June 14, 2006 - Toddlers on Board
by Scott and Wendy Bannerot

	Ryan's first taste of fly fishing, at 18 months old in the Marshall Islands.

SetSail received an email from a family about to go cruising with twin toddler boys. We forwarded their questions to all of our contributors who have raised kids on boats...

Hi Uli & David,

Elyse Dashew forwarded your query. Let me answer some of your questions. First, please if you can get a copy of our article "Ryan Sails the South Pacific", Cruising World magazine, July 2004, it should answer some of your concerns (see also "Voyage to the Real Samoa", Ocean Navigator, Sept/October 2003, and "Southwest from Polynesia", Ocean Navigator, March/April 2004).

In addition: You are correct to be concerned about night time at anchor or on passage (well, day time too). We know of a handful of tragedies involving infants/toddlers on board, and they're all the same. The child gets loose briefly and goes overboard when the parents aren't looking (two on passage, two at anchor) and they're gone. So, vigilance is the key, and also properly securing them with tethered harnesses on deck, and car seat or plastic swing chair (see article). We constructed, out of 2-inch dowel-framed canvas and soft mesh, completely safe enclosures (aft settee playpen, Ryan's bunk, our bunk) from which he could not escape (photo in article). He was secure and he loved it. At night on passage the off-watch person would have Ryan in the bunk with them, with mesh enclosure secure, and staying in touch with Ryan. I always slept with one of his feet in my hand, with part of my mind on never letting go (he's six now and any time we take a nap together I still hold one of his feet out of habit). Of course this was when he was much younger than your twins (he started major passages at 8 months old, beginning with New Zealand to Tonga).

I also think you are very wise to address the possibility of head injury, the other major possibility for toddlers on board. Ryan wore a padded rugby helmet much of the time, much less bulky and more comfortable than a bike helmet.

Your main concern for the twins is that they are increasingly mobile and capable of escaping most of the enclosures that work for the little ones. But they're also getting old enough to listen and obey strict orders like never going on deck at night or without a parent. On a boat one of you must always be in eye contact with both children. You can never let your guard down. The rewards are more than worth it, as through their eyes the wonders that you will experience together are all the more magnified, not to mention the huge gift you are giving to them by taking them for a life aboard.

On entertainment: Don't worry about this, it's no problem. Ryan loved watching videos, and we always got ones that were both entertaining and educational so he was learning the whole time. We've also watched the surfing movie Endless Summer II together about 1,000 times. I highly recommend a small TV and DVD/CD player. They love music, and we always do a lot of reading. You also couldn't find better entertainment than dolphins on the bow wave, snorkeling (your twins are old enough to start now, as Ryan did - they can free dive like fish at age two), exploring beaches and reefs, and the simple joy of sailing. Ryan also got his first boogie board at age two and first surf board at age three. You have a huge advantage as well in that the twins have each other to play with. They will invent all manner of their own games around the deck and down below. Some of the plastic dump trucks and other toys are amazingly resilient and can live on deck in a mesh dive bag.

Good luck and have a great time. I don't think you'll ever look back from the joy of having children aboard, and I think it's the ultimate lifestyle for them and for you. Cruising is ideally suited for raising kids.

Best wishes, Scott Bannerot