how old were your kids when you 1st took them out on the water [Archive]

Debbolas

03-06-2006, 06:18 PM

get the life vests that you can haul them up out of the water by the handle, with the back of the head float and thru the legs straps....We started our kids on Sea Doo's at age 5....many trips to the coves (like a refuge fleeing our homeland) Much easier with a boat:D
Voodoo med man has a baby, I think they have taken him out.....

LUVNLIFE

03-06-2006, 06:25 PM

Both of ours were like six months. No issues but like said get the right vesta and careful of the sun. They both loved it and to this day love it. One of their first words was boat, well after beer of course :rollside: :rollside:

Ziggy

03-06-2006, 06:27 PM

Daughter was about 3 months old....make sure you get the proper gear for the child, and a big hat.

H20 Toie

03-06-2006, 06:28 PM

6 mo and she loves the water, just use common sense

Sotally Tober

03-06-2006, 06:32 PM

My first born was a couple of weeks old. He did great and was in the fall. #2 is 4 months old now and was a bit cold when he was born. He will be out probably in a month for his first. No issues. The only thing is that I could not find any "infant" vests. I do not believe they make them for new borns. I would not hesitate with a 2 year old if they are well behaved.

rude235

03-06-2006, 06:33 PM

my kid's been going to the lake since before he was born. i have pics of the mrs. at mojave 2 weeks to the day before my littl'un was born. we started taking him out at about 6 months. he LOVES the water and boating. whenever he wakes up he tells me he dreams about boats!! like they've said so far, just be careful of the sun and very hot days. start them early and they'll love it forever.

Warlockjer

03-06-2006, 06:40 PM

2 weeks and back then I had a 17'10" Sanger V drive. Today she has her own Natique. They grow up fast!! :) :)

2Driver

03-06-2006, 06:47 PM

new to the board and new boat owner as well...i have a 2 year old boy and was wondering how young is too young to take out on lake...any tips/comments?
Now you've done it. Parenting debate soon to follow :) I guess it's all up to the individual.
We waited until he was 2+. Even then went we out on mild days (Mild meaning heat, waves and people) and didn't do that very much. It's a lot better now that he is 4. SPF, Shade, Hydrate and get away from crowds are my suggestions.
What kid doesn't love the beach part. But, quite frankly the sun, heat and possible emergencies, or worse confrontations, take on a whole new meaning when a toddler let alone an infant is on board. We all want them to love it because we do, but quite frankly I am not sure any kid under 18 months has much of a clue what is happening let alone on a hot, crowded or bumpy day. Kids under 12 months also risk injury seeing they are still strengthen their spine and necks.
I couldn't have imagined we would have backed off as much as we did early on but you make sacrifices as parents and it ended up working out. He'll be 5 and I think we will have a normal season and a week on Powell this year. That's more than you wanted to now I am sure :rollside: Good luck have fun

TCHB

03-06-2006, 06:57 PM

My two daughters were on the water at six months (Parker Strip).

Brian

03-06-2006, 06:59 PM

We waited until the kids were around 6 months or so, old enough so that their heads were stable and they were out of that newborn phase. While motoring at the early ages we would either hold and support them or if they were sleeping have them laying down under deck with towels/pillows/etc to keep them comfy and safe. Of course the bimini is always up and the sunscreen flows freely. Also was very careful not to thrash hard in rough water. First daughter learned to walk at 7 months and at 10 months spent a week on a houseboat running around like crazy! They're older now (5/8) and cannot get enough of the lake and hanging out and camping on the beach. Great memories being made and many more to come for sure. It's a fantastic family activity, just have to be very careful of course.
:cool:

disco_charger

03-06-2006, 07:00 PM

3 1/2 Months. Keep em covered, cool and slathered in Baby safe suntan lotion.
http://www.***boat.com/image_center/data/520/273Brian_Matthew_sunglasses-med.JPG

