# THIS is a great topic! IS it feasable for 4 kids?



## Jim M

I am new to sailing but I have been in and around boats my whole life.

Being the oldest in the family (first with younger kids in teh family) I have never really seen many people with smaller kids on boats. (fishing boats yes but not sail)

I am looking to get into sailing, (as I have always wanted to) I have been looking at the 31-41 ft range. (only because I have 4 kids)

I'd like to spend summer vacations out on the boat. 3-4 days, maybe a week trip.

I have a 14, 12, 6, 4 yr old.

Is this feasable? Has anyone had success with younger kids on longer sail trips?

Do you have any wisdom to share?lol

I am a nervious parent as it is and very saftey cautious, so sometimes I think I am asking for trouble putting them on a boat. But I really want to share that experiance with my kids if possible.


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## Minnewaska

Sure it can be done. The 4 and 6 year old definitely need a properly fitted pfd they will wear all the time. Probably the 12 year old too, and everyone else is a good idea.

If you are new to sailing, your biggest worry is going to be man overboard recovery. If you practice good safety, there is no reason that anyone should fall in, particularly from a boat that size. However, should they fall in, you want to be very practiced at getting back for them. It requires practice.

Go enjoy. Great gift to the kids.


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## Donna_F

Jim M said:


> Is this feasable? Has anyone had success with younger kids on longer sail trips?


There are plenty of families cruising full time, not just for a week or two. Entirely possible. The Discovery Channel followed a family with two teens who grew up on their boat sailing around the world. The oldest ended up with a golf scholarship to college.

I asked a family I met once (sold their house and sailed the Pacific, now in New Zealand) how on earth you end up playing enough golf to get a scholarship and was told that lots of families sail in a flotilla so that the kids can socialize and there are golf courses along the Southern CA, Mexico coasts that cater to boaters.

Who knew?

I listen to the podcasts of this family from the UK.


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## Donna_F

Jim M said:


> But I really want to share that experiance with my kids if possible.


You might want to consider chartering a few times with the family, first. I've said this on here before but when we bought our larger boat I was excited that there would be room for my teenaged niece and nephew. Turned out their schedules didn't include Aunt Donna and her boat.

As each one reached age 18, my dock neighbor's kids one by one refused to step foot on the boat again and he had bought a brand new 36 footer just for that purpose. Now he's working on the grand kids.

Don't be disappointed if the older kids aren't as into being "stuck" on a boat away from their friends and social/sports activities.


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## Powerdude

Well, my kids are much younger than yours, 2 at 5.5 years old and 2 at 2.5 years old (yes, two sets of twins).

I'm thinking of just getting a small trailerable like a Catalina 22 or 25 on a local lake to just learn to sail, then as they grow, I'll worry about getting a bigger boat, depending on if they like sailing or not.

I'd say, don't break the bank first just to try to fit everybody on board....kids are not cheap even without a boat.


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## bljones

Powerdude said:


> Well, my kids are much younger than yours, 2 at 5.5 years old and 2 at 2.5 years old (yes, two sets of twins).
> 
> ...kids are not cheap even without a boat.


But you apparently fell prey to a BOGO sale... twice.


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## Powerdude

Yes, well, that is very true, in every sense of what you said.

We are thankful for them.


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## Lake Superior Sailor

Being new to U S Federal Waters,I did not realize the law requires children under the age of 13 must wear PFD while underway......Dale


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## Minnewaska

Lake Superior Sailor said:


> Being new to U S Federal Waters,I did not realize the law requires children under the age of 13 must wear PFD while underway......Dale


Those rules are state by state and vary slightly. 13 is the typical range. Any age on a jet ski.

My marina requires them for kids below that age on the dock, although, I've never seen it enforced. Probably a liability thing.


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## Lake Superior Sailor

No; It is a federal law not state! I just found this out myself....Dale


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## -OvO-

Children are very interested in doing things with friends, less so with younger siblings. At some point, after the initial novelty wears off, you might be farther ahead to send a couple of them off on land with some friends, while you take the others and *their* friends sailing. This works well if you are friends with a family who have some similarly-aged kids. My guess is that the 14 year-old whines moderately about the 12 year-old, and the 12 year-old whines a little about the 6 year-old, and the 6 year-old whines endlessly about the toddler. 

My six year-old son didn't care much for being on deck, but he loved loved loved being below and playing with the dishes in the galley. It was like a kid's kitchen. And keeping him below made his mother and grandmothers less frantic, though I think it was probably *less* safe in fact. Head injuries are forever.


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## Minnewaska

Lake Superior Sailor said:


> No; It is a federal law not state! I just found this out myself....Dale


Found out where?


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## Donna_F

Lake Superior Sailor said:


> No; It is a federal law not state! I just found this out myself....Dale


In the US the states set their own laws concerning the *age* for mandatory PFD use with the exception of inflatable PFDs which are authorized for use on people over 16 YO. Requirements for the life jackets themselves as well as what size boat needs them (and what type) are mandated by the CG. But age is determined by the states.

USCG life jacket information.


