• Untitled Document

    Join us on March 29rd, 7pm EST

    for the CBEC Virtual Meeting

    All EYO members and followers are welcome to join the fun and get to know the guest speaker!

    See the link below for login credentials and join us!

    March Meeting Info

    (dismiss this notice by hitting 'X', upper right)

E-27 Childfriendly Lifelines/V-Berth discussion

rnrlynn

Junior Member
Well this thread has two topics: All involving our changing our 27 to make it more child safe for our two year old.

I want to add netting all around the outside. We both agree it looks uhm...not so good. My second thought is to add a second (middle) lifeline and we can run a tight line to the bottom of the stantions. Then maybe a zigzag between the top and bottom ??? Any other thoughts?

We will be securing his bed in the v-berth with a netting of some sort. Any ideas??? And we plan on making a smaller table for the main salon that can fold up against the bulkhead while not in use. Anyone have any pictures on this ????

Thanks again!

Rachelle
 

Chris Miller

Sustaining Member
I think that the safety netting looks ok when it's done well... especially if it keeps your little one on board.:D

I think there was a discussion about keeping kids secure in bunks on here another time... anyone remember? might want to search for it...
 

ref_123

Member III
Netting does look OK

After one year of weather exposure here on the SF Bay, our Plastimo netting still looks pretty good. Not as sparkling white as it used to, but kind of off-white-ish :). And it still stops the baby from jumping over, although she temporarily took the fancy to throw things overboard. Nothing really substantial went out yet though :).

So, my $.02 - go for the netting. Better safe then sorry, and in this particular case, its an understatement.

Regards,
Stanly
 

ChrisS

Member III
We have two kids, a two-year-old and an almost-four-year-old, and we are thinking about installing the netting for a Delta trip in June. Most of our family trips have been motoring, or sailing in light winds, and we have gone back and forth about the netting. At anchor or in the mooring it makes sense to an enclosed cockpit, but we aren't so sure that the netting is the best idea while underway. While it could keep the kids in the boat, if either made it overboard, the netting might make it difficult to retrieve her. There's also a false sense of security--the netting might fail when needed, or a child could go over the top of the lifelines (which is not hard to do on the leeward side if the boat is heeling). I do want to point out that we don't take our kids out on big days, nor will we until we feel that the kids have really sure feet.

We have taught our kids two important rules: hold on to something while moving about, and when in sitting the cockpit, their feet must be in the main area beneath the seating (whenever possible). Also, life jackets at all times. I grew up sailing a Laser and whatever boats friends had, and my parents made a big deal about pointing out boating fatalities that could have been prevented by wearing PFDs.

As for sleeping arrangements, you could install hooks on the vee berth sides of the bulkhead, then use a low piece of netting when the kids are asleep to keep them from rolling out. Our kids sleep in the vee berth, and they stay up there ven though we don't use the netting. As a consequence of giving up the vee berth, I'm trying to figure out how to connect our dinette over to the setee across the cabin to make a large double that will allow my wife and I enough space to sleep comfortably.

One thing is for certain: kids are made for boats. My older girl likes the boat so much that gets upset when I take her down to the boat and don't leave the berth. As a consequence, we go out a lot!
 

ref_123

Member III
Good idea Chris!

Chris,

good ideas. The only issue with the netting in the V-berth is that at least in 32-3 there is an opening in the starboard side of the bunk that will leave a lot of space between the edge of the bunk and the netting. Unless it is covered, a 2-year old can slip through it (almost happened to our girl). So, we went with a solid bed-rail instead.

Regarding the life lines - I actually put netting on a standard single-line gate with a pelican hook to be simple netted gates. All it takes is a pice of line and 2 pieces of 1/2 inch plastic tubing. And 2 velcro cable ties. So, when closed, we have a complete netting wall around the boat, and when open, they do not clutter the deck. If anyone is interested, can send a photo. I also made sure the ladder on the transom is still opening. If baby still ends up in the water, retrieval will be no worse and no better then without the netting.

