A weeks sailing holiday with an 18month old?

[Mavro]

Hi there,

I've got a burning desire to take my family and some friends sailing. We are thinking of a trip to med. Both my wife and I are sailors of average ability. I've skippered lots of Solent charters, few med charters and crewed a fastnet. SWIMBO has (possibly quite wisely) insisted on a catamaran and a skipper if we are to even consider it.

My daughter will be around 18 months old when we go. Any views on if I'm certifiable or not?

I've read through previous posts and there are lots of stories of 6 month olds passing out in car seats and advice on how to keep the 3 year olds and up entertained. It seems that the worst time to take them is from when they start walking until they are about 3 or 4.

We've gone for a cat because it is stable and the cockpit provides for a nice space where kids can be contained without sailing controls in harms way. Many of the other crew are not very experienced so the skipper feels like a safe move and allows me to share the load of looking after the little one with my wife.

One of the other families joining us has a 4 year old although I'm less worried about him than I am my daughter because he can be reasoned with.

I haven't had a chance to get her out on the solent yet and am unlikely to before we book this trip. My daughter is insatiable curious with very fast hands and a strong dislike for being told she can't have something. When it comes to monohull sailing in the Solent I'm most worried about keeping little hands away from winches and clutches.

Any advice would be helpful. Is my thinking sound or this trip doomed?

 

[l'escargot]

The only bit in your post I would wonder about is reasoning with a four year old... As for the rest of it, go for it. You're right, kids can be contained on a boat as it is an easily controlled environment, your daughter will enjoy it.

 

[mjcoon]

The only bit in your post I would wonder about is reasoning with a four year old...

That took me aback, too. Put him down for Mensa!

Mike.

 

[Melody]

We've had toddlers on our boats without problems. Make sure she has a life-jacket and is fastened to the boat anytime she comes up on deck. May be worthwhile getting netting put around the guard-rails. Kids adapt to their situation very well if you are calm but firm.

 

[Tintin]

Go for it.

 

[Mavro]

Thanks for the encouragement. Will definitely get netting for the guard rails. As for the 4 year old, his parents find it "relatively" easier to get him to do as he is told compared to my 1 year old who thinks the world is ending if she doesn't get her way.

 

[l'escargot]

... compared to my 1 year old who thinks the world is ending if she doesn't get her way.

Good luck - that's just girls. Don't plan on it changing when she's 4 - my 18 year old daughter still thinks that... :encouragement:

 

[tcm]

Yeah, i say go for it ....but imho

One person (probably Mum) is the child's "lifejacket" - it's her job to stick to her like glue. Her secondary job MIGHT be to make sarnies but mainly - they look after the child.

Until they can swim enough to be chucked off the deck and make it round to the stern, kids keep their feet in the cabin or on the cockpit floor and no going forward on deck ("must stay on the wood" or "feet on teak") unless with that lifejacket person. Easiest is no going fwd at all.

Otherwise the floating life is great for family and all that.

 

[Whiskey Bravo]

Good luck - that's just girls. Don't plan on it changing when she's 4 - my 18 year old daughter still thinks that... :encouragement:

Not to mention SWMBO!!!

 

[john_morris_uk]

Thanks for the encouragement. Will definitely get netting for the guard rails. As for the 4 year old, his parents find it "relatively" easier to get him to do as he is told compared to my 1 year old who thinks the world is ending if she doesn't get her way.

My heart sinks when I hear of parents like this (although I am sure they are charming and probably not half as bad as I am imagining).

SWMBO (who is a head teacher) was tearing her hair out a few days ago as a parent was asking for yet more taster days for a her child. This was because the child hadn't made up their mind whether they liked her school or not. The child was five. A polite but firm letter to the parent explained that at age five, the child doesn't get the choice and the parent was asked to decide yes or no. (They'd had two visits, read all the literature about the place and the child had been for a taster day to make new friends and experience the routines already.)

Back to your original point: I suggest that your child will not worry too much about the surroundings by day, but it will be the change in routine and different bed times and sleeping arrangements that might be the only challenge. Hopefully all the stimulation will tire them out so much that they will sleep all night. The usual caveats apply to allowing them to sleep all day (because it gives you peace and quiet) and then discovering that they want to wake up half the night.

I am sure that all will be fine and the actual boating bit will be the least of your worries!

 

[Babylon]

This was because the child hadn't made up their mind whether they liked her school or not. The child was five. A polite but firm letter to the parent explained that at age five, the child doesn't get the choice and the parent was asked to decide yes or no.

Just drifting with the drift...

The problem of 'choice' is a huge problem in our culture. Prior to unbridled consumer-capitalism and some kooky modern psychological theories on children, we didn't wallow in the idea that we had total choice in our lives, or that our children had much choice at all. There was the gas-board, Royal Mail (post and phone), your choice of car if you could afford one was either a Rover or a Morris and you took your holidays either in a boarding house in Frinton or a caravan in Cornwall. You watched up to a total of one or two channels on TV and children were told where they were going to go to school and what time to go to bed.

