth, studying French on line , taking coast guard classes at night school, sailing classes on the week-ends that I can get away from work commitments and basically doing everything I can to get out of DODGE! As a child after reading HOMER and the travails of Ulysses , I've known the name of my boat to be in this future. If you've read of his 10 year journey to reunite with his wife Penelope , he happened upon the isle of " the Lotus Eaters".Need I say more? I really didn't mean to be so verbose or eloquent, but that's what happens when the underwear one wears is too tight!

[lotuseker]

blahman,
permit me a silly question? do you maintain a "privy" for your cat while sailing? to-wit, do you have a "sand box"? and if so do you bring along with you adequate "litter"? there is a purpose and reason to my question.
thanks.
lotuseker

[Steve Rust]

Lotuseker
If you have not already done so read Ernle Bradford's book Ulysses Found