Are you wondering if sailing with children is really a good idea? Do you want to know whether family cruises are very different from those organized only with adults? If you are struggling with these kinds of doubts, read the article below. It contains a lot of practical information that will help you make good decisions and ensure a safe, carefree sailing holiday for everyone.
Family cruises – what should you remember?
Every year, many sailors decide to sail with children - and this gives us hope that this type of cruise can be really successful. Of course, it will require appropriate preparations and consideration of several important issues.
Below is a short list of things to consider before embarking on a family cruise:
- When to start sailing with children?
- Which body of water should you choose to start with?
- What to keep little sailors busy?
- How to sail safely with children?
Sailing with children – when to start?
Please note that there is no strict age limit here. When is the right time for the first family cruise depends on the child's character and the parents' willingness.
There are little sailors who can't walk yet - and yet they still manage to do very well on board. It sometimes happens that taking a baby on a cruise is logistically much easier than taking care of an active preschooler or a rebellious teenager.
As a parent, you know your children well and what their temperament is like - so if you decide that this is the right time to introduce family cruises, you are certainly right.
Which body of water should you choose?
For sailing with children (especially when it will be their first contact with water), you should choose, let's call it... holiday waters. In other words, when planning family cruises, you should not focus on ambitious sailing in stormy winds, large waves and lack of other attractions apart from operating ropes or sails.
If you have children on a yacht, it is better to choose a water area that offers:
- stable weather,
- extensive infrastructure (washing machines, restaurants),
- short flights between ports (3 hours is the maximum),
- attractions on land.
Why is it so important? Because of a few reasons; above all, remember that sailing with children requires adapting to their way of looking at the world. Good weather is essential - rain, wind and waves, of course, have their charm, but they significantly limit the room for maneuver when it comes to spending pleasant time.
Two or three hours of sailing is a long time for kids - and if they are good during this time, they deserve a reward in the form of going out for ice cream or the beach. Thanks to this, you will probably sail less - but you will ensure that everyone will only have good memories from their holidays.
When children are bored on the yacht...
...it's the adults who have the problem. A bored child will whine, get lost and generally spoil the atmosphere. Therefore, you need to make sure that he has something to do - and here there is room for maneuver for you.
If you are sailing with a toddler, take everything from home that will make life on the water easier for him (and you), including:
- favorite cuddly toy,
- puzzle,
- board games,
- books,
- crayons and coloring books,
- water toys,
- some surprise - it will be your ace up your sleeve on the so-called black hour.
Also remember that family cruises are an excellent opportunity for intergenerational integration. Children on a yacht can, together with adults, take part in sailing work: steer, clear ropes, prepare meals, cast mooring lines... All this will make them feel important and needed - and you will be proud to watch them gain self-confidence.
Family cruises and safety
You could say that we left the most important issue for last: how to sail safely with children? It's not really complicated - you just need to remember a few things.
The first is to choose the right unit: efficient, equipped with protective nets on the railings and large enough (remember that a toddler, even if he sleeps with his parents, is counted as a crew member).
Young children need reasonable supervision on a yacht - one adult should keep an eye on them at all times. He must not be engaged in other tasks. It is also worth considering purchasing or renting life jackets and harnesses that will ensure children's safety and adults' peace of mind.