Since toddlerhood, my ex has brainwashed our son into thinking he has choice in everything, to the point where it is a constant battle of wills with his teachers as to whether he settles down to doing any work in the classroom or otherwise. This is too heavy a burden of responsibility to place on shoulders of a child, and the damage to his academic confidence is already evident.

But children are adaptable, and when I collect him from school this afternoon, he'll snap back into being a normal eight-year old with comfort and freedom in the boundaries at my home... which he knows he'll transgress only at his direst peril!

Monster Dad

PS My son was two when I bought my yacht (a tender monohull) and took him and my ex (a total novice) sailing. No worries at all. Just allocate one parent to care for the toddler (strap it down when both parents are briefly needed as crew) and learn to heave-to when nappies need changing.

 

[snooks]

A couple of things, unless you're in the dinghy forget a lifejacket on kids less than 2. Go for a Baltic kiddies safety harness, get a line attach it to the back and a suitable child unfriendly clip on the end so they can't take it off themselves. This way they will be where you left them. It's also great for taking them for walls down the pontoon, and you won't need to add netting to the charter boat.

For a child so small lifejackets are huge unwieldy and constraining things. Consiquently they don't like being put into them or wearing them.

Is your wife still breast feeding (before bedtime maybe)? If so your little one might spend more time than usual feeding and we felt ours was in need of security and reverted back to where she felt safe. This meant that sailing won't be a bag of fun for your wife as all she'll be able to do is sit there incapacitated by the little one.

If it's sunny, hat and sun tan lotion at all times. Water play in the cockpit is good. Get some new toys for the trip, avoid anything unfriendly to wood. Skip won't be too happy with little one bashing seven shades out if the saloon table.

Get your sailmaker to run up a 5ft square bit of acrylic cloth and put an eye in each corner. Great for sun awning, saloon cushion cover, hammock, wobbly splash pool, cockpit teak cover etc etc.

Make sure one cabin can be made completely dark for nap time, and take it easy, don't try to sail more than a couple of hours between naps - trying to get them to sleep while sailing was only slightly more fun than being punched repeatedly in the face.

 

[jwilson]

+1 for harnesses rather than lifejackets, chartered a cat for a fortnight's holiday when our two boys were 2 and 4, beached on sandy beaches quite a few days, worked pretty well.

Off our own monohull the then 2 year old went over the side (no netting) once. Pulled the string and up he came spluttering. Never did it again.

 

[rosewood]

Hi there,

I've got a burning desire to take my family and some friends sailing. We are thinking of a trip to med. Both my wife and I are sailors of average ability. I've skippered lots of Solent charters, few med charters and crewed a fastnet. SWIMBO has (possibly quite wisely) insisted on a catamaran and a skipper if we are to even consider it.

My daughter will be around 18 months old when we go. Any views on if I'm certifiable or not?

I've read through previous posts and there are lots of stories of 6 month olds passing out in car seats and advice on how to keep the 3 year olds and up entertained. It seems that the worst time to take them is from when they start walking until they are about 3 or 4.

We've gone for a cat because it is stable and the cockpit provides for a nice space where kids can be contained without sailing controls in harms way. Many of the other crew are not very experienced so the skipper feels like a safe move and allows me to share the load of looking after the little one with my wife.

One of the other families joining us has a 4 year old although I'm less worried about him than I am my daughter because he can be reasoned with.

I haven't had a chance to get her out on the solent yet and am unlikely to before we book this trip. My daughter is insatiable curious with very fast hands and a strong dislike for being told she can't have something. When it comes to monohull sailing in the Solent I'm most worried about keeping little hands away from winches and clutches.

Any advice would be helpful. Is my thinking sound or this trip doomed?

Just do it. Believe me it will be a lot worse when she is 18 years old. But at least you will be older and wiser

 

[damsis44]

Just to say our boy has been on boats since he was about 4months old, he's now 6 and still aboard. ;o)
We did 10 days in the Clyde on our 44' yacht with him at 18months. He fitted IN the cockpit table nicely with toys/cars/crayons etc to hand on the table top, he could be strapped into his pushchair in the cockpit when we both needed to do something (mooring, berthing etc) and he slept in a single bunk with lee cloth quite securely. Go for it, just think out your safety and security solutions before you get there, there shouldn't be any showstoppers that way. Have fun!

 

[Ravi]

Lots of good advice.

Good call, going for the netting. It means that you can potter on the foredeck together without you worrying about a moment's distraction.
Also, good call, going for a Cat. Apart from anything else, more room and more fun for everyone! Yo may never want a monohull, again!

A few people have advocated a harness, rather than a life jacket. Fair enough, but my friends' kids loved their life jackets and used to put them on at home and "play sailing". So, it depends on the kids. (On reflection, they were buoyancy aids rather than inflatable LJs because the parents thought these were safer for that size and they could transport them out by plane.)

