passage with kids

[giraffehappy]

Hi team, we are preparing a yacht for a circumnavigation, and are wondering how families manage long passages. 2 adults/2 kids (8 + 10) and 24/7 watchkeeping...
zzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzz We don't really want to take any other crew as it would be pretty squished. Anyone worked out a watchkeeping/feeding/sleeping pattern?


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[Talbot]

adults do 6 hr night watch each and split day as they feel like it (with a bit of a snooze during the day when off watch), kids do normal hours, otherwise you will never get enough sleep

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[giraffehappy]

Hi Talbot, sounds do-able. Thanx. What all seemed like a really good idea(boat/world/family) now seems a lot more daunting on closer examination. Am hoping we don't all go mad. We have bought the boat, and given in notice for jobs etc. so are definately going to give it a go. The Atlantic crossing bit is the one I can't quite get my head around...

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[Talbot]

There are a number of good books about which deal with first atlantic crossings, plus cruising (Jimmy Cornells books are well worth the cost) <A target="_blank" HREF=http://pollux.nss.nima.mil/pubs/>This</A> site is worth a good rummage, particularly the atlas of pilot charts, cause they give wind/weather current data and rhumb lines for passages

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[RPC]

There is some information about children cruising here
http://www.onpassage.com/Books/Children/cruising_with_children.htm

Also the same site has lots of other cruising information that should be helpful for you.

Rod

<hr width=100% size=1>Have you visited the Blue Water Cruising Site <A target="_blank" HREF=http://www.onpassage.com>http://www.onpassage.com</A> ?

 

[mainshiptom]

I would do lots of small trips first and also live on the boat even in the harbour so kids can get used to the boat !

Also kids need lots of activities like fishing,drawing,books and so on, My kids even got involved in some navigation and loved the game "who can spot land first" ?

Tom

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[mike_bryon]

Hi there

We have sailed ocean passages with our children most summers and I agree with the previous post that getting yours, the boat and yourselves ready for the adventure is essential. When our children bring friends aboard who are not use to boats we realize just how much they have to understand before they could go on a long sail. But children learn quickly so it should not delay your plans by very much.

Your children are older than ours, so they will be more self-sufficient. When on passage we always try to bring crew even if it is only one person but on the only occasion we were let down we sailed 3 hrs on, 3 off (the person off during the day was with the children). This was hard work but we both got some sleep while the kids were sleeping and the off watch person was with the children during the day. More of any trip is spent in anchorages than on passage so we got to catch up when we arrived.

We brought a teacher along this summer to provide school while on passage. We were away two months, the cost was a low cost flight, some spending money, plus free board and lodging for the trip (we found them through a free ad in an Italian sailing magazine). They provided morning school and helped with bedtime. It worked very well especially in the odd patch of rough weather but we had the space onboard to make this possible. She was a really nice women at university who wanted to go sailing. Your trip or a part of it might suit a gap year student.

Another option we have used in previous years was to get a grandparent to fly with the children to a low cost destination to meet the boat and start the family cruse from there.

We will do summer sails and live aboard for a few years and age the children a bit more before we push off.

Best of luck with your plans and happy sailing.


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