# New Father...Advice needed on sailing with kids



## nolesailor

Hello All,

I know there are additional threads out there with advice about sailing with children, but most I've seen seemed to address older kids. I am now the proud parent of a four month old daughter. Down here in FL it is too hot to take her out sailing his summer...besides, the Admiral wouldn't allow it anyways...however, she has been somewhat amenable to taking her out later this fall...October/November when it is cooler. At that time, she will be about 6-7 months. So, I would love to hear advice/suggestions concerning this plan. Obviously, it will be a calm day...and we may go down a couple of times before to sit on the boat at the dock. The boat is 1998 Catalina 28, so there is room below we can bring her too if needed. 

Is this too young? How did others bring children this age out? In a car seat? Something else? I will mostly singlehand while the Admiral attends to her, so she will constantly be under supervision. What life jacket do we get? Do they even make them that small? Suggestions for toys/activities? Would people recommend taking them out at this age, or wait until they are older? For those that did take kids out at this age, how did they do? Were they scared? Indifferent? 

Any and all suggestions/advice would be appreciated.

Thank you.


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## desert rat

If you aren't scared she wont be. Oh and teach her to swim.


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## TomMaine

We took our daughter, born in December, sailing that summer season. Same with her brother, born in January, a year later. 

We brought them in their car seats,(which are baby carriers, make shift cradles for sleeping-for those that don't know). We were both freelancers then, so I was stay at home parent with my daughter for that first season. I took her sailing myself and with a friend or two.

There was always a safe place to stow those baby carriers on board. We didn't use life preservers until they could walk. 


We sailed all season with babies. My wife especially thought being aboard -sailing, was the easiest time to care for them. 

She felt they were safe, easy, and we would spend 100% of sailing time, just the four of us. It was a unique time, unforgettable, really, for all of us. 


I don't think there is too young an age to take kids sailing, as long as the parents are both confident, they're safe.


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## christian.hess

inspirational tom...Im getting close to taking ours out...he is 11 months already and time flies, the boat is almost ready at least for some local cruising and sleepovers hopefully by the end of the month...

cant wait!


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## PaulinVictoria

We've had our little one (just over 3 months old) out a few times on the boat. We have a Salus lifejacket for him, clicky as it seemed to be the best one specifically for babies/newborns rather than infants but it only goes to 25lbs. The lifejacket goes on as we get out of the car, and stays on until he's back at the car afterwards. We carry him on the dock, no car seats, he is much safer being able to float in the PFD than sink in a car seat. On the boat itself we have a co-sleeper in the cockpit, this sort of thing







to stop him rolling about, with an umbrella to keep the sun off.
Same thing can be used on a berth below as well if it starts raining.


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## Kostis

Just crack down the portlights a bit


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## nolesailor

Thanks for the replies...that was something I was wondering, whether it was better to keep them in car seats or not. It seems most have used car seats with success, but I also like the idea of the co sleeper (pictured below) with a life jacket. Believe it or not, my biggest concern is carrying her on and off the boat...and for that the car seat does seem easier, but there is always the concern of sinking if dropped. 

TomMaine/PaulinVictoria...at the ages you took them out, did you find that they would be scared at all? Obviously it will be a very calm day the first day out. 

TomMaine - Did you continue to take them out at all ages, and if so, did you find that taking them out early introduced them to sailing better? Were there any ages that it doesn't seem to work quite as well?

Thanks again.


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## engineer_sailor

We've been sailing the Chesapeake with our 4 and 2 year olds for the last two years on our Catalina 27. 

It has been great making sailing a regular family hobby activity. Definitely go for it. People think sailing with kids is either genius or crazy. We ignore the naysayers.

Infants seem to love the boat and spend lots of time sleeping in the infant carrier as the boat naturally rocks. The older child sleeps in the v-berth and the younger in the quarter berth. We've used a small collapsable tent wedged into the quarterberth to keep the 2 year old contained. We sleep on the pull out settee.

We bought two cheap car seats so we could strap them down when all hands were needed on deck. Worked great when the kids were infant through 2 years. We don't need them anymore at 4 and 2. Ages 2-3 are the hardest so far. By 4 things get easier.

