Hi Carolyn, You have a lot of experience sailing and will enjoy cruising in a power boat with your dog family. We have always had a dog onboard in our ten years of cruising and living aboard. Three years ago I had a bicycle accident and really ruined my right knee. I suffered through trying to maneuver on this 48' boat and physical therapy and pills and lots and lots of ice. Finally I had a knee replacement and although the therapy lasted long and was painful, I returned to my going up and down and through locks and into the dingy and walking my dog again. It was a great thing to do and should not have been so handicapped before taking care of it. Just get a boat you are comfortable handling and can operate from the lower station or pilot house with a door next to the station so you can handle the locks. Make sure you can get your dogs off and on the boat with ease also. When our original dog, Sydney, died we got a little Cairn Terrier as a 8 week old puppy and taught her to go potty on the aft desk where we could hose it overboard or put it in a bag. It made being at anchor so easy but our older dog would not do this and we had to haul him to shore on the dingy. Jeff and Karen from Active Captain have two big yellow labs and both have been taught to go to their place to potty on the boat. Have fun and try to start the Loop as physically fit as possible as there are so many things to learn and great experiences awaiting you. Let me know it we can help in any way. Patty Mitchell Robert and Patty with Maggi wonder dog ORINOCO lying Columbus Marina -----Original Message----- From: Carolyn Fitzgerald via Great-Loop <great-loop@lists.trawlering.com> To: great-loop <great-loop@lists.trawlering.com> Sent: Sat, Feb 28, 2015 8:15 am Subject: GL: Newbe needs help Attached Message From: Carolyn Fitzgerald <cdf_fitz@yahoo.com> To: great-loop@lists.trawlering.com <great-loop@lists.trawlering.com> Subject: Newbe needs help Date: Sat, 28 Feb 2015 09:14:54 -0500 BACKGROUND I've been boating and sailing most of my life, purely recreational. Have sailed bareboat in Carribean, Bahamas several times, ME went to Annapolis Sailing School in the 80's Late middle- aged widow with knee issues My dream is to complete the Great Loop multiple times over the next years And to live on the trawler with my dogs. I have ideas of the best boat for me but would greatly appreciate recommendations from veterans of the lifestyle Sincere Thanks Carolyn Sent from my iPad _______________________________________________ http://lists.trawlering.com/mailman/listinfo/great-loop_lists.trawlering.com To modify your Great-Loop subscription options (change email address, unsubscribe, etc.) go to: http://lists.trawlering.com/mailman/options/great-loop_lists.trawlering.com