Ribing with Children

Takson · 19 November 2007, 04:17

Hi there,

I am currently a Yachtie with no sailboat and limited access to getting on the water, not a good combination. I also have a young family who find the cruising legs on a Yacht drag on a bit. My daughter is only 21 months old so she doesn't actually say it, but keeping her pinned down in the cockpit is driving My wife an me nuts.

We have had the pleasure of doing a 2 day coastal cruise in Sydney in a RIB which has opened my eyes completely! All of us giggled like 2 year olds over the waves and went for 1 - 1.5 hour hops beforegetting off and having a run around on a beach or in a cove.

Does anyone else go out on their boats with children this young and do you have any specific safety equipment for them over and above Lifejacket/harness?

I am now looking to do some training in the spring and then chopping in the 2 door family convertible for diesel tractor and boat in the summer next year.

Am I crazy or have I just had my eyes opened to what we can do while I wait for the children to get big enough to enjoy yachts and RIBs together?

Nick Hearne · 19 November 2007, 07:55

Hi & welcome, I have 3 girls & they all started even younger!
Just used Life jackets, for when they were very young we used a old push chair with the wheels cut off as we could strap them in to it with the chair strapped down to the deck!
Mined you it would have been a lot easier if I had had my present boat! No tubes but nice high sides, lots of open deck & seats + a very small 2 birth cabin & it even has a canvas top to enclose the back to keep us all worm & dry!

Go for it have fun the kids were always happy & normally fell asleep with the engine noise!

thomas · 19 November 2007, 09:35

When I was growing up, My mum and dad had a car chr re upholstered in a water proof PVC leather type fabric and had that attached to the normal jockey seat in the Delta. Cant really remember it to be honest, but I have seen pictures of it and it did look quite good, and I'm still alive today so held me in ok.

Joanna H-S · 19 November 2007, 10:13

Quote:

Originally Posted by Takson

Does anyone else go out on their boats with children this young and do you have any specific safety equipment for them over and above Lifejacket/harness?

Hello Takson,

I also am a 'yachtie' currently in Italy and have been a 'yachtie' for about 10 years now (since I met my partner). 3 years ago I had the...ummm...delight! of having a bouncing baby girl which we both thought would spoil our fun of yachting for many years. But it didnt. He (and I stress HE!) devised a way of roping her carry-cot down to the deck and strapped an umbrella to it to save the sun and water on her!! Her first trip out was when she was about 6 or 7 weeks old!!
We both believe that since she was brought up like this that it helped her now be extremely confident on the yacht and happily walks around up-top. She also had her first (intentional!) dive into the sea off the yacht last weekend which was a very proud moment for us both!
Here's hoping our next bundle of joy due next year will be equally as good on water.

Tom, do you have any pictures? It does sound rather ingenious!!
I trust there was no duck-tape used either?! lol
Your invitation to Australia still stands aswell. Just let me know when you can both come over in the new year sometime perhaps.

Joanna HS.

Rogue Wave · 19 November 2007, 10:29

As the kids get older and getthe freedom of the boat try to coverall the ribs stainless toobing with pipe insulation. Their heads are kinda the right height for contacting seat backs etc

Rogue Wave · 19 November 2007, 10:31

Quote:

Originally Posted by Nick Hearne

a very small 2 birth cabin thumbs:

musta been a struggle getting the midwife in

BTW we seem to be boatyard neighbours

Ian M · 19 November 2007, 12:19

I was sought of in the same position as yourselves, allthough for me having had many years on RIBs as a diver the decision between sail and power took milliseconds. My offspring are older that yours (8 and 12), but they still get terribly impatient if we are to go somewhere in a boat. "Are we there yet" is not reserved for cars

If my experience is anything to go by, get a RIB, you will not regret it.

Nick Hearne · 19 November 2007, 12:20

Quote:

Originally Posted by Rogue Wave

musta been a struggle getting the midwife in

BTW we seem to be boatyard neighbours

That's spell checker for you!!

Yes one of these days we might even meet! Was down yesterday draining the water & putting the cover on, got soaked through!

Are you in the first building on your right as you come through the gates?

Black · 19 November 2007, 12:39

Takson - you are fitting the bill of a Hairy Chimp very well.

If thats you over in Aus at the moment let me know.

Best
Alex

thomas · 19 November 2007, 14:01

Quote:

Originally Posted by Joanna H-S

Hello Takson,

I also am a 'yachtie' currently in Italy and have been a 'yachtie' for about 10 years now (since I met my partner). 3 years ago I had the...ummm...delight! of having a bouncing baby girl which we both thought would spoil our fun of yachting for many years. But it didnt. He (and I stress HE!) devised a way of roping her carry-cot down to the deck and strapped an umbrella to it to save the sun and water on her!! Her first trip out was when she was about 6 or 7 weeks old!!
We both believe that since she was brought up like this that it helped her now be extremely confident on the yacht and happily walks around up-top. She also had her first (intentional!) dive into the sea off the yacht last weekend which was a very proud moment for us both!
Here's hoping our next bundle of joy due next year will be equally as good on water.