Invest in a Mustang infant/child PFD. We also keep a line tied to the jackets when the kids are up above. We will be installing lifeline netting sometime this season. Life vests go on as soon as we get out of the car at the marina and are on anytime they are out of the cabin. I set an example by always wearing my inflatable vest.

We bought a kayak (9.5 feet sit on top) that we throw on deck. Both kids and the dog love the chance to get off the boat and explore the shoreline or look for animals. It's all about keeping it fun. 
More recently we acquired a 8'6" inflatable dinghy (high pressure air floor) and 2.5 HP outboard. Enables the whole family to go to shore which is important now that everyone is older.

We keep an iPad on board for family movie nights, entertainment in bad weather, etc. We also keep a range of toys, arts/crafts, etc. 

Since one person must always attend to the kids, I strongly recommend an autopilot. Having a "third crew member" is great for single handing.

My stress level is always higher when the kids are aboard. We tend to be more conservative with weather, schedules, etc. Typically keep trip legs under 6 hours. This isn't to say that we sail conservatively, the kids love a fun sail as much as I do. Kids are robust and ride out rough weather better than the adults.

One great aspect of a larger sailboat is that it has sufficient infrastructure to support kids schedule issues like nap time and "potty time". We usually get 1-2 hours of adult only sailing time while the kids nap below.

Keep it fun and everything will go smoothly.

Josh


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## christian.hess

good stuff!


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## PaulinVictoria

nolesailor - he slept pretty much the whole time, the motion of the boat, and the vibration from the little 1 cylinder diesel puts him to sleep right away. Personally I find him easier to carry by himself than in a car seat.


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## TomMaine

nolesailor said:


> TomMaine/PaulinVictoria...at the ages you took them out, did you find that they would be scared at all? Obviously it will be a very calm day the first day out.
> 
> TomMaine - Did you continue to take them out at all ages, and if so, did you find that taking them out early introduced them to sailing better? Were there any ages that it doesn't seem to work quite as well?
> 
> Thanks again.


I don't recall any fear from our babies, sailing. But we were coastal sailors and picked our weather. I think parental fear is the bigger problem. If you're the one picking the weather and the extent of your sailing, be very sure your partner is 100% sure as well.

I think sailing with babies and then young children made me a much better sailor. Our daughter became prone to seasickness pretty early on. Her mom has the same ear. That taught me a lot. Even now, I enjoy sailing for the least experienced person on board. If I can show them the best of sailing, I please myself.

Introducing them to sailing at the beginning made them natural sailors. I built this sailing dinghy just after they were born mostly so we could expose them to sailing themselves as early as they wanted to do it. Both our son and daughter started sailing the dinghy very young. Here's my daughter taking a friend sailing. This is pretty light air for kids this age.










Here's my daughter last season sailing her college roommate around Cuttyhunk Pond. They had both just graduated.


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## nolesailor

Engineer - Thanks for the response! A dinghy w/ outboard is definitely something we are looking into for next summer for trips to the shore/beach. How old was your youngest when you first did an overnight...if you have? 

Tom/Maine & Paulin Victoria - I'm happy to hear that fear/being afraid isn't really an issue for a baby...makes sense as they probably haven't developed that yet, but as a new father, EVERYTHING is a learning process for me...

Our plan is to take her out a few times this fall, when it is cooler, on a nice calm 5-10 knot day. May just sail under headsail for a bit at first, for simplicity's sake. Trips would be short...maybe a few hours only. Obviously a life vest for the times she isn't in a car seat (or other carrier/cosleeper item...haven't decided upon that). 

Our hope is that by sailing with her at a young age, it will become a lifelong activity for her...

Thanks again!


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## nolesailor

TomMaine - those two pictures of your daughter sailing in the same dinghy...when she first learned and after college graduation must really bring back some memories...


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## engineer_sailor

Nolesailor
Our first overnight with our youngest was at the six week old mark. Forgot to mention that we've used battery powered white noise machines to help the kids sleep both on land and on the boat. On a smaller boat it's easy for one person to wake another and the white noise helps. Does obscure the sounds of nature and water at anchor.