Jyruiz

03-06-2006, 07:03 PM

6 weeks, took her to Needles in June, then Havasu in July so on and so on.

team933

03-06-2006, 07:08 PM

First time to Catalina and back to Long Beach non stop on water ski approx 12 yrs old

Jbb

03-06-2006, 07:12 PM

He was ...lol..."go at throttle up"....pretty early... :p
http://www.***boat.com/image_center/data/520/860IMG06048204206A.jpg

2Driver

03-06-2006, 07:19 PM

First time to Catalina and back to Long Beach non stop on water ski approx 12 yrs old
Now there's some braggin rights for Jr High! Pretty cool.

Partycattin

03-06-2006, 07:33 PM

3 weeks and took the infant carrier with us. Cruised the whole time. He slept "like a baby" almost the entire trip. Lots of bottles and shade from the biminis. Expected to have to head back to the hotel throughout the day but didn't end up having to leave the boat.
If we still had our 20' Cheetah, I would have waited a lot longer due to the rough ride. The Party Cat was smoother than riding in our Dakota pickup for the lil lad.

ROZ

03-06-2006, 07:44 PM

3 months old.. we took plenty of shade and a pack'n play :)

2Driver

03-06-2006, 07:48 PM

pack'n play :)
Wasn't that what they did on Brokeback :p

ROZ

03-06-2006, 07:52 PM

3 months old.. we took plenty of shade and a pack'n play :)
She was 4.5 here :)
http://www.***boat.com/image_center/data/500/326DSC01800-med.JPG

frdvschvy

03-06-2006, 07:53 PM

Just had our 5 week old in the boat for the first time two weeks ago. Just make sure you have a propper fitting life jacket, and keep em out of the sun as much as possible. Our little boy loved it. The rumble of the exhaust puts him right to sleep :)
Also, I would not recommend strapping them in a carrier. The little life jacket is not enough to keep the carrier afloat if the worst should happen (God forbid!)

ROZ

03-06-2006, 07:54 PM

Wasn't that what they did on Brokeback :p
Oh, snap.. That was funny :D

SHAKEN Not Stirred

03-06-2006, 08:14 PM

We both of them out at 3 mos..... :rollside:

THOR

03-06-2006, 08:16 PM

9 months. Did fine. Keep them lathered up with sun screen and covered and you'll do fine.

24ROD

03-06-2006, 08:28 PM

6 mo is a good time to get them started. After all it seems to be something we all love to do. What a better thing then to share it with your family :)

Mohave Vice

03-06-2006, 08:30 PM

Our daughter was 5 months old on her first trip to Sundance on the river.

ITS ALL GOOD

03-06-2006, 08:36 PM

Daughter was 3 months old and son was 2 months old

Cole Sanger

03-06-2006, 08:47 PM

My wife says the on the Coast Guards website it says they recommend 7 months and to test the life jacket in a controlled area like a pool first. We are at 4 1/2 months now and are going to wait until she is 6+ months old.

voodoomedman

03-06-2006, 11:18 PM

Had my son out at two weeks. Just be smart about it is all. There are a lot of good suggestions here. Two more I would suggest.
Get a good pediatrician you trust and keep them in the loop on what you do. They will help with sun protection or if their is anything specific for your baby.
Secondly, lots of fluids. Don't overdo it but you need to feed your child water or formula or whatever even if he/she is not asking for it. This is of course if your out in the heat. It is alot easier if the kid is breatfed. Little bursts of nursing here or there to keep up the hydration is good.
My son was a few months by the time the real heat came at Havasu but we get on the lake by 7 and are back at the house usually about 2 or earlier so we miss the worst part of the day and miss the drunken idiots on the lake.

a catered life

03-07-2006, 08:46 AM

as soon as they could walk very close to one

GHT

03-07-2006, 08:58 AM

Son was 3 yr. Daughter was 1 month old.

