Cruising with a Baby

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Ellycp

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Hi,
I'm not sure if this is the right place to ask this question! but anyway... We are planning a sailing holiday for the spring, but we're hoping to adopt before then. I reckon we can manage to cruise with a baby (we'll have friends there so won't be just us sailing). Does anyone have any experience or advice? My husband is getting nervous about the possibility!

Thanks,
Elly
 
This is an article about children and boats I wrote recently in a Greek magazine. There is also a brief reference to babies. I think you may find some things interesting and probably a lot more that you disagree with but I think that there is enough here for what thet call it: food for thought. Sorry for the translation that is not very good as English is not my mother tongue. Let me know if in your quest for advise you discover something important missing or something wrong.

Manos

Children and boats.

Are the boats offered for recreation for familial vacations or simple are the practical confrontation of the baby boom from their owners? Simple answer does not exist but the presence of children in boats is met continuously more often in the past few years even in our country and causes many concerns for the safety but also for the level of quality of vacations that it offers.

In previous issues we had been reported in the personal experience by the presence of a child on a boat and in the preparation of the boat, and the child, for the realisation of bigger duration and distance trips. The hour of assessment reached afterwards the summer vacations and the personal thoughts, distresses and dreams, gave their place in useful conclusions, always in the light of familial choices of way and duration of vacations that is influenced also considerably by the type but also the size of the available boat.

In the beginning
Before each departure and specifically in the case where on the boat get children, providence should received for his preparation. This concerns two sectors: the good situation and operation of boat that offers additional safety and minimisation of potential discomfort and dangers, but also in the suitable configuration or even the equipment so that it serves the smaller dimensioned passengers. Regarding the first sector, that is to say the total safety that provides the boat to his passengers, the extensive maintenance and the control of his each system it is the one way road that we should follow and constitute permanently, a subject that from these pages we support continually. The fact that the previous year or the previous month our boat did not present no problem in the ride that we made, unfortunately does not mean anything, as the “hostile” environment of sea in what it functions is possible to create very easily and very quickly, important problems. We will exceed however in this case this question in order to deal a little more with the subject of… dimensions!

Sizes
Truthly, have you ever thought how our children face, the seats, the steps and all remainder (and obvious for us) parts of the boat? If no, a kneeled tour in his interior but also in the deck, gives you a good idea. The equivalence of dimensions (proportionally and with the age) can be described from an adventure of our children of commando type, up to a visit in the country of giants! This fact should puzzle us particularly for the movement on and into the boat. Simple solutions as the potential placement of handholds in the right points or the supply of boat with portable but stable stools that play the role of steps in vital points will resolve a lot of problems, as respectively the special seats for the toilet or the children's armchairs for cockpit. For smaller age children and particularly for the babies, special seats of car if they are placed in suitable place can offer safety and order.

The equipment
From most important stresses on the boat is the potential somebody from the members of the crew to fall in water. This stress becomes bigger when it concerns our children and includes not only the duration of travel but also our more general period of stay in the boat even when it is berthed. It does not need therefore to stress more that our main concern will be supposed to be our baby to fall in no case in the water. For the dissuasion of this potential exist various direct and indirect solutions. Between the most popular indirect solutions for the dissuasion of this danger, it is the placement of flexible net from toe rail up to the lifelines from bow to stern that offers perimetric protection not only in the children but also in all the games that accompany him as well as in the wider equipment of boat. However specifically in sailing boats this placement is not always easy mainly because the ropes of control of the sails that often pass below or even between the life lines and requiring wide field of free space for their unhindered movement. In this case the spray dodgers in the region of the cockpit provide almost corresponding level of safety and provide also the right aesthetic or practical intervention in the boat, as we can write the name of the boat or the number of recognition of his sails. For the most direct solutions of dissuasion of fall in water, we resort to the safety of life vests or to their combination with safety harness. The use is more naturally required at the duration of the sail, if we do not want or cannot to limit our child in the interior of the boat. Specifically in the question of life preserver we must be careful particularly at the choice so that it corresponds in the size and weight of the child that will wear him. It does not need we underline that is exceptionally dangerous our child to wear even the “best” life vest of adult as is presents the danger to slip and come out from this, in the event fall in the sea, something that will be deterred with the life preservers that are secured with belt under the legs.

