Baby nets

[jpaulroberts]

After sailing for over 20 years from City Island to Nova Scotia I finely have a baby on my boat. Our daughter will be 14 months old by the time Resolution goes back in the water this spring. Any tips on how to keep her as safe as possible? I've never used lifeline netting. I assume I use it around the cockpit but not up forward. How does this effect lowering my lifelines for boarding?

Thanks, Jerry

[Stu Jackson]

Jerry

With all this boat work, how'd ya find time to make a baby?!?  Congratulations!

A search here on "baby" brings up baby stays and other boat related nonsense, but try this: 

http://c34.org/bbs/index.php?topic=416.0

The February 2006 Mainsheet has a story about babies on board in, I think, the C36 section.  I always recommend that we Association members read the entire magazine, not just the C34 stuff.

Also try the www.catalinaowners.com archives and search under "baby" or "babies" - they've just upgraded their search engine.

Some people feel the netting may NOT be the right thing, because of a false sense of security.  We've had two kids, no netting, both kids are still around.  Our approach was: we always wore and still wear life jackets ALL the time, so it was relatively easy:  "upstairs" they wear their jackets, supervision with some fun, jump in the water with the inflatables occasionally for giggles, teach by example - one hand for your one for the ship, etc.

[jpaulroberts]

Thanks Stu.
We actually sailed last season with Skye starting at three monts old. It was prety easy because she did go anywhere. Now she's out to take on the world ASAP. Jerry

[Roc]

Jerry,
Last year, our little girl was 2 years old and what works for us is to attach a tether to the loop handle on the back of her life jacket.  The other end of the tether is attached to the pedestal.  She can roam around the cockpit, sit on the seats, but won't have enough slack to go any further.  We have no netting.  Only let her in the cockpit with her life jacket and tether attached. 

[Phil Spicer]

Jerry,
We did the same as Roc, Jacket, short line, & rules. You may want to look into a jacket with a pillow that would float up & keep the childs headabove water. Most jackets today also have large flotation in the front to keep the child face up . When our boys grew out of the small jackets we used a harness. Check the catalogs. I just got a Defender....Page 147 has a child harness. Today we still have the harnesses and ALL sizes of jackets for visiting children. Happy shopping
Phil Spicer