Am I setting my sights to high? - Boat's and Babies.

[GrowingLad]

We are due to start our two week holiday at the end of the week and the plan is to do some trips with the boat.

The major point is my 3 month old daughter.

She's 99% no problems, we take her here and there and as long as we keep her stocked up on mum's milk and chat away with her whilst she's awake she's as happy as a sand-girl...In fact the only time she gets grumpy is if we don't let her sleep or she's hungry.

We're going to be using the boat in the Halkidiki area of Greece (the bit with the 3 legs up tut North)...Generally the weather this time of year is pretty good and even when it blows, 9 times out of 10 you'll be sheltered from larger waves.

Now my plan is to find a base for a week (apartment) where we'll spend the evenings and then do little day trips along the coast and visit beaches/towns in short hops with the boat.

Obviously the usually safety measures will need to be satisfied.
Only if the weather is spot on. I've been going up there every weekend for the past 6 weeks and have been comparing the forecast to the actual weather, no problems there.
You'll get an idea of the boat from my Avatar (she's 7m's) The plan is to set off early in the morning do some trips and either find somewhere for lunch to wait out the midday sun or get back to base before it gets too hot. I'm planning to have the bed made up in the cabin for the little'un to sleep on. I'm looking to potter along at around 7-8 knots so there's no chance she's going to get bounced all over the place...plus as I said, any chance of not near perfect weather I won't be heading out.
I'm not planning to venture too far from the coast, just move along it, there are quite a few Islands near where I'm planning with lots of little coves. I've obviously got flares and radio,auxiliary engine plus I'm going to be towing my inflatable so if push comes to shove I've got backup should something go drastically wrong with my boat.

I know there are quite a few guys with kids so I'd like to hear your views if I've got everything covered.

I know there is a risk to anything (even driving down the shops with the kiddies in the car) but as long as I keep it simple and short I'm not opening my family to excess risks.

My other concern was life jackets, got plenty for adults but not sure what to do with the little'un, do they even make em for such small ones...I'm guessing that it would probably be more of a hindrance at this age..

I'd like to hear the experience of others who've boated with babies.

 

[phockit]

Our baby daughter first went out on a boat when she was a month old and had completed a day trip from Poole Weymouth and back by the time she was 3 months old

She has a lifejacket which we keep to hand but don't put on her unless she's on deck whilst underway (we're all inside in the pilot house normally, she wore it all the time when we had an open sports cruiser). They aren't comfortable to lay in so you need to be holding them when they are wearing it. When she was small we used to put her in a small cot/moses basket type thing down below to sleep, now she's grown out of that we use the car seat. Both will be familiar and so comforting and can be wedged/secured so that they won't move in a seaway.

As well as having all the safety kit, the important thing is having an agreed plan of action/responsibilities in the event of an emergency. For example, either SWMBO or I will always be wearing a lifejacket when underway (even though we are inside), if there is an emergency the one wearing the lifejacket will sort the baby while the other puts their's on. SWMBO will then manage the baby while I deal with the problem/radio/liferaft as necessary.

Like most things, it's about preparation to minimise the risks and panic in the event of something unplanned happening. Rigging the boat for and being able to operate it single-handed is a good start as you can't control when the baby is going to need attention and SWMBO will not be able to assist you.

Starting with small trips as you are planing is a good start as you'll all build up confidence and it's no big deal to come back if the baby gets upset.

Good Luck !!

Paul

 

[GrowingLad]

As well as having all the safety kit, the important thing is having an agreed plan of action/responsibilities in the event of an emergency. For example, either SWMBO or I will always be wearing a lifejacket when underway (even though we are inside), if there is an emergency the one wearing the lifejacket will sort the baby while the other puts their's on. SWMBO will then manage the baby while I deal with the problem/radio/liferaft as necessary.

That's some good advice, thanks.

 

[Deleted User YDKXO]

We are due to start our two week holiday at the end of the week and the plan is to do some trips with the boat.

The major point is my 3 month old daughter.

