Nautical version of baby on board sticker?

Maybe I'm becoming Victor Meldrew but the car stickers strike me as pointless. Are they saying please drive more carefully near me? I take that as an inuslt implying I normally drice badly. Or are they saying please excuse me for driving annoyingly slowly and in the middle of the road?

As for the boatie equivalent, take your kids sailing and enjoy it. But please don't excuse bad behaviour and noise by saying 'we're flying the right signal'.

We've surviived children and babies as part of normal life for thousands of yewars without the need for stickers.
 
I have a BOB sign for the car, it is placed above my daughters seat near side window. There are enough bad drivers on the road and I'm not foolish enough to think that a bit of yellow plastic will change someones driving behavior. Which is why it's not in the back window.

Why do I have one? Well if there is an accident and I'm not talking I would like the emergency services to know that my daughter is in the car, because I only use it when she is in the back. Urban myth or not I don't care.

Oh and I can also use the Parent and child parking....not that I can very often because there seem to be a lot of selfish drivers who park in the spaces without children, and don't seem to realise how wide a child seat is when you need to take it out of the car. What annoys me more is parents without children who use the spaces when their children aren't in the car....Arrrrg! :)
 
A slight fred drift here but apropos children in cars (single child only) can someone please explain to me why the child is invariably located behind the driver rather than on the nearside? I find it strange that, with this arrangement, when the car is parked at the kerb on the correct side of the road, parents have to open the rear offside door fully into the traffic flow to get the child out! This has always struck me as a very dangerous procedure with traffic passing by very close. It would appear to be much safer to have the child on the nearside.

I honestly cannot remember how ours were seated but I thing it was middle & nearside with all extrications from that side.
 
Rigger Mortice said:
For me it's not a question of excuses; if a neighbouring boat is making unnecessary and OTT noise then I will feel free to complain. If junior is howling away then the washboards can go in.

If people start expecting us to look for BOB burgees then I suppose we should start having burgees for "Loud music on board", "Late night partying", "Generator running all night", "6 heavy drinkers on board" "Nasty yappy dog on board" etc etc. It would be ridiculous; particularly if the response to a complaint was "You have no excuse. Our burgee gives us the right to....."

All that's necessary is for boaters to be considerate about their neighbours and TBH I've never had a problem with noisy babies, or dogs, in boats that have been alongside. One or two issues with drunks, but that is another matter.
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I'm assuming that "unnecessary" is the key word there. If so, I agree. A sign can't excuse inconsiderate behaviour but at least it gives pre warning to what they are in for.

Children below a certain age will make noise and there are people who would resent the tranquility of their evening cockpit tipple being broken by either a baby taking offence to a nappy change (I dont think washboards will suffice as soundproofing) or a toddler peering over the dodgers and asking "what's your name?" or something like that.

Likewise, I would hope a sign would encourage a boat planning on a drunken night and lazy morning to raft elsewhere. Not because theres anything wrong with their activities but because both boats would rather the other wasnt next to them.
 
dedwards said:
Children below a certain age will make noise and there are people who would resent the tranquility of their evening cockpit tipple being broken by either a baby taking offence to a nappy change (I dont think washboards will suffice as soundproofing) or a toddler peering over the dodgers and asking "what's your name?"
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I wouldn't like to be tied up next to a screaming baby, but what sort of curmudgeon would take offence to the friendly toddler?

Pete
 
So where exactly is the 'elsewhere' to go to then ?!

I don't mind toddlers, all for encouraging them to become future Swallows & Amazons, but screeching babies are something else, and should not be inflicted on people on boats close by.
 
Seajet said:
but screeching babies are something else, and should not be inflicted on people on boats close by.
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So what exactly would you like parents of a baby, who might only cry once or twice a day, do?

Give up sailing until their child becomes old enough? go to an anchorage away from everyone? Leave them with family or friends for the weekend? Or just stick a sock in their gob when they start crying?:rolleyes:

We've had more trouble from drunks/dogs/old people than babies. May be drunk old dogs should not be inflicted on people on boats close by instead?
 
