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Recommendations needed - baby/infant PFD and harnesses

6K views 29 replies 11 participants last post by  T37Chef 
#1 ·
Hi all,
Well I'm guessing this has been covered before, but I can't seem to find what I'm looking for with search. Maybe someone here can help with either the information or a link to another thread that I should read.

We have a new little one who will be going sailing for the first time soon on our 34 footer. He's 6 1/2 months old now, about 19.5 lbs, so "infant" PFDs will be the need for this season. I'd like to have a PFD for him as well as a harness. We may not use each of them all the time, but sometimes a harness is better than a jacket, other times the jacket is in order. I would like to have options.

Any specific recommendations on either a PFD or harness you particularly like for infant types? There are a lot out there, so it's a bit much to sort through.

Thanks for the help!
J
 
#4 · (Edited)
#26 ·
Shawn,

Great picture to blackmail with in high school.

J,

We have two of these on board, Cal June / Jim Buoy Child's Safety Harness

I have a Mustang Infant PFD if you want it, it yours, we have no need for it anymore.
Mustang Lil' Legends Infant Floater Life Jacket / PFD

In addition, if you can find space, a "pack & play" is great for the boat
Graco Pack 'N Play Playard - Walmart.com

Also something like a car seat or seat with harness can be useful such as this
 
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#6 · (Edited)
Hi all,

. We may not use each of them all the time, but sometimes a harness is better than a jacket, other times the jacket is in order. I would like to have options.

Thanks for the help!
J
please keep in mind that they are required to have an approved device on at all times while on the boat. Yes I know, but at all times and even while in the cabin. even while in the slip. as they get older you can never under estimate the speed at which a toddler can get from anywhere in the boat to the rail.
 
#8 · (Edited)
I am not necassarily in disagrrement that a infant should wear a PFD, but it is not required by law in Maryland so your statement is incorrect.

"Effective April 1, 2010, Maryland law states that all children under the age of 13 must WEAR a United States Coast Guard approved Personal Flotation Device (life jacket - Type I, II, III or V) while underway on a recreational vessel under 21 feet in length on Maryland waters. Recreational vessel includes motorboats, sailboats, canoes, kayaks, rowboats, and any other device capable of being used for transportation on the water, when the vessel is being used for other than commercial purposes. The life jacket must be the proper size for the child and must be in good and serviceable condition.

This requirement does not apply when:

A vessel is moored or anchored.
A child is below deck or in an enclosed cabin.

Also a child under the age of 4 must wear a PFD which features additional safety precautions, as appropriate for an infant, toddler, or young child, so as to:

hold the child securely within the PFD, including a strap that is secured between the child's legs to fasten together the front and back of the PFD;
maintain the buoyancy of the child, including an inflatable headrest or high collar; or
ensure the ready accessibility of the child from the vessel, including a web handle.

This does not apply to a vessel that is moored or anchored or a child who is below deck or in an enclosed cabin. "

Maryland Department of Natural Resources - Boating

Of course conditions/sea state, where you are sailing, type of boat, etc should all be considered when choosing where, when, what a child/infant should be in a PFD or Harness
 
#7 ·
Belated congratulations on the birth of your son! Boys are a lot of fun.

Funny, I was going to say the exact opposite of Johnny. We gotthe Mustang PFD's for our boys, and feel good about their use. They make an infant version, too. I sewed a strap through the back to which the tether can be attached. My boys were 4 and 6 when we started sailing, though much like an infant, they still can't swim well.

With an infant, I think its a tough call as to whether a tether or a PFD is best. The tether and harness are designed to keep the baby from going overboard, while the PFD is meant to keep them afloat if they do go over. In the end, you have to do what makes you most comfortable, but with a child that young, I would probably insist on the PFD because it will get them into the habit early. I'd tether them, too, and I'd probably consider netting around the cockpit area. Not that netting is the be-all and end-all, but at $30-50, it seems a no-brainer.

With our new boat, we have a bigger foredeck and easier access to it, so I'd like to start letting my boys go forward. My plan is a jackline with tethers, the tethers being attached to the webbing loop that I added to the PFD (it's literally a loop that goes all the way through the arm holes of the PFD). I'll probably also add netting to the foredeck area.

With an infant, I'd be more worried about how to secure the seat/carrier, and how to keep him entertained while he's aboard. I've seen some jumpers that attach to the boom, and some other neat toys for little ones.
 
#9 ·
Shawn, that's interesting. I'll have to look at the NJ law. It says the requirement only applies to vessels under 21 feet. Your boat, my boat, and the OP's boat are all over that size. Well, my Albacore isn't but I will insist that they wear PFD's on that thing anyway.

I wonder if there's a regulation for larger pleasure boats.
 
#10 ·
Once my kids could walk, we got them into PFDs. Crawlers, we tethered. In the car seat, we just strapped them in and secured the car seat. In dicey conditions, the little ones should be below. In good conditions, you are (or should be) keeping an eye on them. I've got six kids who have been sailing before most of them could walk. We managed not to lose any of them.
 