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## Lake Superior Sailor

I got it out of Wi. Boating Laws Hand Book--under Personal Flotation Devices (PFDs)
"Federal law reqires children under the age of 13 to wear a USCG-approved PFD while underway in an open vessel on federally controlled waters."------Dale


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## Donna_F

From the Coast Guard website:

Child Lifejacket Requirements

Some states require that children wear lifejackets


applies to children of specific ages
 applies to certain sizes of boats
 applies to specific boating operations

Check with your state boating safety officials.

Child lifejacket approvals are based on the child's weight. Check the "User Weight" on the label, or the approval statement that will read something like "Approved for use on recreational boats and uninspected commercial vessels not carrying passengers for hire, by persons weighing __ lbs". They can be marked "less than 30", "30 to 50", "less than 50", or "50 to 90".

Lifejacket requirements for certain boating activities under state laws

The Coast Guard recommends and many states require wearing lifejackets:


For water skiing and other towed activities (use a lifejacket marked for water skiing).
 While operating personal watercraft (PWC) (use a lifejacket marked for water skiing or PWC use).
 During white water boating activities.
 While sailboarding (under Federal law, sailboards are not "boats").

Check with your state boating safety officials.

Federal law does not require lifejackets on racing shells, rowing sculls, racing canoes, and racing kayaks; state laws vary. Check with your state boating safety officials.

If you are boating in an area under the jurisdiction of the Army Corps of Engineers, or a federal, state, or local park authority, other rules may apply.


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## Lake Superior Sailor

This quote is out of 2011 Wi. hand book they just sent with registration , so is Wi. lieing about it being a federal law,or what!...Dale


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## Faster

Trying to get back on topic...

Cruising with kids, whether full time of summer time, is a great idea (of course you're asking on a sailing forum....) but anyhow we had great success. Our son grew up on a series of boats with us and now, near 30 continues to race OPBs and is a boat owner himself. While we were proud to have had him sailing at 18 days old in May, he had his daughter out on their boat at 1 week old in December...

We were vigilant, and not once did any of the kids we had on board fall off. PFDs were mandatory on deck, they learned early on to keep one hand for themselves. It did help to bring friends, esp if your child is an only, and introducing non-sailing-families' kids to boating was always interesting (but not always successful..)

Still there's no reason to avoid sailing because you have kids. I find it sad to run into people (and it's not that rare) who say... "We used to sail but then we had kids and we couldn't go out anymore."

It may well be more difficult to introduce older children to sailing than having them grow up with it and not knowing any different, esp in this day and age of required 'connectedness' and 'gadgets'. That may well be your challenge.

Finding a boat that is affordable and will accommodate your extended family (and it is nice to have room to invite non sibling playmates) is going to be another challenge.. Many 35 - 40 footers are not really laid out to sleep more than 4 people on a regular basis. We had (with partners) a 40 ft "cruisified" ex-race boat that, counting all the pipe berths could sleep ten. We routinely spend a few weeks each summer with 4 adults and 4 kids (incl one friend) with success.

Best of luck and don't be discouraged!


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## Minnewaska

Lake Superior Sailor said:


> This quote is out of 2011 Wi. hand book they just sent with registration , so is Wi. lieing about it being a federal law,or what!...Dale


Lying, no. Misstating, yes. USCG requires a wearable pfd for each occupant, but doesn't require you wear it.


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## Donna_F

Lake Superior Sailor said:


> This quote is out of 2011 Wi. hand book they just sent with registration , so is Wi. lieing about it being a federal law,or what!...Dale


They specifically say (according to your quote) "Federally-controlled waters" so you'll have to find out where those exist within the state. Any Army Corps of Engineer lakes that you know of? In other bodies of water within the state, your state law will determine lifejacket usage.

Generally, the USCG does not trump state laws except in rare cases or where the states do not address a particular issue.


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## gus_452000

Sailing with 4 kids, is possible, I am a single parent raising 4 kids and yes it is possible, once they learn what is and whats not allowed and where and when, I wouldnt be without mine now. They often fight like cat and dog over something thats not worth arguing over but there kids and they love going for a sail, either for the day or the whole of the summer holidays. Mine all wear PFD's on deck, unless we are under way, is it bad for your nearves the first few times you leave the harbour, ofcourse but it does get better, and you always have an eye on them at all times but it does get a whole lot better. Take them and enjoy your time together.


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## marydolan

Go sailing and enjoy. I grew up sailing and got away from it for about 20 years. Started again after I got married, and started actively about 10 years ago. We have a 46 foot sail boat, and started when the youngest was 2. We went cruising for 6 months from October of 2009 - April 2010 with four kids aged 8, 12, 14, 18 and a 2 year old cocker spaniel. The kids loved it. As they get older they are not as interested, but when we go as a family everyone has a good time. You have to be relaxed about it and be spontaneous, and let the kids be fully a part of it and ask for their thoughts and ideas. We enjoy it a lot.


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## vtsailguy

Have three boys here, 9, 7 and 5.

Lots of day sailing, a couple of BVI charters. We do ok, with the odd gray hair or three.

We are converging on a 6 month tour in a couple of years, we'll let you know how we get on


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## Schleprock

Affirm, federal law


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