Leisure boating with young kids - nightmare or good idea (Yorkshire area)?

[skipfeeney]

Hi All,

 

I have got 3 kids, ages 1, 5 and 6.  I have always wanted to own a boat but always expected that it would be later on in life when the kids have flown the nest.  However recently i have been wondering if its something they would really love too.  If I got a boat I would be using it on weekends and school holidays.  I currently live near Selby, so would be looking at perhaps the river Ouse (York) or Leeds / Liverpool canal. to base the boat. However I am a bit worried the kids would be bored and there wouldn't be enough for them to do? On a weekend obviously we wouldn't be able to go very far on the boat.  Anyone else do anything similar?  Is there enough stopping points? Nice pubs, fields / play grounds etc?

 

Thanks

 

[BEngo]

 Welcome to the forum.  Loads of advice on here. Some of it conflicting.

 

Some kids love it, others don't.  Try a short break hire and see. If it goes well hore for longer.   If you or the kids are screen addicted you will need to check with the hire co about internet.  Most do these days. If you buy your own boat, loads of advice on here about how to get internet, best data deals etc.

 

Don't know your region, so I can't help with pubs etc.  The Ouse in York floods frequently, and the Leeds and Liverpool is  a big climb from Leeds to above Bingley, then lots of swing bridges to Skipton.  You won't go far (and back) in a weekend.

 

If you buy your own boat you need to budget for licence, insurance, moorings, safety exams, upkeep etc.  That will be about £4k every year.  Then there are fuel and gas when you use the boat.   Can you get enough time to make that expense worthwhile, whilst fitting in all the other things kids seem to be involved with out of schol hours?

 

N

Edited April 30, 2020 by BEngo

[Ray T]

Some reading: https://canalrivertrust.org.uk/media/library/141.pdf

 

CRT also have explorer pack for the youngsters: https://canalrivertrust.org.uk/search?q=children

 

https://canalrivertrust.org.uk/explorers

 

We took our children boating several times when they were young, under 10 and they loved it.

 

Of her own volition my daughter kept an illustrated log with post cards, drawings, maps and a commentary.

I thought we may have had trouble with my son who is autistic but he was no bother, he too was never bored.

Edited April 30, 2020 by Ray T

[Jen-in-Wellies]

On the Selby Canal, or the Aire & Calder would be a better place to moor the boat than the Ouse if you want somewhere nearby. If willing to travel, then a mooring anywhere, but these days I'd look in to flood risk, which can easily sink a boat if you're not there to keep an eye on it.

[Mike Tee]

Are you in lockdown like most of us? If so, how are the kids coping with that? It won't give you a definitive answer, but if they are OK without other kids around and are happy to be (relatively) confined then they stand a better chance of coping / enjoying than some kids these days who need outside (ie other kids / TV / XBox etc) stimulus. The best test, as advised ^^^ , albeit expensive, is an as long as possible hire holiday.

[Nightwatch]

My view, Leeds and Liverpool Canal. Hire from Skipton area, there’s at least two hire bases. Enjoy. It’s doable with Children. Three or more adults is helpful with locks and lift/swing bridges. (One adult to look over the children).

[ditchcrawler]

My Grandsons love it and insist on each spending 2 weeks of there summer holiday with us. The elder one always comes for his Birthday in July. However I always plan the rout so we have plenty of lock or other activities to do. They are now 13 and 14  years old and I have to take his dog as well

Do not under estimate how much looking after the smaller one may need. You could almost end up with single handed boating with a toddler.

[mrsmelly]

I would moor it on the Selby canal, a lovely littles stretch and drop down thro Knottla onto the Aire and Calder. The A and C itself is fairly boring but big so no need to worry about winding holes to turn and go home and big easy locks that are electric. Do a right turn and go onto the river at Ferrybridge through to Castleford as thats a lovely stretch. Or go down the New Junction onto the Stainforth and Keadby, several marinas and moorings along there. Bramwith has some nice moorings just as a for instance. You will need eyes in the back of your head with kids that age but you know that already ? Even a mooring on the A and C at say Pollington when they come up, all very short journeys by car from where you are.

[Machpoint005]

If you are confident that the child will obey you immediately when you yell "Stop!", then go ahead.

[skipfeeney]

Wow - thanks so much for the quick replies.  

