Any parents around?

[Faerydae]

Hi, I'm fairly new to boating and me and my partner are going to pick up our first boat this weekend.

 

It will be our main accommodation and we are also expecting our first child in June so I'm just wondering if there's any parents around that have raised a child on board? and if there's any tips and advice you could give me?

[jimbo747]

Hi, a brave step (but not a stupid one) and I congratulate you. We looked at this many times after years of canal holidays, but my then wife wasn't keen.

I have no advice to offer, only my congratulations on being unafraid.

 

Jimbo

[ChimneyChain]

Hi there, our two children are seven and three. As baby's it was fairly easy going but as they grow up it is getting a bit harder. The main problem at the moment is finding places for toys and clothes but you only have one at the mo so it might be ok. If you are not picking up a 70 footer you soon will be. Getting then used to being sensible by water was fairly easy our youngest was walking quite sensible by the water at two. As we live on a towpath mooring it's ok but we could have done with a mooring with a garden. It is stressful but as they grow it does get easier. Oh plus we have two dogs. Good luck

 

Darren

[Faerydae]

we're not picking up a 70 footer no but we are planning on eventually dragging it out of the water for an extension to be welded in, my partner has lived on boats all of his life pretty much so at least one of us knows what we're doing!

 

I have ummed and ahhed over doing it a good few times and had moments where I've just sat here and gone "argh I can't do it on a boat!" haha, but seem to be over that now and am looking forward to it

 

yeah have been thinking about storage space, the boat we're picking up isn't fully fitted yet so there's space where we could hopefully build enough storage space for clothes and toys.

 

I am wondering though if there's any form of fire guard that fits around a stove on a boat? that's been one of my primary concerns...

[mickspangle]

Its all perfectly do-able. Our daughter is two and a half and has lived aboard all her life. Obviously you watch out for them but I think living on a canal is no worse than having a big pond in your garden. I'm more concerned about the speed of some of the cyclists on the towpath.

 

There are all types of stairgates and fireguards out there for protecting little ones. Alternatively you can get one made bespoke as a family we know did.

 

As with any life choice there are pros and cons, but for me the ability to feed ducks out of the side doors of a morning or read the Gruffalo as a bedtime story with real owls hooting outside is definitely a Good Thing.

 

Congratulations by the way! There's probably more families on the cut than you think.

[keble]

 

I am wondering though if there's any form of fire guard that fits around a stove on a boat? that's been one of my primary concerns...

my daughter and her hubby raised their first born on their boat (they moved ashore when she was about 2).

They managed very well, and at least you can keep your eye on the child easily on the boat!

As to the fire guard, they fixed a stair gate right across the boat between the stove and the rest of the boat; it worked really well.

Rob

[Faerydae]

I actually found this just after asking about fire guards which seems like it would be a good option if not a bit costly?

http://www.kiddicare.com/webapp/wcs/stores/servlet/ProductDisplay?storeId=10001&catalogId=10751&langId=-1&productId=64896&source=froogle&cm_mmc=Froogle-_-Shopping%20Sites-_-CPC-_-Froogle

[ChimneyChain]

Fire bases/ surrounds come in all different shapes and sizes i just got a length of 2" square mesh and formed it to the shape I needed and it didn't cost a penny. Our children didn't even bother with the fire but safety first I suppose. I've found children living in houses are fascinated by the water there parents running around like blue arse flies, while our children just walk quietly by.

 

Darren

Edited February 2, 2012 by ChimneyChain

[Faerydae]

ahh mesh now there's an idea, already got a huge roll of mesh in the shed from building hamster cages haha, may just make something with that thanks!

[ChimneyChain]

ahh mesh now there's an idea, already got a huge roll of mesh in the shed from building hamster cages haha, may just make something with that thanks!

 

No you need soild mesh not hamster cage mesh. Like fencing mesh it sounds crude but it looks alright when it's done right.

 

Darren

[alan_fincher]

Many of the bog standard child-proof fire guards are intended to go in front of a stove, and surround it on three sides, (unsurprising, as that is the norm in a house).

 

It depends what you have on your boat, but quite often a boat stove is in a corner, so you effectively just need an "L-shaped" guard, so that it bounds the stove on the two sides it is not surrounded by cabin or bulkhead. It is fairly easy to modify some of the standard guards to suit this, although the end result may not be 100% elegant. (We are beyond the point of needing to protect sons, but use a modified one to stop the dog setting himself alight!)

 

Don't forget whatever you come up with mustn't be a burden to move, every time you want to fuel or otherwise tend the stove. If it is too cumbersome, you'll have nowhere else to stand it whilst it is temporarily not round the stove.

 

Unless you have a lot of space around your stove, something like that Kiddicare one is unlikely to fit, unless bits are removed from it, I suspect.

[Faerydae]

it says it fits 90cm - 300cm so may be ok on the smallest? will have to measure it up once we pick the boat up I guess and see how it'd fit before deciding the gate on it just seems to be the bit drawing me to it the most as it wouldn't need to be moved to actually get to the stove

Edited February 2, 2012 by Faerydae

[deletedaccount]

Hi, I'm fairly new to boating and me and my partner are going to pick up our first boat this weekend.