Tom, do you have any pictures? It does sound rather ingenious!!
I trust there was no duck-tape used either?! lol
Your invitation to Australia still stands aswell. Just let me know when you can both come over in the new year sometime perhaps.

Joanna HS.

Hhhmmm, Now do I really want to disclose pictures of me, 20 years ago... I wouldnt have anything on the computer, but was just a traditional car seat, next time I see dad which will be at Earls Court Boat Show I will see if he has a pic, by which time this thread will prob be finished.

Tom

PS Invite to other side of the world sounds great-will PM you later!

jyasaki · 19 November 2007, 15:41

Quote:

Originally Posted by Nick Hearne

That's spell checker for you!!

I'm still wondering how you stay "Worm and dry".

jky

Takson · 19 November 2007, 20:51

Takson and Hairy Chimp are one in the same.

Damn this Tinterweb is a small place.

Black · 19 November 2007, 21:03

See Tobes - you ran to Sydney - but the powers got you.

Lets get together and blow the froth of a few when you are back and we can talk Ribbing in Malmesbury!!!

Al

Poly · 19 November 2007, 21:57

Quote:

Originally Posted by Takson

I am currently a Yachtie with no sailboat and limited access to getting on the water, not a good combination. I also have a young family who find the cruising legs on a Yacht drag on a bit. My daughter is only 21 months old so she doesn't actually say it, but keeping her pinned down in the cockpit is driving My wife an me nuts.

We have had the pleasure of doing a 2 day coastal cruise in Sydney in a RIB which has opened my eyes completely! All of us giggled like 2 year olds over the waves and went for 1 - 1.5 hour hops beforegetting off and having a run around on a beach or in a cove.

anyone who has (or has had) young children can sympathise with the issue; we have an almost 4 year old and he was one of the reasons for moving from rag and stick to engine. We also find it reassuring that barring a catastrophe we can be pretty sure of getting home and with some predictability on time (i.e. not too wind/tide dependent). Bear in mind however that 2 really nice days in the sun - may not translate to a shitty weekend in the wet!

Quote:

Does anyone else go out on their boats with children this young and do you have any specific safety equipment for them over and above Lifejacket/harness?

a good well fitting lifejacket and a secure hold from mummy is all we have - our main wish is for more shelter - a litl'un soon gets cold with an extra 20 knots of wind chill. Lots of layers helps - but even then its not perfect. Be especially careful if Mummy and Daddy are properly kitted up (with my float suit on I can be sweating whilst my son is going blue!).

With children as young as 21 months - I think you need to be a bit more gentle with the throttle hand - even small waves are quite bouncy for little muscles.

Quote:

Am I crazy or have I just had my eyes opened to what we can do while I wait for the children to get big enough to enjoy yachts and RIBs together?

Yachts and RIBs are certainly not mutually exclusive - I have no short term plans to go back to a yacht - so don't see it as a compromise. I think the big issue with ribs and young children in the UK is - weather... unless you are in the fortunate position to be able to work with the weather then your ribbing is going to be restricted to either without the family or only on a small number of days. A larger boat obviously helps. We don't take our son out in our 4m boat if the sea state is anything more than slight. Sitting in an open boat in the pissing rain is never much fun unless you are helming, or doing something lively that isn't very child friendly. So how many times in the last year has it been a nice (or at least dry) day when all the family were available, and the wind was gentle and sea calm enough for your 2 year old... is that enough to justify the cost?

If you are planning to tow/launch then think carefully about how two adults will manage multiple children and the boat during the launch & recovery process. It is possible but requires extra planning (and might limit which slips you want to use).

Hope this helps. In simple terms are RIBS and children compatible? YES. Do young children limit your ribing? YES.

Chris · 20 November 2007, 14:51

This works quite well just use a mini lorry strap to strap down his car seat. Not waterproof, but I wont be taking him out in anything but dry warm weather.

Chris

Takson · 20 November 2007, 20:58

I like the car seat option there. That one look good!

benc · 15 April 2008, 22:27

Quote:

Originally Posted by Chris

This works quite well just use a mini lorry strap to strap down his car seat. Not waterproof, but I wont be taking him out in anything but dry warm weather.

Chris

How did yu secure it down... have you screwed/glued something to deck or to bottom of jockey?

Chris · 16 April 2008, 20:30

Quote:

Originally Posted by benc

How did yu secure it down... have you screwed/glued something to deck or to bottom of jockey?

stainless eyes bolted through the bottom of the jockey Ben.

benc · 16 April 2008, 20:36

Quote:

Originally Posted by Chris

stainless eyes bolted through the bottom of the jockey Ben.

Did you use any reinforcement? Or just a washer or something either side of the jockey side?

Thanks

Ben

Bigfoot · 17 April 2008, 10:21

We often talk in the University Sailing club about the scary fact that you clip on to a yacht to ensure you don't fall off, and the fact that a kill cord ensures the engine stops when you DO fall off. despite everyone being competent RIB drivers, we all have to accept the fact that the sea is a dangerous place when it wants to be.

So say something nasty happened. If children are ratcheted down to the Jockey seat, how do they get out of the boat? Obviously the majority would say 'we would just pull them out' but what if that wasn't an option ?

Just a thought...