 

The kids are really good on their own, they don't really need much other company.   They are also not glued to technology either - we have only just given the eldest two a tablet and really restrict usage.  They love caravan holidays - running up and down (!), making dens, colouring / arts and crafts etc which is why i thought they might like a boat.  I just worry if there are enough places to stop and stretch their legs and play  - fields etc to make it worthwhile?  

 

I discounted Selby canal as it was so near and wouldn't feel like a holiday but i guess it makes sense! 

 

I think the suggestion of doing a holiday is a good idea.  I will certainly look into that when times are better    

 

 

[system 4-50]

4 adults and 1 two year old was ok on my boat.  A 2nd grandchild has arrived which would make 4 adults to an 18mnth and a 4yr old. We see this as a lot harder. We find that we need one adult per infant full-time. This leaves 1 adult driving the boat & 1 helping out at locks or cooking.  Prolonged wet weather can be quite a challenge. 

If you want a boat, go for it, but I suggest entertaining small children should be a very small part of your justification.  I am hopeful that when my grandchildren are old enough to drive & operate locks the picture will be very different.  Unfortunately I am not likely to be around!

[Machpoint005]

3 minutes ago, system 4-50 said:

We find that we need one adult per infant full-time.

Yes, that's the right ratio!

 

[Dav and Pen]

Our two girls started boating very early the youngest was 3 and the older one 5. We had a small cabin cruiser on the Grand Union at Cosgrove and moored at the boat club. There were other children around and when we went cruising they kept themselves occupied drawing and picking wild flowers and in season blackberries. Pubs back then frowned on children inside and pub grub consisted of crisps and pickled eggs and occasionally a cheese roll so,they had to stay outside with a lemonade. We travelled all over the system weekending and eventually made a huge leap to a 72ft ex working boat. The. Youngest was then 10 and she could hardly see over the cabin top but could put it in gear and bring it out of a lock and she often came with me. With the hold set for camping boating we would take their friends for a long trip in between bookings and they all had a great time. 
By all means hire to see how your kids adapt but if they have been caravaning they should be pretty adaptable.

[BilgePump]

My sister and myself spent our childhood having touring caravan and cramped boating holidays. Dad and myself love boats, sis and mum not big fans but after upgrading from a 16' weekend boat, the four of us would spend three weeks in the summer on a 25' GRP boat and various weekends through the year (us kids were infant / junior age then, 5/10.  Even when weather meant we got stuck somewhere for days on end there was always something to do. Even if it was a board game for an hour. Nowadays the kids can have their tech onboard aswell, tablets, DVD, Netflix etc. Back when we were kids it wasn't really possible to take my ZX81 and B&W TV to play with. I would take my kayak, my sis all her art stuff and both of us our bikes. Nowadays, I'm sure the kids can take enough to entertain them and I doubt that even if they have no interest in boats per-se (like my sis) the family time is what counts and what they will enjoy and have fond memories of.

[captain birdseye]

My wife and I have been boating since we were both children and our two children have been on boats all their lives. They were pushing lock gates as soon as they were old enough to reach them.

 

We have always tried to plan routes to take in days away from the boat as we are away on the boat for most of the school holidays, for instance Drayton Manor Park is near Fazeley Junction, Waterworld at Stoke, Chester Zoo etc, so they have a few days out in the summer

 

They both can steer the boat and now they are teenagers the only problem we have when out on the boat is the moaning about lack of internet and absence of the xbox.

[Albion]

Our kids were absolutley fine when they were small but when they became teenagers they soon started to moan and ask 'Do we have to go on that smelly old boat?'..............not that it was smelly or old but you can appreciate what teenagers are like!!!!! ☹️

Roger

[BilgePump]

9 minutes ago, captain birdseye said:

My wife and I have been boating since we were both children and our two children have been on boats all their lives. They were pushing lock gates as soon as they were old enough to reach them.

 

We have always tried to plan routes to take in days away from the boat as we are away on the boat for most of the school holidays, for instance Drayton Manor Park is near Fazeley Junction, Waterworld at Stoke, Chester Zoo etc, so they have a few days out in the summer

 

They both can steer the boat and now they are teenagers the only problem we have when out on the boat is the moaning about lack of internet and absence of the xbox.

You do it the right way, the same way we were shown around boats. The kids are fully involved if they want to be. Thinking back at the age of 5 steering a 16' boat with a 40hp in the Menai Straits with my dad was an excellent start. We were always encouraged to help helm and lockwheel.