Rules
They are essential and necessary and it is imposed that “we work” enough with our child, from early and in each occasion, in order that at least the basic rules on his safety become obvious movements when it comes on the boat. Each one can depending on the age of child, and the type of the boat that he owns, decide what it is important for his child to know. For the case of my five years old daughter and small and consequently slow sailing boat (more for this afterwards) we have led to two rules. In proportional line of their importance, these are: Rule first: “when we travel never we do not come out from the cabin of boat in the deck if first we do not wear life vest”. Rule second: “a hand belongs always in the boat and with this we keep our self at a solid point of the boat when we are moving. With the other we make that we want each time”. It is not difficult to become perceptible that with the first rule we ensure the protection from drowning and the breadth of application of the rule it will be proportional with the circumstances. This means that does not only concern the period of stay of child on the boat when it sails but also when in a Marina, specifically when the monitoring of child is not continuous or when the child is still small in age. The second rule naturally concerns in the dissuasion of an accident that can happen on or near the boat and it is practised also depending on the conditions of each case. More rules in our own case it was judged that they were not needed as they would fill more her mind presenting the danger firstly be forgotten, and secondly to cause a negative reaction to her presence in the boat after it would be accompanied by so many “not” and other so much “don’t”.

More
However alone and without the logic of rules she learned other important things that ensure her general safety. As an example afterwards the proportional pointing out (and with the way that the each parent faces his child), she realised that on the sailing boats we wear always shoes “in order not to slip or hit somewhere the foot” while she never came out alone outside from the boat to the pier walking on the gang board as “if I fall in harbour I’ ll get spoiled by dirty waters”. Naturally the reasons that she invokes they are not precisely those that we as parents had in mind, but the fact however that finally they contribute to the same aim of more general safety, us it allows we deal also with other important in her upbringing and as an example to learn swimming. Most important potentially in this approach is the fact that fear was not used as means or way with which she learns to live with safety on the boat. The fear is a healthy feeling that functions as mechanism of self-protection of each person and despite the fact that most children do not have still the corresponding experience and knowledge that will allow them to forecast or feel each danger, I consider that we should not create to them or cause more phobias that already create to the children the every day life and their growth. As an example the fear “of a car hitting them if we go down from the pavement” or corresponding “we do not speak to persons that are not friends of dad and mum because they may be bad” they are already enough so that they require careful handlings so that they do not develop in problem but in healthy confrontation of everyday routine.

Vacations
The vacations with the boat do not correspond only in endless hours of game in the sea and the beach. In them is involved also the travel that for other children is a process of enjoyment and for other a discomfort, while a important portion of these, feel per case both these contradictory sentimental situations. The case of each child is unique and important role also here plays the type but also the size of boat. I have met a friend with a motor boats that was forced to replace it with a sailing boat as his son feared the noise of his big engines and did not step his leg on the boat as soon as he commenced the machines, but also a corresponding case of yachtsman that he replaced with motor boat his sailing boat as his daughter feared the angle of the boat during sailing.

The size
Regarding the size of boat, two are the subjects that result in reference with the children and concern respectively the question of hospitality and the question of living at the duration of the trip. It should be marked that the space or the cabin that will be been disposed for the hospitality of our child should be such that will make him to feel familiar, respectively with his room in the house, that constitutes also his secure shelter. This will be realised more easily if his beloved games, sheets and equipment accompany him while from practical side this that should be ensured it is once again the question of safety or in order to be exact the question of fall from the bed. This will be deterred with the reception of ways that will transform the bed in “park” for the case of very small child with an L that enters under the layer of the bed in order to change the bed in a secure “play area” depending on the age of each child. Thus the question of size of boat or type does not play immediately role in its possibility for hospitality if the factor of safety is faced with sufficiency.

Activity
Regarding the living during sailing, it will always be supposed we remembered that the children do not have allowances and the patience of bigger. Thus it should we ensure enough alternative solutions of activity that naturally depend once again from the age of child. The case of baby on the boat is enough easy as his beloved games and enough sleep it is all that it needs if simply we attend to ensure that his environment will not be very hot or a lot of cold. In preschool age children, the volume of games that will accompany him grow enough thus we need to forecast for their storage in easily to them accessible spaces. Beyond these, books, cassettes or CD with their beloved songs and fairy tales will fill enough hours daily offering calm on the boat for the parents. The things change with the children as long as they grow, as they alone will seek ways of entanglement in the processes of sail something that should be allowed to them taking into consideration the question of safety. The helming of the boat or the ride with the dinghy (always under supervision and never alone especially with the outboard engine) will offer the possibility for them of learning the sea, to oar but also at the same time they acquire responsibility after they are called to take “captain” decisions on their small boat. Respectively does not exist better point for plunges or marine exploration of sea bottom from the boat in sure crests, while also the fishing is a creative employment that ensures also the evening dinner in those who they have the relative hobby. Ideally the combination of your vacations with friends that have children of corresponding age in yours or even in second boat will provide so much in terms of company but also safety in potential problem.

