How to get the kids interested?

[smth448]

I have managed to put my two kids (8 & 11) off sailing completely. Every time the boat heels they panic, shout and scream that they want to get off. I have tried logic, a complete failure with kids anyway. They used to be OK when we had an AWB with a nice deep cockpit. Heeled like mad and they weren't in the slightest bit bothered. Now I've got something more performance oriented, faster, less heel but a shallow cockpit , they hate it. They won't even contemplate joining the Oppies and Toppers at the sailing club. I have even contemplated a MOBO, but then I sat down and felt better.
Has anybody got any ideas?

 

[sarabande]

Apart from abandoning them on a desert island with only a Mirror dinghy for company ....

Does your local sailing club run a summer school or cadet training week , where you can leave them in the company of other sprogs ? Mutual competitiveness will do the rest.

Or loan them to a friendly boat with a deep cockpit, on the understanding that you promise to collect them by sundown.

 

[Scillypete]

Only one solution, get yourself a catamaran. It worked for me although your situation sounds a bit more extreme, as my kids never refused to go out on the mono's that we have had.

 

[Talbot]

Get a cat - solves all those heeling issues, gives you seperate cabins for each kid, lots of sunbathing space, comfort, ventilation,

I just happen to know of a really nice one for sale!

 

[LymingtonPugwash]

You do have a number of options open to you, some more workable than others:
1) Trade them in for a decent autopilot system so that you don't miss them.

2) Tie them up and gag them and take them out in a really bad storm so that they can see that they can survive.... though if you do happen to sink in the storm it will probably be back to option number 1.

3) Take them out individually for a weekend, the oldest for the first weekend, and make sure that they feel really special and important and have lots of fun with dad and associate sailing with have personal quality time with dad...... this will only work if they don't already hate you and can't stand to be anywhere near you anyway!

4) Do something similar to number 3, but let them take a close friend along who they will want to show off to and will be afraid to seem like wimps to their friend.

5) Do something similar to numbers 3 & 4, but don't let them take their friend, but you chose a couple of youngsters their own age who you know already love sailing and can cope.... then they will individually see that there are other kids their age who love sailing and are good at it......

The key is not to have both your young'uns in the boat at the same time as they probably feed off each other.....

Remember..... failure is NOT AN OPTION, just as a MOBO is most definately NOT and option!
YOU and you alone are the man of the house..... the father.... the king of the sea and you can win this battle!

We look forward to reading of your victory soon!
/forums/images/graemlins/laugh.gif /forums/images/graemlins/smirk.gif

 

[adl]

How about less sail, less heel let them get a feel for the boat. When they start to get comfortable then gradually increase the performance heel etc.

Do they sail dingies? If not what are they afraid of the cold water? Take them on a sunsail or similar holiday on a beach with warm water. Its because they have an irrational fear of failling out of the boat.

 

[Cloona]

completely ban them from the boat as "landlubbers" and tell them you will only reconsider letting them back on board when they have read "We Didn't Mean to Go to Sea" -

say you look forward to having the boat to yourself - and the
Ancient Mariners answers make a lot of sense-

 

[Porthandbuoy]

Give 'em a feeling of responsibility. Helming, helping to plot a course, checking depths against the chart, tweaking the sheets; anything to make them feel usefull rather than just a passenger. And sail conservatively until they gain confidence.

 

[AliM]

Start with the older one and get him/her to decide where to go, how to get there, and let him/her helm (maybe just you and him/her, maybe with you, him/her and a friend, maybe with the whole family aboard). He/she is captain for the day. If present, the younger one (or friend) is mate and decides what/where to eat, and if you like actually helps with the shopping. Then let them swap round next weekend. Unless/until a really dangerous situation develops, then let the "captain" cope. If you have to take the captain off the helm, then sort out the dangerous situation, then hand responsibility back to him/her. Advice in the form of "have you seen that boat ahead?" is OK, more blatant back-seat driving is not. Keep the day out quite short - responsibility is tiring - and use excessive praise, lots of photos, etc to show how proud you are of them. If it works, you will train up a really useful crew. If it doesn't you'll only be back where you started! Don't leave it till they are older - teenagers are impervious to any sort of reason.