She's 99% no problems, we take her here and there and as long as we keep her stocked up on mum's milk and chat away with her whilst she's awake she's as happy as a sand-girl...In fact the only time she gets grumpy is if we don't let her sleep or she's hungry.

We're going to be using the boat in the Halkidiki area of Greece (the bit with the 3 legs up tut North)...Generally the weather this time of year is pretty good and even when it blows, 9 times out of 10 you'll be sheltered from larger waves.

Now my plan is to find a base for a week (apartment) where we'll spend the evenings and then do little day trips along the coast and visit beaches/towns in short hops with the boat.

Obviously the usually safety measures will need to be satisfied.
Only if the weather is spot on. I've been going up there every weekend for the past 6 weeks and have been comparing the forecast to the actual weather, no problems there.
You'll get an idea of the boat from my Avatar (she's 7m's) The plan is to set off early in the morning do some trips and either find somewhere for lunch to wait out the midday sun or get back to base before it gets too hot. I'm planning to have the bed made up in the cabin for the little'un to sleep on. I'm looking to potter along at around 7-8 knots so there's no chance she's going to get bounced all over the place...plus as I said, any chance of not near perfect weather I won't be heading out.
I'm not planning to venture too far from the coast, just move along it, there are quite a few Islands near where I'm planning with lots of little coves. I've obviously got flares and radio,auxiliary engine plus I'm going to be towing my inflatable so if push comes to shove I've got backup should something go drastically wrong with my boat.

I know there are quite a few guys with kids so I'd like to hear your views if I've got everything covered.

I know there is a risk to anything (even driving down the shops with the kiddies in the car) but as long as I keep it simple and short I'm not opening my family to excess risks.

My other concern was life jackets, got plenty for adults but not sure what to do with the little'un, do they even make em for such small ones...I'm guessing that it would probably be more of a hindrance at this age..

I'd like to hear the experience of others who've boated with babies.

Assuming you have the necessary safety equipment, it would be the heat that would most concern me even if you do say that you will get back before it gets too hot. Coincedentally I was sitting on a friend's sports boat at anchor in Majorca yesterday and they have a small baby who seemed to get quite uncomfortable in 30deg + temps. You must provide constant shade for the baby and remember that the shade moves as the boat swings around at anchor. They had a small paddling pool in the cockpit in which they dunked the baby when she seemed to get overheated. Also they opened all the hatches and portholes down below to create as cool an environment as possible for sleeping
You must get a baby lifejacket but they are bulky and hot so remove it when stationary

 

[dragoon]

Boating with babies

Hi,
we've been using our boat since our son was just a few months old. He's almost 4 now.

Yes, you can get babies and small childrens life-jackets. We've always had our son wear them when in the wheelhouse on the boat, on the decks, or on the pontoon.

I've always been very worried about moving him up and down the potoon in the buggy. As such I used to take him out, put his life jacket on and carry him. The idea of the buggy going into the water with your child inside it doesn't bear thinking about.

If you time your trips right, you'll discover that they're usually asleep when you're underway (must be the motion of the boat).


Another tip, when close manouvering, and both of you are required on deck, for a time we used to clip his jacket to a lanyard on the inside of the boat, but in view of us. This was to stop him trying to follow us out on deck. This was after he was old enough to move about, but young enough not to know better.

Our son loves going out now, and he can already pilot the boat (with a little supervision of course).

Good luck.

Cheers,
Paul

 

[GrowingLad]

Hi Guys,

Right, got the little'un a jacket today. It's not something I'd have her wearing all the time but as dragoon mentioned, when she's not inside the boat and being transferred you gotta cover all the bases.

Aye, shade isn't a problem, it she's not in the cabin I'll have the cover up over the wheel house..plus I'm gonna take her baby bath so if she gets a tad warm we'll give her a dip. She's been up at the beach house for the last 8 weeks (plus being born in a heat wave in Athens) so she's used to the heat as long as we keep her out of the sun.

I'll make sure I get plenty of snaps to record how we get one.

Cheers,

Simon.