infants, lifejackets, wee one issues: not looking good...

[USCGRET1990]

My Granddaughters used to wear a swim suit thingy with floatation built right in. Not sure if they are approved for boat use, but they would be better than nothing. Maybe let her play with the PFD at home and get used to it first. I would advise infants wear some sort of floatationas soon as you hit the dock. No matter what happens, you want them to float. I would never tie them down in a car seat. It can go from a peaceful day to everyone in the water in less than a minute. Check state law, in NC it is mandatory for all children to wear a PFD when on a boat. Good Luck!!

[USCGRET1990]

.....meant to say all children 14 and under....

[jackytdunaway]

USCG
what about in an enclosed cabin? it would be pretty hard to sleep in a PDF.

[USCGRET1990]

The swim suit PFD wasn't all that bulky. I know it sounds paranoid, but can you imagine one of those noisy cigarette boats with an intoxicated lunatic at the helm cutting your boat in two? I've seen it happen more than once.
Anchored in a cove may be somewhat safe though, I would hope?!?

[T37Chef]

The car seat we only use for below.

[USCGRET1990]

Ok...ya'll check this out and see what ya think...floating baby bathing suit, floating baby swimwear, baby swim suit

[jakmedic]

The homicidal cigarette driver is a good example of why I lie awake at night worrying about our cruising plans...so many potential catastrophic "what-ifs?"...lightning strikes, rogue waves, submurged containers, knockdowns, pirates, through-hull failures, dragging anchors, rig failures, etc...thinking about this stuff makes me not even want to leave the dock, let alone cruise away with an infant. How much calculated risk is one willing to take? I don't have a good answer, but I know I badly want to make this cruising thing work, plenty of people do it successfully even with kids, and with care and attention I'm hoping I can manage the risks down to a "reasonable" level, whatever that is. So for now I'm clinging to the logic of that analysis, though it doesn't prevent momentary spats of disbelief that I'm actually planning on exposing my kid out on the water. For now our cruising will be limited to the Northeast, with trips measured in days or a few weeks at a time at most, with the full-time extended cruising planned for 1-2 years from now (probably in a different boat). We're in a 42 footer which should lend protection and comfort below for the little one for most of the weather we are likely to encounter in these short trips. I don't know how I'm going to manage her life-jacket thing: having her wear one whenever topsides, even when being held in the cockpit is an obvious safety plus, but it means for example, my wife cant put her quickly in the car seat if I suddenly need help, and strapped into the car seat is probably the most secure place for her to be if for some reason things go wrong. I don't even want to contemplate a knockdown with her on board...really unlikely with the sailing we plan on doing, but she better be strapped tight in her car seat if it happens. Anyway, need to find a balance between excessive paranoia that'll keep us off the water completely and carelessness with unnecessary risk...

[USCGRET1990]

Sorry, not trying to make you paranoid...more like well informed. On the water, take nothing for granted. With the infants, just try to be sure if anything happens, they will float upright in that they can't swim for themselves. Don't worry about what might happen, just be well prepared for anything that might. Most certainly take them with you so they can get used to the feel of it all. Just remember, ...they can't swim yet. Get them to swim ASAP. My youngest Granddaughter could swim (underwater) at age two! So anything is possible. Good Luck & Fair Winds

[sailingdog]

USCG-

Paranoia aside, I don't believe you need to have PFD on the little ones if they are below, in an enclosed cabin space.

[LittleMissMagic]

My son, almost two now, also wears a mustang jacket. He [b]Really[b] did not like it at first( starting at about two months), but now will wear it with a minimal amount of fuss. I suppose time is all it took.
Just a suggestion though, put your kid in the water to see if it will function as intended. While swimming with his jacket on, my son is promptly turned over on his belly if you let him go in water that is too shallow for him to stand up in. This alerted me to the frightening fact that if he ever falls overboard, an adult better be going in to assist quickly. Hopefully now that he is getting used to the water more this will be short lived. Just don't let anything surprise you. Take care.