Cool Jobs for Kids While Sailing

[LuvToSail]

We were out doing a little fun race with some friends and I got our kids to assist dousing the Spinnaker:

here is the technique :

this is based on my wife on the helm ...although it would work work well with an adult too and and could be done even sail solo with the helm tied off (or auto piliot)

1) have kids in companion way waiting
2) go forward remove pole
3) disconnect the line that was the guy from one of the clews (leave other sheet attached .. the sail will stream aft
4) come back give the kids the bottom of the sail
5) tell the kids "are you ready to GATHER !!???"
6) Ease the halyard get the kids to gather and stuff into the cabin ...it is fun to see how fast they can go (you control with the halyard)

We did it with the 4 and 7 yo in very light winds...great fun!!

after we rounded the mark and setup on the next tack the kids and I re-stuffed and packaged the spin for the next use.

We will try it in a little heavier wind next time!!

[Blue Stocking]

Great idea . They will be in demand in 10 years

[SaucySailoress]

We don't have kids, but we do put other people's to good use:
1 - Crushing cans in the cabin
2 - Fetching drinks from the cabin
3 - Fetching chocolates from the cabin
4 - Fetching Pringles from the cabin
5 - Putting the rubbish in the bin in the cabin
6 - Playing with the dog in the cockpit
7 - Washing up the coffee cups
8 - Cleaning the cooker
9 - Scrubbing the decks

[SaucySailoress]

Great job for a 3 year old....

[MarkJ]

Our two 3 year olds keep themselves occupied at sea with their media commitments. I spoke to them in the forrard cabin the other day by SSB. But their agent said they were too busy to talk.



The other child on board, Nicolle, has her days cut out searching the waves for critters. When we first started cruising I would see everything first and point it out to her (Theres a WHALE ahead!) now she spots everything the same time as me. There is so much to see at sea from jelly fish right up.

We have a couple of books to help identify things but the one we most want is called "Whales, Dolphins and Porpoises". Hard to find.


At Amazon... but they don't deliver here! US$13 but in tonga where we last saw it was US$60!

Mark

[Ex-Calif]

Here's the best job for kids on the boat IMHO....

[SaucySailoress]

Originally Posted by Ex-Calif

Here's the best job for kids on the boat IMHO....

Yep, that too!!! How could I forget??? Are they your kids? They're Lovely!!!

[Ex-Calif]

My son was thrilled to helm the 29 Hunter, was quite the little sailor and very proud to teach her.