 

It will be our main accommodation and we are also expecting our first child in June so I'm just wondering if there's any parents around that have raised a child on board? and if there's any tips and advice you could give me?

 

I've had my boat since my lad was three. Never really had any problems other than long commutes to school due to CCing. He quickly got the hang of things and now he's all over the boat like a monkey - only fallen in once

 

Plus he makes me waffles for breakfast on the stove.

[mrsmelly]

Hi, I'm fairly new to boating and me and my partner are going to pick up our first boat this weekend.

 

It will be our main accommodation and we are also expecting our first child in June so I'm just wondering if there's any parents around that have raised a child on board? and if there's any tips and advice you could give me?

 

I wouldnt have done it because I wouldnt have had the bottle. Its a great idea, better to bring them up with kingfishers and wildlife rather than the usual xbox rubbish. I know several people who have done it including a lady I now know who has 2 boys, the eldest can steer her 70 footer anywhere and much better than 99 per cent of other boat owners I have seen and he is about 12 years old. Both kids are well dressed and extremely well mannered and a credit to her. I would say go for it without hesitation

[mickspangle]

I actually found this just after asking about fire guards which seems like it would be a good option if not a bit costly?

http://www.kiddicare.com/webapp/wcs/stores/servlet/ProductDisplay?storeId=10001&catalogId=10751&langId=-1&productId=64896&source=froogle&cm_mmc=Froogle-_-Shopping%20Sites-_-CPC-_-Froogle

 

We got one of those off eBay and pretty much fixed it across the front of the saloon as the sf stove is in the corner by the front doors. It does work well, and it gives us an extra 'safe zone' to put things we didnt want our daughter picking up. It was fixed so we didn't need to move it to tend to the stove.

 

It comes in 6 sections - we needed 3 to do the width of a narrowboat

[saltysplash]

Hi

 

Own 2 children are now 2 and a half and 8 months.

 

Our 60' Narrowboat was fine when our oldest was a babe in arms but as she became mobile and more toys took over our living accomodation we made the change to a widebeam.

 

Much more floorspace available for them to use up that never ending energy kids seem to have.

 

As to the fire, we've never used a fireguard, not that we didnt want one, it just that Lilian understood very quickly that its hot and not to go near it. The only gate we use is blocking off the galley which also leads to steps to the rear deck.

 

Our only concern now is that the eldest is more water safety conscious then road safety conscious

[Grace and Favour]

If I needed a fire guard for our stove, I would make a point of having one made locally* - only then could I be sure that it was exactly the right size to fit around the fire, and mount onto the cabin side/bulkhead firmly.

 

(I'd use a blacksmith / steel fabrication company - have it made in 1 - 2" heavy steel/stainless steel mesh, and would form a quadrant round the stove, that would allow us to open the stove door easily

[Julysea]

We live on a 69ft widebeam and our baby is 5 months, we also have 4 other kids between us who alternate between being with us and their other parents. We've only been doing it since December and things have been pretty up and down but all in all I would say go for it, despite the problems we've encountered I've not regretted it for a second.

[Chertsey]

Re storage, remember, children don't actually need that many toys. Be very strict with present giving friends and relatives so you don't end up with a boat full of plastic tat.

[saltysplash]

Re storage, remember, children don't actually need that many toys. Be very strict with present giving friends and relatives so you don't end up with a boat full of plastic tat.

 

very true, we give friends and relatives the option to pay some money into trust accounts that we opened for the girls but you still cant get away from those gifts that appear on the back deck while your away. People are very generous.

 

We tend to have a toy and clothes Cull just before or after birthdays and christmas.

[Faerydae]

didn't end up picking the boat up over the weekend thanks to the lovely weather we've had, grr. will be rearranging for when the snows melted somewhat and the canal has defrosted...

 

true about not needing that many toys and people seem to be asking what I need/want so I've been pointing out small things or things that can be stored in small spaces but luckily I've been mainly bought clothes so far which isn't too bad

[FrigateCaptain]

IKEA is good for fitting out boat nurserys. It's difficult and fantastic bringing a child up on the canal. Although for us its been short lived as Nb whimbrel goes On the market next week.

[Chickadee]

I'm really interested in this being something that we're thinking about for the not to distant future. I'd love to know what people have found the hardest having kids on a boat. Anything that might not be obvious? Sorry to hijack.

[Faerydae]

went to see the boat today... we're back to the drawing board looking for one as there's a LOT more work needs doing to it than was advertised and way too much for us to do in 3 months

 

and lol it's fine Chickadee! good to know someone else is thinking about it for the future too

[FrigateCaptain]

went to see the boat today... we're back to the drawing board looking for one as there's a LOT more work needs doing to it than was advertised and way too much for us to do in 3 months

 

and lol it's fine Chickadee! good to know someone else is thinking about it for the future too

 

Ours is 64ft with ready built nursery! And can be off in 3 months.......