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Rules For Boating With Children
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ContinuousWave Whaler Moderated Discussion Areas
ContinuousWave: The Whaler GAM or General Area
Rules For Boating With Children
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| Author | Topic: Rules For Boating With Children |
| sdwhaler17 |
posted 02-05-2011 07:00 PM ET (US)  
I am looking for advice on boating with small [children]. Actually just one [child] in my case who is 3-1/2-years old. I took my son out on my Newport 17 today for the first time around [Mission Bay], which is mostly a 5-MPH zone. There are places to water ski, but not where we were. It is totally protected from waves, no swells, probably like a lake in the summer in most parts of the country. I bought him a Mustang Lil' Legend vest. I actually had him sit on the seat the whole time with me, and we drove around the bay. We docked at a public dock and went down to the beach. It was a great father--son outing. [Give me] any rules or instruction specific to small [children] while on their boat. Should I always bring a spotter like my wife or friend? My wife was upset with me for going out, just the two of us. But then again she did not grow up on a lake or around boats. I did. This would be nothing for me as a kid. It was a great time and a great day. John S. |
| deepwater |
posted 02-05-2011 07:39 PM ET (US)
It sounds like the perfect time to teach him the rules of the boat and the water Not many distractions and only one person telling him what to do |
| whaler007 |
posted 02-05-2011 08:50 PM ET (US)
The rule I try to remember is that when we're out with the kids, it is THEIR day not mine. This translates in losing some fish, going in earlier if they want to, and operating the boat slower than usual. The kid's safety come before everything else. A tip is to pack something to keep them occupied if they get bored. Snacks or a new cheap toy does the trick. |
| contender |
posted 02-05-2011 09:28 PM ET (US)
Make sure they have eye protection and sun screen, new skin burns easy. Next best thing is to stop on an island (if you have any) walk along the shore and teach them about the sea creatures/shells, even take some bread/food for the sea gulls. Be safe |
| PeteB88 |
posted 02-06-2011 01:44 AM ET (US)
Avoid glass bottles and Cheetohs in boats. |
| rwc |
posted 02-06-2011 02:14 AM ET (US)
It sounds like you were reasonable in terms of the outing. But, respect your wife's concerns, you do NOT want to confront the angry mother, they are a fierce breed! |
| pcrussell50 |
posted 02-06-2011 03:36 AM ET (US)
Labor Day 2010, we took our 8 month old baby girl out on Lake Mohave, a large, narrow, predominantly rough, lake formed by the Davis Dam, which is the next dam down from the Hoover Dam. It was about 115degF outside, windy, and rough. We were in our 16 foot v-hull performance boat, with a 135hp v4 Evinrude. This boat will approach 60mph with just me in it. This boat is NO Whaler though. It has no floatation. If it got swamped, it's headed straight to the bottom, no if's and's or but's. Anyhow, we had baby Rory in her life jacket, mom holding her. Needless to say, we did not pound around in the rough water going fast all day. This day, the boat was just a transportation tool for us to find a little, calm, sheltered cove. The high desert lakes thankfully, are full of these. We motored across to the lee side of the lake, at the slowest plane I could manage and found the most beautiful little cove, with emerald-clear water (thanks to the invasive mussels you Great Lakers spread to us :)), and a little sandy beach all to ourselves. I fished a little and snorkeled and we all floated around on floaty toys, and set up a little sunshade on the beach and picnicked. The baby handled the heat with aplomb, and the water was no longer like bath water, so it was just cool enough to be refreshing. IOW, as Contender said, it was not all about motoring around in the boat, per-se, as the boat just being a tool that was part of the adventure. -Peter |
| newt |
posted 02-06-2011 11:30 AM ET (US)
I've been taking my kids out since they were babies. For the past few years my son - now 7 - has been one of my best fishing buddies. He will stay out all day, in any weather. Up until last summer, I didn't feel comfortable in my own ability to pay attention to both the kids and the boat, so always had another adult on board if a kid were coming along. Now, I trust my own kids and myself enough to go out without another adult. The one thing I will not leave the dock with if kids are coming, is an ample supply of snacks and drinks. Sure, sunscreen, extra clothes, and toys are key, but it's the snacks and drinks that buy me the extra time. |
