We have a Jack Russell named "Jack" (we are very creative people as you can see) and though he is a farm dog day-to-day, he is the best boat dog ever when we are on the boat! We were a little concerned about him making the transition from running free all day, but he slips right into "boat mode" with no problem. He is very similar to yours, Tom, but his hair is a tad shorter. My only complaint is that he sheds like a maniac.