I was obviously talking about the hypothetical situation where the new boat had a choice where to raft.

There are people out there who are anti-kids... or at least, most newish parents worry that there are.

Our little un is now at an age where he finds it funny to peekaboo at strangers. 99% of the populace would find this amusing but he also screams when we change his nappy (would rather be peekabooing) and also when he wakes up from a nap ("get me out of this damn cot, i wanna peekaboo"). I think its unreasonable to expect us to give up sailing due to this (and I dont think most people would) but displaying some sign would be our way of saying sorry for it and would give others the earliest opportunity to make alternative arrangements if they were minded to do so.
 
snooks said:
So what exactly would you like parents of a baby, who might only cry once or twice a day, do?

Give up sailing until their child becomes old enough? go to an anchorage away from everyone? Leave them with family or friends for the weekend? Or just stick a sock in their gob when they start crying?:rolleyes:

We've had more trouble from drunks/dogs/old people than babies. May be drunk old dogs should not be inflicted on people on boats close by instead?
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Snooks,

I'd agree with all your suggestions, especially the bit about people with babies staying ashore, preferably in a different county.

It's been done before and is remarkably un-entertaining for the rest of us, despite the wondrous applause from the creators to every howl, burp and fart throughout the night...:rolleyes:
 
People make noise. Babies and children aren't actually always the worst offenders in this respect (think generators, drunks, stereos etc etc). If you want peace and quiet then go somewhere where you're on your own. Otherwise just do your best not to cause - or take - offence, whatever the possible cause of the noise is.

On the other hand, I've never rafted up with anyone in 15 years of sailing, 10 of those with between one and three children on-board, although I understand there are other parts of the country where it's less easy to avoid...

Cheers
Patrick
 
Seajet said:
Snooks,

I'd agree with all your suggestions
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Sorry to hear that, as we have no intention of leaving our daughter behind.

If we go sailing, she comes with us...If you don't like that, there is nothing you can do about it. I suggest you look out for our BOB plate, or the Pixie on the side, and avoid us.

Similarly there is nothing you can do about the drunk falling onto your deck waking you from your slumber, the couple having an argument next door, the foot prints left behind when your boat is the first of 6 in a raft, or the people who twang rigging as they cross your boat. It's all part of rafting up...(it shouldn't be, but it is)

Sorry :p
 
snooks said:
..If you don't like that, there is nothing you can do about it. I suggest you look out for our BOB plate, or the Pixie on the side, and avoid us.
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So, if I'm moored up with a G.O.S sign up, you'll not come alongside and go elsewhere?

Sorry, but I usually don't even look for special signs/burgees when I'm coming alongside. I'm too busy with more important things. Life would be far too difficult if everyone started putting up signs as some kind of "Terms and Conditions for coming alongside"
 
Rigger Mortice said:
So, if I'm moored up with a G.O.S sign up, you'll not come alongside and go elsewhere?

Sorry, but I usually don't even look for special signs/burgees when I'm coming alongside. I'm too busy with more important things. Life would be far too difficult if everyone started putting up signs as some kind of "Terms and Conditions for coming alongside"
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+1, couldn't agree more, it's bad enough with the 'we're leaving at dawn' brigade and those £$%%£"%$£'s who put an inflated dinghy amidships on town quays etc...

If I have to be Mr nice guy and endure squalling brats, I'm sure the parents will be equally amused when I playfully put the hose or porta potti contents down their ventilator, after all having babies is a joyous event where we apparently all have to smile and join in...:)
 
Seajet said:
If I have to be Mr nice guy and endure squalling brats, I'm sure the parents will be equally amused when I playfully put the hose or porta potti contents down their ventilator, after all having babies is a joyous event where we apparently all have to smile and join in...:)
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From another thread...
Seajet said:
and in the unlikely event self and chums fancied a party, I wouldn't want to be walking on eggshells for fear of disturbing the little darling...
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Or could it just be that you want to be able to make noise but object to baby noise.