| Binkster |
posted 02-06-2011 01:17 PM ET (US)
I would take your child out in the boat at every opportunity. When he is couple of years older teach him to drive. By the time he is eight he will feel like he was born on a boat, and you will feel comfortable letting him take it out by himself. Then you will be able to take advantage of afternoons alone with your wife with no interruptions. (priceless)(hopefully) |
| Phil T |
posted 02-06-2011 01:36 PM ET (US)
When my oldest was 4 I took him out by myself. This was after 10 trips with a second adult. We practiced the following rules with the boat on the trailer in the yard. Boat rules: I am the Captain. Lifejacket on before stepping on to the courtesy floats. I explained and showed him how the boat is tipsy when you move around and how it feels going across big waves. Explaining it to him before we went out allowed him to understand and not be scared when it happens. |
| WT |
posted 02-06-2011 01:47 PM ET (US)
"If Mama ain't happy, ain't nobody happy." :-) |
| contender |
posted 02-06-2011 03:59 PM ET (US)
Do not forget the camera, only young once |
| andygere |
posted 02-06-2011 04:04 PM ET (US)
We've been boating with our two (now 6 and 8) since they were a year old. Basic rules are simple: PFD goes on before walking down the dock; Feet on the deck and a hand on the rail when not seated; No horsing around. The rest is just common sense. |
| sdwhaler17 |
posted 02-06-2011 06:53 PM ET (US)
Great Advice and Thank you. Whaler007 great to remember that it is their day. I get caught up in making things happen just right in my mind and forget to focus on what's important some times... rwc thanks for the wife/mom advice, I get into more trouble than I should... All thanks on the advice on snacks, sunscreen cameras etc... I like the rules too. I think sitting down and discussing the rules before hand would have been better than stating the rules on the boat. I want my son to be an avid boater/sailor/fisherman as I love all those things. My dad was not as interested or more than likely did not have the time for boating (as he was busting his tail to make a living for three boys). Luckily for me, I found other ways to make that happen as a kid, going with friends and other kids etc. The whaler is the best, I love watching the sheer joy on my son's face as we came across a couple of sea lions laying on bait dock, a harbor seal on a mooring ball, dug for sand crabs on the beach etc. Maybe next outing we'll try for a fish or two. Good times in San Diego. John S. |
| PeteB88 |
posted 02-06-2011 09:08 PM ET (US)
I was lucky to have my dad. I think once he figured I didn't need diapers I was with him almost constantly. By the time I was six I ran the boat 99% of the time. He worked the anchor. In fact that was a milestone year for me. Ran the boat all the time, got my first shotgun (870 20 GA, that I still shoot) and my first floatplane trip with him and his fishin pals out of Wa Wa Ontario. Besides being a fun guy and great travel companion he owned a restaurant, brought most of the food and cooked in camp. When his pals weren't that jazzed about a 6 y/o going for a week in the fall float plane only access wilderness lake he told them "if the kid doesn't go I don't go." But I had to hold my own and work hard and fish. And when we ran out of water on a 10 mile boat trip to find walleye one day, I had to drink Budwiser, just a little bit, for lunch. Wrap 'em up and take the with you as much as you can Let them crew, drive the boat, do anything to keep busy. It's the only way to start them out and those experiences will stay with them forever. NO MP3 players, iPODS, video game things - keep it real. |
| solongdarling |
posted 02-07-2011 09:04 AM ET (US)
The only thing I would add is to get him into a swimming safety class soon. This will add a new activity you can share with him, and bring some peace of mind to your wife. My happiest times with my Dad as I grew up, was boating and fishing with him. It was the only time I had him all to myself. I'll never forget those experiences, though he's been gone for many years. Dell |
| Buckda |
posted 02-07-2011 10:24 AM ET (US)
When he's old enough, make sure he tells his mom all the things he did to make it a safe trip: kept watch for other boats and waves, made sure dad wore his PFD too, etc. That might help. Depends on the woman. Full disclosure: I'm not married, but my mom is a worrier and we made it through using the boats and a lot of other stuff. I remember the "debriefings" with mom about fishing trips on Lake Michigan - same drill. Safety was so ingrained in me by those days that I now have a Whaler. |
