Sailing

Farley’s Friday – Dog in a Boatyard

~ Kristina Stanley ~ 6 Comments

Farley here.

I’m in Florida. Bad weather is coming, but we’re in a safe place.  It’s hot here, much hotter than Winnipeg, Manitoba.

We left Winnipeg on Sunday and arrived in St. Augustine, Florida on Tuesday night. That means I spent 3 days in a car. Booooooring.

Kristina seemed excited that we crossed 9 States. All I saw was the inside of the van, a few trees, and hotel rooms.

So what can I say about Florida. That grass is weird and makes my feet itch.

I’ve got a nice yard for the week while my owners stay in a house. I get to chase squirrels, and they are inside and very tired. Too much work on the boat for them.

So what’s a dog life like in a boat yard, you ask. The rocks hurt my feet. The ground smells of odd things. I mentioned it is hot, so I either spend my time under a boat, and anyone’s boat will do, or I hide in my boat. I let my owners have the starboard side, but the port side is all mine.

Notice the Canadian Flag towel? Kristina puts it down for me, but I never use it.

The boat yard people are very nice and they like dogs. Me especially. Because I’m so cute, you know.

The draw back – I’m down from 3 walks a day to 2. What’s up with that? I can’t wait until Matt and Kristina are finished ‘working’ on their boat, launch it, and I get 3 walks again.

I get lifted and carried a lot. The boat is up on the hard and I need help getting on. Matt’s very good about it.

Matt giving me a lift.

There’s a mean dog on the boat beside us, and I had to snap at him to tell him to leave me alone. Now he just stares at me. It’s a bit awkward.

My owner’s bring ice to the boat to keep my water cold. The house has a fridge that makes ice cubes. Heaven for me. I love ice cubes. I never get any while sailing, so I’m having as many as I can right now. Once we’re under way my owners are always talking about power consumption and say we can’t have an ice cube maker.

Soon, the boat will be in the water, Kristina will put me back to the top of her priority list, and I can keep watch for dolphins.

Woof woof.

Sailing Season. The MATTINA Adventures Begin.

~ Kristina Stanley ~ 11 Comments

Some days are bigger days in life than others, and today is one of them.

After a long drive from Winnipeg, Manitoba to St. Augustine Florida, Matt and I have arrived at our boat. MATTINA  is a Lagoon 380 S2 and has spent the summer on the hard.

Where does the name come from? MATT and KrisTINA.We put our two names together, but wait! There’s more. Mattina means morning or beginning of the day in Italian. And my mom was born in Italy. With the start of every new day, there’s an opportunity to start a new adventure. So the name MATTINA seemed like a good fit for our boat.

Mattina in the Exumas (2011 – 2012 Season)

We’ve owned MATTINA since July 2009. We’ve sailed her from Delaware to the Bahamas and live aboard during the winters.

Our dog Farley keeps us company. He has his own blog on Friday’s so if you want to see how a dog does sailing, Friday is the day.

Mattina’s Summer Home

So now the work to get ready for the season begins. We decommissioned her last spring and we found in her in great shape this fall.

Today we start the commissioning process. This is our second boat, and over the years we have created a large spreadsheet to keep us organized. We go through each line item and get our lovely boat ready to hit the seas. Checking off items on the list is somehow very satisfying.

Our launch is scheduled for Halloween. So the question is, can we get everything done on time?

This week is the week for changes. Over the summer I don’t blog about cruising, but during the winter, well that’s different. My new schedule for posting is:

MONDAY: Writing

WEDNESDAY: Cruising

FRIDAY: Dogs.

You may have guessed that writing, cruising and dogs take up a big part of our lives. I hope you enjoy the posts and if you are out there cruising, I’d love to hear from you.

Farley’s Friday: A Bad Hair Day or Getting A Dog Ready to go South?

~ Kristina Stanley ~ 2 Comments

Farley here.

Look what Kristina did to me! My hair was flowing. It made me handsome. After my hair cut, I look funny. Let’s just say Kristina isn’t the most talented groomer. She cuts my hair herself because there are no groomers where we are going. Am I supposed to believe the Bahamians don’t have dogs?

BEFORE: Just call me gooooood lookin!

She says she’s getting me ready for the Bahamas. She blabbed on about how hot it is down south, how there are ticks, and how sand sticks in my hair. At least she listened to the vet when he said she shouldn’t cut my hair too short or I could get sunburnt, otherwise; I might be bald.

AFTER: And Kristina expects me to out in public?

I have to say, my ears feel lighter and cooler with shorter hair, but that’s the only good thing.

