Babies on boats...

So do you guys bring babies on your boats? If so how? In the car seat thing strapped to a seat? Do you just not do it? I grew up on the water and I know I was on my parents boat all the time as an infant. But times are changed. So what do people do nowadays? Is there a minimum age? Personally, I don't have kids, so I don't have a good grasp of what t's ok to do with them. But I have friends with kids, so the subject of a baby on board, so to speak, may come up. Just wondering what everyones opinion is.

Re: Babies on boats...

I took my granddaughter out on mine when she was 2 years old. She had a blast, but I don't think I'd take one out much younger than that.

Never thought about a child seat in a boat, is that a requirement?

She just sat in my lap while I piloted the boat. Probably not the safest thing in hindsight, but your not as likely to run into something on the lake as you are in a car.

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When my son was a month old, he was in our boat. He had a baby life jacket, and someone was always holding him.

You could secure a car seat to boat, but never secure the baby to the seat or any part of the boat. Your best bet is to have someone hold him/her, but i realize that is not always possible.

Be safe, and think ahead. Make sure you have competent help on board. You shouldn't try to babysit, and skipper at the same time.

Our bow makes a great crib.. note the lifejacket.

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Definitely always have them wear a life-vest, I left that part out of my post. My granddaughter Bree had hers on the whole time unless she was on the sand bar.

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I guess that is part of my question. I didn't even know they made PFD's for babies. I have a friend with a 2 month old, and I could see him wanting to take her out with us.

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my daughter is 6 now, but shes been going on our boats since she was 8 months old. always had a pfd on, and 1 adult was always holding her. We didnt bring her car seat along, although thats not a bad idea. She has grown already with her favorite memories being on the boat, water, and the beach. its great. I dont see any reason not to start em out young, as long as there is plenty of adult help with you.

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My son is 10 months old and we've taken him on our 18ft bow rider about 3-4 times since he was about 6 months old. He wears his baby/infant life jacket always and someone always carries him. It's kind of a pain in the butt and has really cut into our family boating time this year. Maybe when he's a little older it might not be so bad.

I would have the say that strapping a baby in carseat in a boat less that 25ft is dangerous. Major drowning hazard if there was an emergency, things happen too fast to struggle to unstrap an infant from any kind of restraint. Just my 2-cents.

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Yeah, just thought about that car seat thing some more...Can't stress enough that thats a really bad idea in my opinion and really dangerous in smaller boats (<25ft).

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Disclaimer: I do not intend to open this up as a car seat safety thread - i am not disputing any safety issues and do not want to debate them. This is my opinion only.

In my opinion, I would leave the car seats in the car... I worked at a juvenile products company and saw plenty of accidents that prevented tragedy by proper car seat use. But a boat really isn't the place for a car seat. The seat is meant to be used by securely securing it to a vehicle (or in some cases airplane) and can prevent impact injuries. I know impact can occur on the water, but the addition of water after the impact makes it more complicated. Stating the obvious, I know.

I wouldn't use it on the boat unsecured and without the harness -- the part that secures the child to the seat either, that could cause injury if they fell out of it or it slid across the deck and then the fell out.

I think I had a post in stupid human tricks about a couple I saw at the dock. The woman strapped her baby into a car seat without a PFD... OK, the boat sinks and that child is now tethered to the sinking boat - and even if he could get free - he would not float. Extreme, I know - but the stupidity of that act was mindblowing.

If it were me, I would make sure there is a properly fitted and rated PFD on the child and make certain that there is an eye on him at all times. I would not hesitate to use common sense and go out on a good day boating with an infant or toddler.

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My daughter is approaching two and has been on boats since she was 7 Months. Infant jackets have a grab at the top and additional boyant material around the back of the neck to help support the head and a crotch harness like a parachute to prevent slipping out. Sized up to 30lbs, 30-50, etc.

She is was always held while the boat was in motion and I feel that was the best way for us. We have to be very careful with overheating issues here in the south. Those jackets can act just like a parka on a hot day.

