{"id":459,"date":"2019-03-18T13:20:58","date_gmt":"2019-03-18T13:20:58","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.sailrite.com\/meet-our-customers\/?p=459"},"modified":"2023-02-03T13:51:12","modified_gmt":"2023-02-03T18:51:12","slug":"sailing-pets","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/blog.sailrite.com\/meet-our-customers\/marine\/sailing-pets\/","title":{"rendered":"Sailing With Pets: How to Cat-Proof Your Boat"},"content":{"rendered":"

After marrying in 2008, Luisa Mixon and her husband, Seth, set their eyes to the sea. Like many Sailrite\u00ae customers, their dream was to buy a sailboat, learn to sail, and eventually gain enough experience to live completely on board. When they envision their retirement years, they see themselves sailing wherever their hearts, and the wind, take them. Their journey towards making this dream a reality has been one of excitement, hard work and ingenuity. They grow closer to reaching it every day.<\/span><\/p>\n

Before becoming sailors, Luisa and Seth would often browse used sailboat websites and peruse sailboat shows, window shopping and gathering ideas for the type of boat they would purchase when the time was right. Most of the searching was just for fun, as actually owning a boat had always seemed far on the horizon. Then one day at the end of May 2018, something amazing happened that would catapult them into a new life sailing and sewing: They found their dream boat for sale in Long Beach, California.<\/span><\/p>\n

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Seth and Luisa sailing their newest purchase.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

\u201cThe boat \u2014 a 1989 Ericson 38-200 named Astral \u2014 was beautiful and in excellent condition, so we ended up buying it. Less than a month later we were proud owners of a sailboat even though we didn\u2019t know how to sail! Crazy, right?\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

The couple then chose a marina in San Pedro, California, so the boat would be closer to their home, and learned the ropes from a few neighboring sailors. By August they had completed their first solo sailing trip and had fallen in love with life on the water. To complete the crew, the next step was to make the boat safe for Luisa\u2019s two rescue cats, Charlie and Astro. You see, these aren\u2019t your average felines. Charlie, a 13-year-old tabby, needs special medicine every 12 hours and Astro, a 10-year-old Bombay, requires special food for medical reasons. Considering that both animals warranted extra attention and could not be left alone for extended periods of time, it just made more sense to bring them aboard. But in order to do that, the living area of the boat had to be completely \u201ccat proof\u201d first.<\/span><\/p>\n

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The Ericson (named Astral), Charlie (top right) and Astro – ready to set sail!<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

In preparation for this project, Luisa had already been following the videos of other sailors who had completed tons of DIYs for their boat. One of these was Project Atticus, a couple who sail abroad for months at a time and sew their own projects using the Sailrite Ultrafeed\u00ae LSZ. After looking at the Sailrite website and YouTube channel, Luisa finally felt she had the confidence to start a project of her own: a new bimini and screened-in cat enclosure. Naturally, the next step was to choose a dependable sewing machine and gather supplies. <\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cI had never touched a sewing machine in my life, so I was eager and nervous to start. We wanted the best for our boat, a machine with excellent quality that would last a long time, so I ordered the Sailrite Ultrafeed LSZ and every single material and tool that was suggested in the videos. It was so exciting!\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

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Luisa and her Ultrafeed LSZ were ready to tackle any project.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

Now fully prepared, the real work could begin. With their marina being so close to Catalina Island (around 20 nautical miles), Luisa and Seth decided to challenge themselves and plan a Thanksgiving sailing expedition. This meant that the new bimini and enclosure would have to be done quickly. Being from Colombia, Luisa\u2019s DIY adventure came with a new set of hurdles, all of which she was able to overcome. <\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cMy first language is not English, and I had never sewn before, so the hardest part was my pace completing the projects. I had to go slow watching the videos, understanding the English. And because I wanted my project to be perfect, or at least close to perfect, I had to go back and forth, checking to make sure I was doing things right.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

Luisa took a week off work and toiled for 16 hours each day to sew her own bimini and screened-in enclosure with help from Sailrite. She soon developed a love for the work and was extremely satisfied when the finished product fit perfectly. By the end of it all, she had created a lasting addition to Astral that would come in handy on future expeditions with her four-legged first mates. <\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cMy cats love to be on the boat … once it\u2019s at anchor and they\u2019re placed in the enclosure, they\u2019re very happy. They love to see the seagulls, seals and fish. It\u2019s amazing for them and I\u2019m happy if they are safe and happy!\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

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Luisa and Seth initially eased into their sailing journey, hoping to gradually acclimate their furry companions to life aboard. They started staying overnight at the marina on weekends and then practiced anchoring twice at White\u2019s Island, staying for four nights each time. Luisa\u2019s confidence with the Ultrafeed has allowed her to create several other useful projects for the boat. Along with the bimini and cat enclosure, she\u2019s created screens for the windows below deck, modified her V-berth cushions and sewn a generator cover. She has her sights set on sewing new sheet bags and sail covers, with many more DIY sewing endeavors on the to-do list. <\/span><\/p>\n

The plan for this sea-faring couple is to eventually move aboard Astral permanently. They\u2019ve been placed on a waiting list, as it can take years to get the liveaboard slip, but the faster this happens, the faster they can retire and start exploring the open ocean. As for now, the pair are simply enjoying the journey that brings them closer to their dream.<\/span><\/p>\n

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\u201cIn the meantime, we are sailing every Saturday and doing boat projects on Sunday. We work regular jobs Monday through Friday but we are practicing and learning more about sailing every day … reading books, watching videos, and continuing to sail to Catalina and White\u2019s Island. We want to enjoy our boat to the fullest before we cast off!\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