Josh


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## nolesailor

We also use a white noise machine on land, so carrying it over to the boat is a great idea. I appreciate all the responses, and once it gets closer and the Admiral begins voicing her concerns, I'm sure I may have more questions...

Thanks again!


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## MedSailor

The age you are planning on going out is a good one. I think it's going to be a long time before sailing with the kids will be as easy as when there was only one in a car seat. We took our little guy out at 7 weeks if I recall for his first overnight. It worked great. Here's my list of pointers based on our experience:

-Use a car seat when underway, docking or anchoring. Sailing is best done around naptime and if the engine is on, they'll likely sleep well. 
-Create a way to strap the car seat down, or otherwise secure it. 
-Have the car seat visible from the cockpit if it is below.
-set up the boat for single-handing
-have a USCG certified vest aboard (and in the tender) to fulfill the letter of the law, but we didn't have the little one wear it because he was always in a car seat or strapped to momma in a chest carrier. 
-We prefered to have the baby strapped to momma in a carrier when transferring from the boat to tender. I agree this is the most stressful part. The plan was, if she falls overboard, she would float on her back. Typically we don't fall overboard while getting in the tender though and the baby is very well secured in the front pack. When transferring to or from a dock we used the car seat. 
-For sleeping we had the opposite problem, too cold. We chose to have our little one co-sleep with momma for warmth. If you don't co-sleep I wouldn't have them sleep the whole night in the car-seat. I'd get a cheap bassinet or something flat. 
-We never once put the lifejacket on him, as he wasn't mobile and we firmly believe that the secured car seat or secured frontpack was a safer option. I was willing to make my case to the USCG if boarded and accept a fine if levied. I did always carry a USCG certified vest with me, and if it came down to it, I would be willing to argue that the USCG regs only state the requirement to have the appropriate sized vest aboard, and say nothing about wearing it. Only state law (which it is not their duty to enforce) state that the kiddo should be wearing it.
-If you do want to use a lifejacket I would highly recommend the salus bijoux that PaulinVictoria lined to. I don't own one (yet) but from all my research it appears to be the only one that is truly designed for a small infant. It's not USCG approved though. 

Happy sailing, you guys will do just fine! 

MedSailor

PS Sail as much as possible before the little one becomes a toddler!


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## PaulinVictoria

The Salus isn't Transport Canada approved either, but since no approval exists for infants under 35lb, and therefore there is also no requirement to carry one, there won't be TC approval and it doesn't matter. Not sure if the same goes for the US.
I personally prefer not having him strapped to something/someone. If I or my wife is going swimming with him accidentally, I would rather he floated face up regardless of if I am or not.


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## svHyLyte

After she was born, our daughter began sailing with us when she was 6 weeks old. Her first passage was made in a car-seat/bassinet that hung from the overhead on a short tether (so the the natural period of the "pendulum" was greater than the boats roll and her bassinet simply hung vertically while the yacht rolled about her). As she grew, we progressed from the bassinet to a car seat that could be secured below or in the forward corner of cockpit. When she was bigger and began walking, we fitted her with a baby floaty and tether if she was above deck and added netting to the life-lines around the entire boat (and she learned to never-ever leave the cockpit without her mommy or daddy and without holding onto the boat). Our--and her--first rule was/is "safety first". Her, and our, second rule was/is "always hold onto the boat". She's in her early 20's now but still respects/repeats the rules, aboard our boat or when on her own...


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## AlaskaMC

MedSailor said:


> PS Sail as much as possible before the little one becomes a toddler!


This!!! The terrible twos and boating have a bit of a rocky relationship. Nothing like having a critter running around the boat that isn't so stable on solid ground. Best thing is that they get past this age fast and your nerves get a break of sorts.


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## nolesailor

All...thanks again for all the replies, the advice and suggestions are appreciated!

Medsailor - Great advice, a cosleeper would be helpful for overnights...but we certainly aren't there yet!

