stuartwineberg
Well-known member
Prospect of 16mo old coming on board just for a day sail with parents who are pretty much passengers not crew. Otherwise just SWMBO and me on 36 foot centre cockpit yacht. Any thoughts/advice?
Toddler on board
- Thread starter stuartwineberg
- Start date
Praxinoscope
Well-known member
We raced in Plymouth week many years ago with our daughter on board, she was about a year old and we just wrapped her up in her in a sort of portable cot and tucked her into one of the aft bunks. (probably be done for child cruelty in todays world).
She must have enjoyed the experience because 25 years later she passed her YM.
She must have enjoyed the experience because 25 years later she passed her YM.
dunedin
Well-known member
Don’t go far. Ideally an hour to a nice anchorage to play in the dinghy, and an hour back for first trip. The dinghy play is often most fun.
Avoid leaning - very gentle sail or motor.
Start gentle and will go a long way (son’s first sail was circa 500m in Mirror dinghy to play park - since then HE chose to go further and further and faster and faster, ending up an international racer and pops across Biscay in race boat without a care). So easy to put off by being too ambitious on first trips.
Avoid leaning - very gentle sail or motor.
Start gentle and will go a long way (son’s first sail was circa 500m in Mirror dinghy to play park - since then HE chose to go further and further and faster and faster, ending up an international racer and pops across Biscay in race boat without a care). So easy to put off by being too ambitious on first trips.
johnalison
Well-known member
16 mo will be a nightmare. We took our son aet 15/12 on the Broads and I am still suffering the mental scars. You will need to clap her in irons somewhere down below with good sound insulation and a ready supply of brightly-coloured sweets. On the other hand, she might love it and sit in her mother's arms gazing at everything around her while chuckling gently. Who knows? In my experience, parents of nippers are protective to a fault and there is no chance of her coming to any harm.
jwilson
Well-known member
Just an awkward age.
Below that a carrycot works fine when not being held/fed/watered/nappied. Once toddling and climbing you need a tiny harness and long string. Had to custom-make harness as then you could not buy one small enough. One son in similar rig once went overboard when anchored. Came up on end of string spluttering. Never did it again. Seemed perfectly happy for rest of cruise, which involved lots of sand, beaches etc. and very few long passages.
Dunked son eventually sailing instructor and very serious racer. Don't encourage children in dinghy racing: the better they get the more expensive it gets especially in 49ers.
Below that a carrycot works fine when not being held/fed/watered/nappied. Once toddling and climbing you need a tiny harness and long string. Had to custom-make harness as then you could not buy one small enough. One son in similar rig once went overboard when anchored. Came up on end of string spluttering. Never did it again. Seemed perfectly happy for rest of cruise, which involved lots of sand, beaches etc. and very few long passages.
Dunked son eventually sailing instructor and very serious racer. Don't encourage children in dinghy racing: the better they get the more expensive it gets especially in 49ers.
Stemar
Well-known member
I've often thought that if you don't want people rafting alongside, the most effective deterrent would be a Baby on Board sign.
As for the trip, do the parents have a harness? Not necessarily a yottie one, just something you can attach to the harness eye in the cockpit. Kids that age WILL go exploring the second your back is turned, and they have no fear.
As for the trip, do the parents have a harness? Not necessarily a yottie one, just something you can attach to the harness eye in the cockpit. Kids that age WILL go exploring the second your back is turned, and they have no fear.
RivalRedwing
Well-known member
hopefully they are out of nappies (?). A good secure sea-berth with lee cloths is handy as a play pen and toy holder. If there is any chop then keep them below or secure on parents knees in the cockpit. We rigged a couple of baby chairs which sit on ordinary dining chairs as cockpit seats which gave a sense of (restrained) independence and a good view, but that is probably a bit much for a day sail. Warn the parents that one of them will have to remain below if the weather cuts up and take seasick tablets beforehand accordingly. They will explore and tug at things so ensure 'interesting' things are out of sight or shut off... gas to the cooker & flares are two that spring to mind. Don't plan to go far & keep it simple and relaxed for the sake of all.
dunedin
Well-known member
Rather than a harness, most decent toddler life jackets have a D ring for attaching a restraining line. We usually just had a short rope with loop on end, as always attached to one of parents or grand parents.
Importantly all on board our boat wear life jackets when underway anyway. But made clear to daughter/Mum that if anybody stupid enough to let toddler fall in the water (extremely unlikely), Mum needed to be ready to go in (but only if skipper requested) to aid MOB recovery.
One ABSOLUTE no no in our book is putting toddler strapped into a buggy going down a pontoon. Seem a buggy slip off the pontoon, and the strapped in child is far more likely to be pulled down and drowned in a buggy than if just slipped in with no Lifejacket on. Was very scary (though no connection to family involved.)
KevinV
Well-known member
I sailed a bit with a toddler - amazingly strong in her arms as she was taught from day one to always have three points of contact when moving about - ie two hands one foot when moving a foot, or visa versa
SaltyC
Well-known member
We sailed with a toddler without problem, as said above short trips and then ashore in the dinghy to explore. Fortunate to see seals on the rocks entering Millport - Grandad wouldn't go as near as requested 
, and later Dolphins. He was captivated and is asking to go again.