[hughc]

Some children, especially when indoctrinated whilst very young,  grow up  to become obsessed to the point where their canal mania exceeds even that of their parents. Regards, HughC.

[BilgePump]

18 minutes ago, Albion said:

Our kids were absolutley fine when they were small but when they became teenagers they soon started to moan and ask 'Do we have to go on that smelly old boat?'..............not that it was smelly or old but you can appreciate what teenagers are like!!!!! ☹️

Roger

Guess that's pretty much like most teenagers. If the folks do it, oh why, do we have to?  By the age of 16, I'd stay at home instead of going on the boat for the summer. I thought the canals were tedious ditches, the boat (decent narrowboat by then) boring to be on, dinghy sailing was miles better and I dreamed of coastal boating.  Just a dumb teenager. Didn't take long as an adult to realise the folly of youth.

[Machpoint005]

1 hour ago, BilgePump said:

Guess that's pretty much like most teenagers. If the folks do it, oh why, do we have to?  By the age of 16, I'd stay at home instead of going on the boat for the summer. I thought the canals were tedious ditches, the boat (decent narrowboat by then) boring to be on, dinghy sailing was miles better and I dreamed of coastal boating.  Just a dumb teenager. Didn't take long as an adult to realise the folly of youth.

 

I've been lumpy water sailing three times: twice on 24-footers and once on a dinghy. I resolved never to do so again unless the vessel was capable of carrying a crate of beer, and your feet didn't get wet. 

 

 

[Ray T]

2 hours ago, hughc said:

Some children, especially when indoctrinated whilst very young,  grow up  to become obsessed to the point where their canal mania exceeds even that of their parents. Regards, HughC.

Before children could safely work locks or operate the boat in horse days they would often walk the horse. As soon as they were big enough they took to steering the boats.

 

OP where and only where, it is safe to do so, get the older ones involved in running the boat. Under supervision get them to help with the locks, steer the boat etc. It will make life and memories more interesting for them.

Edited April 30, 2020 by Ray T

[ditchcrawler]

3 hours ago, captain birdseye said:

My wife and I have been boating since we were both children and our two children have been on boats all their lives. They were pushing lock gates as soon as they were old enough to reach them.

 

We have always tried to plan routes to take in days away from the boat as we are away on the boat for most of the school holidays, for instance Drayton Manor Park is near Fazeley Junction, Waterworld at Stoke, Chester Zoo etc, so they have a few days out in the summer

 

They both can steer the boat and now they are teenagers the only problem we have when out on the boat is the moaning about lack of internet and absence of the xbox.

But it sounds like you were both experienced boater when you had kids on the boat. I have seen holidaymakers with small kids and my heart is in my mouth at times

3 minutes ago, Ray T said:

Before children could safely work locks or operate the boat in horse days they would often walk the horse. As soon as they were big enough they took to steering the boats.

 

OP where and only where, it is safe to do so, get the older ones involved in running the boat. Under supervision get them to help with the locks, steer the boat etc.

And how many were drowned before they were teenages ?

[Ray T]

35 minutes ago, ditchcrawler said:

But it sounds like you were both experienced boater when you had kids on the boat. I have seen holidaymakers with small kids and my heart is in my mouth at times

And how many were drowned before they were teenages ?

The relevance of that is? The boat people I know were not careless with their children.

If you don't take them on the boat and get them involved how are they to get experience?

We have taken my own children and now my grandchildren (various ages) on the boat many times and not lost any of them yet.

 

Adults drown whilst boating still - Varneys Lock for one example.

 

No pursuit is 100% risk free.

Edited April 30, 2020 by Ray T

[cuthound]

I introduced my two boys to canalling when they were 4 and 6.

 

They loved it, and learnt a lot about risk assessment and safety whilst it built up their self confidence.

 

Both lost interest at 16 (competition from girls etc), but joined in again in their mid twenties.

 

Until they could strongly swim, life jackets were mandatory when on deck.

 

Now we are introducing our grandchildren to the cut.

[ditchcrawler]

2 hours ago, Ray T said:

The relevance of that is? The boat people I know were not careless with their children.

If you don't take them on the boat and get them involved how are they to get experience?

We have taken my own children and now my grandchildren (various ages) on the boat many times and not lost any of them yet.

 

Adults drown whilst boating still - Varneys Lock for one example.

 

No pursuit is 100% risk free.

We are quite at cross purposes here with what each of us thinks the other thinks.