The type
Regarding the type of boat, the main differentiation regarding the children, is in the speed and consequently during the travel. The mechanically driven boats of course with their speed ensure smaller duration travel for the same destination against sailing boats. This results to more hours of presence in the boat, that we need to ensure that they will fill with activities that will stir the interests of small in age passengers. On the other hand, sailing boats that are usually more slow, we need to make such planning for the final destination in order that the travel is realised in stages that will not tire or try the patience of children on them, but also will offer the possibility of creative activity. Simple games of “discovery of” super market, “tour” in most beautiful roads closely to the harbour or even a course of local history depending on the age can offer beautiful familial moments. Does not exist therefore general rule regarding the type of boat that somebody would be supposed to select so that travels familial if the condition for the success of the undertaking is rendered with the right planning.

Forecasts
No one likes the nagging and this concerns not only the children or your spouse but even you if it is supposed that you are the one that realises the planning of your vacations with the boat. Factors as the time, the supplies and the facilities of boat are between the most important that it will be supposed you take into consideration in your planning of each travel. The weather independent of boat type will offer discomfort and dangers that you do not need if you have not forecasted alternative solutions and destinations. The supply of boat should be such that will ideally ensure or will eliminate each possibility of discomfort while also the facilities that provide the boat should be such that will create conditions that will offer enjoyment for all members of crew. Examples we could report many for each one separately from the above considerations that we reported, but we will stay focused potentially in the most important of the daily problems of a family: the milk. You have forecasted capable quantities for the biggest likely interval between each destination? Will the next destination allocate points of sale for the renewal of reserve? Have you the way to maintain it in a refrigerator? If it is electrical refrigerator, does your boat allocate it suffices reserves of energy (batteries) for the continuous operation? If it is ice refrigerator, you can find with facility in time ice so that it doesn't spoil the milk? Have you a way to warm it without being depended of electric current from the land if this isn't available? The likely catastrophy it is easy is continued with crowd of similar questions, each one from which it should been answered a lot before departure with each what that for your own family is important.

In final analysis, if you do not attempt it, you will never know! The entanglement of family with your beloved boat will offer new dimensions and prospects in the possibilities that you have in order to leave from the everyday routine and can be realised with absolute safety if the suitable measures are taken. As in any case with the sea and the boats of recreation, the forecast and the planning it is the secret of success that will remove the dangers and will offer the enjoyment. If in those you accomplish to include the safety of the family, then the continuity of your pastime with the boat not only will be guaranteed but also probably be more frequent!
 
We waited 'til ours were 3 & 7. Two reasons,
1/ we couldn't afford a boat ;-)
2/ by 3 the younger was effectively independant & the 7 year old was able to help look after him.

If very young, be aware of the potential conflict between their demands and the demands of the boat. Discuss how you will handle this. Consider some worst case scenarios -eg, feeding changing if caught in bad weather trying to make shelter. dealing with nappies, either disposable (er how disposable on a boat?) or rewashable terry (soaking & boiling on a boat?)

Please don't let me put you off, with careful selection of location & weather & suitably reduced objectives you will all have lots of fun. But don't expect to cruise as usual, the baby's needs will be within a whisker of the needs of the boat. You may need to choose between them sometime - not a nice situation to be in.

Whatever your decision I wish you happy cruising & a lovely family. They are not mutually exclusive!
 
It really depends how old he/she is. All ages from 3 months to 2.5 years (my experience so far anyway) are possible, its just different advice as they change from just lying there to crawling, then crawling to walking, then walking and climbing.
When very young the key (IMHO) is to have a method of securing them. We used a car seat lashed down wherever we wanted it.
As they get older it is more a matter of keeping them entertained on a lumpy passage.

BUT, it is worth it!! Don't be put off, there are always solutions, and mooring 40 yds from the beach is small boy heaven!!

Good luck

Rob

By god I'll have to type faster than that!!
 
Well these auto translation machines in the net helped a lot although there are still too many mistakes to corect but I hope you get the message...! Anyway you know you can't realy translate exactly from one language to another as there are expressions, etc. meaningless to a different society. Just tried to be helpfull.
 
That a really generous and kind article.

One point to add is medication. Being seasick can dehydrate people, especially children, very quickly. It's worth having some Dioralyte handy; failing which a drink of warm water, (fruit) sugar, a bit of salt, and lemon juice will suffice.

Enjoy the experience - the kid(s) will.
 
In addition to all that extremely good advice offered above, have a look at www.setsail.com, and look for the voyage logs of Dave and Jaja Martin on the S/Y 'Direction'. They have a lot of good practical info re cruising with kids, including babies.

Direction is a Cal 25 - I first met them here in Barbados 17 years ago, and then met them again in Antigua 12 years ago - in the meantime they had been around the world on this little 25' yacht, and had 2 kids on the way, with #3 due fairly imminently......
 
