sailing with baby

[Ruffles]

You need to have them in a car seat in the cockpit. See http://www.soulbury.demon.co.uk/Ruffles/Elizabeth.html . We managed to get a seat in the washboard slot in the gangway. It's a bit of a squeeze getting past but Libby was quite cosy under the sprayhood. A moses basket fits well behind a lee cloth when down below. Also I rigged a 'cot' by fixing thick insect netting widthways across the forecabin bunk about half way down. It's transparent so you can see the child is ok without leaving the cockpit - and they can see you.

When on deck the big problem is keeping the sun off them. The sun brollies that fit onto prams are ok but you have to keep moving them.

This year we will have a 3 year old and a 6 month old to contend with. So its netting on the guard rails time. I think the trick is to have somewhere to tie them down when you *have* to be on deck doing something. The boat sometimes has to come first.

Rob.

PS: There's only one lifejacket suitable for babies - I think its called a Cosalt Crib. It's overprived and - I suspect - completely useless.

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[FullCircle]

Took young Stuart racing in a Dehler DB2 when he was 2. (although he sailed from the age of 3 weeks). Put him in the baby bouncer harness thing and strung him up between the two coachroof winches. The navigatress fed him sweets every tack, and it was great fun.
We didnt win though.
Children are remarkably adaptive, and from an early age he knew when a tack was coming, and just moved from one side of the boat to the other, taking toy with him.
He was a bug*er for wanting the tiller of the outboard in the dinghy though.



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[rich]

Took Lucy boating from 5 weeks old - breast-feeding round Noirmont point in a chop was fun! The same advice goes for motor-boats - you need somewhere safe to put them when you just have to be doing something, like a car-seat.
When she was about 2 we had the joy of waiting in the lock at Paimpol to get into the boat festival, with about 250 spectators watching her call for an urgent potty on the flybridge!. She sat there in state as we held onto the other boats and ropes, and then stood up to show the assembled, applausing crowds the result of her efforts!

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[bedouin]

I'm told (by SWMBO) that the hardest part of sailing with a baby is breastfeeding while underway - she never really got the hang of it expect when the boat was flat in light winds. If you want to try it seriously then one of the slings that you can use for nursing might be a good idea.

The most useful piece of kit we had for the young baby was a carry cot that had a chest strap so it could be used as a car seat. With that strapped down in the cabin junior was totally secure in all conditions.

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[boatless]

and some other solutions... Chair fits in washboard slots, sliding bolts secure it. Hatch will slide over their heads when young and need protection from weather, falling booms, adults etc.. Strap them in while parking.

<hr width=100% size=1><P ID="edit"><FONT SIZE=-1>Edited by boatless on 08/03/2004 16:15 (server time).</FONT></P>

 

[lilianroyle]

Many thanks to you all

we are much reassured

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[jonjo]

Re: Many thanks to you all

Any more pictures like that and you will start a nautical baby boom!

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