I also agree that netting is not a complete safety solution. But, it does prevent loose toys and clothing from going overboard. Also, if the baby is really commited to make it to the drink no matter what, it will give you a bit of extra time to react :). But you have to think throught every scenario. My wife and I actually have an agreed upon procedures for all foreseable emergenices with the baby, including pressing MOB button, jumping overboard to help the baby, etc. By the way, baby is a swimmer - goes to the pool every week since she was 6 month. So, even if she is in the water, she knows what to do :).

So far we have a rule that the baby does not get out of the cockpit while the boat is on the move. Last season, car seat did well for us; as this season progresses, we probably will reenforce this rule with a tether :). Only time will tell if it works. So far the weather is not cooperating with weekend sailing.

Regards,
Stanly
 

NateHanson

Sustaining Member
We have taught our kids two important rules: hold on to something while moving about, and when in sitting the cockpit, their feet must be in the main area beneath the seating (whenever possible). Also, life jackets at all times. I grew up sailing a Laser and whatever boats friends had, and my parents made a big deal about pointing out boating fatalities that could have been prevented by wearing PFDs.

These are all personal decisions, but I never sailed with my 2-3 year-old without a harness on her. She was either at an adult's right hand, or she was clipped in. No reason not to, in my mind, and it's far more effective than anything else by itself.

I of course also use PFD, and netting, but by far the most important single item in my mind is a harness and tether. Kids that age don't need free-reign on deck while sailing. If they want to run around they can go below.
 

ChrisS

Member III
Nate, I agree with you that these are all personal decisions and parents need to figure out what systems work best for them. We thought about the tethers, but with two kids, it wasn't practical. However, as the kids get older and we do more sailing in heavier air, we might revisit this option.

Stanley, if you are able to post a photo of your netting system, I'd like to take a look at it. Can you remove and reinstall it with ease? Also, where in the Bay do you keep your boat? What overnighters have you done? We went over to Angel Island and got a mooring for two nights at Ayala Cove a couple of weeks ago and had a great time. They have a pretty decent beach there for the kids to play, and during the week we almost had it to ourselves. We have also gone to South Beach Marina in SF a few times, which the kids also like. In June, it'll be the Delta, and for this, I want to have the cockpit contained so the kids can have a bit more room while we are at anchor.
 

ref_123

Member III
Netting system :)

Hi Chris,

I'll shoot some photos over the weekend when we are on the boat.

Our boat is in Brisbane. Our girl is just over 2 years, so we are not ready for overnight cruises yet - at least, mentally. We spent few nights in the dock with her, and she is mostly OK to sleep on the boat. Mosquitos are a problem over here though.

Regards,
Stanly
 

ref_123

Member III
Finally - pictures

Hi all,

sorry it took so long - first I was sick, then our girl was sick... Anyway. went to the boat today, here is the result...

The design is very simple: 2 pieces of PVC tube, one a bit shorter then the width of the gate, one a bit shorter then the height of the gate. A thin line, 1/4 nylon line from Home Depot worked fine. Attach the line on the base of the gate stanchion that is closer to the aft (assuming that the pelican hook closes on the opposite one). Pass the line through tubes and lay them so that the end of the longer tube sits under the loop where the pelican hook attaches to. Line with tubes on it now makes an L-shaped frame. Make a small bowline so that it can be passed through the hook. Attach the netting weaving it on the gate cable and using cable ties to clip it to tubes. Last thing - use 1 or 2 Velcro cable ties to attach the vertical tube to the stanchion. Now, when closed, the whole thing makes a rectangular frame that closes the gate. When opened, it nicely stoves itself along the toerail...

Good luck,
Stan
 

Attachments

  • Photo_051307_001.jpg
    Photo_051307_001.jpg
    139.4 KB · Views: 100
  • Photo_051307_002.jpg
    Photo_051307_002.jpg
    84.2 KB · Views: 68
  • Photo_051307_003.jpg
    Photo_051307_003.jpg
    81.7 KB · Views: 82
  • Photo_051307_004.jpg
    Photo_051307_004.jpg
    76.6 KB · Views: 87
Top