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My oldest daughter, who is now 15 was born in Septmeber and was on the boat two weeks after she was born. No pfd, her mom held her as we went for a stroll up the river. The following year, she was out every time and has been since. Always with a pfd, until she turned 13 anyhow. My other daughter is going to be 4 was born in October. The boat was already put away when she was born, so she did not get on the boat until the following spring. She was seven months old. And she had a pfd on. We started putting it on both of them through the winter so they would get used to it. The youngest still loves to wear hers even if we have a while before we leave.
Never had any problems. Made a bed on the floor out of the sun and anchored and swam while they slept. Went in earlier than normal, but hey, that is all part of family.

I agree in part with the car seat. We took it a couple times but never strapped it to anything nor did we buckle her in when it was on the boat.

For the most part, mother held them and we spent most of the at the sand bar or at anchor.

Boy, this brings back really nice memories that I have not thought of for a while Thanx

Re: Babies on boats...

Thad said:

Went in earlier than normal, but hey, that is all part of family.

Boy, this brings back really nice memories that I have not thought of for a while Thanx

Click to expand...

Go in earlier and go slower, but its always more fun to have the whole family out there.

My kids are currently 19 months and 3 1/2 years. Both are required to wear a PFD until 12 years old (may be a NYS thing). They both love being on the water. We do less actual boating and more playing on the sand island beach when they are with us, but its a blast and I wouldn't trade it for anything in the world.

They make infant vests for 0-30lbs, and toddler vests for 20-50lbs. We currently have one of each but will need a second toddler vest for next season.

My wife holds my son (the younger one) and my daughter sits on my knee while underway.

If you look close you can see two little heads in this picture:

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We had a 10 month old and 8 week old out on our boat along with two three year olds and two one year olds. WOW. Not all at the same time, but all in the same day taking turns.

The ones under 1 year were kept in the car seats, but not fastened to the boat. It just provide a place where they were safe and sound and comfortable. All the kids had life jackets including the six year at all times.

My one grandson, abut 9 months old at the time, was in his car seat in front of the passenger seat on the deck in his car seat. He just stared at me driving the boat until he fell sound asleep. He would open his eyes when we hit a little rough spot and then just close them right back up again. When he was wide awake he would look at me and laugh.

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I agree with other poster that say:

do not use the car seat!

I gotta think it is the exact opposite of a PFD, a personal sinking device if you will.

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I don't see the issue with car seats on the boat as long as:

A: The car seat is not actually fastened to the boat,

B: The child is not strapped into the car seat,

C: The child is in fact wearing a PFD.

both of my boys spent a lot of time in their car seats and seemed comfortable in them. No, the older one wasn't in a car seat onboard, but he has been on a boat since about 6 months old, the younger is now about 6 weeks old and he may well be onboard before the end of the season.

I don't know about us using a carseat, but maybe........

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Best place for an infant is in a capable adults arms/lap while underway.

Infant PFD's are bulky, I don't see how you can sit one in a car seat wearing PFD.

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We had a little girl and her mom on the boat this summer. She was about 2 months.

We had the carrier with us and she was in it part of the time (never strapped in). She had her pfd on at all times (except when getting a didy change). She was held most of the time as her two aunts were also aboard.

The greatest problem I had was the dirty looks she'd give me when we stopped moving. This child LOVED to cruise. of course she slept most of the time we were moving but she still loved it.

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I have had my grandkids all on my boat at 3 months.
Must have pfd and have someone to hold them at all times.
Of coarse this is only when we are out for a cruise, I wouldn't think of taking an infant out when we are tubing or skiing.
I won't take them out during watersports until they can sit in a seat by themselves, although they may still be on someones lap.
Keep in mind that they will sunburn very fast, if you have a bimini keep them in the shade as much as possible and use child safe sun block.

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Don't forget about launching, boarding and retrieving. Keep the kids in PFD's until they are well onto shore. Avoid having kids in carseats (or anybody really!) in the tow vehicle while on the ramp also...big risk if something happens and the rig heads down the ramp. Also keep the windows down, things like this can make a difference in an emergency.

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No little ones in my craft...have to be big enough to swim, and know how. Just my .02 cents. Your mileage may vary.