Alternative to TV on Board ;)

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Tim Donley

Go fishin'

Your wife is absolutely correct!!!Take an active role in parenting, not a passive "let the T.V. or gameboy entertain them" (they do that to much at home don't they?). Get each kid a fishin' pole and tackle box let them troll for dinner while you sail. They will be so happy to be a provider you won't be able to slow them down. Also teach them to sail, navigate, and learn responsibility for different aspects of the days activities. Get a mask and snorkle and have them inspect how clean the wheel is (they enjoy these kind of things as they feel a part of the process). How many parents are proud of their inactive couch potato kids? TAKE CHARGE , turn off the T.V.,toss the video games overboard, GET THEM OFF THE COUCH !!!!!!!!!!!! They will thank you someday.
 
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Paul McGhee

Saw this at Newport Boat Show

We went aboard a catamaran that had a piece of safety glass neatly epoxied into the hull below the waterline in the main stateroom. That would be the only way to do it, I think. I vote for the TV.
 
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Scott Wilson

BB guns, thats the ticket

keeps boys entertained for hours. Passing mylar makes the best target.
 
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Jim A

Your kidding RIGHT!!!!

Ha ha ha, this is the funniest post I have ever read!. I would put the window were the keel was, hahahaha hehehe!
 
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Ed Allen

tow board

in the early 60s divers used a board on the end of a rope towed behind the boat. tilt the board and you go down. With some kids out there today this would be good. just cruise over some oyster bars and you could keel haul them. this also makes great big baits!
 
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heidi

no way, no TV

We have a 14 and an 11 yr old.... no TV EVER on the boat.... mind you I am the same mean parent that didn't get a TV in our new car either! We do at times rent a DVD to play on the laptop at night only if we are achored somewhere, but the idea is to get AWAY from it all isn't it?? Answer: BOOKS, cards, games (like scrabble or chess) cameras, camcorders, DAYDREAMING while sitting in the dinghy towed behind the boat... OH and give them a JOB on the boat: Ours even cook or man the helm or winches.
 
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Scott Wilson

Yes TV is a bad idea

but a DVD played through a laptop is morally fine because there is no letter "T".
 
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Jeff M21319

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Dec 6, 2003
295
Macgregor 26D Pollock Pines, Ca.
A TV on the boat?! YUCK!!! *yks

It would truly be a cold day you-know-where before you'd find on a TV on my boat! If the kids are so bored they want to watch TV, then you're not giving them enough to do. A stereo is one thing, but a TV, no way!
 
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Perry Stephens

BB Guns are for Babies ;D

When I take the boys out we bring my grandfathers M-1 and my fathers M-14 and we shoot flying rats. There is nothing wrong with TV in moderation after all an eight year olds attention span is shorter than his pecker. If letting them watch a couple of hours of TV over the whole weekend helps them enjoy being away from the house big freaking deal. The little lady is afraid I won't come home at all if there is a refrigerator with cold beer and a TV on the boat and except for her there would be no reason to leave the boat. Sounds like a bunch of y'all are wound up way too dog gone tight and could spend a heap more time down at the boat enjoying life. *box BTW I was only half joking about the glass bottom. I have a couple of pieces of 2" thick glass from my Uncle Lester’s surplus Air Force airplane that will fit right nice. We figured if we put the spotlights in them we could go after some flounder.
 
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Scott Wilson

Yep Perry I hear you

but I would still go with the clear antifouling, though it is hard to "find".
 
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Tom

If it gets the familiy out on the boat...

I have young boys (now 8 and 11) and have yet to bring the TV/video games along on our daysails. They do ask to bring it and as we start to go on weekend cruises, I'll probably bring it along. A friend of mine had a Catalina 30 with dedicated TV, DVD and Nintendo on board. He enjoys the TV/DVD himself. Regarding the Video games for the kids, his theory is that if it gets them out on the boat for the weekend and helps keep them entertained for a few hours at a time, whats the harm? At least they are getting out as a familiy and experiencing the outdoors and sailing during the rest of the time that they are not in front of the TV... and would they be getting their TV time in on shore, anyway? My opinion is that bringing the TV along is easy enticement to get the family out on the water. Fair winds, Tom
 
