Sailing with Children

[DJE]

Hello All

Just a thought. Does anyone else sail (or motor) in the Solent with young teenage children? Ours are 11 and 13; they seem to meet lots of younger kids but none their own age. I suspect that the teenagers are on the boats but down below sulking or playing with gameboys. Any thoughts?

Regards
Dave

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[tcm]

Hi.

ours are 15 and 12. Gameboys aren't the way to help children make the most of a day on a boat. They need to develop a sense of adventure, feel the thrill of new experiences and test themselves to the limits! So, erm, they bullied me into buying them a sony playstation2....

I will be motoring around watching rti solenting next week. Obviously, if my kids are on your boat or v-v it makes no difference, as they will appear only occassionally, for a soft drink or to give a detailed explantion of the mathematics which apply to the Greece game, or the Switzerland game, or to pretend to engage me in pleasant conversation as a tiresome precursor to demanding money. The eldest is 15 and sensible enough to skipper a reasonable dinghy, so mighgt meet up so they can disappear and not speak to their parents some more, altho with a slightly better chance of them grunting to more people of their own age...

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[Wiggo]

Jimi's got a tribe around the right age, and he's back on the water from tomorrow.

<hr width=100% size=1><A target="_blank" HREF=http://homepage.ntlworld.com/graham.wignall/boats/eulimene600x800.jpg>The old and the new</A>

 

[robp]

Yup. The older two found girls, so they gone for a while but 11 year old is passionate about sailing. I finally let him put the boat alongside yesterday (in 16 knots of breeze). Now I got to prove to 'im that I can handle the lines OK!

I now sail places to cater for his fun, rather than just meeting up with my mates. We normally get phone numbers and try to have a few sailing kids he can look out for. Plus he regularly brings one of his school mates. It's certainly good to have some contacts, so you can get some piece and quiet and a beer!

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[jimi]

Erm Rob, what kind of piece do you normally find?

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[Wiggo]

On another note, anyone with kids with dinghy sailing experience? We have a boy of 8 and a girl of 10. But we also have an inflatable <A target="_blank" HREF=http://www.windglider.com>sailing dinghy </A>, and bugger all idea how to drive it. Happy to swop Solent/Poole area sailing experience for the kids for powerboat fun. Can offer 30 knot mini RIB tender with towable toys and TV/playstation...

<hr width=100% size=1><A target="_blank" HREF=http://homepage.ntlworld.com/graham.wignall/boats/eulimene600x800.jpg>The old and the new</A>

 

[DJE]

Ours both sail dinghies. We had a Wayfarer 16ft dinghy a few years ago but they didn't like it so we got the Sadler. Now all they want is a sailing dinghy!
In good weather we tow an 8ft tender with a sailing rig and they sail it around the anchorages. Sounds like a good swap but I don't want the kids converted to powerboating.


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[tcm]

following several week-long sunsail beachy hols where they get to use/wreck all manner of dinghies, our eldest (but not me siir, not at all!) seems very sharp on the dinghy sailing so if you are around he seems very up to speed with the toggles, lines, daggerboards, erm reefy things, falling off, re-righting it even with his nerk brother on board who is the World's Worst Crew. I was ready to to go and gettem when a rental laser capsized, and they were back in and away before i had found the dinghy keys.

Trick wd be to anchor, get dinghies out (incl the enginey ones) see if it's all in the least bit possible, and then of course win the rti.

You (actualy they)utterly need a wetsuit, of course, although we might actually have spare ones.




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[Wiggo]

Oh, were all kitted up - wetsuits, lifejackets etc - they like blammin round in the little unflatey tube ting behind the tender, and moaned that the old one wouldn't go fast enough. Hence getting the Rhino Rider jobby.

DJE - don't worry, we won't convert them. If they come aboard, we'll make them sit on the coachroof and regularly throw buckets of water over them while beating them with offcuts of rope and telling them how much they're enjoying it. Then we'll give them wet sandwiches and a glass of seawater.

<hr width=100% size=1><A target="_blank" HREF=http://homepage.ntlworld.com/graham.wignall/boats/eulimene600x800.jpg>The old and the new</A>

 

[robp]

Listen, it was a bad week last week and weekend too ok? Still trying to wake up. I did see a nice peace at Gunwharf on Saturday but nipper told me off for lookin!

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[iangrant]

Just this year SWMBO has decided to come sailing more often... Past jealousy of "the boat" swept away and kids/family now on board for short crusies in nice weather.
Children 8 and 11 - 11 year old loves it 8 year old nervous of boat falling over, (as is SWMBO)

A proposal then .. we all meet up - us family lot - to compare DVD players, gameboys, TV/Video entertainments..

Venue?


Ian

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[david_e]

Ours are 16(girlie) & 12(bouy). We use a combination of coaxing, incentivising, blackmail and bullying to get them sailing)

By persisting with a small amount of racing they have become more and more involved on the boat, and it is the involvement factor that makes the difference, my daughter is now an important member of the crew, managing the jib, winching and setting it, and also managing the setting of the spinnaker. When she wasn't about last week-end son was happy to do the jib until he ran out of energy. When he asked "am I better than Emily" I knew we were on the right track.

However racing is not for everyone (most in fact) so maybe get them to manage the lines when berthing, taking fenders off, taking bearings or working the plotter etc are other ways of getting them involved.

As you indicate, being in the company of other kids makes them happy so when you spot a local boat with kids try and get to know them.

We also kid swop - ie this week-end I had our friends kids all day while they went cruising - took em surfing, motoring etc.



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[robp]

Dixons?

Now we know that you got the most, so we'll bring the games carts! Anchor 'n BBQ Totland...

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[Wiggo]

Newtown Creek, but not this weekend, for obvious reasons...

<hr width=100% size=1><A target="_blank" HREF=http://homepage.ntlworld.com/graham.wignall/boats/eulimene600x800.jpg>The old and the new</A>

 

[iangrant]

Now comes the "where shall we meet" -

Voting suggestions:

Newtown Creek
Bembridge - (Good for beach, Baywatch Cafe)
East Head - Chichester harbour - Bar B Q
Folly Inn, Cowes

??????

Ian




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[DJE]

Tides are good next weekend for Western Solent but it will be a scrum down there on Saturday morning due to RTIR. I expect we will go to Chichester to avoid it and end up at East Head weather permitting. We will bring a canoe and our small sailing dinghy. Better confirm on Friday as weather looks dodgy later this week. Any takers?

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[iangrant]

Can't make this weekend - boats out of the water -

Weekend after though...if the Gods of re-launch devilment will allow!!

Ian




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[GeorgeP]

We have a boy (13) and girl (11), and find that they are happiest if there are other children of their age around. I'm happier too since it takes pressure off the boss!

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[jimi]

That is our current plan as well .. BBQ on the beach.. 2 girls 10 + 14 yo

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[claymore]

Hmm - I found the administration of a sound thrashing a good starter when children were on board. And sod all this gameboy stuff - what about battery drain - get them a rubik cube.
Harsh but firm was my motto - served me well by gad.


<hr width=100% size=1><font color=purple>regards
Claymore<font color=purple>
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