I bought a Prindle 16 as a family boat, and want my kids to enjoy sailing. Does anyone have ideas or, better yet, experience for making sailing fun for 5-8 year olds? I'm subscribing to the theory that if they have fun, they'll pick up sailing along the way, as opposed to making them go to sailing camps or clinics and drilling sailing into them. Some ideas:
1. Jumping off the boat
2. Tow behind boat (boogie board, water skis, tube)
3. Desination sailing (lunch on an island, treasure hunt)
4. Ride on the front of the hulls

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John Fricker
Prindle 16
Seabrook, Texas
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Let them drive...

Tell them they can take their girlfriend out on the boat once they've learned the ropes.

--
Karl, Captain of Stayin' Thirsty
2011 Hobie 16SE
Atlanta, GA
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John,

Just my 2 cents...you got it right...remember kids can find themselves having more fun with the box than the toy that came in it. Let them do what they want (like drag behind, ride the bows...all you said). Eventually, they will find the most fun is to go fast. Then they will become inquisitive to learn and that is really what you want. Wait a while to give them the "real" vocabulary and tolerate the "rope", dohickey, thingamabob, whatchajigger. That can come later. Since you're in TX, try to get them sailing near some dolphins and they'll be hooked.

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Bert Scott
Niceville, FL
Nacra F18
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My favorite memories of sailing as a kid were:
#1 Body surfing by holding onto the dophinstriker under the boat.
#2 Trapezing and flying all over the boat

Dave

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Dave Bonin
1981 Nacra 5.2 "Lucile"
1986 Nacra 5.7 "Belle"
Winnipeg, Manitoba, Canada
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when the winds not blowin'...do something else. 100degrees and 1mph winds are no fun for anyone!

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Check out "Prindle Sailors" on Facebook!
bill harris
hattiesburg, mississippi
prindle 16- "BLUE RIBBON"
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I've taken my nieces out and managed to have them have a good time. Bring the trapeze harnesses, one for each if possible. They love it! No wind needed. I had all four on the trap lines, it didn't matter if the boat was at anchor or even moving, we had a family of dolphin follow us down the intercoastal that were all promptly named, that was a big thrill. Letting them drag in the water & swim around the boat when we were becalmed kept the drifting time from being boring. Letting them steer and cotrol the jib while I held the main was a big thing for the girls. Steer right, steer left, no the other left helps to keep the boat going in the right direction. Also bring lots of food & beverages, things can go sour when they are hungry & thirsty the wind dies and the time table to get back to the beach has been extended. Amazing how much 4 little girls can eat & drink, bring more than you think you need.
We would put in at the spoil islands and let them go exploring on their own. When we got to "Carl's Island" with the grave stone, they couldnt wait to check out the rest of the island to see what else was around.
Speed was not the thing that was important to them. Just being on the water with a destination, a picnic, being with together, and not scaring them to much made for a great time for the kids and the adults.

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Steve Fisherkeller
P19MX
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I have gone through the same thing though my boys are older. I have one(15) who I have a hard time getting to go because he has had the bad luck of going out more with me when the wind died off and we spent a couple hours just getting back to shore. He has been out and had a good time and even been out on a friends Inter20 with my wife and my youngest and they had a great time. But he always seems reluctant because he does not want to just sit. I plan to try to get him more involved in running the boat so he can do it himself but that was hard before because I felt like I was still learning.

My oldest(17) took off with interest when I let him take his girlfriend out on the boat by himself at the end of last season. We were with the sailing club and has a rescue boat so I let him cut loose and have fun. He now takes the P18 out with my youngest quite regularly and they do a fair job of flying hulls. I have also been out with him at the helm a few time which I have come to enjoy a bit.

My youngest is 14 and he loves to trap out and crew for me and his brother but sometimes for no apparent reason he just does not seem at all in the mood to sail. The last big sailing camping trip 14 and 15 year old did not even sail once.

Next weekend is the "LaBeau leMans Grand Prix 20" where we sail from the south end of Utah's Bear lake 10 miles north to Garden City then eat lunch at LeBeau's and sail back to to the south beach in 2 timed heats. It is very unofficial and fun regatta put on by the Utah sailing Association every Labor Day weekend. Last Year the entire family sailed the event with me and my oldest on the P18 and my wife and other to on a friends Inter20. Usually by the time we return there is a very nice wind that picks up for the last half the last leg that sometimes makes the return trip takes only 30 minutes. Last year we took took much of this nice and slow as high winds were s bit much for us. This year I think we will rock the wind and rocket home with the rest.

I think the involvement in this fun but unofficial regatta has helped a lot to keep their interest up as well. With our PM ratings we actually do pretty well usually winning the first leg which does not mean we are the first ones there by an means as we have a few 5.8s a Nacra F18, and a Inter20 , and a Hobie 20. There are usually a couple H16s a Solcat 18 and a few other older boats as well. Last year almost everyone crossed the finish line at about the same time. It had to be a pretty amazing site to see 15 or so beachcats almost in a line before hitting the beach and getting lunch. Kind of a pain for us no one had any room to maneuver and the water gets very shallow very fast and you have swimmers in the water everywhere.

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Dustin Finlinson • Magna, UT
Member: Utah Sailing Association
1982 Prindle 18
1986 Hobie 17
1982 Prindle 16
1980 Prindle 16(mostly)
1976 Prindle 16(mostly)
Check out "Prindle Sailors" on Facebook.
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My children are much older now, but they started sailing with me at about your childrens' ages. A lot of good ideas above, plus.....be flexible and patient. Start slow and above all be safe. Don't plan to keep them on the water very long at first, and have other things that they like to do ashore. If they enjoy staying out longer, fine, but don't count on it. As soon as you feel it's appropriate, practice MOB drills so they trust that you can come get them if they go OB. Ditto for righting the boat. Finally, recognize that, just like adults, every child is different. My son, who's great crew by the way, just isn't crazy about sailing, but my daughter races and sails with me every chance we get....even has her own Hobie 14 now.

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Jerome Vaughan
Hobie 16
Clinton, Mississippi
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" Whenever I go for sailing with kids, I always worry about only two things:
1) Safety for kids.
2) Boredom.
But I enjoy it very much with my family.
"
____________________________________
fun for kids



Edited by jenifer123 on Mar 09, 2012 - 05:52 AM.

Wolfman

My favorite memories of sailing as a kid were:
#1 Body surfing by holding onto the dophinstriker under the boat.
#2 Trapezing and flying all over the boat

Dave

sounds like fun i want to try that!!

I sold my monohull and bought a beach cat. They love it now, it was pulling teeth before, and barfing. On the other boat the rides were slow, long and dry. When they don't want to sail they play on the beach. The beach has a playground, the marina didn't. Its cheaper too by half.