Good luck.

Ali

 

[WayneS]

Are they bouncing off one another by any chance.

Why not take the older one alone for a few times and get his/her confidence up and then let him/her be the role model for the younger.

Our youngest daughter used to be very much the same and spent most of her time screaming down below.

After many attempts we managed to get her up in the cockpit and made her in charge of polishing all the brightwork. The rate of polish was directly proportional to the angle of heel but it took her mind off things enough to get her used to heel. Now 19 she is still a bit weary of too much heel but can deal just fine.

We also made her in charge of dumping the main if she got too worried (well, she thought she was in charge anyway).

Just take it slow and be prepared to grit your teeth and offer encouragement and be prepared to do some light weather stuff for a while until they get their confidence back.

Good luck

Wayne

Edit: mmm, should have read other replies first. Looks like I have offered nothing new here.... ho hum

 

[suse]

I never managed it ... even put the (former) husband off /forums/images/graemlins/wink.gif

S x

 

[jwilson]

My kids went through a phase of disliking heeling in a sailing cruiser. For about a year all we used the boat for was to motor round to a bay where we could anchor and go swimming, and I used to borrow a sailing dinghy and sail around, capsizing regularly . After a while they started wanting to come in the dinghy: this soon led to them sailing dinghies themselves, and from then on sailing a cruier was OK too.

It made it easier that this was where the water was warm, but the principle should hold good if they can have wetsuits (cheap nowadays). The only trouble with teaching kids to sail is that the soon want their own boats. The one who was most afraid of heeling very rapidly appropriated my Laser, and rigged it for racing. I had to buy another older one for myself.....

 

[LymingtonPugwash]

[ QUOTE ]
I never managed it ... even put the (former) husband off /forums/images/graemlins/wink.gif
S x

[/ QUOTE ]

So he deserves to be the 'former' husband! Good for you! /forums/images/graemlins/grin.gif

 

[Koeketiene]

[ QUOTE ]


4) Do something similar to number 3, but let them take a close friend along who they will want to show off to and will be afraid to seem like wimps to their friend.



[/ QUOTE ]

That worked for my youngest - never been keen on the boat heeling since we broached 2 years ago with the kite up.

Had two friends over last September - boat heeled.
Not a peep - started telling tall tales to his friends about the broach.
Been OK since.


[ QUOTE ]



YOU and you alone are the man of the house..... the father.... the king of the sea and you can win this battle!



[/ QUOTE ]

I have a twin /forums/images/graemlins/cool.gif /forums/images/graemlins/cool.gif /forums/images/graemlins/cool.gif

 

[nigelhudson]

We have some friends who have a part-share in a bilge-keeler. Their two kids used to freak out when the boat heeled - they were about the same age as yours. They solved it by putting the kids in the rubber dinghy and towing it behind the boat. The safety implications of this caused my eyebrows to raise but I refrained from comment. However the kids loved it and it worked!

 

[smth448]

Thanks for the advice. I will try the bring a a friend along approach. Trouble with trying to sail conservatively is that it's gusty on the river. F2 with the heavy weather jib up and we're going along nicely. Kids even enjoying it! Gust comes down from behind the powerstation, boat heels, water over the leeward deck and two screaming kids!
Funny thing is a few years ago we got caught out in a gale off Belgium and they thought it was brilliant! Dad getting soaked at the wheel while they hid under the sprayhood with Mum. I was lucky to be wearing brown trousers that day but they loved it.
Thought about a cat but they are frowned upon at the yacht club as they muck up the swinging moorings which are very close together.
Thanks again everyone and good sailing. I'll let you know how we get on.