stanchion netting

stu9000

stu9000

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I introduced the kids to the new boat yesterday. Took to it like ducks to water. Toby , my 3 year old , is fearless. Of course there are all the usual rules about life jackets with crotch strap done up, and I expect a few bumps and bruises along the way. But I worry a bit about him tripping and going under the wire and over the side.

Netting is an option . Initial search suggests it isn't too expensive. An alternative would be to have a zig zag rope running along. This would allow for toe and knee holds.

Any suggestions?

Thanks
s
 
When I see netting on the lifelines my thought is always about the kids using them as a climbing frame. This of course, depends upon how well-behaved they are. Having said that, there are so many boats so equipped that it seems like a very popular solution.

Well-done on introducing your 'future crew' from an early age! :encouragement:
 
stu9000 said:
I introduced the kids to the new boat yesterday. Took to it like ducks to water. Toby , my 3 year old , is fearless. Of course there are all the usual rules about life jackets with crotch strap done up, and I expect a few bumps and bruises along the way. But I worry a bit about him tripping and going under the wire and over the side.

Netting is an option . Initial search suggests it isn't too expensive. An alternative would be to have a zig zag rope running along. This would allow for toe and knee holds.

Any suggestions?

Thanks
s
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Ex liveaboard with kids in the med ! For a three year old I'd go down the mesh route it will at least slow him down a bit kids tend to slide under the guard rails. My kids still talk about there boat life they just soak it up and learn so much. It might seem a blasé comment but just let them get on with it iirc my eldest girl (early teens at the time)probably fell in, in most of the med marinas we visited. Her siblings would just shout she's in again dad and one of us would lift her out, she was unaffected by the extra bath times. It's a great experience for both you and the kids live it and love it !

John
 
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Never use netting for the kids (sailed from age 3) as it was a PITA. However they were always attached to the jack stays when out of the cockpit and playing around. I preferred to teach them that if they fall out they get cold and wet (whilst still being attached to the boat and with a foam lifejacket on) so hang on and don't run.

As with all these things, take the ideas and advice then do what YOU think, not what anyone else says you should do as everyones kids are different.
 
We're in the middle of replacing the netting on our stanchions, just having a coffee..... We fitted it for grandkids visits, have found it save all sorts of dropped bits going into the ogin and have decided to replace the rather tired stuff this spring. We found it was worth the time to sort out proper 'holes' adjacent to the midships cleats and fairleads so as to minimise obstructions to mooring lines.
We still have a no entry to the deck without a lifejacket for all those unable to swim at least 50 metres but the netting gives us and parents a bit of peace of mind.
 
If I had smallish kids on board regularly I'd go for netting. They're very unlikely to go over a guardrail (it's so much higher from their point of view) but falling over and then sliding under it is very possible. Climbing? They can just as easily climb the bare wires if so inclined, and anyway kids mostly climb railings when they can't see what's on the other side, and that doesn't apply to guard wires with a light net.

Guardrail netting is also the universal signal for "we have kids on board; want to play?" :)

Pete
 
PuffTheMagicDragon said:
Well-done on introducing your 'future crew' from an early age! :encouragement:
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My oldest is 10 already! Having put it off for years I said to the wife we had to do it now. it was lovely to see her taking the helm . Took me back to my own child hood. I think were going to have some great family fun on Sun Bird.
 
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I fell overboard a good few times as a kid myself, but am struggling to be as chilled out about it as my parents were. the whole point of getting the kids sailing is to expose them to wilderness, weather and, to a degree, risk. But my wife would kill me if Toby went over the side aged 3!
 
We've sailed with 3 kids from 4 weeks old. We tried netting on the last boat / first child and found it very awkward (for adults) to step over when mooring. There's also a danger of junior having a body part caught in the netting when (s)he falls. Inevitably the netting can't give you total peace of mind either - there has to be a gap in the pushpit for the anchor, plus kids tend to lean their heavy heads over the side to see the jellyfish.

As others have said, clipping the kids to the boat worked better, and is a good habit for them to have.
 
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I didn't use to like the thought of netting until grandson came along and now after him comming aboard since 6 months old for many long stays and now seven I wouldn't be without it .I fitted it to our 34 foot boat which we sold and spent two days fitting new netting to 38 foot we bought last year ,total cost was about £80 . Grandson can swim like a fish now but the netting will stay to make up for my clumsiness in dropping buckets,fishing rods ect , it's caught lounging cushions a couple of times and on one occasion when a girlfriend of wife's had drunk too much it caught her as well !
 
Netting is also brilliant for keeping sails onboard, if like me one uses hanked sails or floaty kites; there's a reason why the racers of yesteryear, JOG etc have it on the guardrails by the foredeck.

Also handy for dogs and cats as well as small humans.

BUT is it me, or is netting a complete, maddening b*****d to fit !
 
I have a load of unused netting I bought a few years ago but never fitted, which you're welcome to. You'd have to collect it from me, as its at home near Wantage Oxfordshire (or if you're prepared to wait I can drop it at Deacons boatyard on the Hamble in a few weeks' time).

I was going to fit it when my son was a toddler, but at that age he was monitored constantly by my ex, and by the time he was older and less of a complete liability he'd gotten used to the absolute injunction that he wasn't allowed forward from the cockpit without a lifeline attached to the jackstay AND always had to get permission first. He's now nine and can swim well enough, so I'm happy for him to learn the hard way when we're tied up, but the rule at sea remains the same.
 
Babylon said:
I have a load of unused netting I bought a few years ago but never fitted, which you're welcome to. You'd have to collect it from me, as its at home near Wantage Oxfordshire (or if you're prepared to wait I can drop it at Deacons boatyard on the Hamble in a few weeks' time).

I was going to fit it when my son was a toddler, but at that age he was monitored constantly by my ex, and by the time he was older and less of a complete liability he'd gotten used to the absolute injunction that he wasn't allowed forward from the cockpit without a lifeline attached to the jackstay AND always had to get permission first. He's now nine and can swim well enough, so I'm happy for him to learn the hard way when we're tied up, but the rule at sea remains the same.
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That is a very kind offer.
PM sent

S
 
We had two kids on board from their carrycot days. We did consider netting but decided against. We never had either of them go overboard despite them both loving to be up in the eyes of the boat. By far the most dangerous place is the pontoon. I can't count how many times we've fished them out. So lifejacket rules MUST be enforced for the pontoon, not just the boat.
 
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