| PeteB88 |
posted 02-07-2011 11:34 AM ET (US)
I have been involved with MSU Project FISH for quite awhile now. We are affiliated with national kid's fishing groups as well as Salmon in the Classroom and other groups. Focus is on teaching older teen and adult mentors how to teach a variety of fishing skills including tackle crafting, entomology, identifying fish, fishing techniques, pond, lake and river ecosystems and how to clean and cook fish. What we have learned is the most important time and opportunity to mentor kids and develop meaningful roles is being together in a boat, fishing, talking and just hanging out. This also applies to the road trip to the lake/river/ocean and back. Very special time so long as not screwed up by DVD movies, overwhelming music and video games. All those distractions are prohibited. It is amazing how much you can learn about your kids when you chop the diversions and just shoot the breeze beyond "how are you doing in school?" "are you thinking about what college you want to go to?" Next time try - "hey, check out that map in the door pocket, pick out a lake and let's try that one...." Find me a tackle store on the GPS....No glass no cheetohs - I love cheetohs. |
| sdwhaler17 |
posted 02-07-2011 12:21 PM ET (US)
That is some Great stuff... on kids I like the advice on the dvd/ipods/games good stuff. The swimming too, and dad wearing the life vest too... awesome. Even though I was born in Southern CA (as was my son) I have Midwest/Michigan roots. My wife is from Lansing (MSU alumna) as my folks met there too before moving West. So we still go back each summer. I had never heard of a boston whaler until I worked on fuel/lobster pound in Rhode Island one summer (age 25). My son is only 3 and now he already knows... I have some catching up to do but still have time. Some of the posts here have inspired me, thanks again guys. John S. |
| GBayWhaler |
posted 02-07-2011 12:32 PM ET (US)
I have been boating with my son (9yrs old) since he was 2 weeks old. We summer cottage on an island that is about a 25 minute boat ride through an archipelago of islands and across some open water. He is very comfortable now and will drive my wife and daughter (3) out to the island when I am not with them. A couple trips last summer were through 6'+ swells. Both kids love boating and eagerly anticipate any opportunity (excuse) for a boat ride. The three of us are extremely creative in the excuse department! Our rules are clear about life jackets ("boatcoats')- once a child steps out of a building or off a deck, they must have their lifejacket on and buckled up. My son was 8 and could swim across the channel 100+ yards before he was allowed to roam the ilsand without. On the odd occasion where a kid gets away from us, we rest easy knowing that at the very worst, they are floating. One of nehpews is quite the houdini in terms of escaping so the boatcoat reassures. Now my son is creatively suggesting it is time for his own boat... Stuart |
| Buckda |
posted 02-07-2011 01:19 PM ET (US)
One other thing - and I know your guy is a little young for this... ...My father came up with the "RA Buckalew School of Boat Operation" for my siblings and my cousins. Before we could operate the boat...(and we were only allowed to operate between to very prominent landmarks - all within "whistle distance" of the cottage), we had to pass. The course came complete with a certificate of achievement, an award ceremony and "random pop quizzes". It made learning a lot of fun and a bit competitive. There was a swimming requirement. A real-world immersion test with PFD on and test to put on a PFD while in the water (this can be difficult to do!) I think that was for illustration purposes, as we were always required to wear our PFD's at all times. Rules of the road, simple navigation, trouble shooting common/simple engine problems or other situations, etc were all part of the course, but I really remember much earlier than that when my Dad would tell/show me how he was navigating: "See how the current in the river swirls? Notice how the channel shifts to the outside bank in a curve? See those waves breaking on the sandbar? Look at that boater, what did he do wrong? Hey Dave, I'm approaching this guy and he has the right of way. I'll have to slow down a bit to let him pass in front of me. Notice how I left room for that sailboat to make his turn? He's tacking into the wind, and he can't move as easily as we can - so let the sailboats have room to do their thing. See how the two lighthouses line up one on top of the other? That's a Range - when the lower light is right beneath the upper light, you know you're coming straight into the channel, and when the lower light is on the left, you know you're south of the channel, and when it's on the right, you're North of the channel. Etc..." All of that led me to take and pass the Michigan Boater's Safety Certificate course two years before the statute allowed. The very wise Sheriff Deputy realized that I was going to be operating a boat anyway, so it would be better if I had the course than operating a boat without it. I was 12. I still hadn't mastered my lefts and my rights - so the only question on the test I failed was the one about MC registration numbers - are they displayed left to right or right to left? (Duh!) Anyway - Dad's course was much more difficult to pass (and maintain "certification" to operate his boats) than the State course. Anyway - all that helped birth a lifelong love of boating, and put my mother's mind at ease about safety/security, etc. |
| PeteB88 |
posted 02-07-2011 02:02 PM ET (US)
Wearing PFDs - pet peeve of mine because we really need to wear them more often and I do just about 100% of the time when solo. Reminds me of mandatory bike helmet law campaign for 16 and under (as I remember) in Oregon when I lived out there. I advocated for the same when I moved to Lansing but got shot down in the city council meeting. Irony was and is - You see these moms (or dad) riding an infant or toddler on one of those unstable rear fender seats, kid has 4 inch foam and hard shell helmet, better seats look like roll cages and there's mom or dad trying to keep the rig going straight (on a sidewalk with freshly edged lawns) or (over railroad tracks which can throw ya) ringing a bell, smiling all the way to Starbucks with NO HELMET. As my wife would say: "Makes sense to me, bike wipeout, mom dead or with permanent brain injury, kid just fine...who's gonna raise the kid?" I'd like to find a Mustang off shore PFD, all orange or yellow, somewhere in my area discount pricing. I want the real thing no SOSpenders |
| Jeff |
posted 02-07-2011 02:48 PM ET (US)
Some of the best times of my parental life have been the days my Son and I spent together on my Newport. His first outing was at the ripe old age of 5 months. Since then he has been a regular. This past Memorial day (2010) was the first year where I felt comfortable having it be just himself and I out there. He was 2 years 2 months old at the time. We spent the day on the Grand River and made a 25 Mile trip out on Lake Michigan. It was a blast. Later this past summer it was our tradition to get all of the house work done by the Sunday Afternoon so after his nap we could go out and spend the afternoon cruising Lake St Clair and the River. Our usual trip was about 3 hours and 20 - 35 miles of running. We really had a great time and it was a opportunity to him used to the boat, how to act while on it and of course bond. My rules are: I also have been trying to get him how to understand how to pick up the radio mic and call for help if needed. Some things I never forget when I head out are: Also, as already stated....NEVER forget the camera... http://www.facebook.com/photo.php?pid=30938227&l=b06efd0a6d& id=1001793531 He even gets out with my father and I on the Guardian. He just turned 3 this past weekend and I am planning even long trips this summer. Maybe even an overnighter. With a some planning, patients, a watchful eye and good weather you will have nothing be a great time out on the water. Enjoy it, there is nothing better in my book. Well, that is maybe having two kids out there...I have that to look forward to this summer with my new daughter. |
| Tohsgib |
posted 02-07-2011 03:59 PM ET (US)
You are a bad bad father...why on earth would you wait until he was 3.5 to take him on the boat. I was born 8/9. On Labor day weekend my arse was out in the Nauset in a crib under an umbrella...I have Whaler in my blood. As far as the wife goes...well I guess that is why you have not taken your son out on the boat until now. Divorce her and get somebody who likes boats and spending time on the water with the family :) Then again being from Michigan explains a LOT. |
| sdwhaler17 |
posted 02-07-2011 04:33 PM ET (US)
