Launching the boat with kids

[ChasingPaper]

OK, so here’s the issue... I’m hoping someone can tell me how they safely launched their boat with little ones and their spouse. I have twins that are 1 year old and I can’t really come up with a way to launch the boat safely with them. My wife has no problem driving the boat off the trailer with me backing it down, but it just doesn’t seem safe to have them on the boat while she’s doing this and I’ve thought about carrying them both down to the boat after parking the rig and trailer, but not too sure if there’s a ramp with a beach next to it or something. Walking down the dock carrying 2 babies seems sketchy too. We stay in Havasu and have a 28’ Conquest deck.

Any ideas would be appreciated! Obviously when we have others with us it’s not a problem, but we will want to go out just us 4 sometimes.


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[steak&lobster]

OK, so here’s the issue... I’m hoping someone can tell me how they safely launched their boat with little ones and their spouse. I have twins that are 1 year old and I can’t really come up with a way to launch the boat safely with them. My wife has no problem driving the boat off the trailer with me backing it down, but it just doesn’t seem safe to have them on the boat while she’s doing this and I’ve thought about carrying them both down to the boat after parking the rig and trailer, but not too sure if there’s a ramp with a beach next to it or something. Walking down the dock carrying 2 babies seems sketchy too. We stay in Havasu and have a 28’ Conquest deck.

Any ideas would be appreciated! Obviously when we have others with us it’s not a problem, but we will want to go out just us 4 sometimes.


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@OldSchoolBoats to the courtesy phone please

 

[shintoooo]

Get a slip in the Marina until the kids are older. Problem solved.

 

[OldSchoolBoats]

Launch early. Back in with wife and kids in the boat. Tie up to dock, run back over and grab the truck. Drive up park and walk back down.

My kids are older now so I put all of them on the boat, pull off trailer and wife pulls the truck up and walks down with our littlest. Walking on the docks isn't sketchy.

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[OldSchoolBoats]

Get a slip in the Marina until the kids are older. Problem solved.

Exactly what we are doing. So much easier and the online reservation system they have now kicks ass. Also bought a collapsable dolly for the cooler....lol

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[steak&lobster]

Get a slip in the Marina until the kids are older. Problem solved.

don't listen to the "non boater" guy

 

[DEEZNUTS]

Wish I had a better solution for you but I don't. This is the exact reason I sold my last boat and took a break for a while.

We did it without any real drama but it became more stress than anything. Decided to take a break until the kids got older. Sold the hallett 240 closed bow and now kick myself in the ass for it.

When they were real little, it was tough. Now that they are older, I'm back in the market.

 

[530RL]

Launch early. Back in with wife and kids in the boat. Tie up to dock, run back over and grab the truck. Drive up park and walk back down.

My kids are older now so I put all of them on the boat, pull off trailer and wife pulls the truck up and walks down with our littlest. Walking on the docks isn't sketchy.

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I agree with this.

I have never ever cared if someone took a little extra time at the launch ramp with kids no matter how busy or how long the back up.

Best to get them boating early. If it delays me a few minutes, no problem, happy to see a family on the lake. And if someone bitches, I'm the first person to back the family up or offer to help with their boat.

 

[ChasingPaper]

Launch early. Back in with wife and kids in the boat. Tie up to dock, run back over and grab the truck. Drive up park and walk back down.

My kids are older now so I put all of them on the boat, pull off trailer and wife pulls the truck up and walks down with our littlest. Walking on the docks isn't sketchy.

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I think this is what I was thinking of doing I just don’t want to be that guy that everyone’s waiting on, but going early would limit that.


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[ChasingPaper]

I agree with this.

I have never ever cared if someone took a little extra time at the launch ramp with kids no matter how busy or how long the back up.

Best to get them boating early. If it delays me a few minutes, no problem, happy to see a family on the lake. And if someone bitches, I'm the first person to back the family up or offer to help with their boat.

This makes sense to me! Most guys seem to be a little more forgiving of this.


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[OldSchoolBoats]

I think this is what I was thinking of doing I just don’t want to be that guy that everyone’s waiting on, but going early would limit that.


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I have gone by myself with my 2 boys the past 2 years for Desert Storm and have launched alone. I always take the far lane and have never got any dirty looks or anything for "holding" anyone up........people don't care.

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[HALLETT BOY]

I go early , get lane near dock at the marina , slide boat off , tie up to dock , go park truck , walk back to boat , un tie and go boating . I usually can do it by myself a lot quicker than most people .

 

[Frankenmax]

Your taking your kids! No one in there right mind is going to give you any shit. I had a 73 Kona that I would load my wife and two boys in. I would push the boat off in the water the same way as you. No problems my boys where little then, my youngest at time was 6 months old. There now 6 and 4 I still do it that way. Keep it up man.


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[djhartley2003]

I had this problem for a while. My X didn't know how to drive the boat and didn't want to learn. So I would put her and the boys in the boat, back down, pull the boat off, tie it up in a slip, walk back over to go park the truck and trailer, walk back to the boat. The real trick is having dock lines and bumpers already tied to the cleats. All I had to do was flip them over the side and tie off. Did the whole thing in reverse when we were loading the boat at the end of the day. As long as your not standing around wasting time no one ever really cares. The only time I ever had anyone say anything was when someone was having a hard time backing there trailer in. You'll get fast at it and get a routine going in no time at all.

