Cribs on boats

[Boater3]

Lets say you dont have floor space for a crib / pack and play. Are there any creative solutions? I have seen folks use rope and fabric to build a barrier but anything that one can slide under a mattress, like a bed rail that is higher?

[SailingHarmonie]

You might do a google image search of "leecloths" to get a good idea of the kind of variation in design.

Lee rails are the "hard" version of the same thing, but are a lot less common. In general, they feel more secure (at least to me), but most designers don't go to the effort of coming up with a good storage system for them.

I have never see any lee rails that were high enough to confine an infant with any degree of mobility. Usually they are no more than 6 or 8 inches high which seems short to me for a baby, but I have a lot more experience with boats than babies...

[JPA Cate]

We've always used lee cloths, canvas, and can be extended up quite high, using shade cloth mesh, so you can look in on the child, and he/she look out at you. Sometimes, the whole forepeak is dedicated to the "crib"... or an aft berth. Depends on boat size, really, and how much time you envision the child spending there.

Ann

[CaptTom]

When our granddaughter and nephew were little we used those removable side boards (like lee rails) made for beds in homes. They have arms which slide under the mattress, and a crib-like side.

There have been lots of safety recalls of cribs, and there are all kinds of requirements such as the width between the bars. I don't know all of the details, but please be very careful about what you use. A lot can go wrong!

[HuffinPuff]

stick them in the sail locker. What could go wrong?

[psk125]

When we had toddlers on board we used expandable baby-gates. They're often used at the top of stairs to keep kids from learning about gravity the hard way. Two set up across the v-berth worked well. Be sure to get one that is easily adjustable: https://www.chewy.com/safety-1st-nat...caAp5QEALw_wcB

[JPA Cate]

You could even buy some foam to temporarily line the insides of the hull in the forepeak, so that tumbles would be less painful. The child(ren) are most likely to fall to port or starboard, as sailboats don't usually accelerate so fast as to to risk throwing them aft, or stop so suddenly as to throw them forward.

Ann

[Martin K]

We used a pop up travel bed by DERYAN on a transatlantic crossing when my daughter was 1 year old.
Wasn't too bad, but she slept better in a crib I made to fit a small setee in one of the cabins.
Also, a little top tip depending on their age and your boat, a car-seat works great when you need your eyes and hand for the boat during manouvres!

[Farang]

All of the above suggestions for below decks are good depending on the child’s age. Any child who can’t swim should never be left unattended ON DECK even if they’re restrained. Plus, lifeline nets, a life jacket and/or the wide range of child seats can help avoid an unforgivable tragedy like what happened to this kiwi family. And they were anchored!

https://apple.news/ANElI1wuaTfKFoc0iA1TRqw

[sailingunity]

We bought a travel size pack and play which is smaller than a crib - it'll fit in a pretty small space.

[AnsleyS]

When our boys were little I set up a small cargo hammock on the midline of the forward cabin. We put a firm pillow in the hammock to keep the sides away and the babies always slept there for their naps. They would swing with the boat motion and I would joke (not well received by their mother) that maybe I could get the swinging going well enough that they would swing all the way around.