We plan to get lifeline netting once she is mobile (although I always swore I never would. Amazing how things change!). We are looking forward to taking her out this fall when it is not so hot/humid as it is here in the FL summers. 

Thanks again!


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## vtsailguy

The car seat seems a common tip from what I have heard. You can strap it in anywhere.


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## MedSailor

nolesailor said:


> All...thanks again for all the replies, the advice and suggestions are appreciated!
> 
> Medsailor - Great advice, a cosleeper would be helpful for overnights...but we certainly aren't there yet!
> 
> We plan to get lifeline netting once she is mobile (although I always swore I never would. Amazing how things change!). We are looking forward to taking her out this fall when it is not so hot/humid as it is here in the FL summers.
> 
> Thanks again!


We're about to install netting too. We can take it off in a couple years though once the little ones learn some self preservation skills and can swim. Of course by then, the cat will be old....

MedSailor


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## nolesailor

I noticed that several people on here recommended the Salus lifejacket...in researching, this lifejacket is not Coast Guard approved, which was clearly stated on some websites when describing the product. I did not find the same statements about the Mustang infant life jacket. Is the Mustang Coast Guard approved? I'm guessing I need a US Coast Guard approved life jacket for everyone on board, including our daughter...so, for those that purchased the Salus, was here a concern about being compliant?

For those that purchased either, what were the reasons for your purchase?

Thanks again!


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## nolesailor

nolesailor said:


> For those that purchased either, what were the reasons for your purchase?


To clarify, I meant what were your reasons for purchasing one over the other (i.e. Salus over Mustang)...didn't want anyone thinking I needed their reasons for purchasing a life jacket in general.


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## MedSailor

nolesailor said:


> I noticed that several people on here recommended the Salus lifejacket...in researching, this lifejacket is not Coast Guard approved, which was clearly stated on some websites when describing the product. I did not find the same statements about the Mustang infant life jacket. Is the Mustang Coast Guard approved? I'm guessing I need a US Coast Guard approved life jacket for everyone on board, including our daughter...so, for those that purchased the Salus, was here a concern about being compliant?
> 
> For those that purchased either, what were the reasons for your purchase?
> 
> Thanks again!


My reasoning is summed up in this recent thread: http://www.sailnet.com/forums/cruising-sailing-children/148154-best-infant-kid-lifejackets.html

Basically, I've been doing a little research on lifejackets in general over the past few years and what I've discovered is that a lot of things we think they'll do, or expect them to do, (like turn an unconscious wearer face-up) they often won't.

If you can swim, then a pool noodle is of benefit to you, as it just about everything else positively buoyant in the world. If you can't help your self, as in an infant, toddler that can't swim, or unconscious adult, then the problem and design of the lifejacket gets much more difficult. Certifications aren't even the panacea that we wish they could be. There are scary Amazon reviews of an infant jacket that would only turn the infant face down! It was USCG certified.

So, I've done a lot of homework before deciding which jacket to put on the little ones. Drowning is a common cause of death in the little ones, and with water everywhere, I fear it. I take all the other primary precautions, but if the little one goes over, I want the best jacket possible.

The Bijoux appears to be the best thing going for the under 15lb crowd. I think I can make my case to the USCG boarding officer if I have to, but in the end I'd rather risk paying a fine than risk a drowning.

MedSailor


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## dss30

Our little girl turns 1 in at the end of August. We have been taking her to the boat since May. Things were fine until she started walking. Now she bangs her head into everything!


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## PaulinVictoria

My reasoning was much the same as MedSailor's, except in Canada there is no requirement for an infant to have a lifejacket if they are under a certain weight, and thus there is no certification accordingly. As far as I am concerned, any certification is there to satisfy local requirements and not an indication of a particular device being suitable.


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## KismetP362

I'm on my third newborn on board and we've made some changes to accommodate our little crew members. They don't stay this small for long and their needs will change over time.

First thing first, we keep the boat on a mooring and so for our dink ride out to the boat, the baby is in a life jacket. The car seat option is ok if you are walking down a dock and simply hopping onboard but the admiral required a touch more safety than that for the "transfer" from bobbing RIB, up 5' to get over the freeboard and lifelines. So, this is where we added three things that are worth their weight in gold.

