and came across this pic of our youngest crew...

That's awesome!

I've been working to get our daughter (almost 2) out on the 27, but I'm having a hard time convincing my other half it's not something to be terrified of, so as such it hasn't really happened outside of a little time at anchor off the beach.

Any hints or tips?

My wife is afraid the little one will roll off the nets and into the water, as there are no lifelines on the floats. My thought is that's not so much a problem, and I'm figuring the aft cabin should make a perfect little kid hide-away.

Isn't that why we all wear life jackets? <img src="http://www.catsailor.com/forums/images/graemlins/confused.gif" alt="" />

A child can fall off a dock or seawall, too, which is why, at the club where I grew up, all children 10 and under had to wear life jackets whenever they were anywhere NEAR the water.

Plus, I would assume that your child has already been taking swimming lessons so that she will not be afraid of the water.

And if your wife worries about the child rolling off the trampoline, why can't you just keep the child in the ****?

Don't go out in conditions that are going to be scary to wife and/or child.

Do some man-overboard drills to prove to your wife (and to yourself) that you will actually be able to retrieve your offspring if she falls off the boat.

I have to guess that your wife does not know how to sail. So the best thing you can do is teach her how to sail. Her natural instinct is to be protective about her child. She needs to feel that she is in control of the child's environment. If she herself feels helpless and vulnerable and not in control, she is going to also feel helpless to protect her child.

I have taken all four of my grandchildren out sailing on my Hobie Wave when they were only babes in arms. This past summer it was delightful when I was able to take all of them, and my daughter, out on the Wave. Nobody rolled off, including the 2-year-old (although her mom kept a hand on the back of her life jacket). However, the reason I am able to take my grandchildren sailing is because I am the one in control of the boat, and I trust myself.

The bottom line is that your wife needs to trust YOU, and maybe that is not the case right now.

I think Mary's about covered it.

I should say that the baby isn't ours. She was ONE year old that weekend. She and her parents came to visit from the wilds of Saskatchewan, so everyone were pretty lubberly. Both Mom and Dad were on the boat, and they took turns watching her, staying real close. In fact, Mama is holding up the sarong shade. Bebe didn't like the heat too much, and she REALLY hated the lifejacket, but the water was all good, and overall she had a great time.

I can't reiterate Mary's advice too many times. Teach your wife how to sail. For the trust and safety reasons, and also so y'all will be able to switch out watching the kid...

We have the lifejackets and all. But you're right, my wife doesn't know how to sail, although she has grown up on the water (powerboating). She has enjoyed sailing/crewing in the past, but so far efforts to get her interested in learning how to do it haven't been successful. And you're probably right, as a result she doesn't fully trust me or the boat, and may not have confidence in her ability to help out. The first times under sail there will need to be three adults - me, another able crew, and my wife. Right now even transfering the little one to the boat at the dock makes my wife nervous. Again, lifejacket is on. I'm happy for the maternal instinct, and am happy to work with it to be successful. She's definitely more comfortable around the powerboats, so it is likely a familiarity thing.

I think she sees the **** as the busy place (F-27 **** being a bit small), and the tramps are out of the way. At rest there's a little slope outward which is what scared her, my point is that under sail the windward tramp is level or sloping in.

Daughter's just turning 2, so no swimming lessons yet. But I make an effort to take her in/near the water as much as possible, and she's gotten some kayak rides and power boat rides in. This year at least her life jacket should fit a little better - that's a major thing.

Anyway, always happy to see/hear about people getting children out there, and always looking for hints for me to be successful at it. Thanks for your input!

Wasn't sure if that one was yours!

The lifejacket seems to be a big issue - Mia hates it, and from seeing the fit it's not hard to understand. And that was the best fitting one we tried. After growing some she should be a little more comfy this year.

There was a recent evaulation of children's vests that mentioned the uncomfortable fit as a big issue. Also, for some reason infant vests in the US don't have harnesses for a tether built in, while in Europe they do.

Two is a great time for swimming lessons, its their most vulnerable time but also their quickest learning curve. Mine started once they could walk with toddler swimming lessons, the funniest thing youve ever seen is my three year old running and jumping into a pool to swim and a bystander jumping in after her she couldn't get away from him fast enough. Ive dragged some one elses non swimming 5 year old to the surface and its a scary thing to see a child looking straight to the surface with bubbles coming slowly out of the mouth just standing there when a little flap of the arms would have got her up to the surface. Do the swimming lessons with her and you'll both enjoy it and she'll always respect the water while she's enjoying it.
regards

My daughter went to her first "swimming" lesson before she could walk, and I think all of my grandchildren took lessons before they were 2.

For anybody who is going to have their children around water or has a swimming pool at their home or at a home they visit, teaching your children to be savvy about the water at a very early age is absolutely imperative, IMHO.

My 3 were enrolled as soon as they were "potty" trained. The rule is you stay in simming lessons until you can pass the life guard qualification test. My oldest is now on the high school swim team... Even my wife went back to take refresher swimming. Got to do that if you want to be safe on the water. Really takes the stress out of the outing.

Clayton

I’m looking for info comparing performance of different models & ran across <img src="http://www.catsailor.com/forums/images/graemlins/shocked.gif" alt="" />bathing suit crew pictures, “potty training” <img src="http://www.catsailor.com/forums/images/graemlins/confused.gif" alt="" />& marital counseling advice <img src="http://www.catsailor.com/forums/images/graemlins/wink.gif" alt="" />. Couldn’t pass up adding a twist of lime suggestion <img src="http://www.catsailor.com/forums/images/graemlins/cool.gif" alt="" />. You'll have to be ready to give up the helm when they get older BUT the best modification of a gravity suspended cup holder I ever saw was mounted on the front side of a monohull pedestal steering column holding an infant all strapped in like a car seat. In case of pitch poling, connect a scuba regulator hose to a pacifier, they will always be straight up.