Getting Golden Retriever Aboard Sundeck

[Jim Albertson]

Can anyone please help us figure out how we can live on a mooring with a Golden Retriever if we don't have a walk-thru transom? We are about to buy a sundeck, and it's 4'6" to the deck from the water or swim platform. Does anyone have any ideas? Our dog, Annie, is not an acrobat.

[gettinthere]

Originally Posted by Jim Albertson

We are about to buy a sundeck,

you haven't made the mistake yet, so don't.

Sundeck boats are only good at the dock. At sea they are top heavy and uncomfortable. On the hook they are hard to get on and off. During docking they are hard to line handle.

[ActiveCaptain]

Someone from our site submitted an article that we put up demonstrating the problem and their solution:
https://www.activecaptain.com/articl.../allAshore.php

[Boomp]

I have a 60+ golden-doodle that has to be wrestled aboard. As difficult as that may be from the dinghy to the cockpit, its still less complicated than using a specially made hoist....there has got to be a better way. When I find it, I'll share it. Keep me in the loop!

[Blue Stocking]

Two things in my life I love, other than my wife, are Golden Retrievers and sailing.
But I cannot reconcile in my mind how you can make the dog and the boat work out.

[Jim Albertson]

We got Annie when she was 8 weeks old. She likes the boat. We just sold our sailboat and are in process of buying a trawler. We spend 100% of our time in Florida and the Bahamas. We have a 17 ft. Whaler for a dinghy she loves. She is special her name
is ABACO ANNIE.

[nv5l]

My australian shepherd, Zoe, is only 35 lbs, so she's small enough that I can easily carry her on and off. She could, and would, jump onto the dock, but I installed netting to prevent loosing her.

Unfortunately, you may need to either match the boat to the dog, or the dog to the boat, unless you're able to add some sort of swim platform, but you have a lot of freeboard, don't you?

[capngeo]

I made a carpeted plank affair for my dad's goldens... worked well

[RPaden]

We have a 42 pound English Springer Spaniel, Maggie that sails with us. I attach the handle on the top of her life jacket to our Forespar Motor Mate Lifting Davit on the deck and then have my wife lower her down to me in on the dock or while we are at anchor, to our dingy. It works well for me and my wife and the dog is securely fastened. The motor mate can lift up to 100 Lbs. I hope it works for your Golden. You might want to try it.
Dick
S/V Petite Cherie
Severna Park, MD

[BessLB]

Jim, I have a 35' Sundeck and a 50 pound pointer. At the dock, we have a ramp. To do the "dinghy dance", We use a canvas sling. It's actually the canvas tote for our firewood cradle. I put the dog's PFD on, then sling him in the cradle.....Hubby is down on the swim platform. I hand the dog in the sling through the transom door to Tom on the swim platform. He holds the dog until I get down the ladder and in the dinghy, then he hands him over to me and we sit down. Then Tom joins us and starts the motor. It's totally doable...and we enjoy being out at anchor!

(we also find ours comfortable in seaways and easy line handling with wide side decks, but that's just our sundeck)