#1 is the lifeline netting that makes the whole boat into a playpen. (Bonus: keeps bouncing tools, toys and winch handles from skipping overboard). This was great on year 2 when our daughter was walking around the deck of the boat while at a mooring or on anchor (No preserver required as she physically can't get out)

#2 are the harnesses my wife made for the kids. Each one is adjustable and has a strap in the back for a lanyard. Really, the best reason to have them wear it at the age in the picture is that the harness provides a great way to grab them and toss them about (read as: gently moving them to a safer location). This is nice when they are still learning the "one hand for the boat" rule as they climb over everything. Usually we are "lifejacket while underway" parents but sometimes it's too hot or if we are only slipping along at sub 4 kts.

#1 is a radically oversized swim platform. The one we have on there now is not our finished product. It was built out of SS tubing and whatever wood I had around stained to look like teak. It didn't wear like teak. The ability to step on to the platform from the dink allows the more dangerous transfer of flesh and cargo much easier. It adds to our storage room for coolers and such and it provides a neat spot for the males in the crew to relive themselves (no dumping allowed). The redesign will look more like something like this when done.

Netting and harnesses:









Temp Platform (admittedly not my most nautical work but solid):


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## T37Chef

Lots of good things have already been written. Our first daughter was born in November and was sailing with us the following season, March. Our second daughter was born in February and was sailing with us in March. Sailing is the absolute best family time we have, especially when we were able to get out for several days/weeks (limited to about three weeks at this point due to jobs). I also believe the rules and discipline required to sail safely transfer over into "regular" life.

Our kids are awesome, allot has to do with their Mom, but I do believe that being brought up sailing from a infant was a contributor to how they are today. Both are leaders among their friends, and are very responsible for their age from my observations of other kids. They are respectful to adults and other kids. Elizabeth especially watches out for her little sister and others kids.

They enjoy most swimming, fishing, beachcomber, dingy rides, and games. Both are also becoming more and more interested in sailing the boat.

Here is some pictures to share with your wife, I don't have a lot to load from year one or two 

Elizabeth, around a year old with my wife









Olivia napping, about 2 I think









Elizabeth enjoying a "tub" to keep cool, about 3 or 4 in this picture 









Olivia in the tub









Family in historic St Marys City, MD









Olivia in her booster seat, we strapped this inside the cabin for meals at the salon table 









Fishing









Who doesn't love corn on the cob?









Daddy and his girl









Elizabeth paddling the the dingy, abut 4 yrs old
http://i280.photobucket.com/albums/kk191/T37Chef/2009JulWyeRiverondinghy2.jpg/IMG]

About 5 & 3, being silly
[IMG]http://i280.photobucket.com/albums/kk191/T37Chef/2010JunSumCrsEliOligoofs02.jpg

Found a river off Worton Creek, lots of cool thngs to hunt for, crabs, turtles, snakes...about 3 & 5 here









Upside down? 









They are about 3&5 here, stopped for lunch I think









Practicing swimming and floating in their PFD









About the anchor somewhere, Olivia and I on point 









Just last year









This year, Olivia at the helm..









Elizabeth chilling in the hammock









Trouble 









Angel 









Kids catch a rock









Reading together









Island at low tide = beach combing 









This year in Block Island, dont mind my black toe, dropped something on a year ago LOL









In BI this year









Day at the beach in BI, with the SHARKS! 









Lobster for dinner









The crab again...









Cuddled up from a long day of weather









Anyway...there's a few from 1 year old to 9 years old...had fun posting this, brought back so many memories which we'll share for the rest of our lives.

Do it smart, do it safely, and do it at your pace...and have FUN!


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## christian.hess

t37 IF I COULD Id jump on my boat and do exactly what your pics show...

someday

thanks for the pics and advice...

question on the netting...is that somethig you can have made or is that to hard? or do you buy a certain size and simply wrap over lifelines and tighten up?

peace


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## MedSailor

T37Chef said:


> Olivia in the tub


Hey Chef! Isn't that an empty bag of Cheetos(tm)?? BUSTED! 

