Boating With Children

If you are a boat owner who cannot seem to find a babysitter, the solution is simple: take your kids along on your boat trip! Boating can be a fun and enriching experience for a child. However, there are certain safety considerations and other steps that need to be taken in order to ensure a safe and enjoyable trip for everyone. That’s why the experts at Tommy’s Boats have created this guide.

Establish Safety Guidelines

If possible, make sure that your children have some experience with swimming and floating so that they are comfortable in the water. Of course, no amount of swimming experience is a substitute for well-fitting life jackets. Try to find life jackets with headrests to help the children keep their heads above water.

Make sure that the children understand and follow basic safety rules, such as no running on the docks or on the decks, keep your hands and feet inside the boat at all times, don’t distract the operator while the boat is in motion, and don’t lean over the side of the boat or throw things into the water. Review the safety rules in advance of the trip.

You should also make sure that the children know where to find important safety supplies such as the first aid kit and throwable life ring. Give them a full tour of the vessel before you leave the dock to ensure that they understand everything they need to know.

Pack Plenty Of Supplies

Besides the usual safety supplies such as life jackets, a first aid kit, an emergency radio, signal flares, and a fire extinguisher, there are some additional supplies you should bring if you choose to boat with children. For example, young boaters get cold more quickly than adults do, so make sure that you have a change of clothes and dry towels at the ready. On the less serious front, a selection of healthy snacks should also be on your packing list. Supplement this list with anything you might need to make the trip safer or more entertaining, such as sunscreen, bug spray, a way to play music, sunglasses, and sun hats.

We here at Tommy’s Boats hope these tips help you have a safe and fun day out on the water. Come visit us at one of our dealerships and view our selection of new and pre-owned boats. With sixteen locations across the US, including four in California and three in Michigan, you are sure to be able to find one near you. We also offer servicing, parts, rentals, boat customization, financing, brokerage, trade-ins, and storage. We hope to see you soon!