Next month I’ll be writing about your relationship on board as a
couple – the cruising life throws up some complexities!
To watch the video of Nichola and me talking about sailing as a
family, see our video on Yachting World’s YouTube channel.Q Be realistic about the sailing
experience of you and your crew. Do
you have enough for what you are
planning to do?
Q Plan ahead. Know the route and the
likely conditions. If you as a team
don’t feel happy with it, be prepared to
change your plans.
Q Know your boat. Are you familiar
with all the equipment? Is it in
good working order and has it been
regularly maintained?
Q Make sure your crew are fit and ready
to go on the water.
Q Develop your own safety routines and
regularly talk them through so they
are familiar to all the crew.
Q Appoint crew members to keep watch
that various procedures are followed.
Q Be confident that you and your crew
are familiar with the safety equipment
and know how to use it.
Q Assess your skill sets and fill in any
gaps with appropriate training.
Q Be calm, be in control and know who
you can ask for help if you need it.TOP TIPS
What was great was that, as the children became
familiar with the routines, they would let us know if we
missed anything.
We went so far as giving them areas to look after so, for
example, our son would check to make sure everyone was
wearing a lifejacket, while another of the children was
water monitor making sure we were all drinking enough
water every day.Safety equipment
We made sure the crew was as familiar with all the safety
equipment as possible, given each of their ages.
Everyone needed to know the location of lifejackets,
flares, VHF radio, liferaft, horseshoe buoys and throwing
lines, EPIRBs, medical kit and the grab bag. We’d always run
a safety brief and talk through
where the kit was, when we
might need to use it and talked
through what needed to be done
to use it all.
When new crew came and
joined us, I’d ask one of the
children to brief them.
I’d listen in and help point out
anything the children missed,
but it made them feel
responsible and involved. Not
only that, I believe the best way
to learn something is to teach it.Training for everyone
Before we left the UK we did a
rigorous assessment of all our
skills and found out where we
needed to add to them. We went
on a range of courses. My wife
and I went on the Ship’s Doctors
Medical Training Course, safety
at sea course, sea survival, radio
training, diesel maintenance
and rigging and weather courses.
For the sailing you plan to do
and the crew you have, you’ll
need to form your own view of
the training you need in order to
be competent and comfortable.An attitude of mind
One of the biggest things for me is how you approach
things. It’s guaranteed that things will go wrong, no
matter how much you prepare for it.
How you respond is super important to your safety. The
best way to respond to difficulties is always calmly and in
control. I’m not a fan of shouting on board. Take a deep
breath and figure it out as a team, taking one step at a time
together. This couldn’t be more important than with
children, who will follow your lead.
So, is it responsible or irresponsible to set sail with
young children? I’ll let you decide. Whatever your view,
the key message I’d like to share is this: if you are
considering sailing with children, think through each of
the risks, consider them carefully, do your own research
and take action to be safe.
This isn’t intended to be a comprehensive list. It’s meant
to be a trigger for you to think about your safety and that
of your crew when you next go on the water.
If you and your crew are safe – and feel safe – you’ll all
enjoy time on the water a lot more and you’re more likely
to want to spend time there together. Time spent
planning and thinking ahead could well be the best
investment you can make for your family.CRUISING WITH KIDS PA R T 2
Learning to sail in good
conditions will boost
childrens’ enjoymentGolden rules of sailing with
children: everyone must wear a
lifejacket on deck and children
should always be clipped onAlamyCaspar CravenGraham Snook/Time Inc.68 February 2018