MedSailor


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## AlaskaMC

Thanks for that great post Chef! You are an inspiration to me especially with my daughters and that a Tartan 37 may have just popped up on my purchase radar for boat shopping this weekend. Seems that it has been doing wonderfully for you family of 4 for a long time! Great pics.

Maybe it's a sign!


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## T37Chef

MedSailor said:


> Hey Chef! Isn't that an empty bag of Cheetos(tm)?? BUSTED!
> 
> MedSailor


LOL...I must admit if I am going to junk food it I prefer cheetos...cheese or no cheese product...but I think thats a bag of PF "goldfish"?


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## dss30

The aftermath of her first day out on the water!


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## christian.hess

dss30 said:


> The aftermath of her first day out on the water!


how old?

Im still working on that first day...need to before he is a year old.


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## dss30

She turns 1 next week. We started taking her to the boat in May, doing just day trips. In June we started staying overnight at the boat. She actually sleeps better at the boat. We took her out on the water for the first time a couple of weeks ago. Just as we cleared the sea wall, my engine started overheating, so we turned around. It was low tide, so we plowed all the way back with the engine alarm going off. But, we made it back into the slip unscathed. Last week we took her out, but didn't have any wind so we just bobbed around for a while. I am going to order some lifeline netting , and I like the tether idea. I have done a lot of sailing in my life, but I have never been so nervous as I am now with her aboard.


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## christian.hess

ours is 1 on august 30! so close!

thanks


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## nolesailor

Chef - Thanks for the photos...anything I can show my wife of kids out there and having fun (while still being safe) will be helpful...

Concerning lifeline netting...I have the same question as a previous post...is there a certain brand/store/product that those that have installed it have had success with...in terms of better fitting, etc?

Thanks!


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## PaulinVictoria

I read a while back, can't remember where, that the best sort was from a place that did hockey net, you could buy it by the yard and a fraction of "marine" netting but it held up well.


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## MedSailor

Seattle marine has lifeline nwtting on their website. Search and ye will find. They sell nets to the Alaska fishing fleet and have a huge selection. They're friendly and affordable too.


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## engineer_sailor

Haven't installed it yet but we bought our netting at On Deck Sports. Several people on Sailnet and other forums recommended them as a good source:
http://www.ondecksports.com/Marine-Netting

Josh


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## dss30

Josh,
Which style netting did you buy?

David


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## KismetP362

nolesailor said:


> Concerning lifeline netting...I have the same question as a previous post...is there a certain brand/store/product that those that have installed it have had success with...in terms of better fitting, etc? Thanks!


Before I did the net thing I did some research. Seems there are two way to make nets that are commonly used on a sail boat like ours, First is knotted like this:








and second is woven like this non-marine example:









I was told that the knotted netting will last longer and is more durable. I've had it on the boat for 5 years now and I hope to get another 2 out of it before the sun and salt take their toll. The twine used is stranded and it's been great.

Installation was easy, just temp pin it up in place and get some cheapo 3strand line from the local marine shop, just be patient and start winding. The trick is not to bite off more than you can chew, use 10' sections and small knots at each stanchion to make it easier. For the base, I just put $1.50 pad eyes along the inside edge of the toe rail. From there more of the same line from bow to stern woven through the bottom of the netting. I also went through the loop at the bottom of each stanchion base. In this pic you can see the spiral line above and the pad eyes at the base.









Also, at the end of every season I slack them off and keep them under the cover to help protect them.

I did some creative snipping to allow access to the inboard cleat and the walkway for boarding over the transom as well as up on the bow around the gap for the anchor.









I got mine from Defender and used the 24" one. Think I got 80' and had a small chunk left over for my 36' boat.
Ryan.


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## nolesailor

Hello All...thought I'd check in with an update or two for any others that might stumble upon this thread. While we haven't actually gone out on the boat yet, we have taken our six month old down to the boat and spent some time in the slip. This was actually quite helpful in determining where to keep her, moving around the boat with her, etc., as there weren't any waves or wind to content with. Getting on and off the boat with her in the car seat was far easier than anticipated...