I mainly launched at Windsor south side because of the curtesy slips.

 

[TCHB]

Launch the boat
Park the truck in the Parking lot at Windsor 4 closest to the channel.
Take the two kids and meet the wife on the white sand beach in the channel.
Reverse when putting the boat back on the trailer.

 

[Hullbilly]

Launch early. Back in with wife and kids in the boat. Tie up to dock, run back over and grab the truck. Drive up park and walk back down.

My kids are older now so I put all of them on the boat, pull off trailer and wife pulls the truck up and walks down with our littlest. Walking on the docks isn't sketchy.

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This is how we did it, I’d back in, pull the boat off tie off... Park the truck and jog back down and off we went.

When we got back, I’d tie up, run grab the truck dunk the trailer, load the boat and wifey would pull us out and up to the wipedown lane.

Never once had an issue as we were faster than most, after a few runs it was a well oiled machine

 

[Bigbore500r]

My wife does the trailer, I would do the boat with the kids in it. Kids have their life jackets on, boat has enough freeboard that they can’t just fall out easily. Now days I have them sit on the seats, but when they were small I’d have them sit in the floor and usually under the bow in front of me so I knew they were safe while I backed boat off trailer, etc. That way I wasn’t worried about them climbing up on seats, leaning over side, etc.
Wife just parks trailer and walks down

 

[ChasingPaper]

Launch the boat
Park the truck in the Parking lot at Windsor 4 closest to the channel.
Take the two kids and meet the wife on the white sand beach in the channel.
Reverse when putting the boat back on the trailer.

This is what I was thinking about too! Thanks!


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[nowski]

Have the kids in the boat while wife backs boat off trailer. You park the truck while wife cruises around marina and picks you up at the dock when you get there. This is what worked for us seemed pretty easy at the time. We raised our two kids in a boat, sons first trip at 6 months and daughters first trip at 3 months.

 

[02HoWaRd26]

Launch early. Back in with wife and kids in the boat. Tie up to dock, run back over and grab the truck. Drive up park and walk back down.

My kids are older now so I put all of them on the boat, pull off trailer and wife pulls the truck up and walks down with our littlest. Walking on the docks isn't sketchy.

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This, i cannot imagine anyone saying anything whatsoever just toss the wife and kids in the boat before backing to the water as that will keep you from blocking the lane to insanely long. My wife refuses to drive the boat and I’m scared of how many cars she’d take out trying to park with the trailer so i do the same thing just don’t lazydaze and no one ever says a thing.

 

[DEEZNUTS]

Launch the boat
Park the truck in the Parking lot at Windsor 4 closest to the channel.
Take the two kids and meet the wife on the white sand beach in the channel.
Reverse when putting the boat back on the trailer.

This was the best solution I had found over the years

 

[RiverDave]

Just out of curiosity what doesn’t seem safe about having them in the boat?

 

[RiverDave]

Have the kids in the boat while wife backs boat off trailer. You park the truck while wife cruises around marina and picks you up at the dock when you get there. This is what worked for us seemed pretty easy at the time. We raised our two kids in a boat, sons first trip at 6 months and daughters first trip at 3 months.

That’s what we do, except the wife prefers the truck. It became harder when they were around two years old because they could climb out. At that time I just put the two year old on my lap.

 

[ChasingPaper]

Just out of curiosity what doesn’t seem safe about having them in the boat?

What I mean is they could crawl around the boat or grab the controls and my wife would have to chase after them around the boat and couldn’t really hold them while driving


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[RiverDave]

What I mean is they could crawl around the boat or grab the controls and my wife would have to chase after them around the boat and couldn’t really hold them while driving


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Well you can carry them back from the truck but that’s a pain in the ass. Lol

 

[Classic Daycruiser]

I think this is what I was thinking of doing I just don’t want to be that guy that everyone’s waiting on, but going early would limit that.
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Many times I launch and tie up, and go park. I never try that on a busy summer weekend. I always have an experience crew on the busy weekends.

 

[Melloyellovector]

I always launched tied up, left kids in boat, went and parked truck. I usually can do it quicker then most that have drivers for both. When kids got bigger made em hold boat instead, now my sons big enough he can do boat or trailer.
Nearly 10 years that way zero issues from anyone.

Some Holiday weekends my dad would roll with and back us down, launch, he’d go home with truck and trailer. Call at end of day coming back and he’d be there waiting. That shits nice

 

[Rondog4405]

We have 2 boys 4 and 6yo. We launch at pirates or bluewater in parker or havasu springs alot. I have the boat prepped of course. Ill back the boat down the ramp a few feet from the water . hop out throw the kids in .. They usually hide under the dash from the sun if the biminis down.. I hop in the drivers seat. Wife backs the boat in and i idle out why she parks the truck and trailer. When shes close ill get close to the dock and she hops on. Easy peasy. Only time we have issues is when its a busy day and she has to back up the trailer to park it after launching. A few times shes said guys have saw her struggling and helped her park it. Ive held up a few boats over the years situating the kids while launching and most are cool and dont trip. The rest could kiss my ass and wait!! Lol

 

[Hardly Satisfied]

Launch early. Back in with wife and kids in the boat. Tie up to dock, run back over and grab the truck. Drive up park and walk back down.