Fred Ficarra

Fred Ficarra

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Dec 2, 2003
4,245
- - Seabeck WA
Isn't putting your kids in front of a TV one of

great sins of parenting? I'm referring to parents who use the thing as a baby sitter because they are just so busy. Don't get me wrong. I love TV. It is the reason the modern world is free. But it has to be filtered for kids. ABC ran a show this week on why we (Americans) are fat. One of the biggies when it came to kids is the commercials they are exposed to. EAT,EAT,,,. There is a lot of great stuff on TV for kids. I think they should watch it, But NOT ON A SAILBOAT. The life lessons that are available while sailing are huge. Keep em in class. Did anybody checkout my 17" flat screen, with DVD and 5-1 sound besides Daryl Gilroy? ;D
 
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Scott Wilson

The biggest sin is not sitting down with your

children whether they are watching TV or reading a book and just getting in their face with the dreaded "what's going on" question. Hey Fred, when did Seabeck get electricity? Just kidding, where is that in relation to Bill Gates' house or some other familiar landmark on earth?
 
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Gerry

TV's on board

My feeling is that there is no right or wrong answer to whether to have a TV on board or not. You have to know your own kids to answer that question. I personally have a TV on board, however, we only take it out of stowage when we want to get a local weather forecast and see what the local goings on are for the port we are in. Under sail we read or play games. As our Children get older, they are 13 and 10 now, their responsibilities with the sailing of the boat grow. For example we played a navigation game during our vacation this year. The end result is you have to end up going right through the pier heads on your last tack of no less than 5 to 10 miles in length. The two of them found it quite a lot of fun to see if they could do it. We also got into books on tapes too. It’s easy to get hooked on those too. As I said in the beginning though, you have to know what will work for your family. If your kids hate it and don’t ever want to be on the boat then it defeats the time you are trying to spend together time when the kids don’t want to be there. Fair winds Gerry (although the M1 and M14 ideas sounds like fun...haha);)
 
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Ed Ruiz

Parents should set the rules.

TV has its place on a boat as a tool for obtaining information. It shouldn't be a substitute for parental involvement and guidance. Remember, the original poster was looking for a way to keep his kids busy while sailing. His wfe was absolutely correct to not allow a TV while sailing for all the reasons previously mentioned. I know a family that doesn't own a TV set. Their kids seem to be as well-rounded as any other kids I know, including my own. In fact, they read more and probably know more, on many subjects, than kids who only get their information from a TV set. Maybe some of us with TV sets have become too involved with other things or too lazy to interact with our kids. I know I'm addicted to the TV set, but I also know it's not healthy. I hope that I can ween myself away from it, and I'm hoping sailing will make that process easier, and lasting. My advice - shut off the set, talk with your kids about everything, while they're still your primary responsibility! ~ Happy sails to you ~ _/) ~
 
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Dan

TV on board

what does that have to do with kids? I have had 3 boats without TVs and 2 boats with TVs. my kids didnt have any more to do with; to have or have not a TV aboard than they did with the purchase of the boat to start with.
 
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Ed Ruiz

Dan: Read the original post

The TV was to be the baby-sitter for kids that would otherwise be bored. Mom said no, Dad asked "what else could he do?"
 
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Jim A

FIRST OFF

TV is GREAT!!!! It is the America Way! To hate TV is to hate America!
 
John Nantz

John Nantz

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Jul 1, 1998
3,062
Hunter Legend 35 Poulsbo/Semiahmoo WA
Mom said "no!" and Dad asked....

..."what else could I do?". To Dad: Sorry fella. If Mom says "No!", and if she's firm about it and it sounds like she is, I don't think there are any realistic alternatives available. Don't argue and try to make the best of it because, unfortunately all the alternatives are downhill from here. Debates in a house are one thing but on board there's not much space and and unhappy boat doesn't make for a good outing. What about a pair of oars for the kids? Knot tying book? Their own nautical map? Pair of cheap binoculars? It would be good if the Dads help out with child rearing too and not dump it all on the moms. By the way, I don't think many people would classify M-1s and M-14s as play toys for 8 year olds.
 
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Dan

Ed, I did but,

I guess I didnt come across with what I meant. not unsual for me. LOL! what I meant was, you should teach your kids to be content with whatever is going on. if you allow the TV to be a "babysitter" at home then what is the difference on board. we consider our boat to be our second home and the basic rules that apply at home apply on board. I hope people dont make decisions based on the kids bored or not. always lots to do on a boat, put em to work! IMHO!
 
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