ha ha... actually the reason I waited was the old two stroke 90 Yamaha was deemed unreliable. Although I took it out for short trips, it overheated regularly and would have to be shut down to cool off. so the boat was garaged for the most part. This past fall I had a mechanic tear it apart and he found a 1/4 inch hole in the powerhead?? So salt water from the cooling system was entering directly into one of the cylinders so I was running on 2 cyl. while constantly overheating. The cost to repair was not worth it for a 22 yr old Yamaha with a bunch of other problems. So I put a new Yamaha F70LA four stroke on the back... the boat is now awesome! My wife likes to go for special outings, ie with family and friends, 4th of July and the like, just not the weekend fishing trips which is fine with me... Yellowtail tournament is coming up and I still have not boated a lobster this year. |
| pcrussell50 |
posted 02-07-2011 06:56 PM ET (US)
Jeff! Nice v4 crossflow! You know, after being a high performance engine nut since my teens in the mid-80's I went down the path of computers and fuel injection. It wasn't until I discovered boats, not even 3 years ago yet, that I learned, I mean really learned, about the true meaning of, "they don't build 'em like they used to". While I still tune my car engines with my laptop, I've been loving the heck out of my carbureted outboards, ESPECIALLY v4 crossflows. Now, to the topic of children. I have a 14 month old little baby girl and I'm going to do my best to expose her to my very traditionally male, interests without forcing her. Interestingly, the handful of girls or women I've run into in my life who have "boylike" skills and interests, like auto repair or enough computer interest to build their own, or operate their computers at the command line level, have had this certain something... a special kind of pride or self-confidence that most girls don't have. If my little girl gets that, I will be a very happy dad. If she reaches the stage where she can take a cold v4 crossflow, raise the fast idle lever, and choke it till she starts and lower the fast idle back to normal when it's warm, and not think doing it is lame or weird, but actually takes pride in it, I will swell with pride, myself. I don't expect it, or demand it, but it sure would be nice if it turns out that way. Thanks to the rest of you, who for presenting "rules" and tips and tricks for taking little ones out on the water. -Peter |
| ScottS |
posted 02-17-2011 09:37 PM ET (US)
I'll add a few things... - life jacket goes on before they walk near the boat ramp - keep little ones away from the ramp since they're hard to see - on the boat they stay next to or in front of an adult where they can be watched to ensure they stay seated - no sitting at the bow as it doesn't take much to bounce a 3 year old out of the boat - set the example and wear your life jacket too - use the motor shutoff lanyard - select a bright life jacket color so they can be easily seen in the water - have them try their life jacket in a pool so they feel safer knowing it works ScottS |
| contender |
posted 02-17-2011 10:33 PM ET (US)
TEACH YOUR KID HOW TO SWIM EARLY.... |
| jimh |
posted 02-18-2011 08:04 AM ET (US)
I have very strong memories of going boating with my dad when I was young. |
| Sourpuss1 |
posted 02-18-2011 04:58 PM ET (US)
I have to echo Contender. We crewed on a sailboat and the owners (close friends) were suprised when there youngest (age 6 at the time) fell into the water at the dock without a life jacket on, and panicked. This child spent 75% of her time on,in or around the water from birth, but panicked without her safety net (life jacket). Yes PFD's are important, but kids need to swim without them from time to time. Unintentionaly gulping water, getting water up your nose, getting dunked by your older siblings/friends "teach" you about how to react when unexpectedly submerged. Pete |
| contender |
posted 02-19-2011 08:38 PM ET (US)
For what it is worth, I think a problem with getting kids to swim early starts with/when your wife starts to wash/bath them. Either in the tub/kitchen sink/or other. The problem is (your wife or who ever is bathing them) they are afraid to squirt water in there faces. You need to do this so that they are not afraid of the water and learn it to be the norm. You really need to just spray/pour water in their faces. If you do not do this they will always be afraid of the water. I did this and I taught both of my kids to swim by 2/3 years old. I even had them using mask, fins and snorkel by three years old also. By 5/6 they were like fish in the water and could not get them out of the pool. I do not know how bad it is around the country but, drowning is one of the biggest child killers in South Fla. Being prepared does always mean to bring/have everything with you... |
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