Who We Are<\/b><\/span><\/h3>\n

Sailrite is your one-stop DIY shop! We are a passionate crew of do-it-yourselfers who strive to equip you with the supplies and how-to knowledge you need to tackle your next project. Do you want to learn upholstery, leatherwork, canvaswork, hobby sewing, bag making or more? We have the fabric, tools, hardware, sewing machines and notions you need to master any DIY. And even if you’ve never sewn before, our tutorials and how-to videos are designed for beginners and experienced crafters alike.<\/span><\/p>\n

Start your DIY journey today: www.sailrite.com<\/span><\/a><\/span><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

After marrying in 2008, Luisa Mixon and her husband, Seth, set their eyes to the sea. Like many Sailrite\u00ae customers, their dream was to buy a sailboat, learn to sail, and eventually gain enough experience to live completely on board. When they envision their retirement years, they see themselves sailing wherever their hearts, and the … Continue reading Sailing With Pets: How to Cat-Proof Your Boat<\/span><\/a><\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":3,"featured_media":460,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"jetpack_post_was_ever_published":false,"jetpack_publicize_message":"","jetpack_is_tweetstorm":false,"jetpack_publicize_feature_enabled":true,"jetpack_social_post_already_shared":true,"jetpack_social_options":{"image_generator_settings":{"template":"highway","enabled":false}}},"categories":[2],"tags":[27,29,26,21,28,19,20,37,70],"jetpack_publicize_connections":[],"jetpack_featured_media_url":"https:\/\/blog.sailrite.com\/meet-our-customers\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/01\/20180923_072825.jpg","jetpack_sharing_enabled":true,"jetpack_shortlink":"https:\/\/wp.me\/padSoq-7p","jetpack-related-posts":[{"id":802,"url":"https:\/\/blog.sailrite.com\/meet-our-customers\/marine\/seeking-the-blue-tales-of-a-lifelong-sailor\/","url_meta":{"origin":459,"position":0},"title":"Seeking the Blue: Tales of a Lifelong Sailor","date":"June 10, 2019","format":false,"excerpt":"Sailing, sand and sun have been a part of Sailrite\u00ae customer Marina Batham\u2019s life from the very beginning. Born on Tortola, the largest of the British Virgin Islands in the Caribbean, Marina grew up \u201cin the life\u201d \u2014 the sailing life, that is. Learn how Marina\u2019s two favorite hobbies, sailing\u2026","rel":"","context":"In "Marine"","img":{"alt_text":"","src":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/blog.sailrite.com\/meet-our-customers\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/05\/seeking-the-blue-boat.png?resize=350%2C200&ssl=1","width":350,"height":200},"classes":[]},{"id":54,"url":"https:\/\/blog.sailrite.com\/meet-our-customers\/marine\/discovering-a-love-for-sailing-sewing\/","url_meta":{"origin":459,"position":1},"title":"Discovering a Love for Sailing & Sewing","date":"January 21, 2014","format":false,"excerpt":"Sailrite customer Christine Rasmussen was neither a sailor nor a sewer, but after a seemingly fated purchase of a used sailboat, she learned her capability to be both. Christine always had a desire to learn how to sail. However, living in landlocked Durham, North Carolina, didn\u2019t make sailing an easy\u2026","rel":"","context":"In "Marine"","img":{"alt_text":"Christine-R-Collage","src":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.sailrite.com\/meet-our-customers\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/08\/christine-r-collage.jpg?resize=350%2C200&ssl=1","width":350,"height":200},"classes":[]},{"id":305,"url":"https:\/\/blog.sailrite.com\/meet-our-customers\/marine\/bria-white-sailing\/","url_meta":{"origin":459,"position":2},"title":"Woman on the Water: The Odyssey of Bria White","date":"November 27, 2018","format":false,"excerpt":"The sun was rising as Bria White dragged her 60-pound sail off the side of her boat and spread it on the dock. All the while, her male counterparts looked on in dismay. \u201cImagine this ... as a single woman on an all-male dock, I stunned the doubting onlookers. As\u2026","rel":"","context":"In "Marine"","img":{"alt_text":"","src":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/blog.sailrite.com\/meet-our-customers\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/11\/O-Day-sail-repaired.jpg?resize=350%2C200&ssl=1","width":350,"height":200},"classes":[]},{"id":2381,"url":"https:\/\/blog.sailrite.com\/meet-our-customers\/outdoor-living\/ultrafeed-sewing-patio-enclosure\/","url_meta":{"origin":459,"position":3},"title":"Creative Quarantine DIYs With the Ultrafeed\u00ae","date":"March 11, 2022","format":false,"excerpt":"David Thiesmeyer isn't new to the DIY world. He tackled his first big sewing project \u2014 a mainsail cover for his sailboat \u2014 well over 10 years ago. He considers himself a \u201cDIY type of person\u201d and takes pride in sewing great projects. His most unique creation was not sailing-related\u2026","rel":"","context":"In "Marine"","img":{"alt_text":"The enclosure project David made for his daughter's deck using Sailrite supplies.","src":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/blog.sailrite.com\/meet-our-customers\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/03\/IMG_20201206_145837521-5fce955690aa8.jpg?resize=350%2C200&ssl=1","width":350,"height":200},"classes":[]},{"id":2948,"url":"https:\/\/blog.sailrite.com\/meet-our-customers\/marine\/sailboat-canvas-ultrafeed\/","url_meta":{"origin":459,"position":4},"title":"A 20-Year Odyssey: Sailing Dreams, Woodworking & Self-Reliance","date":"March 15, 2024","format":false,"excerpt":"Wayne Edney is no stranger to hard work, patience and the spirit of self-reliance that defines every DIYer. In 1994, he completed the build of a Bristol Channel Cutter 28 from a bare hull. 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