# Keeping it interesting for the kid



## Atlas (Aug 21, 2012)

Now I don't own a boat, so I have to rely on the sailing club dinghies (1.5 hour commute one way to reach the club too  ). Also, being quite a newbie, I always stay within the waters I know. 

That's OK for me and the Admiral, as we're always making new mistakes and learning something new, but what can we do about little Nikki? At 7 years, she's too little to be able to haul at the sheets, and she gets bored going up and down over the same patch of water every week. She'll be joining the Optimist training programme next year, but I'd really be grateful for any ideas to get her interested in our sailing successes and bloopers (or at least to keep her occupied without gluing her nose to an iPad).


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## deniseO30 (Nov 27, 2006)

as parents you are naturally protective and afraid for her. If she actually wants to sail and learn, then most of the problems are not there. . Kids can and do sail very well. they don't have the fear of getting wet like many adults.


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## Atlas (Aug 21, 2012)

Hi Denise. As I said in my first post, the problem isn't one of safety or our fears. The sailing club won't allow kids below 8 years to sail even Optimists, so that's out of the question for 1 whole year. Meanwhile, my daughter fails to see the point in bearing and tacking over the same small patch of water again and again. That's where I'd really appreciate some ideas.


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## travellerw (Mar 9, 2006)

My son (7) likes to fish (troll) while we sail... Keeps him busy, but can make the cockpit pretty cramped (only 18ft boat).


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## Donna_F (Nov 7, 2005)

I don't have kids, but I have had a few 10 year olds in my sailing safety classes and I put my niece and nephew through it. The 10 year olds (their parents later told me) were the ones who bugged them to get to class each week (two hour class for nine weeks). It was interesting seeing them get real interested in a particular chapter. Usually it was the navigation and chart work. 

By the time my niece's social life permitted enough of a gap for her to go out on my boat ( I didn't push her, I waited until she asked to go), I was overjoyed to see her apply what she learned in class to what the boat did on the water. She remained interested even in the doldrums and still has an interest in the navigation and plotting. 

She did, however, ask me if she could just pay her friends to do the hard work so I guess it wasn't a total success.

There are a lot of free online sailing instruction sites, perhaps the graphics will keep her engaged enough to learn and apply what she learned when you go sailing.


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## SVAuspicious (Oct 31, 2006)

Atlas said:


> what can we do about little Nikki? At 7 years, she's too little to be able to haul at the sheets, and she gets bored going up and down over the same patch of water every week.


You didn't say what sort of boats you sail at your club.

Nikki should be plenty big enough to steer, even if you sit right next to her. Kids learn fast - just sit on your hands and use your words. *grin*

Practicing knots is a good use of time. Just be sure that what you teach her is correct. Unlearning something is more difficult for most children than learning it. If she is into creative crafts like making pot holders she can learn fancy knots like Turk's heads.

Do you take a lunch or snack with you? Let her choose what everyone eats and be responsible for passing it out.

I'd start with letting her steer. Boat kids are the best. Responsible, capable, and grown-up.


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## SVAuspicious (Oct 31, 2006)

Oh - 7 years old is old enough to watch Captain Ron. *grin*


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## Donna_F (Nov 7, 2005)

SVAuspicious said:


> Oh - 7 years old is old enough to watch Captain Ron. *grin*


Sigh.


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## Atlas (Aug 21, 2012)

SVAuspicious said:


> You didn't say what sort of boats you sail at your club.


We have only locally built dinghies here - lightnings and a curious mongrel design based on the Seabird half-rater [MEDIA=youtube]_Half_Rater[/MEDIA] ... letting Nikki steer the next time we're out.


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