This is our first season of being parents with a 4 month old. Are ther any helpful tips on boating with an infant? We have the infant life vest and the binimi for shade, but just seeing what kind of gear you bring.

Bring a hat, diaper bag, and plenty of sun screen. Also extra towel they can sleep on vs the vinyl. Also get some bimini clips so you can clip up a towel to block the sun. I started taking my daughter to the river at 2.5 months and my son at 6 months old. The biggest keys are keeping them hydrated but it is very hot where we go. Overall the little ones end up falling asleep once the boat gets going. Both of mine slept more than they were awake at that age.

We put our kids when they were very small in the life vest and then into the car carrier but not buckled into it. They slept pretty well as soon as we went underway. My wife also got some bug netting and draped it over the handle and sides to keep them free of bites. <BR> <BR>By the way, the life jackets work really well. I watched my 10 month fall over the side (we Dad's are such good care givers <img src="http://www.wakeworld.com/MB/Discus/clipart/uhoh.gif" border=0> ) and she popped back up face first just like they're supposed to. She's 10 years now and loves the water.

All the above and be careful with the boat jarring on those rough days. Not good for their fragile brains.

Great feedback and suggestions. The spot that we go to is pretty mellow as far as waves go. We will put together a bag just for the baot with all the things mentioned above.

The only other thing I would add is one of those clip on fans that you can plug into a cigarette lighter. Those are helpful. Oh one other thing, rash guards are awesome, put them on the kid and keep them wet, helps keep the kids from over heating. Overheating, sun, no bumpy rides and the life jacket are all concerns. Cover those and you are good to go. <BR> <BR>BTW, our 1st kid was on the boat at 5 days old and the second at 2 months (only because he was born in the spring and it was still a bit cold).

Loud stereos: Remember, a newborn's hearing is up 10db from a 30 year old's hearing. 10db equals a perceived doubling of volume. <BR> <BR>In a nut shell a newborn will hear things as being twice as loud as what you hear. <BR> <BR>Even the standard stereo systems should be used with caution, but especially the NVS, Rubicons, Wetsounds.

My little girl is now two we took her on the boat two weeks after she was born . we put her in her infant vest and off we went we took towels and a shirt that was slightly big soaked it in the water rung it out put it on her and she stays cool . she also sleeps in the boat while underway . now she sees the boat being pulled out and runs around yelling were going to the water kids + boats = priceless memories

Definitely use sun screen. I got my youngest sun burned (I hear you rallyart!!!) and I felt bad not to mention the sun screen didn't work because it was old.

Craig is right in the sense that their hearing is up 10 db, but a jump of 10 db is perceived as around 4 times louder.

here is what we did last year.... <BR> <BR><img src="http://www.wakeworld.com/MB/Discus/messages/65921/433040.jpg" alt="Upload"> <BR><img src="http://www.wakeworld.com/MB/Discus/messages/65921/433041.jpg" alt="Upload"> <BR><img src="http://www.wakeworld.com/MB/Discus/messages/65921/433042.jpg" alt="Upload"> <BR><img src="http://www.wakeworld.com/MB/Discus/messages/65921/433043.jpg" alt="Upload"> <BR> <BR>we took a sun beach shade/mat deal and put it inside a portable crib/changing mat. added an extra stroller shade deal and put in the bumble when she was wide awake. most times she slept most of the time anyways. one other thing we did when were anchored in or puttin along was to have one of those baby swings(the hard plastic ones) and hooked it up to the tower... she loved it1

I removed the kick plate in front of the driver's seat (the one under the dash). This opened up a lot of extra space under the dash area, which is well shaded. Put the baby in the car carrier and slid it under there, she slept most of the time. She was almost completely out of sight, and protected from the rest of the kids in the boat.

We took the boat out this afternoon and we put him in the car seat under the passanger dash. We pulled the seats out and it worked well. The only down side is that it took a way from seating. We have a Centurion Lighting and the cooler is rasied in the walkway so I need to get creative on the best location.

For our son we brought a laundry basket and put a pillow on the bottom. Then we would cover it with a thin white sheet somewhat wet. We also brought a spray water bottle to help keep him cool.

Don't. Don't have kids, don't want non-housebroke people on my boat.<img src="http://www.wakeworld.com/MB/Discus/clipart/biggrin.gif" border=0> <BR> <BR>(Message edited by auto on April 07, 2007)

Yah gotta have kids... <BR> <BR>You've got an excuse not to get wet, you drive slower and don't need to weight the boat, <BR> <BR>and you have an excuse to have a tube. <BR><img src="http://www.wakeworld.com/MB/Discus/messages/65921/433150.jpg" alt="Upload"> <BR> <BR>Just remember to tell them to hold on... <BR><img src="http://www.wakeworld.com/MB/Discus/messages/65921/433151.jpg" alt="Upload"> <BR><img src="http://www.wakeworld.com/MB/Discus/clipart/blush.gif" border=0>

Dave B, what type of vest did you get for you little girl at 2 weeks? we will be having a new arrival anytime. and I just bought a supra launch, so she/he will definately be boating soon. IF you could let me know the kind of vest you got for that size, I would appreciate it, Thanks

Bimini is a must, next to a good vest.

yeah, actually one of the reasons i went with the boat i got was the bimini was already included (among many other reason) just wasn't sure what size vest would fit a newborn

We just used and infant sized Life Jacket which pretty much covered the kids completely until they were more than 12 weeks old. The hard part was making it comfortable around the neck and in the end that didn't become much of a problem. The large floatation collar gave good neck support. <BR>If they fit the body tighter we might have felt better but then we would have been more worried about over heating them.

thats what i was wondering, thanks art

I bought a infant and a small child vest at costco for $20 each. They are the neoprene ones. Much better than the other. This was by far the cheapest I could find.