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Yacht Racing With a Baby
Why a Catamaran makes sense for family sailing |
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 In case you were wondering how a baby would fit in to a racing yacht, we have a couple of pictures and ideas to show you.
We
were invited to crew for a regatta at the Cairns Yacht Club and our
Skipper kindly allowed us to bring our 12 week old baby along.
We were apprehensive at first but soon realised that the baby was treating it much as any other day.
"The
floor is moving a bit and there are some new noises that seem to have
something to do with those ropes, but there's Mum and there's Dad so
everything must be OK".
Safety First.
Always have
non-swimming crew members wearing their Personal Flotation Devices
while traveling on the dinghy or other unstable craft.
Be Sun-Smart.
Slip on a shirt, Slop on some 30+ sunscreen and Slap on a hat.
On a long day out or if you get wet, re-apply the sunscreen - especially on faces and lips.
Baby Calming.
It
is important to reassure the baby when doing new stuff - the drone of
the outboard in the dinghy and the auxilliary engine(s) on the yacht
will have a calming effect.
 Accommodations On Board.
The
easiest thing to use as a baby chair on board is a bean bag - spread a
folded towel over the bag to stop the baby from sinking into the bag.
Be careful that items in the cabin are stowed properly and will not fall onto the baby while under way.
This will be much more of a problem on a keelboat because of the crazy heeling angles while under sail.
The
bridgedeck of a catamaran is the ideal spot for a baby to sleep and
kick around - a baby can be playing inside and still be on the same
level with you in the cockpit.
Somewhere near the centre of the boat will give them the best ride.
If you have washboards for your companionway(s), you can use the bottom board as a "baby gate" for crawlers and toddlers.
What To Pack For The Baby.
For a day trip, bring a small baby bag with about 10 disposable nappies and scented nappy disposal bags.
A fold up change mat.
Baby wipes.
A few cloth nappies for rags, sun shades, leg bolsters, etc.
A large towel to use folded under the baby when lying down - useful to pad up the baby to avoid being "swallowed" by a bean bag.
Bottle with water.
Baby food - bottle or breast.
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