Wow, thanks everyone, didn't expect so many responses and so quickly! We are aiming for a very lazy cruise, judging by our last experience (Belize) we're not going for night passages, and we're the first in the pub when the weather gets bad!

I think I'll give it a try. With a baby, at least you don't have to worry about them falling overboard: I think it might be easier than with a toddler.

Thanks again!

Elly
 
We made a set of perspex wash boards so we could seal them below if lots of rain or spray - and we could still see what they were up to! The suggestion of putting them in a carry cot or travel cot & tying it down is a good one, they have room to move around a bit but can't fall out.
Propping a board between the bunks (or a small aft or fore cabin that is virtually all bed) is also useful. We have been known to let them lie on the floor if there is a risk of rolling off a bunk - just make sure there's no risk of treading on 'em!!
 
Sounds like you have the right idea - certainly in my (limited but increasing!) experience - take it very gently and take the easy option at every turn with plenty of trips ashore.

We actually found night / v. early moring passages worked quite well as he tended to sleep really late with the motion.

We have a nearly 2 year old now and he's been out with us for upto about a month at a time.

Netting on bunks so they can't fall off, car seats / bike seats strapped under crusing hood so they have somewhere safe if extra hands are needed - and accept that one person is going to be pretty much tied up looking after the little chap.
 
We set off when our two year old little boy was seven months, and now we are about to have another! Don't be nervous, but take precautions. A car seat, lee cloths and plenty of shade are important. There are lots of pictures and stories of our baby on board here .
Good luck and have fun /forums/images/graemlins/cool.gif
 
[ QUOTE ]
but take precautions

[/ QUOTE ]
A bit late for that by the sounds of it! /forums/images/graemlins/smirk.gif
 
Both our kids sailed from day one- indeed, well before day one in fact, and one, or possibly both, were concieved on board- not much else to do in the wet dock in Ipswich in those days! IMHO, babies are easier than todlers, as long as you have a means of securing them and you are aware of the medical issues as above. Neither of mine got seasick as small babies, but we always carried Calpol, Dioralyte and lots of Pampers! Still do in fact, they are the DBs for catching oil when changing filters, leaks etc.
 
Ours started at 2 and 6 weeks old (now 8 and 6 years old). Small babies are easy. Just you need the resilience to do nappies when below decks and bouncing around.
Crawling babies are harder, but placed in a nest of lee cloths and bedding would stay happy. We used netting on the guardwires which stopped stuff being thrown overboard later on.
Trips to the toilet need assistance as the boat moves around.
A rule of thumb that seems to apply is that the trip time should not exceed one hour for every year of the child's age. Ours were happy on the Hamble-Cowes run but less so on longer trips in the Solent. They have both become pretty immune to seasickness, withstanding up to 16 hours across Lyme Bay.

We bought the boat first before the children arrived...
 
Hi, welcome to the forum.
Loads of good common sense advice up here. Yes, it can be done. And if you adjust a few things (like all things related to children) it can be extremely rewarding. In fact the worse bit is going sailing 6 months before the baby is due: morning sickness and motion sickness combine with the inability to take tablets to make the experience not very pleasant. But you will miss this /forums/images/graemlins/smile.gif.
Celia, our youngest, was 16 months old when we acquired Tigger - and we spent the X-mas holidays on board pottering around in Plymouth Sound. Celia "learnt to walk" on board and had her first tantrum on deck: she did not want to go down below after watching the New Year's Eve fireworks moored off Drake's Island. She loves the dinghy, especially if it is a bumpy ride and the waves splash over the bows (!!! /forums/images/graemlins/mad.gif).

There is a very useful book about babies/children on board (something like "Cruising with children"). One of the bits of advice is to limit the length of outings. But you can take this with a pinch of salt: a sleeping baby/child will keep going for ages - and as said before the motion does encourage drowsiness. We found that creating a secure play area on the saloon floor (wedging cushions and pillows to prevent nasty knocks and securing ANYTHING that might be flying around) is a great way of keeping a toddler happy, secure and somewhere they can be kept in view at all times from the cockpit.

Anchoring off a sandy each is indeed a young child's heaven!

If you do decide to have a child (a MUCH more difficult and momentous decision than going sailing with him/her), cruising wont really pose many extra problems and in my case is giving me some of the most rewarding, fulfilling and memorable times together. I have just spent four days cruising on my own in the company of my three kids (now 3, 11 and 13) and it has been amazing!
 
Go for it and just use loads of common sense.

My daughter is ten now and we were away on the boat with her before she was six months old. The big thing is to limit trips to just inside the boredom threshold with interesting activities the other end.

Lifejackets and rigid basic safety rules so that they become second nature and if the weather is looking bad don't go and make everyone miserable.
 
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