Babys occasionally cry. Grown people occasionally talk too loudly after a wee dram in the cockpit or shout to someone on shore because they've forgotten their manbag.... Such is the rich tapestry of life. You just don't like kids, we get that ;)

Admit it, you are this guy:
prv said:
what sort of curmudgeon would take offence to the friendly toddler?
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;)

FWIW, you aren't going to get a BOB sticker from us, but nor are you going to get much of a positive response if you start heckling whilst we're trying to stop the crying. I like sleep too....
 
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Rigger Mortice said:
So, if I'm moored up with a G.O.S sign up, you'll not come alongside and go elsewhere?
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If by GOS you mean Grumpy Old Sod? Then I would rather know in advance that your were indeed a grumpy old sod, and yes I would look for a more welcoming boat. If I have a choice I'll look to raft up against a boat tied up properly that's the right size and has a look of someone who knows a bit about seamanship and has a bit of pride in their boat...If the look of a grumpy old sod is a tatty boat with car tyres for fenders I won't be disturbing them :)

Likewise if you have a "I'm leaving at 5am" sign in your window I won't raft up unless I'm leaving at, or won't object to being woken at 5 am.

If I have a bright yellow sign up in my sprayhood (or on my coachroof) saying quite plainly "baby on board" (not some imaginary use of codeflags), I consider it fair warning. Likewise if it's 9 am and there are a group of lads in the cockpit drinking beer, I can hardly expect a boat of church mice when they return from the club at 3 am. Can I?

Would you rather I don't put a sign up, and let you tie up before you find I have a baby on board, or I'm leaving at 5am (when I am)?:)

If you if you hear my daughter crying, I'm sorry. She isn't crying because we want to annoy our neighbours. If there was a magic button someone could buy and press to stop their child crying the inventor would probably be the richest person in the world, but there isn't. So until the baby can efficiently communicate why they are attracting our attention, they will cry. They don't do it for fun, they do it as a survival technique, because that's all they know, be that because they are too hot, too cold, hungry, uncomfortable, or just unhappy.

As parents we don't sit there a watch our children cry, and I have heard far worst things from the boat next to us than a child crying.:o
 
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Flying Penguin said:
From another thread...


Or could it just be that you want to be able to make noise but object to baby noise.

Babys occasionally cry. Grown people occasionally talk too loudly after a wee dram in the cockpit or shout to someone on shore because they've forgotten their manbag.... Such is the rich tapestry of life. You just don't like kids, we get that ;)

Admit it, you are this guy:



FWIW, you aren't going to get a BOB sticker from us, but nor are you going to get much of a positive response if you start heckling whilst we're trying to stop the crying. I like sleep too....
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I don't make noise, and I expect my 'neighbours' to be the same, on land or afloat.

Not much to ask, sailing is supposed to be 'getting away from it all' so I don't want the creators of some little darling inflicting the noise and parenting rules on me, not a parent and nothing to do with it; I didn't get the enjoyment of the creation process so why should I put up with the result ?! :D
 
Seajet said:
I don't make noise, and I expect my 'neighbours' to be the same, on land or afloat.
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Unless you run your boat like a Trappist monastery that's just not true, no matter how much you may wish to protest it is. Everyone makes noise, heavy steps, talking and laughing in the cockpit, shouting to shore, whistle from kettle etc. If you are rafted, pretty much every noise you make, especially on deck, is audible to the boats around you.

Seajet said:
Not much to ask, sailing is supposed to be 'getting away from it all' so I don't want the creators of some little darling inflicting the noise and parenting rules on me, not a parent and nothing to do with it;
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If you are rafted up on a town quay, you can hardly class that as 'getting away from it all'. You are probably sleeping within 3 metres of up to 10 other people, none of whom are in your boat (cabin in the bow and double occupancy either side and on the next raft along). It's a case of give and take. Your "quick drink" in the cockpit after coming back from the pub is probably as irritating to the neighbouring boat as the child below that the parents are trying their best to silence.

Seajet said:
I didn't get the enjoyment of the creation process so why should I put up with the result ?! :D
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Now that's a line I have to remember! :D
 
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