Now I have to wait until spring before I can have long hair again. Kristina is crazy with the clippers once we are living on Mattina.

So, am I still handsome?

Farley’s Friday

~ Kristina Stanley ~ 6 Comments

Farley here.

Kristina still won’t write my blog, so here I am typing again. She clipped my nails this week, so it’s a little harder for me to hit the keys accurately. Good thing there is a delete key, and it’s bigger than the others.

So I’m celebrating. Today is my 4th year anniversary living with Kristina and Mathew. Can you believe how time flies? My friend Kermit the Frog says, “Time’s fun when you’re having flies.” I don’t really get it. Who wants flies?

I love this white stuff. Where did it come from?

So this week, I jumped of the back deck and look what I found. SNOW. The smells are incredible. I chased a deer and one rabbit, but they’re too fast for me.

The snow sticks to my fur and gets between my pads. All I have to do is sit and look pathetic. I hold up my paw and my owner picks the snow out of my pads for me. She’s so easy to train. I lower my nose and lift my big brown eyes at her, and Kristina does whatever I want. If any anyone needs help on training their owners, just let me know. Mine gets a gold star for her behaviour.

A couple more weeks of cold weather in Winnipeg and then I head south to start my cruising season. I’m glad I got the chance to see snow. I’d forgotten it existed.

Happy Snowball Chasing.

Woof Woof,

Farley

Farley’s Friday – Grooming While Cruising

~ Kristina Stanley ~ 12 Comments

 

Farley here!

My owner, Kristina, has decided she doesn’t have time to write about me. She’s too busy writing her book. So . . . I’ve stolen her laptop and am going to write my blog. My paws are a bit clumsy, but I can do it. I know I can.

Farley Guarding Kiting Gear on a Beach in the Bahamas

How do you like my hair cut above? Too short, I think. But it’s too hot in the Bahamas for me to have long hair. Plus, I get covered in sand and get itchy. I just wish Kristina had taken lessons in clipping my hair. Once she gave me a bald spot on top of my head. Good thing I’m a dog and don’t care.

So what’s in my grooming kit?

  • Nail clippers (Kristina does this weekly so the quick recedes, and she doesn’t hurt me.)
  • Large scissors
  • Small scissors blunted at the end (for around my eyes and ears.)
  • Toothpaste and brush (Not my favourite, but if I get an infection in my mouth, Kristina can clean it.)
  • Clippers   (For my winter haircut)
  • Brush (One suited for my coat – you might be different and need a specific kind.)
  • Comb
  • Ear cleaning fluid (I hate this, but I get ear infections from too much time in salt water and this prevents them.)
  • Cotton swabs (For cleaning the inside of my ears without hurting me.)
  • Shampoo
  • Conditioner (It’s embarrassing when she conditions my hair, but at least I smell nice.)
  • Towels (So I don’t have to use human towels. They get testy about that. They also get annoyed when I’m wet and jump in their bed.)

Woof Woof.

Here’s what Kristina has already written about me. Lucky me – she may have given up writing my blog, but she does spend a lot of time getting my stuff ready for sailing.

 

Going Sailing: Medical Kit For Dogs

~ Kristina Stanley ~ 6 Comments

Our dog Farley, spends his winters in the Bahamas on our Lagoon 380 S2.

We’ve entered the part of the year where we need prepare for the season. This includes provisioning for Farley. In Going Sailing With Your Dog? I gave a high level list of what to bring on a cruising boat.

Today I’ll focus on his medical kit.

The soft cone stops Farley from fussing with an injury on his front leg.

Before entering the Bahamas, Farley needs to get a health certificate. This has to be done right before we cross, so I don’t leave anything critical until then. Sometime during the summer, I have a discussion with Farley’s vet about what he needs for the upcoming season. If your dog required any medication, it’s best to order early. Sometime the vet won’t carry a six month supply.

For Farley we bring

  • Doxycycline – for lyme’s disease. This horrible disease can be cured, but only if you have the right medication.
  • Advantix – some years are worse than others in the Bahamas for ticks.
  • Heartworm pills
  • The cone of shame, both a soft one, as shown in the photo and a hard plastic one.  They can be stored flat underneath a bunk.
  • Ear cleaning fluid. Farley tends to get ear infractions when he swims in salt water. The fluid seems to held reduce this.
  • Antibiotic ear drops – for a serious infection
  • Antibiotic eye drops – for a serious infection
  • Muzzle – in case of severer injury, it might avoid a dog bite.
  • Shampoo – think lots of sand! I put this under medical and not grooming as I believe it keeps Farley from having skin issues.

