TravelTalkOnline Forums Travel and Vacation Forums British Virgin Islands Tethering Kids during charter?

I have a 10, 8 and 6 (doesn't swim well) year old and we are going bareboating for first time. Does any one recommend using jacklines/tethers when sailing or motoring for kids?

What type of boat will you have. If it’s a cat you can contain them pretty easily and a teather would not be needed. Buy good life jackets that are comfortable so they won’t fight you about wearing them. Make it a firm rule they wear them underway.
G

We have had our 3 aboard every summer since they were 2 months old. Netting around the boat attached to lifelines and good life jackets as George says. Ours now put on life jackets like seatbelts in a car.

It's a leapoard 40 catamaran. Don't think the chartering company will place netting around the life lines, we are going with Moorings charter company.

They won't...buy your own and install with cable ties. Easy peasy...
Be sure all the life lines are along the transom as well.

I don’t think netting is needed for the ages of his kids.

Netting not needed at this age. We took ours starting 3.5 and 7 years. Cat with comfortable lifejacket... No tether as if fall overboard, they could drown before you get them out/ release tether. And they will not be on deck if any significant weather.

Enjoy your trip!

We took ours starting pretty young and the main bit of advice I can give is we brought appropriately sized life jackets with us and they always wore them while up top.

If you use a tether, it should be secured so they can't reach the water. We do this with our son on our 43' sailboat. We tether him within the cockpit. He can't even reach the life lines.

I think at the ages of these kids though, a tether isn't needed. A life jacket and setting rules on where they can move, how to move and when would be enough.

Life jackets. No tethers. No netting. Leopard 40 has a door from saloon to foredeck / tramp, which allows easier and safer access when underway. However, you might consider requiring adult presence when kids (at least the 6 year old poor swimmer) are riding the tramp. And, as Matt says, a thorough briefing (e.g. "one hand on boat") is a must.

I've been bringing my kids since they were only a few months old...never did anything special...just life jackets