Meat Hooks

[tenuki]

Yesterday I was down at the new old boat doing some work while my 6 year old son explored the boat and dock. Everything was going great when suddenly I heard a scream form down below. He had brushed his hand against the window frame and one of the bolt ends had been hacksawed off and not filed smooth. It was a minor cut, but freaked both of us out at first. He had made cookies with his mother earlier that day and had red food coloring all over both hands.

Anyway, the new 'top of list' project is finding and removing all the sharp edges on my boat. any tips? I'm guessing running my hands over all the possible places these could occur with a set of gloves is in order. As a more or less experienced adult I can pretty much avoid most possibilities myself, but now I'm paranoid about guests.

[sailingdog]

Also, look for any unfinished fiberglass edges in cabinets and lockers... they're vicious. You'll probably want to tape over the cotters on the standing rigging as well..even though taping the rigging isn't generally recommended. You could put a dab of sealant on the cotters instead...which would be more time consuming, but better for the rigging.

[Cruisingdad]

THat is what we did (looking around and imagining yourself at their height). That is what Parenting Magazine reccomends on your house too, as I remember. The nice thing about boats is that for the most part they are infant proof. The bad thing is that there are obviously things you do not want them getting into and if they did could really hurt them.

Teach him how to walk early: one hand for the boat, one for him. It will be especially difficult for him/her as they will often have a very bulky jacket on and they are still gettin down "walking".

You are on the right track, in my opinion... just being conscious is 9/10ths of it!!

- CD

[Giulietta]

My wifes's sister and her 2 year old daughter spent a week cruising with us..

One day I heard the little baby cry and went to see what happened..

She had stuck her hand underneath the stove, that gimbals, and the more she pulled the more the stove locked her hand...like the monkey and the apple....

So if you can, when not sailing, lock the stove..

[tenuki]

Stove on a sailboat? huh...

RE sharp corner and edges I'm sort of a let the kid burn his hand on a stove if they insist on ignoring your warning sort of parent, however my wife is a 'you can't use a knife until you are 18 and you must wear a helmet while playing on the playground' sort of person. I'm cool with it, takes both a hug and and push to raise a child IMHO. He's gonna definitely be more careful about what he grabs on the boat now, which is a good thing. I've been teaching him the one hand for the boat thing and also to not grab anything that moves, which takes a bit of learning on a sailboat evidently.

But hey, sharp edges are a bad idea in general so they gotta go. I hate cut hands.

[sailingdog]

One problem you will run into is that they are much smaller and will fit into places you didn't think it was possible for them to get into... and you will invariably have skipped something in one of these spaces.. Positive latches on all lockers is probably a really good idea.

[tenuki]

gads, I hadn't thought of that, and my son has a horrible sense of humor. I can just imagine he would think it funny to scare the living daylights out of us by disappearing. At 3 he thought it funny to throw valuables overboard but I think/hope his humor has gained sophistication if not common sense. Yes I know, I'm in for lots of trouble.

[Giulietta]

Tenuki...what is the name of this..I'm confused, is it not a stove??

[tenuki]

OMG, a refrigerator?!?! and all that space?!?! what, you sure that isn't a picture of your home kitchen?

[sailingdog]

Giulietta, his wife, had a lot to say about how Guilietta his boat was finished...

And, yes, Tenuki, you're probably going to be screwed.. your son sounds like a real trouble maker... I'll have to come over and give him some pointers...