[frogscraps]

I was just reading about someone who said they tether their child to their boat. Come on people! That totally defeats the purpose of a life jacket!

Please do not tether your children to your boat. Would be awfully tragic to lose your child due to an unwise choice.
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[Guest]

part of the child and life jacket deal is to train them to use the darn thing when on or near the water. so you gotta make them wear'm and be ---- about it!!!

[becca E]

If you own a boat, it is your responsibility to keep your passengers safe. That means NOT tethering a child, but following the USCG guidelines and having a life jacket on board for each person. And when it is a child, you should be responsible enough to make them wear it.



Other's people stupidy always surprises me

[GregM]

I think that the original quote just might have been taken out of context.

Most sailors and especially sailors that spend inordinate amounts of time
at the helm , especially at night know and respect the tether systems.

This is a tool that used in conjuction with the proper flotation device (PFD).

Hopefully more people will investigate and use when necessary.

Anytime you are alone at the helm in an open cockpit you are in danger from nature. Rogue waves or Rogue boaters can cause you to loose your stability and end up overboard.


Thank you,

[sailori38]

Interesting subject - to tie them up or not.

I have cruised some 15,000 NM and have yet to have seen a cruising child tied to their boat - in fact, many of the children are just like the adults in teather and PFD use.

Now having said that, our son lived aboard and cruised with us full time from when he was 2 until 6 - then we spent part time cruising on the boat until he was 10. He wore a PFD whenever he was in the tender (regardless of weather). He wore a PFD on deck when he went forward while under way in any weather or when we were docking or anchoring (when it might be likely that we are well occupied and not notice him taking a swim). We also had a harness for him, just like us - it went unused because in any kind of rough weather it made no sense for him to even come into the cockpit.

Now, having said that, this was on an Ingrid 38, with high toe rails, stanchions the length of the boat and netting from amidships aft (with weather clothes the last 9 feet).

Now the rest of the story - did he ever fall over? All our friends were worried about that and our land lubber family members varied from appauled to just concerned about our child and the life we were leading. Yes, he did fall over, just once. When he was two, while at a dock getting a hard dodger fitted, he went to the gangway opening and went to close the pelican hook (like he had done before) and fell over between the boat and the dock.

It scared him and we nearly died. We had heard later that other cruisers had similar things happen - and they often happened only once, ever.

Keep them in a PFD until they can swim well, then put them in a PFD whenever they are in a situation where they could fall in - on the boat or the dock. Once our son learned how to swim like a fish and was able to jump around over the main boom like a monkey, we relaxed a bit.

Use common sense
Oh, and I have another story about my dog leashed on deck (as was required by the marina I was in, in S.F)... and he went over while I was in the shower, ashore....

[stuart888]

That is crazy and stupid, never a child. However, I have seen plenty of people that have to tie their dog to the middle of the boat to keep the dog from jumping out. Fine there, but not a child.

Keep up the safety information, good stuff.

Regards, Stuart
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[Jeff Williams]

Yes, i also agree that if you own a boat, it is your responsibility to keep your passengers safe， more than a child.
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