cruising with children

[Ken Zoodsma]

I am in the very early stages of trying to put together a plan for a possible extended cruise. I would like to begin when my daughter is about 10 - 12 years old. All her other siblings are much older and she would be the only child that would be going with my wife and I. I am wondering if there is anyone out there that has traveled with only one child and how it either went or is going at the present.

I wonder about her live abord life style with no friends to play with, etc. What do you think?

thanks - Ken

[Auzzee]

Hi Ken, I have not cruised with children, but I am always interested to read strories of cruising families. Try to get hold of back copies of 'Latitudes and Attitudes'. Each edition contains cruiser's stories about cruising with children, under the banner 'Sea Urchins'.

Best of luck with your planning. David.

[Ken Zoodsma]

thanks for the info, I 'll be doing that today.

[jovietal]

Hi Ken, I am new to this forum as of today.

I too am planning to cruise with kids but in my case I will be cruising with 3 teenage girls 13-15 and 17.

A cruising friend with 25 years experience says we are nuts!

He went on at lenght at how distructive this venture is "a parents dream is a teens nightmare etc....

He doesn't have kids so I will take his comments with a "grain of salt"

I want to prove him wrong! I am hoping that our life experience so far will give us a little advantage somehow.

We live on a tiny Island of 350 people. We lived in 40 foot trailer for 8 years while we built our house. My kids also went a one room school for 8 years with a class of 14 -20 students.

They have always had common friends in a variety of ages or no close friends at all when winter hits.

Tiny Islands are a great place to raise children but a dismal place to raise teens. My girls have thier own skiff and spend most of the summer exploring the shorelines and tiny islets.

We moved temporily this year to have our girls attend a regular highschool - interesting transition ( that's another thread)

To prepare them for cruising we a planning to have them take dive courses and participate in the youth sailing races near by.

We have not officially bought our boat yet, although my Husband is looking a boat tomorrow in El Salvador.

We thought it may be easier to start off closer to where we wanted to be ( Caribbean) than to sail from here.

Choosing a boat has proven to be an interesting experience ya

gotta love that yachtworld.com

I looked around trying to imagine the 5 of us fitting in a variety of cabin layouts. We started by looking at Pearson 42's too small, and then Peterson 44 I really wanted each girl to have thier own space without having to make up a bed everynight in the salon.

Our budget kept getting bigger.

Reluctantly, We started to examine the charter types; Jeaneau, Beneteaus, and Hunters. The Hunters remided me of Winnabagos

We finally opted for a 50 foot Beneteau (someone pinch me)

I never would of dreamed of owning a 50 foot boat never mind a Beneteau. Does this mean I am a yuppie?

Lynda Poirier Thetis Island, British Columbia

[Gallivanters]

Hi Lynda,

There's a Beneteau 50 tied up at the work dock where we live in St Thomas.

I hear she's been taken off the market as a privately run charter boat and will be going on the market as soon as the carpenters are "done with it". The owner(s) reckon they need to pour bucks into it to make it more "sellable".

Her name is DOLLAR CORN - get it? - Buck An Ear.

Four cabin layout - lots of room - new engine - may suit your needs.

If you wish, I'll try to find out more info and forward to you.

Kirk

[JeanneP]

You can get a 4-cabin layout with a 37-foot catamaran. It will also give you larger saloon space and more than one head. There are some bargains to be had, though not many. Keep looking and good luck. Your girls sound as if they are already self-reliant - they should love the cruising life, and all the people they can meet.

[jovietal]

Thank you for your positive words. The deal has been done

and we are now owners of "Dream Weaver" a Beneteau Ocenanis 515

Now registered Canadian Vessel JOVIETAL. ( JOsee, geneVIEeve, chanTAL) a.k.a the joy of life big time.

We shall sail south from El Salvador ( Bahia del Sol- fantastic marina) to Panama

Should we go left or right when we get there?

Lynda & Michel & the girls from Thetis Island

Happy cruising!