My kids are older now so I put all of them on the boat, pull off trailer and wife pulls the truck up and walks down with our littlest. Walking on the docks isn't sketchy.

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Joe. Your doing it all wrong. I back in the trailer with wife and kids on the boat than wife gets in the truck and I drive the boat off the trailer and she parks the truck and trailer. When we come in I drop wife off at the dock and she backs in the trailer and than she pulls it out to the wipe down area. I'm not stupid and walking in the heat up and back.

 

[NicPaus]

I recall my Twin Niece and Nephew first boat ride. Just me and my sister brought them out at 10 months with there 3 year old big Sister. I was wondering how we would get it done. WetNWild Alan came through with the launch and retrieve. Another 2 River Neighbors jumped on board to help. Just spent Easter with them 4 and 2 others 1 and 3. Kids are like clock work now on the boat. No crying, take turns driving. If you were in Parker I would gladly help. Twins are double trouble but double the love. My twin Nephew has already learned just give up the seat to get the show on the road. The 1 year old will battle with his 3 year old Sister until they give up fussing and both sit on eachother on my lap so they can drive. Can't wait for next Kids trip.

 

[ChasingPaper]

I recall my Twin Niece and Nephew first boat ride. Just me and my sister brought them out at 10 months with there 3 year old big Sister. I was wondering how we would get it done. WetNWild Alan came through with the launch and retrieve. Another 2 River Neighbors jumped on board to help. Just spent Easter with them 4 and 2 others 1 and 3. Kids are like clock work now on the boat. No crying, take turns driving. If you were in Parker I would gladly help. Twins are double trouble but double the love. My twin Nephew has already learned just give up the seat to get the show on the road. The 1 year old will battle with his 3 year old Sister until they give up fussing and both sit on eachother on my lap so they can drive. Can't wait for next Kids trip.

This is the whole reason I bought the house and boat in Havasu! Can’t wait to make all these memories as they grow up! [emoji1360]


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[River Runnin]

Secure car seats tied down or put um in a kennel (small play pen) with a couple pillows!

 

[lbhsbz]

Clip their life jacket straps around each other so they can't get too far apart, then clip a strap around something else in the boat so they stay put for the 2 minutes or so it takes to launch. Then unstrap, (or leave 'em like that lol) and carry on with your day.

 

[ChasingPaper]

Clip their life jacket straps around each other so they can't get too far apart, then clip a strap around something else in the boat so they stay put for the 2 minutes or so it takes to launch. Then unstrap, (or leave 'em like that lol) and carry on with your day.

Lmao! Best idea yet!


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[Flying_Lavey]

I don't have twins but I have 2 girls. Last summer they were 1 and 3. The 3 year old is pretty good. The 1 year old is a climber! I'd back the boat in, the wife would drive it off while holding the 1 year old. I'd go 0ark the truck. I'd come down to the courtesy dock all the way to the end and my wife would just throw it in neutral as she came past the dock and I'd just on it. Easy peasy. Now the kicker though, my boat has no reverse. :-D

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[Flying_Lavey]

Clip their life jacket straps around each other so they can't get too far apart, then clip a strap around something else in the boat so they stay put for the 2 minutes or so it takes to launch. Then unstrap, (or leave 'em like that lol) and carry on with your day.

I like it! Use a dock line that matches the boat and caribeaners on both ends, I bet they'll enjoy it even.

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[the510]

I’ll be launching with my 18 month twins in the morning. I’ll let you know how it goes.

 

[bowtiejunkie]

Joe. Your doing it all wrong. I back in the trailer with wife and kids on the boat than wife gets in the truck and I drive the boat off the trailer and she parks the truck and trailer. When we come in I drop wife off at the dock and she backs in the trailer and than she pulls it out to the wipe down area. I'm not stupid and walking in the heat up and back.

This is exactly as I’ve done with two kids and wife. Kids are now 8 and 7. Worked great, until she had a crappy backing experience and she won’t go boating anymore (a-holes we’re making fun of her, until a real man was nice enough to help her out). I’ve gone back to doing everything myself (back, dock boat, park trailer, and reverse upon leaving for day), but I think she’s done boating.

Solo with the kids is a bit stressful in regards to whether best to put them in boat or keep them in truck when launching and retrieving.

A lot of great info here. I don’t care if I have to wait for a family at the ramp. We’re all out boating to have fun.

 

[River Runnin]

Harness and tether

 

[Rondog4405]

Joe. Your doing it all wrong. I back in the trailer with wife and kids on the boat than wife gets in the truck and I drive the boat off the trailer and she parks the truck and trailer. When we come in I drop wife off at the dock and she backs in the trailer and than she pulls it out to the wipe down area. I'm not stupid and walking in the heat up and back.

What we do too!