Yachting World — February 2018

on the Yachting

World YouTube

channel

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THE VIDEO

Let me highlight some of the things that we thought
about and that you might want to consider if you’re
sailing with children. You might be planning a few hours
on the water, a circumnavigation or anything in between.
The principles remain the same.

Sailing experience
Your experience and that of your crew is almost certainly
the biggest factor. When we sailed round the world, I’d not
only circumnavigated before (on the BT Global Challenge
round the world race in 2000-01), but had spent a lifetime
growing up on the water.
One person doesn’t make a safe team, though. We had
to sail together and build the experience of the whole
crew. If something were to happen to me then Nichola, my
wife, would have to take control and not only sail the boat,
but make sure the children were safe too.
Growing our sailing skills by starting in safe water
environments and gradually building on that with time

on the water and time in the classroom was important to

creating a well-rounded set of experiences. As a team we

had to develop experience and routines of how we did

things together. We sought out as much time on the water

as we could – in dinghies, in yachts and in different

environments. There really is no substitute for experience.

Planning ahead

By thinking and talking through our plans we were able to

identify and consider risks ahead of time – basic stuff like

being all over the weather forecasts and currents for

where we were are going. We also made notes and thought

through what we’d need in terms of preparation of both

the boat and the crew.

Do you need extra crew? Do you have the right sails? Is

the equipment checked and ready to go? Do you have the

right clothing? What time will you arrive? Will it be night

or day?

Have you thought about what meals and snacks you’ll

need? Paying attention to the detail is essential no matter

how long or short the trip. This is especially so with

children, who can be very unforgiving and express things

in a very vocal way if they’re tired, hungry, wet and cold!

We sat down and considered the different emergency

scenarios and role-played what we’d do in those situations.

We thought about dismasting, water ingress, man

overboard and so on.

We thought about what equipment we’d need and

created laminated checklists so we wouldn’t just be

relying on memory in difficult situations.

Emergency equipment was organised and regularly

checked – items such as grab bags, EPIRBs, spare GPS and

back-up paper charts.

Boat preparation

We knew a good part of our time would be spent parenting

so we had to ‘automate’ the way we thought about boat

preparation and make sure all was in good working order.

Most people won’t do a weekly check on their car tyres

or the oil levels, let alone a daily one. On a boat, where you

are at sea and can’t just pull over by the side of the road, a

different level of preparation is needed.

We created a detailed set of boat checks that we carried

out literally every day and, paired up with an adult, got the

children involved in all the routines.

Kids love a routine. Becoming familiar with all parts of a

boat and making sure they are in good working order was

essential. We had to increase our knowledge and created

regular checks to make sure everything was covered.

When you go to sea, do you do regular checks on the rig,

sails, steering, navigation equipment and engine?

Laminated checklist sheets are super helpful for this type

of thing.

Creating routines

We developed a set of routines that everyone knew. For

example, when we were at sea, everyone had to wear a

lifejacket at all times; children and adults, no exceptions. I

really don’t see a reason not to wear a lifejacket.

Children were always clipped on when on deck. At night

and in rough weather, adults were always clipped on, and

didn’t leave the cockpit without telling someone. Children

weren’t allowed to leave the cockpit without an adult

present. For adults, drinking alcohol while sailing

wasn’t allowed.

Getting children

involved in the

running of the

boat builds their

confidence

Alamy

February 2018 67