Also, I had inquired earlier in the thread about the best life jacket to use for infants...several responses were offered, I believe, including the Salus Baby Bijoux and the Musting lil legends (infant version). I purchased both of them to see how they fit, and in my opinion the Salus Baby Bijoux fit far better than the Mustang Lil legends. The Mustang's collar was HUGE...and she was miserable in it! The Salus Baby Bijoux fit far better, seemed to be far more comfortable for her...and she didn't seem to mind it...although she only had it on for 30 mins at a time. Not criticizing the Mustang...just offering our perspective...

We plan to take her our sometime in the next several weeks, weather (and schedule) permitting...after our trial run at the dock...I'm feeling much better about it...


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## nolesailor

Another update...we finally went out for the first time with our then 7-month. Everything went great! I thought I would share a couple of things in the event others have similar questions...

1. An autopilot was a must-have for us. As I was basically single-handing, it was essential to have the autopilot hold a course while I tended to sails, went below, etc. My wife essentially held the little one the whole time, so the autopilot was a definite help. 

2. The next big take-away I had was that we always talked everything through beforehand when it involved moving the little one between the cockpit and the cabin below. If we had any type of heel on our current tack (with over-reefed sails, mind you), I fell off to level the boat before moving her. We also kept her in the car seat in the cabin when leaving the dock and returning. 

Overall, it went pretty well. Future trips will obviously need to be on calm days, but I'm no where near as nervous as I was ahead of time...

Cheers...


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## T37Chef

Excellent...try a pack and play in the salon sole and or a car seat or booster seat so your better half does have to hold them all the time.


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## nolesailor

Definitely agree...already thinking about that! I've found a smaller pack n play that might work...as I'm not sure in our 28' boat that there is sufficient room for a regular size one. At the least it could be used for nap time...


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## christian.hess

any more tips guys?

specially with keeping a 1.5 year old entertained while daysailimg?

we are struggling a bit

happy holidays


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## T37Chef

There's always rum


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## christian.hess

T37Chef said:


> There's always rum


yup

thats what my dad did with me...both in milk and on my gums when we were teething

is it that bad to do? I mean really?


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## T37Chef

Nope, i was thinking more for the parents LOL...my mom put brwndy on our gums while teething, cheap apricot brandy I am told


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## christian.hess

T37Chef said:


> Nope, i was thinking more for the parents LOL...my mom put brwndy on our gums while teething, cheap apricot brandy I am told


jajajaja after I posted I thought hmmmm maybe he was talking about the parents!!!

anywhoo

we have rum as werner is teething bigtime...

thanks


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## CruisingKitty

There is a great new book just published that has a wealth of information for families thinking about cruising with kids. It is truly a valuable addition to the onboard library. Voyaging with Kids - A guide to family life afloat


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## NickPapagiorgio

We only charter, so we're limited in terms of improvements that can be made to the boat to make it easier to have a baby/infant on board. We have two kids, a five-year-old and an 18-month-old. The five year old has been on four, three-day weekend trips in the Norther Chesapeake Bay, and the 18-month old has been on one. Our first trip with both kids was this past July, when the youngest was about 15 months old. Having two kids on board was definitely more of a challenge than one, but luckily my oldest was five, so he was a little more independent. 

Having sailed about once a year with the older one, I can say that one thing that makes a huge difference is when they can wear the vest-style PFD (Type III). When they are very young, and cannot turn themselves over in the water, they have to wear the much more bulky and uncomfortable style (Type II). Since they HAVE TO wear the PFD while in the cockpit underway, my kids tended to be miserable since they were uncomfortable. As a result, we had to take them down below, which can be much hotter and less enjoyable when underway, especially for my wife, who had to sit down there with them. Once my oldest was able to wear the vest-style PFD, he was much happier and no longer wanted to be down below the whole time. 

As others have said, there probably is no age when kids are "too young." Sailing with kids has its challenges, but the memories and experiences are definitely worth it. 

Good luck to you!


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