There are  items from our medical kit that we could use for Farley.  This includes large bandages, scissors, gloves,  and antibiotic cream. I never give Farley medication from our kit unless a vet tells me it’s okay.

Before I leave for the season, I talk to my vet and make sure I can contact them while I’m away. There are vets in the Bahamas, and my experience there has been very good, but when sailing away from civilization, sometimes the only way to get a consult is through email

Please remember, this is what I bring based on what Farley needs. It’s best to consult your vet to get the right things for your dog.

If you have other items you bring, please let me know.

Going Sailing with Your Dog?

~ Kristina Stanley ~ Leave a comment

. . . then here is a list of things to bring if you plan to cruise with your pup.

Farley on the deck of Mattina.

Farley, my wheaten terrier, has spent three winters on our Lagoon 380 S2 catamaran and is about to start his fourth.

This week Farley’s permit to enter the Bahamas arrived in the mail, and it was a good reminder for me to prepare for the season.

Farley can’t to this on his own, so I get to do it for him.

After a few weeks in Florida, we’ll sail across the Gulf Stream and spend the winter in the Bahamas. I created list  below from my experience in the Bahamas. I’m sure there are other things you need to consider for sailing to other countries.

Before each season, I review what I use for Farley at home and assume I won’t be able to get the items while I’m sailing.

Farley’s Provisioning List:

  • Dog food and treats
  • Medical Kit
  • Grooming Kit
  • Extra leashes and harness
  • Safety gear
  • Toys
  • Permit to enter Bahamas
  • Health certificate – including proof of immunization for rabies, distemper, hepatitis, parvovirus, leptospirosis, adenovirus and coronavirus.

I’ll expand on some of the items above in future blogs.

Did I miss anything you might bring?

Dog Papers for the Bahamas

~ Kristina Stanley ~ 9 Comments

Heading to the Bahamas again this fall means a lot of prep work has to happen. This includes getting our dog ready for cruising.

Farley, our wheaten terrier, needs his papers to enter the Bahamas. This winter will be his fourth time in the Bahamas and he’s getting used to the routine.

To get his papers, I mailed our application, along with $10 to the Bahamas. Once they receive this and are happy, they mail back permission papers. I bring these with me when we visit the customs office upon entry into the country.

Farley had to have his rabies, distemper, etc. shots and he’ll have to see a vet right before we cross the gulf stream. The Bahamians require that he has a health certificate right before entry. This can be tricky because usually we are waiting for a weather window to cross the Gulf Stream, and we’re never sure until the last-minute whether we are going to cross.

So far we’ve been lucky and been able to get an appointment with a vet in Florida on short notice. Once I explain what we are doing, I’ve found the vet’s office are happy to sneak us in for a quick visit.

Why do we do all this? So Farley can to this . . .

 

Mattina on the Hard

~ Kristina Stanley ~ 5 Comments

Part of our cruising lifestyle includes putting our boat on the hard for the summer. I’m always sad to put her away, but ecstatic when we get to launch her again.

Mattina, our Lagoon 380 S2, is on land, tucked safely away. She’s in a marina in Florida. Our only worry for the summer is a hurricane, and there’s not much we can do about that, so really why worry.

There is value in decommissioning and re-commissioning  each season. The process forces us to evaluate each piece of equipment, deep clean storage spaces, fridge and freezer, determine if repairs are needed and perform any yearly maintenance. I think if we didn’t get off the boat each summer, we might not get around to some of these tasks because we are too busy enjoying sailing the boat.

So for now, while our boats takes a rest, I’ll stop my Wednesday blog about cruising and start it up again in the fall.

Sailboat Stored For The Summer

~ Kristina Stanley ~ 4 Comments

Up on the hard, as they say. Mattina, our Lagoon 380, has been stored for the season.

Every year the list of tasks seems to get easier as we store and secure the boat for the summer.

The handy Excel spreadsheet seeps into every aspect of my life, including keeping track of boat tasks. We have a three page to-do list to remind us of everything that needs to be done.

Some of the important items that keep our boat in great condition include:

  • Taking all sails and canvas down and storing below
  • Flushing water maker
  • Waxing
  • Maintaining engines and genset
  • Emptying food lockers, fridge and freezer (Get to eat everything left in one day)
  • Washing all settee covers
  • Plugging through hulls (don’t want any unwanted critters to get aboard)
  • And on and on it goes…

It’s sad to put the boat away for the summer, but we look forward to getting back on board in the fall. The more we do in the spring, the easier it is in the fall when we are anxious to get going again.