OK guys and gals.
My wife has just informed me that it may be time to start a family. How well do children and boats mix. Some of my buddies are telling me I should just sell the boat because I will never have time for it I have the bug for a larger boat, not larger family.

Can anyone shed some light on this subject for me.
thank you
Chris

A buddy of mine had his kid on the boat at 4 days!!! The kids that I have seen all love being out on boats. They ussually sleep all day. Something about the motion and noise seems to put them right to sleep.

Jon

Better do a search on the topic we talked about it several times this summer there is a thread with lots of pics!!!!My daughter was born in november and boated all summer just take it easy and all is well. The wife enforces a 45 mph speed limit with the baby on board but if its flat I've run 75.....The baby loves it sleeps most of the time...she's 10 months now and walking it could get interesting next year!!!

chris,

my little girl was out on the boat at 3 months last year and all summer this year, she loves it!!! just make sure you have a top or some other shaded area. good family time

Heck with that, Both my kids were babies on the boat. The youngest one was 4 days old when she went for her first boat ride. I could never understand people that sell boats because of kids, All you have to do is maybe drive responsibly. My advice, buy a bigger boat and make the babies in the new boat.

We've been taking our grandson out since he was a year old. We didn't before that because we didn't have the boat back then.
Now that he's 3 1/2 that's all he talks about. He loves being on the water and not afraid of falling overboard. He keeps telling me my boats not fast enough. Wants to go faster. We have jet-ski's and he loves them too.

You just have to be careful, no real rough water, no wake jumping, racing, etc.
Find a life jacket with a head support and a grab handle in case he/she does go over the side.

Go for it!

I'm the proud father of a new baby boy. He was born the end of August, and due to motor problems he hasn't been for a ride yet, but I can't wait until next year to get him out there. I hope he will enjoy the water as much as my wife and myself do....

Don't sell the boat.

My daughter was 2 1/2 on her first boat ride (dad's Sea Ray) and all she wanted to do is swim and play in the water. Now that she is 10, and I have a fiancee with a 11 year old son, we find ourselves anchored at a beach area all day to "let the kids play" instead of cruising the river. You know how kids hate to sit still on a long car ride .

Anchored at a beach, with a beautiful woman next to me, a good drink in my hand, and lisitening to good music while watching our kids play is a very good day of boating in my book.

DON'T SELL THE BOAT!!! I bought a boat when my daughter was 7 mos. She loved it. Always "slept like a baby". Now she is 7 years. She loves the water. Has no fear, and swims like a fish. Now I have another "surprise" on the way, and would not consider selling the boat.

Chris.... There really is nothing that compares with sharing your passion for anything, especially boats, with a child.... I have an 11 yr old son and a 5 yr old daughter who have been boating with thier Mom & I since they where about 8-9 months old.... I'd be a liar if I said that thier schedules didn't conflict with my boating.... but now that I have kids...I wouldn't enjoy boating nearly as much without them.... "GO FASTER DAD.. GO FASTER".... "Mom they told me too!"