It was the most chilling 30 seconds of my life.

We were cruising up the Potomac River to eat lunch in Georgetown, our trawler loaded with guests, when my wife’s screaming voice shot fear straight through me. “Where is Milo!” she all but cried. My body went cold at the sickening prospect of my 2 year-old son tumbling in our wake.

We were spared that fate when he emerged seconds later from his hiding spot, all smiles. But the incident was a brutal and enduring reminder that childproofing your boat – the right gear and the right habits – is a vital exercise.

As any parent can attest, running with young children aboard adds both texture and tension to your nautical life. It is wonderful to teach your kids about the sea. But kiddies are like a storm – and it pays to get ready.

As we were reminded on that scary day last year, there is no substitute for strong supervision. But there are many other measures to be taken – some obvious and some obscure – that can dramatically increase safety. It takes thought, trial-and-error and participation by both parents, but childproofing your boat is worth every second of time you put into it and every penny you spend.

CULTIVATE GOOD HABITS

There is much to say about gear and modifications when it comes to childproofing, but the most important steps have more to do with seamanship. Good habits are essential.

GLEN JUSTICEFloatation is required whenever children are on deck. Milo, 3, has a variety of vests for different situations.

Obviously, floatation is a primary requirement. We have personal floatation devices fitted for our sons, and we carry extras in many sizes to accommodate guests. The children are required to wear them whenever they are on deck.

We also insist that children be supervised directly by adults at all times, whether in the cabin or on deck. Whenever possible, we try to keep that supervision one-to-one, with one adult specifically responsible for one child. Of course, there are times when one adult has to watch more than one child, but we try to keep it to short periods of time and we have equipment (like a playpen) to help make the job easier.

The key to good supervision is good communication, ensuring that each adult understands who they are watching. This sounds simple, but it is a critical habit to cultivate. Those frightening seconds when my son went missing happened because the adult watching him thought he was in my wife’s care, but never verified the handoff. A simple question – are you watching Milo? – would have spared us much fright.

That communication extends to the children too, when they are old enough to understand basic concepts. We are endlessly drilling small bits of boat smarts into my older son: we don’t run on the boat…we hold hands on the dock…we wear our vests on deck…we always hold onto the railing…we don’t go outside by ourselves. There are many, many more.

GLEN JUSTICEThe flying bridge is a good place to corral the kiddies. They are supervised, out of the sun and have plenty of room to play.

Generally, our plan is to keep the kids contained on the flying bridge while the boat is underway, where they are constantly supervised, remain cool under the canvass and have enough room to play. I have also instituted a rule that no children are allowed north of the captain’s chair unless I invite them. Throttles and thrusters are too easy to grab. I have survived two such incidents in the slip with no damage, because the boat was tied in well. There won’t be a third.

When we anchor, moor or dock, the party moves down to the cockpit and cabin, but the same rules apply.

MODIFYING THE BOAT

While there is no substitute for good habits, making some select modifications to your boat and assembling the right equipment can make a parent’s job much easier.

Milo was still an infant when my family commissioned our Mainship 40 trawler, Anonymous Source, in 2005. We had the advantage of choosing a boat with the toddling years in mind, and one of the things that drew us to the Mainship were wide walkways and high freeboard all the way around the vessel and a flying bridge large enough to accommodate both guests and children.

But no boat is childproof straight from the factory, and ours was no exception. We have made many modifications to increase comfort, convenience and safety. Some were immediate. Others evolved over time. And we continue to make adjustments as our needs change.

The process started when we bought the boat and realized that, despite her advantages in several areas, there were also deficiencies. The upper deck had wide railings that a child could easily fall through; the canvas had large opening panels amidships that posed another falling hazard; and the flying bridge had no door, meaning no containment.

