How to Enjoy Family Boating

Planning a boating trip with children creates anticipation.

By studying the charts of your cruising area, children can learn chart symbols, the changing depth of the water, and the meaning of contour lines.

Next choose the ports to visit. Involve the children by asking them to research the facilities and activities offered at each port. It will be important to know if the port can accommodate your vessel. Also note if the choice of port offers fuel and water, pump out station, a store for supplies, showers, and a laundromat.

When selecting ports, take into consideration activity preferences such as swimming, hiking, beach combing, fishing, shopping.

Once on board and underway, the planning and research comes to life for the children. They can identify islands and ports they have studied and anticipate arriving at the planned destinations.

Involving children in planning your boating vacation will be a family learning experience.

Having fun on the water can start with a small sailboat. One advantage of a small boat is being able to take it with you to a variety of bodies of water. Smaller sailboats may be carried on a car top. Trailering a boat is another option.

Here's a lens on Small Boat Sailing Instruction

A resource for ways to enjoy your dinghy:

Boating Moms can have a relaxing day on the water by involving the children.

One secret to enjoying time boating is to provide alternate activities for the children. Bringing books, board games, and card games on board will occupy the young crew.

You can use the time on a boat for teaching about nature - plants, animals, birds, and the water. Another idea is to teach the phonetic alphabet which is needed when using a VHF radio. Note only certified operators can use the radio unless there is an emergency.

Giving each person a job on board will teach responsibility and assist Mom. There will be a captain, a first mate, a cabin boy/girl, a galley cook to name a few jobs. A booklet outlining the duties for each job can be referred to when needed.

Galley duties may be setting the table, washing dishes, emptying the trash, and helping prepare meals. I have found it is helpful to prepare lunch before leaving the dock or anchorage in the morning. If you enjoy sandwiches, involve the children in making them, wrap, and put in the icebox/fridge for lunch.

Choose destinations where Moms can take a break such as spending a day at a spa, hiking, or a place to read and relax.

Information for the first mate to enhance your boating experience.

Safety is number one when boating. Wearing a PFD (personal flotation device) at all times is the most important rule.

Children need to be taught about the equipment required on board a boat and the reason it is there. Studying a boating guide together will give the crew valuable information on boating safety. Let the children know about distress signals, eg. flares, foghorn, and why they are used.

Boating with your children is a great learning opportunity for the whole family.

Many smaller vessels have a galley consisting of two burner stoves and perhaps an icebox.

Menu Planning, shopping, and meal preparation are part of the activities involved when boating with your family. The whole family could help decide on the types of meals to be served. Perhaps there are meals the young crew could help prepare with supervision.

My lens Boating Two Burner Cooking includes outfitting the galley, and cooking on two burners.

Buying gifts for a boating family could be a creative gift basket including items everyone can enjoy.

Suggestions are board games,a deck of cards, set of nautical glasses or mugs, hot chocolate or iced tea mixes, portable DVD player with DVDs, or a basket of food.

For more ideas visit my lens Gift Ideas For Boaters.

Teaching the children boating knots and their uses is another way to involve the young crew.

A few of the basic boating knots are:

* bowline
* sheet bend
* figure 8
* bowline on a bight
* cleat hitch
* rolling hitch

Visit Grog's Boating Knots to learn the use of knots and how to tie them.

You can give each person a piece of line and follow along on the animated instructions.