#13 ·
When you get a pfd for the little one make sure it has a croche strap and that you/they use it. Kids body shape is not quite the same as adults. All too often when the child goes in the water they reach up for help and slip out of the pfd. Of the parent/adult trying to rescue the child grabs the pfd because it is handy or feels more secure and when the pull the child slips out and goes down an the adult has only the pfd. This may become more of an issue as they get older and more mobil. Just me 2 cents worth.
 
#15 · (Edited)
My son wears one of the orange Cal June/Jim Buoy harnesses with the crotch strap. I agree with T37Chef, you should be concerned about your child developing heat stroke. Small children are more susceptible to heat-related illness, and you need to be careful in hot weather. We always watch him very carefully on board.

Our son wears a PFD with crotch strap in cool weather and in all weather on the dock and when he boards and leaves the boat. In the heat of summer, it is harness only once he gets on the boat. In addition to our concerns about his safety and healthy, we also want him to enjoy sailing and feel comfortable on the boat.

Here he is in both, as we motor out of Urbanna Creek:
 
#16 ·
I would always use the infant mustang jacket whenever they were on deck- even at dock, and at all times under way. The jacket had a crotch strap- make sure to use it. I would tie a tether onto the jacket- would keep them on the boat- but be sure you could releas quickly- in case the boat were to get knocked down or to sink suddenly by collision.

Never take your eyes off the kids, even for a second when they are on deck.
 
#17 ·
Thanks for all the recommendations and food for thought folks. As always, I appreciate it!

T37Chef, we might take you up on your generous offer for the lifejacket. Either way, thank you!

While I don't think we can fit a pack n play on the boat, anyone have additional recommendations for infant sleeping set-up? At months, he's sleeping in a crib or pack n play at home. I have a few ideas, but would love to hear from the experience of the group.

Thanks!
-J
 
#19 ·
When we had our pack & play in use, it very conveniently fit in the salon because the table folded up onto the bulkhead. This is an ideal location becasue the motion of the boat is best in the center and down low. A V berth area is fine if the weather is clam, but in a rough sea you could see the toddler doing some acrobatics :) LOL

Our boat has a pilot berth that served well, still does actually. My wife made a mesh type Lee Cloth that kept them well contained even in some rough weather. A few pillows here and there and they slept like rocks even in the worst conditions.
 
#20 ·
We put our infants in baby seats, bungee corded the seat in the cockpit, and then tethered the seat on a short enough line that it couldn't get out of the cockpit:





When they got older (and mobile), we would use a PFD and harness, and tether the harness to a hard point in the cockpit:



If the kids went below (where we did keep a pack-and-play), they could take their PFD off. And we never took the kids out in rough conditions -- it was always fairweather sailing with the kids. (At least that was our intent. My wife would argue that we did take them out a few times when we shouldn't have!)
 
#21 · (Edited)


Baltic is the best. When we lived in Europe we saw a UK Lifeboats show where they tested kid/infant pfd's. They tested with nappies (diapers) on which is critical due to the added weight when wet. Hands down Baltic won every category. So for our three grand kids we have an baby/toddler model, and two +3 models.

Of coarse you can't get them in the US and have to order from the UK. Worth it! Top quality. We always get comments from other boaters on how well designed they are.

This is the site we ordered from.
Kids Baltic Extrasafe Kids 100N lifejacket with harness! 2 Sizes - Marine Warehouse Ltd

Another good site:
http://www.littleadventureshop.co.uk/Kids-Outdoor-Brands/Baltic-Lifejackets
 
#24 ·
Baltic is the best. When we lived in Europe we saw a UK Lifeboats show where they tested kid/infant pfd's. They tested with nappies (diapers) on which is critical due to the added weight when wet. Hands down Baltic won every category. So for our three grand kids we have an baby/toddler model, and two +3 models.

Of coarse you can't get them in the US and have to order from the UK. Worth it! Top quality. We always get comments from other boaters on how well designed they are.
Thanks Kellysails. We might consider them for the next round. They look really nice, including some with softer fabrics, etc. for more comfort. The only thing is them not being Coast Guard approved, so we'd have to carry a spare approved version in order to be "legal", even if they are a superior product. Is that what you do, or was that even a concern?
Thanks!
-J
 
#23 ·
Jim/Josrulz,

Great to meet you (again) and I am thrilled you could use the PFD. The crab cakes were not bad and the beer was cold :)

We'll have to plan a raft up sometime this year...July...Wye River perhaps?
Yep, great talking with you T37Chef...our little one has already tried out the PFD and so far it he seemed fine with it (fingers crossed). :) We should definitely plan to raft up this year. The Wye would be nice. Or wherever works for wind direction when the time comes.
Cheers,
J
 
#25 ·
I do. I have the same issue with our Spinlock deckvests. The material is very soft and we get very little complaints from the grandkids about them. We were most concerned about about the infant and after seeing the results of the RNLI testing with wet diapers there was doubt in our minds.

You can say what you want about the Brits but they are fanatics when it comes to their standards in boating safety.

I think the biggest factor in getting the kids to wear them though is a policy that everyone wears a PFD, adults & kids, always. (I know that sounds self-righteous)
 
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