Tom Brown

03-07-2006, 09:42 AM

I was delivered on the swim step of a Spectra ski-racer during an event that ended at Catalina. My umbilical cord was not cut until the race was over and we returned to Alamitos Bay.
What's more, I was conceived on the same swim step during an event at Parker roughly nine months earlier.

Jbb

03-07-2006, 09:45 AM

Magic34

03-07-2006, 09:48 AM

Our daughter was about 4 months old (2 years old now). The only concern I still have at this time is the heat especially in Havasu, July-August where it gets close to 130 degrees.
Getting shade it easy, it is keeping them cool that is the difficult part. As long as it isn't crazy hot, then you are good. No problems boating with a little one right now, at leat until the end of May.

ROCCO

03-07-2006, 09:56 AM

cool.........thanks for all the responses!! lotta good info.
i guess we'll plan short trips 1st to see how it goes.

Never Satisfied

03-07-2006, 10:16 AM

6 weeks for the first one and 8 weeks on the second and no problems at all, just made sure they were getting enough fluids.

pixilatedpussy

03-07-2006, 10:30 AM

Both of our boys have been goin since they were toddlers. Unfortunatley we did not have a boat till then. But if I got pregnant again.......the baby would be goin for sure!!!!!!!!!!!!! :p :p

JB in so cal

03-07-2006, 10:38 AM

Both of our boys have been goin since they were toddlers. Unfortunatley we did not have a boat till then. But if I got pregnant again.......the baby would be goin for sure!!!!!!!!!!!!! :p :p
Keep practising, T. Keep practising. :rollside:

Hardly Satisfied

03-07-2006, 10:39 AM

2 months old just keep them out of the sun

pixilatedpussy

03-07-2006, 10:40 AM

Keep practising, T. Keep practising. :rollside:
Practice makes perfect...right? LOL! :rollside:

cxr133

03-07-2006, 11:20 AM

keep em hydrated....
outta the sun and keep a cool towel or wet tshirt on them because at a few days to a few months old their body does not regulate heat to well.
other than that they have infant life vests for boat rides and try not to keep them out all day.
either go out early in the morning for a few hours or later in the afternoon. try to skip the peak HOT (???) hours from 11-2.
other than that our pediatrician said we should be fine and we were out at lake mead last summer when the hottest recorded days in history were

OGShocker

03-07-2006, 11:27 AM

6 mo and she loves the water, just use common sense
I agree! Freaks me out to see little kids in boats hauling azz around the lake while dad's knocking the froth off a beer. I rarely drink even one beer if my son is going to go near the boat. 50 MPH is my normal limit when he is in the boat.
My .02
:crossx: :crossx: :crossx: Welcome to the JUNGLE!!! :crossx: :crossx: :crossx:

NautiTwins

03-07-2006, 11:48 AM

new to the board and new boat owner as well...i have a 2 year old boy and was wondering how young is too young to take out on lake...any tips/comments?
This past summer, we took our twins out for the first time. They were 3 months old. They lasted 4 days on the water, on the 4th day they were kind of getting cranky. This was on Mohave in September.
Since that time, they have been on the boat with us every other weekend. They are real troopers! We keep them hydrated with extra water on top of the feedings. Keep them in the shade and they will be fine.

Tom Brown

03-07-2006, 11:55 AM

Coincedentally...Chuck Norris was in Parker around the same time.... :p
You've always got to take it up a notch, don't you? :mad:

Jbb

03-07-2006, 12:00 PM

You've always got to take it up a notch, don't you? :mad:
Chuck wouldn't have it any other way....

Gayleen

03-07-2006, 12:25 PM

My daughter was about 4 months old. She slept like a rock while we were running. Wide awake while stopped.

prozach

03-07-2006, 01:38 PM

We took ours out at 8 mo. A couple of suggestions. put the life vest on your kid at home so they get used to it. Buy full rash guards to help with preventing sunburn, and be sure to have them wear a hat while in direct sun. Our loved it, slept whenever the motor was on.