Sailing with a baby?

[anthony11]

I have a boy due in October, and would like to hear any thoughts you might have about sailing with a baby in the family -- eg., kids love boats, it just didn't work for you, etc., as I've also got the boat-buying bug.

Thanks.

[RickQuann]

anthony, ck out
http://www.sailnet.com/forums/genera...aby-board.html

[HerbDB]

My youngest (now 20) was born when I had a Catalina 25 that we used for weekends at the lake. Before he was mobile, there were no problems, but once he was starting to walk, he had to be watched constantly or tied down. This was a real chore, plus he was always falling and hurting himself because of the uneven footing and general instability of a boat.

This was the year before I retired from the Air Force. Our plans were to sell the boat the following year to cut expenses while I found a new job. He made using the boat too hard and we sold it early.

In my opinion, infants on a boat are OK, but toddlers are a lot of trouble, plus it is dangerous for them. This may be better on a larger boat, but the same issues exist.

[JohnRPollard]

Agree with Herb -- Infants can be managed, but toddler stage is most difficult. Once kids reach pre-school age and are steady on their feet, they are pretty easy and adapt well.

Here's another thread that really hashed this out from a lot of different perspectives:

http://www.sailnet.com/forums/cruisi...king-good.html

[Maine Sail]

Just finishing up 10+ days with our 18 month old. She did fine and loves the boat. Be smart and you'll be fine.

Her life jacket is on when we are moving and we don't vary from that rule. She put in two 70nm days and was a rock star about it. If you are a trooper they most likely will be too.

Things we've learned:

#1 You don't need to over do it with toys. For the entire trip we brought just a canvas tote with toys and books. Her favorite toy of the trip became my diving mask..

#2 Make up a bed in the salon so you can see them napping from the cockpit. It also puts them low in the boat for less rocking.

#3 Install a 12V fan that is loud or buy a white noise CD. Boats have lots of startling sudden noises that wake kids and white noise WORKS!

#4 We brought a Playschool "strap to a chair" high chair that folds up. When feeding her under way it sat on a cooler in the cockpit on top of carpet grip pad. She could wear her life jacket while in the plastic booster chair and mom fed her from the companion way. We called it her drive up window and it worked very well.

#5 Considering she only learned to walk about six weeks ago we were worried. Don't let the negative types fool you toddlers do very well on a boat if you let them and are not Helicoptor parents hovering over them and never letting go. You need to be close but they also need to explore on their own, within reason, to gain confidence.

She mostly balanced on the cockpit floor while under way and only fell once that solicited even a cry and that was because she slipped on "frogger" her stuffed animal. The trip moved her walking & balance ahead dramatically. The minute we got on dry land she learned to run. She has not fallen down once on dry land since going on the boat for 10 days. Over all I find boat balancing a huge training and confidence booster. When it got rough she thought it was a game and laughed and laughed as the boat moved from side to side and up and down..

Eating Breakfast On The Hook:

[sailingdog]

Might want to visit this blog about a couple who live on a boat with their young son.

[JohnRPollard]

Originally Posted by halekai36

#5 Considering she only learned to walk about six weeks ago we were worried. Don't let the negative types fool you toddlers do very well on a boat if you let them and are not Helicoptor parents hovering over them and never letting go. You need to be close but they also need to explore on their own, within reason, to gain confidence.

Halekai,

Glad that tripped worked out well for you. But a truism many new parents, including myself, are sometimes slow to learn is that not all situational and parenting experience translates. Kids and parents alike have vastly disparate abilities and temperaments, what works for one family may be a disaster for another.

Sometimes sweeping statements like "Don't let the negative types fool you toddlers do very well on a boat" are not always universally true. In any event, we had 3 toddlers simultaneously, which ends up being quite a bit more work and stress than a singleton. I'll stand by my earlier statement that the toddler stage was the most difficult -- whether on the boat or off. Your mileage may vary.

[sailboy21]

I was born in the summer and cruising 4 weeks later. My son was born in April, sailing in July and doing a week long Catalina Island cruise in September. Now he is 2.5 and very agile on the boat. He is used to life jackets and knows that he must wear one when on deck. He just learned how to climb in and out of the dingy, I am not real happy about that! I am not an overprotective parent. No netting on the lifelines, no tethers, no foam padding. I think worrying about it would take all the fun out of sailing. I did take some basic precautions. I put up my lee cloths, moved everything sharp, caustic, or flammable out of reach. I made sure I was up to date with M.O.B. procedures and also worked through plans and procedures for any unexpected events up to abandoning ship. My first aid kit was updated with liquid medications and the ditch kit got an extra space blanket and vacuum sealed fleece PJ's. Get a really good fitting life jacket with a handle sewn on it. Have a boathook handy. By far the worst thing about cruising with baby/toddlers is poopy diapers. Changing them in a seaway is no fun, and there is no place on the boat where the smell won't leak out. It really does boil down to attitude. I have met parents that were scared to have their three year old on the boat at dock and never took them out (how sad is that?). I have also met parents and kids who were making real bluewater passages.

[Maine Sail]

Originally Posted by JohnRPollard

Halekai,

Glad that tripped worked out well for you. But a truism many new parents, including myself, are sometimes slow to learn is that not all situational and parenting experience translates. Kids and parents alike have vastly disparate abilities and temperaments, what works for one family may be a disaster for another.

Sometimes sweeping statements like "Don't let the negative types fool you toddlers do very well on a boat" are not always universally true. In any event, we had 3 toddlers simultaneously, which ends up being quite a bit more work and stress than a singleton. I'll stand by my earlier statement that the toddler stage was the most difficult -- whether on the boat or off. Your mileage may vary.

Couldn't agree more John and that comment was made more at non-boaties than boaties.

We've had many, many toddlers on board and every time it's with a helicopter guest the kids are totally miserable. Once my buddy Eric brought his son sailing and Nolan had an absolute blast. The next time his wife came and had Nolan in a strangle hold all day long, I swear he was turning blue at one point, and he was absolutely and utterly miserable and hated every second of it. Keep in mind this was the same kid less than four weeks apart but once with a laid back father and once with a "helicopter" mom.. From our experience, with young ones on board, we have yet to see smothering kids on a boat work out for the better.

For the last four months we have had our non-boating "helicopter" friends trying to literally talking us out of bringing our daughter sailing for 10 days due to all the catastrophic events that would happen to her. That is what I meant by the "negative" types not boaters with kids...

[JohnRPollard]

Originally Posted by halekai36

Couldn't agree more John and that comment was made more at non-boaties than boaties.

We've had many, many toddlers on board and every time it's with a helicopter guest the kids are totally miserable. Once my buddy Eric brought his son sailing and Nolan had an absolute blast. The next time his wife came and had Nolan in a strangle hold all day long, I swear he was turning blue at one point, and he was absolutely and utterly miserable and hated every second of it. Keep in mind this was the same kid less than four weeks apart but once with a laid back father and once with a "helicopter" mom.. From our experience, with young ones on board, we have yet to see smothering kids on a boat work out for the better.

For the last four months we have had our non-boating "helicopter" friends trying to literally talking us out of bringing our daughter sailing for 10 days due to all the catastrophic events that would happen to her. That is what I meant by the "negative" types not boaters with kids...

Halekai,

Ahh, thanks for the clarification -- thought you were suggesting something else. And I should clarify that my comments above were not intended to rain on anyone's parade either -- only to urge folks to have realistic expectations. Kids do adapt, it's just that at some stages it's easier than others - just like on land.

As for "helicopter" parents -- we know the type!!