Dogs at anchor

[mike_bryon]

From December we will be based on Canouan in the Grenadines. I wonder if anyone had any information on two entirely different issues.

First dogs

All I have been able to establish from official documents is that: Pets from most places are not allowed unless they have completed 6 months quarantine. They can come aboard yachts but must remain onboard at all times. Pets are allowed from the UK on condition that a health certificate is presented.
Does anyone know if our dog will be allowed to land if she arrives by yacht and we present her current UK pet passport?

At anchor

We will be at anchor for many months at a time. Can you tell us how best to minimise/manage the fouling of anchor chain and gear over such extended periods?

Do you anti-foul chain? I fear it would mess up the galvanizing or be rubbed off by the chain moving. How long can you leave a chain before it becomes too badly fouled. How do you clean a fouled chain on deck?

Thanks in anticipation

mike

 

[demonboy]

Regarding your question about anchor chain, I'd answer 'how long is a piece of string?'. Anchor and chain will foul at different rates depending upon what's in the water. Here in Fethiye the bay is notorious for fouling the underside of the boat and indeed it took us an hour to weigh anchor as we scrubbed the chain coming up, inch by inch. The anchor was down for three months and was completely covered in barnacles. To clean it we just had a bucket on a rope to dose the chain over the anchor locker and scrubbed it with a wire brush.

Galvanising is designed to reduce the corrosion of anchors and chains, that's what it is there for. I've never heard of antifouling the chain. Imagine the mess it would make on your deck as you bring your chain up!

I'd be more bothered about fouling your prop, and the answer to that is to put a bag around it if remaining stationery for some time.

 

[Richard10002]

probably some sense in hauling the chain and anchor regularly, to see how it is doing, and clean it off.

3 weeks in Siracusa and mine was covered in barnacles. They've gone now, but I'm not sure where - there was a fishy smell up the forward end for a while /forums/images/graemlins/smile.gif

 

[rivonia]

When we were in the Carribean we took our Lab ashore on every Island we visited. The proceedure was to check in and then ask for the Govt Vet. He would come check all docs advise us of any local problems That was it (plus vet fee) We had to give Heart Worm tabs for the whole time we were over there...6.5 years
Good Luck

 

[Bajansailor]

Re fouling on your anchor chain, it might be worth considering purchasing a length of chain and a suitable anchor when you arrive out here, and putting this lot down as a mooring in Canouan.
Perhaps use 1/2" chain, and a 75 lb (90 lb?) anchor, with a mooring buoy (how big is your current bower anchor?).

If there is a hurricane warning, and circumstances are such that you have to find a hurricane hole (rather than eg sailing away, usually south, to get away from it), then you could take your mooring with you for use in the hole.

This would save your nice calibrated galvanised anchor chain from fouling (I think it is difficult to find new calibrated chain suitable for windlasses for sale here).
And then you wouldn't have to hoik the whole lot up if say you were just going out for a day sail.

At the end of your contract in the Grenadines (if you do decide to ever leave....), the odds are that it might need replacing by then anyway, or you could sell it for beer money, or donate it to a local friend.

On reflection, it might be easier to buy the anchor in Europe first, and then acquire the chain out here.

 

[mike_bryon]

The longest our anchor has spent in the sea uninterrupted is about a week then we have moved on and we have spent all our winters in marinas.

Bajansailor we have ½ chain and a 75lb anchor at our bow. I have a Danforth type of about 120lb and can get a length of larger chain and a buoy to make a semi-permanent set up (a great suggestion). I say semi-permanent because Knox Johnson for example recommends an anchor of 275lb and 60 ft of 1¼ inch chain to make up a permanent mooring for a boat of our size!

Fidelis I am trying to pluck up the courage to email the authorities and I found your post encouraging. Did you visit St Vincent and if so do you recall the procedure there? P.S I have some med charts I will be happy to swap for Caribbean.

Demonboy do you have the email address for the guy who sold you your watermaker? I have sent an email to an address that I found on google but no reply.

Thanks everyone

 

[rivonia]

Hi Mike, no we did not stop at St. Vincent because of the Boat Boys. We were warned about them and as we approached the came at us like a swarm of hornets , so we quickly did an about turn. We have sold all the Caribbean charts but how much do you want for your charts. PM me

 

[mike_bryon]

Bad news. I have received the guidance for importing a dog into St Vincent and the Grenadines and it looks very much like we will have to leave ours behind (with friends who she knows well). She would have to return to the UK for six months before travelling and this is not a viable option.

The kids are going to kill me.

 

[Chris_Robb]

[ QUOTE ]
probably some sense in hauling the chain and anchor regularly, to see how it is doing, and clean it off.

3 weeks in Siracusa and mine was covered in barnacles. They've gone now, but I'm not sure where - there was a fishy smell up the forward end for a while /forums/images/graemlins/smile.gif

[/ QUOTE ]

They will have (possibly) blocked the water drainage from the anchor locker.... so worth checking that.

 

[giolconda]

Have you looked into the european pet passport? I believe there is one available and you wouldn't have to return to the uk to get it.
Hope you manage to sort something out. I would be heartbroken to have to leave mine behind.....

 

[mike_bryon]

our dog has a UK issued EU pet passport but the rules in St Vincent require her to leave from the UK having returned there for 6 months (authorised vet must confirm this).