Technology is also helping pets stay safer while onboard (people too). Several companies, including Raymarine, Mobilarm and Maritech Industries, now make wireless systems with wearable sensors that sound an alarm when a pet – or any crew member – goes overboard. Some systems will also shut off the engine or use the boat's GPS to mark the location.

Photo by Rick LeBlancIt has been said that Kona is a "chick magnet." True or not, she is a conversation starter.

The systems feature a sensor about the size of a car remote that is worn on a lifejacket or an animal collar. The sensor is monitored by a unit on the boat, which is hard-wired into the electrical system. If the sensor is immersed in water or moves too far from the unit, say 30 to 40 feet, the wireless connection is broken and the alarm sounds. The systems cost from $600 to $1,000, depending on which brand you buy and which options you choose.

Another technology allows owners to have an ID microchip implanted in their pet. The tiny transponder, about the size of a grain of uncooked rice, is a permanent radio-frequency identification chip implanted with a needle under the loose skin over the dog's shoulder. The transponder can be read by a chip scanner or wand at a veterinarian office or animal shelter, instantly identifying the animal. The process, which costs about $50, is quick and reportedly no more painful than a vaccination. Your vet can give you details.

STAY ALERT

Gear aside, the real key to successfully cruising with a pet is developing good habits. Know where your pet is at all times, because accidents happen. Of course, all dogs know how to swim. But if they fall between the dock and a boat, they may be difficult to rescue. Remember too that a dog in the water cannot scream for help the way a person can, nor can they hold onto something to stay afloat. They can bark, but the exertion of constant swimming may make even that difficult.

Friends of ours, while at anchor on their 42-foot North Pacific, left their two Yorkshire terriers onboard while they went to shore. It was a hot day and one of the windows was left open, and their smallest dog got out onto the back deck and fell overboard. They returned to find only one dog. They called and searched the boat, not wanting to consider the truth. After 15 agonizing minutes, they heard people calling from a dinghy at their stern and, to their relief, there was their little dog, safe and none the worse for wear.

Luckily, another couple anchored nearby saw the terrier swimming frantically around the boat. They initially thought it was a muskrat or a sea otter, but when they saw the characteristic Yorkie red bow tied on her head, they knew she was a dog in trouble. They managed to scoop her up from their dinghy and keep her safe until the owners returned. It could have been a much different story with a very unhappy ending.