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Catalina/Capri 25/250 Sailor's Forums

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Young Families

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haley
1st Mate

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USA
59 Posts

Initially Posted - 06/12/2007 : 07:30:56

Can you share your thoughts on if/when kids outgrow a family sailboat? I'm looking at a C25 and have idyllic thoughts of quality family time on the water and at the marina. My children are 5 and 8. My hopes are that between sailing, fishing, naps, eating, board games, computer / DVD’s (marina has wifi) exploring marina and neighboring park, snorkeling, hitting the ice cream stand etc. I can keep them occupied for a day or so on most weekends. As they grow they can dingy sail, do more on the Catalina, get a job to chip in for slip fees ;<) etc. Is this reasonable or have I been out in the sun to long.

The competition is keep my Precision and apply boat units to Disney, or move to something that can pull a tub faster than 4mph.

jh

----------------
John
Precision 18
Rochester NY

Edited by - on

KD4AO
Navigator

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USA
202 Posts

Response Posted - 06/12/2007 : 08:09:13

In my experience the kids maintain interest in sailing activities just about as long as they do in family outings in the car or camping outings or other fanily activities. As they get into mid teens they want to spend more time with friends, (larger boat is nice), and they lose their interest a bit. But, they get attached to a significant other and that person develops an interest in sailing. As time goes on they get married, have children and BINGO the whole things starts over and guess what, Grandpa is a great guy because "he takes us sailing". It is a sailing world, keep it going. Bob

Edited by - on

ClamBeach
Master Marine Consultant

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3072 Posts

Response Posted - 06/12/2007 : 08:37:26

IMHO stuff:

Typically you will have the kids attention until 15 or so... but the memories you make during these years and the influence of the experience will last a lifetime. I think a lot of the charm sailing offers for kids depends on your venue. Having an interesting, pleasant place to sail with variety = better. If you're not living is a place like that, having a trailerable C25 opens a lot of territory. If you're not intending/capable of trailering, I'd jump up straight to a 30 (+-) ft something (C30 is a good choice) as the wife and kids will have a lot more room to kick around.

Edited by - on

John Russell
Master Marine Consultant

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USA
3444 Posts

Response Posted - 06/12/2007 : 13:32:52

I have a 16 y/o and an 8 y/o. Both girls not that that makes much of a difference. We were out Saturday and the younger one was "bored to death" and the teenager was at the helm during the best wind of the day. Yesterday, the teen stayed home and the younger one had a terrific sail. We even flew a kite off the stern. Retrieving it was a bit of a problem, but that's another story.

I guess the moral of my little story here is this: I sail because I enjoy it. I hope that my children also enjoy it. Sometimes they will, sometimes they won't. So, if I were to give advice I would say that we all need to, and should, make sacrifices for our children. That's called parenting. But, we have an obligation to our children to meet our own needs as well.

How bad would it be to get to the end to life's journey only to reflect on those things you might have done if only....... What kind of a lesson is that for our children?

Edited by - John Russell on 06/12/2007 13:36:45

frog0911
Master Marine Consultant

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USA
1349 Posts

Response Posted - 06/12/2007 : 21:05:37

I found over the years with my four that the older they got the more they enjoyed the boat and the sailing adventure. Most of all they like to bring friends who had never sailed and then proceeded to see who could heal the boat the most and scare their friends. They also like to tie the dock lines to aft cleats put a loop in the bitter end put it on and then jump overboard to see who could body surf the best. The General and I were the judges. When young it took a lot of work to keep them entertained, but as they aged and became better sailors they would, as stated, find ways to entertain themselves sometimes to the point that the General would threaten to swim to the nearest shore if they did not get the gunnel out of the water. Oh, by the way my four were composed of two boys and two girls and the girls were just as bad as the boys and the scare tactics with their friends. So just enjoy your kids, enjoy your boat and one day you will be able to sit back with a cool one and let them take you were you want to go, which in a sailboat is absolutely nowhere, just piece and quite.

Edited by - frog0911 on 06/12/2007 21:11:52

josh-hansen
1st Mate

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USA
50 Posts

Response Posted - 06/13/2007 : 01:35:46

Great topic John!

I have struggled with this myself. I love the quote "we have an obligation to our children to meet our own needs as well", and have to agree. When I think about spending time with my dad it wasn't doing the things I wanted to do, it was whatever he was doing (I wish it had been sailing though) what was important is that we did it together.

Before I got my boat, all the sailing I did was racing on other peoples boats without my family. Now that my son is 6 and my daughter is 8 the Cat 25 is the way to go. When we are sailing, they see me as happy as I can be, we have a blast and I think that is incredibly important. It has been a struggle to afford the boat and marina lifestyle for us as well, but it has been worth it for the memories.

I say go for it. Besides if you try it and find out it's not for you, I hear Cat 25's sell easy.

Edited by - on

haley
1st Mate

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USA
59 Posts

Response Posted - 06/13/2007 : 07:17:19

"we have an obligation to our children to meet our own needs as well. "

Well said... I see other parents playing the martyr at times and if I look closely in the mirror I see it there as well. And of late the "quality time" after a long day at work is lacking. Well put.

Thanks folks. Next challenge is to convince the General (I say general 'cause there is nothing nautical about her). I mentioned overnighting on a C25 at a slip and she had images of the Kraken devouring her wee ones.

John

Edited by - on

Oscar
Master Marine Consultant

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USA
2030 Posts

Response Posted - 06/13/2007 : 08:31:09

All kids are different, all families are different.

As a kid I got my hands on the tiller and had to be pried off at the end of the day....(days before wheels and autopilots).

My kids are 9 and 14 and could care less about sailing, navigating, weather, systems.... but they love "camping" on the boat. Granted, on Lady Kay they have plush accomodations, each with their own cabin. We spend a lot of time together around meals, games etc. Sailing itself, according to them is a four hour sail starting at a pool and ending at a pool....

All in all it is worth it, we're spending good time together as a family. And I get my hard core sailing in on the Atlantic twice a year.....

Everyone has their own way if doing it....

Edited by - on

tmhansen
Captain

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USA
397 Posts

Response Posted - 06/13/2007 : 15:13:09

John, my kids are now 10 and 11 and the teen years are quickly approaching. My younger child enjoys activities around the water but hates to sail. If she had her way the sails would never go up we would just motor to where ever we are going. My older likes to sail, just not in ocean swells. We got him started racing an Optimist with the yacht club juniors and now it seems like we spend our weekends driving to opti regattas and not sailing the family boat. I figure its just a phase of our lives and that my wife and I will get more time on our boat soon enough. For now I am enjoying being an Opti dad.

One of the great things about having a trailerable boat it being able to go to new and interesting destinations as a family. Santa Barbara is a two hour drive away and is very popular with the family because of the variety of things to do. Its not all sailing. We take our bikes and explore the area too. We have also taken trips to Monterey with one day on the water on a whale hunt and then the next at the aquarium. On San Francisco bay we have sailed to state parks and museums.

Edited by - on

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