Minimum age to ride on boat?

m&m252

Petty Officer 2nd Class
Joined
Sep 3, 2007
Messages
158
Re: Minimum age to ride on boat?

your kid your personal choice just watch out for the other boats creating big wakes around or close to you. I'm sure you are a safe boater and responsible parent if the kid gets sea sick go back home . prevent sun burn dont need to use sun tan lotion just keep him/her covered out of the sun even if overcast thats the worst. heck see for yourself how the kid reacts the MRS. will have her say for sure....it just maternal instinct....if the kid enjoys it you are set for a fun family life of boating...good luck...
 

RubberFrog

Rear Admiral
Joined
Apr 9, 2005
Messages
4,268
Re: Minimum age to ride on boat?

I'm with QC, both my kids were on the water by 6 weeks. Neither of them drowned. As a matter of fact, my son took his first steps on a boat- talk about sea legs!

Hello, don't do anything stupid. Use your best judgement. They'll be fine.
 

hodgejr

Seaman Apprentice
Joined
Aug 13, 2001
Messages
46
Re: Minimum age to ride on boat?

Hello and happy new years, it's been a few days since I've seen this thread and what a pleasant surprise! :) Thanks for the feedback.

I'm looking very forward to our small excursion this weekend. (provided of course she doesn't have a teething-fit or similar, which can happen anytime). Weather is supposed to be nice and the intracoastal, around our area, is all "no wake zone" so that should quell any fears of a rough ride. 1-2 hrs at most, as far as duration.

The only remaining concern which was not brought up in any of the previous' posts is reaction to the salty air. Anyone who's been on the intracostal knows that the air is just as salty as the ocean itself, and usually at the end of our rides we can feel the itchiness on the skin. Moisturizing cream, perhaps? As for the sun we have a bimini and baby's got a little hat.

As for the large post from Ext. Combustion, I couldn't agree more, I grew up my first 10 years as a sheltered suburban kid in the States, then we moved to rural Brazil where I lived the next 10 years of my life. After many bruises, countless stitches (due to my city-boy clumsiness) and lessons learned I feel I'm a safer and conscious person. The more sheltered the child, the more fragile shell they will grow with. One of the reasons I want my little daughter in the pool come summer time!

Thanks again for the posts and I will certainly provide a write-up of my experience.
 

tashasdaddy

Honorary Moderator Emeritus
Joined
Nov 11, 2005
Messages
51,019
Re: Minimum age to ride on boat?

salt air won't bother her. do use sun screen even with the bimini.
 

Cptkid570

Ensign
Joined
Oct 18, 2005
Messages
964
Re: Minimum age to ride on boat?

If you had a concern about the salty air, then you are obviously being very precautions about everything. You'll be fine..
 

Andy in NY

Commander
Joined
Oct 25, 2007
Messages
2,109
Re: Minimum age to ride on boat?

I agree. No wake jumping when they're little! Ours was only 5 weeks old when she took her maiden voyage. Stearns makes a "heads-up" infant PFD that fits pretty well and is secure.
Back in the day, I modified our 23' cuddy's stern bench with a seatbelt to allow the car seat to be mounted (facing the rear). There's different schools of thought concerning this, but we felt the single most important concern had to be prevention of the little one form being jostled around. Mom ALWAYS sat right next to the child when underway and could release the harness instantly if ever needed. The car seat was used until she had the strength to sit upright in Mom's lap.
She's now 18 and loves the water. She's enjoyed performance boating, jet skiis, and (now) our "slow" Silverton. She's a pretty good captain as well!

We have 2 stearns infant heads up jackets. We bought them on ebay for a really good price, and fit our daughter when she was 6 months old definatly.
 

samo_ott

Vice Admiral
Joined
Jun 18, 2006
Messages
5,125
Re: Minimum age to ride on boat?

We had our little guy out in his first month on our boat, BUT, we are on a 3/4 mile wide well inland calm river and we were on our little 16' pontoon boat with a 10 hp on it. A very mellow trip. My wife just held him the entire time and all subsequent times.

At the time we could not find a PFD for under 20 lbs but I have since seen one for infants that is 0-20 lbs which we will get for our 2nd kid (2 weeks old now) but then it's still a few months till our boating season up here in the cold and snow...
 

magster65

Commander
Joined
Sep 1, 2002
Messages
2,573
Re: Minimum age to ride on boat?

An infants life is literally in your hands. Treat it as such. There are risks taking a baby on a boat but if you take every precaution... it's not dangerous.
My son (Joey) had been out in the 26' Tolly dozens of times before he was 1. He loved the fresh air (slept well afterwards) and has since been out almost every time I have... we do a lot of boating and always have. Now that he's almost 5 he's a great little deckhand... he takes pride in helping put things away, passing ropes and bumpers... spotting debris... telling me which beach to go to or lunch destination. You should see his face light up when I ask my passenger to 'stay seated please, Joey's got it'.
There's nothing wrong, under the proper conditions, having the little ones on board. Keep an eye on them, enjoy boating together and when they're old enough, teach them about your hobby.
Cheers.
 

jddenham

Petty Officer 1st Class
Joined
Aug 8, 2006
Messages
393
Re: Minimum age to ride on boat?

I still keep my infant PFD on board even though my kids are now in Youth PFD's. It seems that I frequently have a guest that still has a baby that can use the infant PFD. Go ahead and make the investment into a good PFD and you will be able to use it for guests after your child grows out of it.

That's a nice thought, but in todays society it could open you up for a lawsuit real quick.
 
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