Yachting is one of the best leisure activities for the whole family. The sun, air, water and picturesque landscapes evoke incredible emotions even for the smallest guests on board. However, not every parent decides to take a child with them on the yacht. Often this is due to fears that it is dangerous for children to be on board, because it is easy to fall overboard, get into bad weather or get injured. But why deprive the pleasure of spending a vacation with the whole family when there are so many options to make the ship safe and reliable? So, let’s see how you can secure a yacht for walks with children.
Reliable bulwarks
The biggest parental fear is the child’s falling overboard. It is unlikely that responsible mom and dad will leave children unattended. But for your own peace of mind, if the side bulwarks does not inspire much trust, it can be replaced by ordering a higher design. In addition, you can additionally pull the net onto the rails. Such a precautionary measure will be especially relevant for preschool children.
Life vest
One of the most important safety features on yachts is the life jacket. And for children, as a must, there are more requirements for him. Some countries have even developed standards for life jackets. Main characteristics: quality of material, thermal insulation, buoyancy of the product and the presence of reflective parts.
A vest that is suitable for sailing on a river is not always suitable for sailing on the sea. For a river, a lighter product is suitable, its main functionality is to help swim to the shore. A vest designed for the sea must keep the child afloat until the rescuers arrive. And their waiting can last much longer than 10-15 minutes.
Another important criterion is the correct size. You need to know the exact height and weight of the child when choosing a life jacket, so that he does not restrict movement, but at the same time he sits tightly enough over the clothes.
Sun protection
During the summer, it is important to consider where the child can get away from the sun to avoid overheating, sunstroke or heatstroke. This is especially true for small cruisers where there is no enclosed cockpit or lower deck. In such cases, special fabric awnings are stretched over the decks. This handy device will help protect the entire family from prolonged exposure to the scorching rays of the sun on the hottest days. If you have an awning, you still shouldn’t neglect hats and drinking regime — one does not exclude the other.
Safe movement
Any sharp objects, mooring equipment that are dangerous to children, and loose objects that can trip or fall over are best hidden. But hide in specially designated places so that they are at hand, if necessary.
In addition, you should definitely check whether the fasteners at the ladder, along which they usually go down for swimming in the open sea / river, are reliable, and whether there are any broken parts on it that you can cut yourself. Also make sure there is a lifebuoy on board. He, like vests, must have positive buoyancy and reflective elements.
Connection with land
The yacht must have a marine radio station in order to contact the shore in case of unforeseen situations. It’s good if you can catch cellular communications and call rescuers from your mobile phone. If not, the radio station will come to the rescue, which can be taught to use older children. But then they also need to be able to communicate the latitude and longitude of their location.
Intelligent lighting
Sailing trips can often drag on until nightfall, so you should worry about high-quality deck lighting in advance. Good visibility within the boat will help parents to look after their children at night.
And finally, as with any vehicle, the yacht should have a first-aid kit with a minimum list of necessary medicines: antipyretic, analgesic, motion sickness and poisoning agents, bandage, cotton wool, plaster. Do not be amiss with sunscreen and aloe gel for sunburn. But it is better, of course, that they are not useful, and the rest left only unforgettable and breathtaking impressions.