Always had life jacket on when not in cabin, rather than a long heavy tether we found climbing strops ideal, available in various lengths to suit height, light weight, cow hitched onto lifejacket and carabiner at other end. No knots required.
, and later Dolphins. He was captivated and is asking to go again.Always had life jacket on when not in cabin, rather than a long heavy tether we found climbing strops ideal, available in various lengths to suit height, light weight, cow hitched onto lifejacket and carabiner at other end. No knots required.
DJE
Well-known member
Unless the arriving boat is carrying sprogs of a similar age! Back in the early 2000s the 30-foot-or-less pontoon in Yarmouth was often overrun with little uns. Always made a beeline for it with our two.
DJE
Well-known member
And anything not tied down will go over the side.
mjcoon
Well-known member
Yes, chucking things out of the pram may be amusing for a while... But a pram dinghy?
Kelpie
Well-known member
One thing we found worked well was to use the preventer, stowed under the boom, as a jack stay. Allowed the sprog to have almost the run of the whole deck in complete safety. Obviously not when underway 
suffolklass
Member
Lots of snacks! Small things in pots like blueberries (or Cheerios if the parents' healthy eating standards are as low as ours!) keep them occupied for a while, and biscuits are useful to pull out of a hat when difficult moments arise (or at the moment when they're deciding whether or not to object to having a lifejacket on). Breadsticks and rice cakes are easy to take in large quantities.
We have been sailing on our own boat and on my parents' rather larger boat with toddlers - we always expected that one of us might be stuck in the cabin for quite a lot of time if the toddler objected to being in the cockpit or wearing a lifejacket and that was just part of our job as parents, although sometimes a grandparent would take a turn down below which was always much appreciated! Playing with toys in the cabin and spotting things from the cockpit worked well at different times. Toys in the cockpit were a no unless they were tied on somewhere, because of the risk of losing them over the side. As a previous poster has said, for toddler attachment we did lifejacket plus tether attached to the D ring on the back with a carabiner for clipping on to the boat.
Short hops if possible, visit somewhere nice. Not sure where you are but anywhere where you can land on a beach or visit a harbour or anything is usually a big hit.
Naps will depend on the child and what equipment the parents (small pop up cots?) or you (lee cloths?) have available to fashion a bed in the cabin. Or they might skip a nap altogether, that tended to be what we did on a sailing day.
Bear in mind that small children are susceptible to the effects of heat and cold, and most don't like lots of wind in their face, so suitable clothing and if it's windy somewhere a bit sheltered for them to sit when they're in the cockpit (e.g. under the sprayhood) is good so they don't end up massively grumpy.
Play your cards right and by the age of 2 they'll be begging to go out on the boat!
We have been sailing on our own boat and on my parents' rather larger boat with toddlers - we always expected that one of us might be stuck in the cabin for quite a lot of time if the toddler objected to being in the cockpit or wearing a lifejacket and that was just part of our job as parents, although sometimes a grandparent would take a turn down below which was always much appreciated! Playing with toys in the cabin and spotting things from the cockpit worked well at different times. Toys in the cockpit were a no unless they were tied on somewhere, because of the risk of losing them over the side. As a previous poster has said, for toddler attachment we did lifejacket plus tether attached to the D ring on the back with a carabiner for clipping on to the boat.
Short hops if possible, visit somewhere nice. Not sure where you are but anywhere where you can land on a beach or visit a harbour or anything is usually a big hit.
Naps will depend on the child and what equipment the parents (small pop up cots?) or you (lee cloths?) have available to fashion a bed in the cabin. Or they might skip a nap altogether, that tended to be what we did on a sailing day.
Bear in mind that small children are susceptible to the effects of heat and cold, and most don't like lots of wind in their face, so suitable clothing and if it's windy somewhere a bit sheltered for them to sit when they're in the cockpit (e.g. under the sprayhood) is good so they don't end up massively grumpy.
Play your cards right and by the age of 2 they'll be begging to go out on the boat!
BobnLesley
Well-known member
Get ready for the scariest day of your sailing life!
Mid-ocean storms, pale into insignificance compared to taking relatives with small kids out for a light weather day sail; you just know that grandma isn't going to see the funny side if you lose one overboard.
onesea
Well-known member
Mine came with me, as child and loved it. Make sure she can move in her life jacket. A bunk with Lee cloths makes a good cot, don’t over think it.
Stemar
Well-known member
"Grandma, watch 'em like a hawk - I'm going to be busy with the boat."
.../...
Splash
"Grandma I told you to watch the little bugger"
She'll still blame you though
mjcoon
Well-known member
Grandmas may not have lightning reactions, even if watching...
Kelpie
Well-known member
We never had a TOB (toy overboard) but we did have two dummies go over the side. Cue a distraught child.
We managed to retrieve one, but the second occurred as we entered a very narrow and twisting entrance to an anchorage somewhere north of Lochinver. No amount of crying or screaming was going to persuade me to try turning round- I was following leading lines to avoid underwater rocks on both sides. I'm not sure he's ever forgiven me.
