We just purchased a Carver 4207 to cruise and live aboard. We have a couple of dogs and want to protect them by installing netting around the deck to keep them from going "swimming". Are there different levels of quality of netting available and where is the best place to purchase it?
Dog Safety
- Thread starter mikekomm
- Start date
The friendliest place on the web for anyone who enjoys boating.
If you have answers, please help by responding to the unanswered posts.
If you have answers, please help by responding to the unanswered posts.
windmist
Guru
I've seen some people use netting but my wife decided to use normal 3/16" nylon rope and make her own design. It turned out to look better than netting. This is a picture that I hope you can make out. Note the railing on the upper deck. She also did a similar pattern on the forward deck.
Ron
Attachments
CPseudonym
Moderator Emeritus
Very nice Ron. A huge improvement over many of the options seen in my area. Frugal, practical and attractive. A win/win/win 
BruceK
Moderator Emeritus
- Joined
- Oct 31, 2011
- Messages
- 13,347
- Vessel Name
- Sojourn
- Vessel Make
- Integrity 386
Doggy life jackets would be good back up to the netting.
I can't tell you whether you would like it, but you can buy a sturdy plastic netting at a big box home store like Lowes. They come in a small number of colors, Green being fairly prevelant. They are UV resistant, although not all labels actually say so. They are strong, have small holes, can be trimmed to fit a variety of shapes and can be easily mounted with those plastic tie wraps.
If you have a concern about the dogs going under the netting, weaving an appropriately sized nylon cord through the "bottom" set of holes and either looping or tying off to your rail uprights can be an easy solution.
The best part is, the whole thing comes off with just a pair of small cutters to remove the tie wraps and it can all be thrown in the trash in port. AND, a fresh supply of netting stores in a nice skinny cylinder that can tuck in some convenient place.
If this helps, great.
If you have a concern about the dogs going under the netting, weaving an appropriately sized nylon cord through the "bottom" set of holes and either looping or tying off to your rail uprights can be an easy solution.
The best part is, the whole thing comes off with just a pair of small cutters to remove the tie wraps and it can all be thrown in the trash in port. AND, a fresh supply of netting stores in a nice skinny cylinder that can tuck in some convenient place.
If this helps, great.
kelbylinn
Senior Member
- Joined
- Oct 13, 2007
- Messages
- 156
- Location
- USA
- Vessel Name
- Coconuts
- Vessel Make
- 1996 49' Krogen Express
We have life jackets for both our lab and our hotdog. We started with netting but as they slowly deteriorated went to weaving our own using rope similar to the picture shown in another response. And yes, they will go swimming... I actually have a long handled fish net for back up with the hotdog - already paid for itself. 
psneeld
Guru
Attachments
A doggie PFD is a must IMO. This may sound stupid, and may not even be possible, but what about installing "invisible fencing" around the rails to train them to stay back, just like the one's used in a yard?
Shouldn't interfere with the crew, and probably wouldn't take that long for them to catch on.
Flak jacket on....
OD
Shouldn't interfere with the crew, and probably wouldn't take that long for them to catch on.
Flak jacket on....
OD
mbevins
Guru
Nice thought but as an owner of an invisible fence system I would strongly discourage this. The dogs will associate getting shocked to being on the boat. Now you will have a bigger issue.
Sent from my Nexus 7 using Trawler
...well, I did say that it might be a stupid idea
Thanks for the insight, and I can see where you're probably right
OD
mbevins
Guru
...well, I did say that it might be a stupid idea
Thanks for the insight, and I can see where you're probably right
OD
The biggest problem is that the field is about 20-24" in diameter. So unless you're dealing with a large yacht there just isn't enough real estate on the average mid size boat.
Sent from my Nexus 7 using Trawler
BruceK
Moderator Emeritus
- Joined
- Oct 31, 2011
- Messages
- 13,347
- Vessel Name
- Sojourn
- Vessel Make
- Integrity 386
I tried an electric fence to keep the dogs off the couches and tearing loose covers. It certainly didn`t put them off couch surfing, but somehow I don`t think it`s top of list for the boat.
We put this netting on for our small dog 7 yrs ago. Still going strong. Also much cheaper than "marine" netting.
Custom Netting Panel
Custom Netting Panel
We have a small (8 lb.) dog and I've considered some sort of netting around the flybridge to keep her safe. In the meantime, we keep her leashed and tie the other end to the boat. She wears a life jacket (DFD) but I'm not sure she would survive a fall from the flybridge to the water.
Here's a neighbor's Endeavor 44 Power Cat with netting. By their own admission their dog isn't very sure fitted.
Morgan has been on Hobo full time for 6 plus years so no life preserver. The life line on the fore-deck is chest high. He's not allowed out in big seas nor on the fly-bridge. The side and aft decks are well protected on Hobo and he's never fallen or jumped off. Morgan pretty much follows the same rules we do as in what conditions we go on deck or when we stay inside.
Morgan has been on Hobo full time for 6 plus years so no life preserver. The life line on the fore-deck is chest high. He's not allowed out in big seas nor on the fly-bridge. The side and aft decks are well protected on Hobo and he's never fallen or jumped off. Morgan pretty much follows the same rules we do as in what conditions we go on deck or when we stay inside.