You might also think about where you want to cruise. I think that you mentioned Greece. The Ionian is, famously, the most gentle. Less exciting sailing for you but I found it a good way to tricking my boys into yachty things before exposing them to the North Sea!

For the 4 year old.... . if he can't swim well, yet, get him some flippers (and armbands). Flippers are the best way to getting a small child enjoying being in the water.

One thought... re - designating your significant other as the designated child minder for the whole holiday ....... I never got away with that.

It sounds like a fun adventure. Hope it goes well.

 

[SailingGB]

We did a channel islands trip to Guernsey with 18 month and pregnant wife, then we did Solent trips with kids each summer, we try to sail at night after or around dinner & bed time. In the day we have a strict no going outside of the cockpit rule and obviously lifejackets on at all times with harness lines clipped in at the cockpit whilst mooring. We found the type / size stability of the yacht most important factor more than anything else, tried a few different ones over the years. We also put safety netting around the yacht for cildren safety.
From November our Hanse 54 will be in the carribean for the carribean season if you are interested in a week or two onboard.
We are also doing a few family trips in the Solent this year, first one for the Yarmouth festival and a channel islands crossing.
contact www.sailinggb.co.uk or direct email darren@sailinggb.co.uk

 

[dedwards]

My 3r old has been on board with us at this age. My opinion is that strap on in cockpit is essential. Get a strap with loop at one end and clip at other. Slip knot the loop at fastening point and clip onto harness/lj in middle of kid's back. That way, there's no way the blighter can undo it.
We also have netting. imo, this is less for the kid (who's strapped on) and more for anything else that the kid decides should be overboard.
Make sure you are happy they have a berth they can't fall out of and consider what you will use for a high chair. We found the ones that have an integrated table and go on top of a normal chair the best (they are equally good on a beach btw)

 

[Kukri]

Used to sail with very little children from six months upwards. Not a big issue really so long as a couple keep in mind that the father will in practice be single-handing. Used to fish the older boy out with his harness just about annually - he's became a dinghy instructor and is now in the Merchant Navy!

 

[sighmoon]

Sailing makes for a great family holiday, as you can still sail while the nipper is sleeping.

Our 2 oldest started sailing at 4 weeks, and 18 months (No.3 will start this year)

One of the other families joining us has a 4 year old although I'm less worried about him than I am my daughter because he can be reasoned with.

Ha ha ha

Since toddlerhood, my ex has brainwashed our son into thinking he has choice in everything, to the point where it is a constant battle of wills with his teachers as to whether he settles down to doing any work in the classroom or otherwise. This is too heavy a burden of responsibility to place on shoulders of a child, and the damage to his academic confidence is already evident.

I'm quite an 'old school' parent, but my son had a similar shaky start to school. It will pass. He's probably lacking confidence, and a bit of a one on one push from dad will get him over the hump.

A couple of things, unless you're in the dinghy forget a lifejacket on kids less than 2. Go for a Baltic kiddies safety harness, get a line attach it to the back and a suitable child unfriendly clip on the end so they can't take it off themselves. This way they will be where you left them. It's also great for taking them for walls down the pontoon, and you won't need to add netting to the charter boat.

For a child so small lifejackets are huge unwieldy and constraining things. Consiquently they don't like being put into them or wearing them.

Is your wife still breast feeding (before bedtime maybe)? If so your little one might spend more time than usual feeding and we felt ours was in need of security and reverted back to where she felt safe. This meant that sailing won't be a bag of fun for your wife as all she'll be able to do is sit there incapacitated by the little one.

If it's sunny, hat and sun tan lotion at all times. Water play in the cockpit is good. Get some new toys for the trip, avoid anything unfriendly to wood. Skip won't be too happy with little one bashing seven shades out if the saloon table.

Get your sailmaker to run up a 5ft square bit of acrylic cloth and put an eye in each corner. Great for sun awning, saloon cushion cover, hammock, wobbly splash pool, cockpit teak cover etc etc.

Make sure one cabin can be made completely dark for nap time, and take it easy, don't try to sail more than a couple of hours between naps - trying to get them to sleep while sailing was only slightly more fun than being punched repeatedly in the face.

Good post.

It's true that our kids were reluctant to wear a lifejacket, but they didn't have a choice. Life jackets are not that bad, and worth persevering with, IMHO. There's still any number of scenarios where they could end up in the drink. Most likely they won't, but it's a simple precaution. A lifejacket also means they land on something soft if they fall over.

Also, Mum didn't like changing nappies at sea; if you want her to have a good time, that has to be a daddy job.

The keeping trips short advice is one I've heard a lot, but it wasn't possible for us as we had to cover a lot of distance to bring the boat closer to a new home. The kids soon adapted, and took themselves for naps, etc.