A Dinghy for the Kids?????

[lrjetav8r]

Hello Everyone!

Our adventure is going to start next month...in large part due to the knowledge and encouragement we received from reading this forum. We posted a couple of questions back in the winter, when we were in the middle of planning and would like to ask another question. We are completely new to living aboard and cruising. We are trying to think of things for the children to do. What we would like to get your opinion about is a dinghy (in addition to the main tender) for our 9 and 10 year old. Something like a Walker Bay or equivalent. We see them being able to fish, learning to sail, running to the beach or things of this nature. In your opinion, is this a safe and sane idea or are there risks (other than the obvious)? They will of course be properly trained and wear PFDs.

This would also serve as a backup for the main dinghy. My husband is only happy if he has a backup for a backup!

Thanks!

Greg & Janice

[Thin Line]

Please do the kids a favor and get them a rowing/sailing dinghy. It's funny when we live on sailboats and then get our kids used to motoring around before sailing.

We got our kids a Fatty Knees with sailing rig.. It's a plump little boat but it's stable, rows well and is fun to sail. It's a Lyle Hess designed dink and shes classy ;-)

[lrjetav8r]

Re: A Dinghy for the Kids?????
Please do the kids a favor and get them a rowing/sailing dinghy. It's funny when we live on sailboats and then get our kids used to motoring around before sailing.

We got our kids a Fatty Knees with sailing rig.. It's a plump little boat but it's stable, rows well and is fun to sail. It's a Lyle Hess designed dink and shes classy ;-)
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Thanks for the advice...that was our idea and a Walker Bay you can row it or sail it. We probably won't put a motor on it since God made our 9 year old son a dare devil and a clutz! lol..... I guess we had better fess up...we ended up buying a trawler instead of a sailboat. There is so much more space for our 5 kids.

[annsni]

Check your local laws. In NY now, my 13 year old son who has been sailing with dad for years can no longer pilot the boat until he does a safety class. Make sure your kids are up to date on anything like that! Poor kid can't even drive the dinghy!

[SV THIRD DAY]

We worried a bit about having things for our kids to do also (9 and 10 when we left) but there always seemed to be an adventure in every anchorage and on every beach. If you have room for a second dinghy, it would be great. We didn't but we put my 9yr old son in charge of the dinghy: cleaning, operating, keeping gassed up, etc. Now at 16 he doesn't want a car...he wants his own boat!

[dohenyboy]

yes check local laws.
i think in California kids have to use a car seat in any dinghy until age 14. and wear a helmet. unless they are transsexuals

[Snowpetrel]

Originally Posted by dohenyboy

yes check local laws.
i think in California kids have to use a car seat in any dinghy until age 14. and wear a helmet. unless they are transsexuals

Ha. For a minute there I thought you where for real, I started hyperventilating and felt an epic rant begining to form...

[HopCar]

You're a little late getting them started but better late than never.

Seven or eight would have been a good time to start them sailing Optimist Prams. They'll do fine. What a great learning experience.

[JPA Cate]

Another option is a nesting dinghy that breaks down into two separate dinghies. Friends have one such, and it will let each child do his/her own thing, but also carry more people and goods when attached and made into the longer boat. Both rows and sails.

Ann

[BudGates]

Originally Posted by Ann T. Cate

Another option is a nesting dinghy that breaks down into two separate dinghies. Friends have one such, and it will let each child do his/her own thing, but also carry more people and goods when attached and made into the longer boat. Both rows and sails.

Ann

Interesting. Do you have more info?

[k9medic]

My 8 and soon to be 10 year old boys use our dinghy all of the time but they have to row it everywhere despite it having an engine. Later this year I will work on them with the proper operation of the engine but like you, I too have a fearless kid so I worry about a boat dinghy that can run 25mph.

[sy_gilana]

Don't leave home without it. Its independence too. Must be primarily a sailing dink, with an optional 2hp outboard. If its a motor dink with a set of sails, it won't sail well, and they will get bored with it very quickly, it must really sail well, so they can explore their competitive side. Plenty of photos of our Liz sailing her dink on our web page...She was 9 when we left...

[HopCar]

It would be really fun for all of you, if you and the kids built a boat.
This one would be pretty easy and it will sail well.
Boat plan details, Optimist Club Racer - KIT (Opti_CR), Small sailboats

[Scot McPherson]

Check out dynamite payson "instant boats". There are some great boats you can build in a few weekends.

[GordMay]

Greetings and welcome aboard the CF, Bud.