Attachments
Scary
Guru
Dog life jackets
The handle on the top of dog life jackets provide a means of retrieving your dog once it falls overboard. Something I hadn't considered until I needed to fish my dog out of the Colombia river in the dead of winter from a log float dock. With the current dragging my 100lb Chocolate Lab under the float and the float being 2ft above the water I couldn't have saved him without his life jacket. Fortunately the harbor master had suggested the jacket a week or two earlier. I hadn't really given any thought to retrieving a dog from a boat with high freeboard until that occasion.
The handle on the top of dog life jackets provide a means of retrieving your dog once it falls overboard. Something I hadn't considered until I needed to fish my dog out of the Colombia river in the dead of winter from a log float dock. With the current dragging my 100lb Chocolate Lab under the float and the float being 2ft above the water I couldn't have saved him without his life jacket. Fortunately the harbor master had suggested the jacket a week or two earlier. I hadn't really given any thought to retrieving a dog from a boat with high freeboard until that occasion.
Besslb
Guru
Tom and I pulled an older golden retriever out of the marina water last spring. The fixed docks were so high that dog would not have survived had we not been able to deploy the dink and get to him in time. Not sure how he fell off the dock to begin with, but we dropped everything and dropped the dink and rowed over to him. PFDs are important for some dogs all the time and all dogs some of the time.
One problem with an electric fence is that it won't stop the dog from being thrown overboard by a wake or wave. Netting and/or a leash are the best solutions. A DFD is also a good idea but a dog would likely be injured or at least too shocked to swim if he/she fell from a flybridge, especially if the dog hit the boat on the way down.
Most DFDs have built in handles. I wouldn't have one without it.
Most DFDs have built in handles. I wouldn't have one without it.
RT Firefly
Enigma
Greetings,
Kelpie?
Kelpie?
AusCan
Guru
- Joined
- Jul 15, 2012
- Messages
- 3,218
- Location
- Australia
- Vessel Name
- Kokanee
- Vessel Make
- Cuddles 30 Pilot House Motor Sailer
Yep, mostly kelpie, but I'm thinking she may have a touch of border collie and maybe dingo in her as well. Picked her up from the dog shelter so its just a guess.
She's tries to round up the crashing surf when she's on the beach.
She's tries to round up the crashing surf when she's on the beach.
janice142
Guru
- Joined
- Oct 12, 2011
- Messages
- 1,238
- Location
- USofA
- Vessel Name
- Seaweed
- Vessel Make
- Schucker mini-trawler
And a bit of advice regarding the life jacket for the pup: Make sure it has a wide webbing over the tummy. Some have just straps. Also make sure yours will swim to you. For those of us with 4 pound dogs a dip net is handy. I keep Skipper's shampoo by the galley sink so it's almost "routine" to fish her out, rinse off, then shampoo and thorough rinse. Leaving salt on the dog (or cat) is unsafe as they will lick it off. Rinse rinse rinse, and a shampoo helps too.
I bought netting from Defender's and put fender hooks up around both the doors in the pilothouse. When the doors are open the netting is up. She can launch herself up the steps and the side deck is narrow. Wet, well, Skipper is not her most attractive:
I bought netting from Defender's and put fender hooks up around both the doors in the pilothouse. When the doors are open the netting is up. She can launch herself up the steps and the side deck is narrow. Wet, well, Skipper is not her most attractive:
BruceK
Moderator Emeritus
- Joined
- Oct 31, 2011
- Messages
- 13,347
- Vessel Name
- Sojourn
- Vessel Make
- Integrity 386
Definitely (mostly?) kelpie, and well picked RTF. Mind you, I once saw a red kelpie running about in Vancouver.
Auscan , I checked and confirmed, there are border collie type origins, and some dingo, in the kelpie line. From the picture she looks all kelpie to me. My last dog was a Shepherd/Kelpie,resembled a smaller Shepherd. They are smart intelligent companions, mine was. I miss her, after 5 months, every day.
AusCan
Guru
- Joined
- Jul 15, 2012
- Messages
- 3,218
- Location
- Australia
- Vessel Name
- Kokanee
- Vessel Make
- Cuddles 30 Pilot House Motor Sailer
Yes Bruce - almost too smart; and they sure do grow on you. Our last dog was half kelpie, half border collie. We had her for over 16 years and was part of the family. Impossible to replace, but the young pup is working at it.
Last edited:
Yea, I think we ruled out the invisible fencing as a bad idea
It was just a thought.I'm not sure about a leash either though, unless you're going to keep it so short they can't leave the cabin.
Last thing I'd want, would be my canine friend dangling off the rail by a leash
.............I'm not sure about a leash either though, unless you're going to keep it so short they can't leave the cabin.
Last thing I'd want, would be my canine friend dangling off the rail by a leash
I may not have expressed myself well on that. Our small dog is on a leash connected to a harness or DFD, not a collar when we are on the flybridge and the leash is kept short enough that she can't go overboard. Also, she is not left alone, someone is watching her at all times unless she is in the cabin and that's only when we leave the boat and can't take her with us.
Attachments
Gotcha. Sorry for the misunderstanding on my part.
Not used to having dogs on boats unless they're working dogs. Then they're on a short leash with their handlers.
Now there were a couple of ladies once....uh, never mind.....
OD
