Pontoons and toddlers

[badmoonrising]

My son is 2 1/2 and he's always had his vest on, at all times while on my boat. We started taking him on the boat at 2 months old. We put it on at the ramp and it doesn't come odd until we are back on land. It only takes a second for an accident to happen.

[Pwatton]

All good points. Thanks guys. I had already thought about putting his life jacket on before the dock. And he will be keeping it on the entire trip.

[tuned]

I'm all about pre-dock jackets. Just a couple years ago I saw a toddler push against the boat and fall between the boat and the dock with no life jacket on. Mom had the balls to yell at him. Grrrr

[ROLAND]

Kids on boats = life jackets.

[cwag911]

PROUD GRAMPA !!

[GXPWeasel]

My daughter, now almost 4 (where did the time go) has been on our boat since 3 weeks old. She knows that EVERY time she is on the boat, the life jacket goes on. One thing I did with her once whe was actually moving around, and walking, was maker her wear her life jacket around the house on several occasions. This got her acclamated to it, and that way when on the boat, she wouldn't be too uncomfortable. This seemed to work for her, and as my proof, my nephews and niece that are roughly the same age, always threw a huge fit when they had to wear the jacket the whole time.

Here in KS, every child is required to wear a PFD, until the age 13. No exceptions, per state law. I have removed my daughters PFD once while on the boat, when stopped. We had to change her diaper.

[curtiscapk]

Wow Greg 4!!! Glad all is well!

[Hawk_308]

Which it does help to bait them .

[yellowk9]

In Arkansas all kids 12 and under are required to where them at all times. The exception is if anchored and within an enclosed boat (party barge with railings counts) they can lose the vest legally. We normally make ours wear them then as well (5 and 7), but will sometimes give them a break from the vest during lunch or while learning to swim. Everybody wears a vest when the big motor is running or when the situation otherwise dictates (lots of boat traffic, etc.). Several years ago I was with a buddy on their party barge. We were sitting idle with the motor running and his infant daughter was temporarily without a vest while breastfeeding. A park ranger came up and was going to write him a ticket because the motor was idling and the baby's vest was sitting on the seat. He turned red and quickly departed when he realized why momma was sitting in the back with a towel over her and baby.

[Pwatton]

Hey its great people are posting pics! I put our on the boat while I was messing around the other day. He went straight for the wheel and throttle. Another thing to watch! He is pretty chill with anything we do, I started biking with him at 6 months old then onto hiking and XC skiing with him in a chariot stroller. It has a proper baby insert for support and he has never fussed with it. I will start putting his life jacket on around the house to get him used to it. And life jacket on all the time. He can't climb up the seats or the railing yet. But its not worth the risk.

[playcat]

I agree with others PLUS I would suggest that the child have the appropriate life jacket for their size (they have them with leg straps) and make sure the life jacket has a good place to get a hook on the back. If you don't have one of these for mooring (and grabbing the back of a life jacket), then I suggest you make the investment:

http://www.overtons.com/modperl/product ... gi?i=38798

my one-year old daughter fell overboard while at a gas dock with 3 adults watching her feed some ducks. with a pfd having a rescue loop on the back, we snatched her out of the water in just a few seconds.

[ROLAND]

I agree with others PLUS I would suggest that the child have the appropriate life jacket for their size (they have them with leg straps) and make sure the life jacket has a good place to get a hook on the back. If you don't have one of these for mooring (and grabbing the back of a life jacket), then I suggest you make the investment:

http://www.overtons.com/modperl/product ... gi?i=38798

my one-year old daughter fell overboard while at a gas dock with 3 adults watching her feed some ducks. with a pfd having a rescue loop on the back, we snatched her out of the water in just a few seconds.

geeze playcat.. that would have scared the hell out of me... thank god she was okay..... but that right there is more reason as to why kids should be wearing pfd's.... things like that happen in the blink of an eye....

[badmoonrising]

Ethan's been a natural, never fussed about having a life vest on at all times. This year, he started putting it on himself when he sees me getting the boat ready. Here he is at 8 months and last week.

[HandymanHerb]

Buy them one they like and they won't take it off even off the boat

[kryptonite]

I know of some people that don't put them on infants because of the hassle and think there is no way of anything happening. Well, what happens if a drunk in a runabout hits your boat? How are you going to protect your infant then? You have to be worried about everyone else out there. When they are old enough to understand the rules, explain it to them.