I may have asked this once before, but here goes.
I have had a little boat for the last ten years. First, a little open bow 17 foot I/O runabout, and now an older Supra inboard with an open bow. Because the lakes in Arizona attract large crowds, we usually go only on weekdays, early in the morning (5 AM) and return home before it gets to hot (9 AM). The lakes are actually pretty calm at this time.
It is usually just our family that goes-my wife and I, and our four kids (ages 9, 6, 3, and 9 months). My kids love to go the lake, and the older girls are now learning to wakeboard. One issue that we have always had (every three years anyway) is how to deal with the baby on a little boat. My wife or I will usually just hold the baby when the other is driving, but when one of us wants to ski or wakeboard it is a bit tricky. We usually just hold the baby in our laps while the other one skis. It is also somewhat of a pain when the baby sleeps, because we get tired of holding him, and there is really no good place to let him sleep. By the time the baby is almost 2 it is no longer much of an issue, but the first summer is usually a bit of a pain.
So in preparation for the starting of boating season this year (actually, it is already 100 degrees here, so I am late) I am thinking about putting a car seat in my boat. I actually have a pair of seats belts I just took out of my old landcruiser, and it would be easy enough to attach them to the floor under the seat next to the driver. I could then use the seat belts to attach a car seat. My plan is actually to install a larger car seat, one that is made for older children, figuring that it would be more likely to fit a baby wearing a life jacket. Now obviously, just bolting seat belts to a wooden boat floor would not provide the same strength as in a car, but I am betting I could attach the car seat securely enough to hold him, and that the straps would be able to go around him and his life jacket.
It would at least provide a place to hold the baby while one of us is wakeboarding, and it would provide a more secure place for the baby to sleep.
My wife thinks this is a bad idea-she thinks that if there is a problem, having the baby strapped into a car seat is dangerous-she is thinking about sinking boats. I don't think this is really that great an issue-after all, you have fires in cars that require you to leave quickly, and you can usually get a baby out of car seat pretty fast.
So what do you think?
Jared
BTW, leaving the baby is not an option. First, it is impossible to get a sitter at 5 AM. Second, the kids love the lake. We all have a blast, even the baby.
I have had a little boat for the last ten years. First, a little open bow 17 foot I/O runabout, and now an older Supra inboard with an open bow. Because the lakes in Arizona attract large crowds, we usually go only on weekdays, early in the morning (5 AM) and return home before it gets to hot (9 AM). The lakes are actually pretty calm at this time.
It is usually just our family that goes-my wife and I, and our four kids (ages 9, 6, 3, and 9 months). My kids love to go the lake, and the older girls are now learning to wakeboard. One issue that we have always had (every three years anyway) is how to deal with the baby on a little boat. My wife or I will usually just hold the baby when the other is driving, but when one of us wants to ski or wakeboard it is a bit tricky. We usually just hold the baby in our laps while the other one skis. It is also somewhat of a pain when the baby sleeps, because we get tired of holding him, and there is really no good place to let him sleep. By the time the baby is almost 2 it is no longer much of an issue, but the first summer is usually a bit of a pain.
So in preparation for the starting of boating season this year (actually, it is already 100 degrees here, so I am late) I am thinking about putting a car seat in my boat. I actually have a pair of seats belts I just took out of my old landcruiser, and it would be easy enough to attach them to the floor under the seat next to the driver. I could then use the seat belts to attach a car seat. My plan is actually to install a larger car seat, one that is made for older children, figuring that it would be more likely to fit a baby wearing a life jacket. Now obviously, just bolting seat belts to a wooden boat floor would not provide the same strength as in a car, but I am betting I could attach the car seat securely enough to hold him, and that the straps would be able to go around him and his life jacket.
It would at least provide a place to hold the baby while one of us is wakeboarding, and it would provide a more secure place for the baby to sleep.
My wife thinks this is a bad idea-she thinks that if there is a problem, having the baby strapped into a car seat is dangerous-she is thinking about sinking boats. I don't think this is really that great an issue-after all, you have fires in cars that require you to leave quickly, and you can usually get a baby out of car seat pretty fast.
So what do you think?
Jared
BTW, leaving the baby is not an option. First, it is impossible to get a sitter at 5 AM. Second, the kids love the lake. We all have a blast, even the baby.