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Waterbaby · 08-26-2006, 08:44 AM

What a great thread! I've had my son (now 11) on the boat since he was 8 months old. He was, of course, in a properly-fitting PFD at all times -- I would have him in it well before heading to the water. That was a good point made above, I was always nervous about the passing-over of the baby from dock to boat!

We would also take the carrier seat for him for when we were anchored or docked - it fit snugly between the bow seats and it gave my arms a rest. He would usually be in the carrier while we were in a NWZ also, then back to Mom's arms!

There were two things I didn't see mentioned in the prior posts. One is that the PFD should, preferably, be a bright color -- think "needs to show up in water in case of emergency". Blue and black blend in too well.

The second thing...... when son was an infant, there was some type of strap thing available at West Marine-type places. One end would hook onto the child's PFD and the other end could hook around either the boat rail or the adult's wrist or onto the adult's PFD. I never hooked it around the boat rail (what if the boat flipped, we would more than likely become separated in the water) but rather to my own PFD, which I wore religiously for several years when he was young.

Good thread, good points, and shows that while boating with an infant/young child may not be the most relaxing time spent on the water, it can be done.

08-26-2006, 08:44 AM	#37
Waterbaby Senior Member Join Date: Apr 2004 Location: Kensington, NH and Paugus Bay Marina Posts: 656 Thanks: 323 Thanked 17 Times in 13 Posts	What a great thread! I've had my son (now 11) on the boat since he was 8 months old. He was, of course, in a properly-fitting PFD at all times -- I would have him in it well before heading to the water. That was a good point made above, I was always nervous about the passing-over of the baby from dock to boat! We would also take the carrier seat for him for when we were anchored or docked - it fit snugly between the bow seats and it gave my arms a rest. He would usually be in the carrier while we were in a NWZ also, then back to Mom's arms! There were two things I didn't see mentioned in the prior posts. One is that the PFD should, preferably, be a bright color -- think "needs to show up in water in case of emergency". Blue and black blend in too well. The second thing...... when son was an infant, there was some type of strap thing available at West Marine-type places. One end would hook onto the child's PFD and the other end could hook around either the boat rail or the adult's wrist or onto the adult's PFD. I never hooked it around the boat rail (what if the boat flipped, we would more than likely become separated in the water) but rather to my own PFD, which I wore religiously for several years when he was young. Good thread, good points, and shows that while boating with an infant/young child may not be the most relaxing time spent on the water, it can be done.