Baby on Board

[Luis Oliveira]

Our new baby girl is now four months old, and we are already thinking ahead on when she will be able to sail with us. We own a Hunter 27, and usually go out day sailing in the Galveston Bay. This coming season, we would like to take our "bundle of joy" with us. I am looking for some words of advise on how to do it safely. First thing, we are not planning on taking her out late on the spring or maybe summer, so she will be 7-8 months old then. This weekend I was working on the boat and trying to come up with some ideas on how to ensure her comfort and safety.The first thing we are doing is getting a bimini. This way, we will have more shade on the cockpit.The second question is on how to make sure she stays on board. We plan to have somebody holding her most of the time, but we need a back up for when we need to sit her down for a little bit. My first idea was to come up with some way to attach a car seat on the cockpit. I figure I can attach a couple of rings, or "u-bolts" and make it just like the "LATCH" anchors used in the car. This way I would just attach the car seat and go sailing. Other idea, instead of using the car seat would be to somehow attach a couple of "seat belts" (one on each side) that she could use while sailing.I guess when she gets a little older and is walking on her own we could have some small harness with a line attached to the boat, just like the ones used for adults.We are also considering lifeline netting.Does anybody have any thoughts, ideas? We would love to hear some good tips.Thanks in advance,Luis OliveiraHunter 27 - Kemah, TX

 

[arjay]

Hard to keep them still at 7-8 months!

I think your car seat idea is a good one, but it will depend on the demeanor of your child when she reaches 7-8 months. Mine were impossible to keep up with at that age unless I could have strapped them in a Johnnie jump-up strung between the davits, or maybe a parasail. They were at the age of discovery, crawling, climbing, and not willing to stop moving unless they were asleep or eating! I could not have managed either one of mine on the boat at that age, but maybe you'll fare a little better...with a lotta luck!

 

[Harry G]

Car seat, harness/tether, inflatable PFD, prison

Our younger son was 18 months when we got our boat. The car seat was great for containing him while we were leaving or entering the marina. It was also good for mid-day naps in the salon. We got him an automatic hybrid inflatable PFD to reduce bulk and make it more tolerable for him. We attach a tether from his PFD to the pedestal which keeps him in the cockpit when we're underway. In the marina, on really hot days, we'll swap the PFD for a child harness and tether him with that.We got a local canvas shop to enclose the forward berth like a playpen or crib. It was already enclosed on three sides, so we had a panel made which is a combination of sunbrella and fine mesh. It attaches to the bulkheads at two levels so it can be a full height enclosure, or a lee cloth when he gets older.Note that we didn't bother with lifeline netting. I'm happier knowing he's tethered within the cockpit rather than hoping a low barrier will stop him if he makes a run for it.HarryBethesda, MDHunter 456 "Czech Mate"harry@greenspun.com

 

[David Stone]

Babies aboard

My daughter was six weeks old when she started sailing on my Catalina 22. My son was 18 months. I was a brand new boat owner. Everyone survived but...Get a lifejacket that supports the head & has a strap that will actually work to pull them from the water. I believe in crotch straps on lifejackets as little ones may not know enough to keep their arms down to prevent them from sliding out the bottom of the lifejacket.Watch out for ALL the places little fingers can get pinched. Even between the legs of the mainsheet. Never let them get their hands on the four part (or whatever)of any tackle system. Never let them get their hands close to where any line runs through a block. Make sure they don't get pinched in cockpit seat hatches as the boat rolls or you suddenly jump up onto for some reason. Watch out for the traveller & backstay adjuster. Watch the outboard bracket, latch and tilt, pivot, etc. Keep their legs out of the wheel or tiller.Just like any other trip, take plenty of activities for them. Do you care about crayon marks on your boat? Can they move around down below without getting hurt if the boat rolls suddenly? My boat was small & with all the cushions in place there were few hard spots to land on. We always picked our conditions & returned to the dock as soon as it looked like it could get rough.As they start moving around more, the rules change on my boat. I didn't make them wear their life jackets if they stayed below. If they came topside, lifejackets were donned below & they hook on to a jackline before they step outside the cabin. I'm pretty much an anti lifeline guy. They are not high enough or strong enough to support an adult. I didn't want my kids forming bad habits so I didn't let them hang onto the lifelines. I installed handrails so they could go anywhere they wanted to go. I taught them to use the handrails. Now, there are grandkids to worry about & the boat is much larger. If they are going to be going out with me often, I will install netting on the lifelines. I've noticed that one of them likes to fake hooking into the jackline. I have to watch him a little more. Maybe change the rules so that an adult hooks them to the jackline. When they were little, I made them wear lifejackets to & from the car as well as anytime they were topside. One day my son walked off the dock while we were walking to the boat. He was holding his mom's hand so he didn't float away & was quickly pulled out. It did hurt my wife's back though. So, maybe a harness & tether would be a better idea. I took the boat to a warm water lake & had the kids swim around in their lifejackets. They knew by the end of that weekend that the jacket would support them.Kids can be a joy aboard. I think if you are conservative in your sailing & rabid about safety, you & your children will enjoy many sails together. I hope you do.Dave StoneH37c Con Dios