GLEN JUSTICEThe custom-made baby gate makes managing kiddies much easier. Above, it is depicted at half mast. Inset, you see it full size.Our plan was to corral the children on the flying bridge, and that meant changes were required, starting with a door. The solution came from our dealer, who suggested that a thigh-high removable panel made of Starboard (a synthetic substitute for marine plywood) be added to the entry. They had built a similar device on another boat in order to imprison the owner’s cat. The “door” drops into a pair of rails to create a barrier, or can be removed to open the walkway. Originally, the board was too high, requiring adults to vault over, but I took it home one weekend and cut it down. The result is a system that has worked wonderfully.

We also paid a canvas company to web in the railings on the top deck with a rigid, cloth-like material that would keep children safely on board. The material was set on metal frames, which were then attached to the stanchions and railings, screwed in some places and tied in others. Over time, the attachments have popped out in several places, requiring a larger screw and some sealant. It’s a quick fix, but one of the projects on my list is to thru-bolt the frames or rig a new mounting system. Overall, however, this system works well too.

Even with these improvements, it is important to be mindful of what we place on deck. Coolers, deck chairs or other pieces of large gear can be climbed, rendering any barrier useless.

As to the canvas panels amidships, we looked into having changes made and decided against it. The work was expensive and the resulting design was not ideal. Instead, we keep the panels closed when children are on the bridge. When we do open them, an adult is appointed to stand guard.

There are some things on every boat you simply have to live with.

PROGRESS, NOT PERFECTION

Of course, that was just the beginning. Many changes have been made since then, some useful and some not, as we have confronted new issues. Milo is growing (he is now 3) and our second son, Emmett, arrived in December. The move from one child to two, as well as the constant evolution in their abilities to walk, run, climb, vault, throw and sometimes fly, has taught us that childproofing is a process. Think progress, not perfection.

Generally speaking, my wife and I prefer to go out with crew aboard, either grandparents or another couple, who can help with the children while we run the boat. But there are weekends when we go out by ourselves, and so I began to think about configuring the boat to facilitate these trips. My goal was to be able to safely leave the helm for brief periods – a minute or two – in order to help with the kids.

GLEN JUSTICEA Raymarine ST60 is used as a large depth display, allowing the author to engage the autopilot and help with the children for brief periods, while still keeping an eye on things.

Oddly enough, three changes that have worked well came in the area of marine electronics. The autopilot is the primary tool, and that came with the boat and works well. But I developed a list of several other items that could add to our safety and flexibility. After much thought, reading and consultation, I eventually got out my credit card.

Most of our water time takes place on the Chesapeake Bay, where extremely shallow water is common, and so the first addition on my list was a depth display large enough to be seen from the back of the flying bridge. This would allow me to step away from the helm with the autopilot engaged and still keep an eye on depth.

The solution came in the form of a Raymarine ST60, a lighted display unit capable of showing a variety of data, that was easily wired into the suite of Raymarine gear that came with the boat. The unit has worked perfectly.

We also decided to make some improvements to the lower helm station, so that I could steer from the cabin when the need arose. Again, the idea was to be able to help with the children on an isolated basis while continuing to pilot the boat safely.

Anonymous Source came with a fully-developed lower helm – including controls for the bow thruster – but it had no plotter or instrumentation. To address this, we added a Raymarine C-80 multi-function display, which provides navigation, depth and weather information – everything but radar. I agonized over whether to upgrade to Raymarine’s E Series, which has better networking capabilities, but I ultimately opted to save money. By adding the GPS puck and transducer necessary to provide information to the new C-80 display, we now have a system that allows me to pilot from the cabin for loner periods, and it serves as a redundant backup to the equipment upstairs.

BETTER COMMUNICATION

Another handy item has been a VHF radio equipped with an intercom function, which allows people on the flying bridge to communicate with folks in the cabin.

The genesis of this was a trip from the Chesapeake up the Potomac, which is a long trip in a slow trawler. My wife and I were constantly heading down to the cabin to get bottles, wipes, diaper cream – whatever. The ability to communicate between decks, we found, would be nice. We also realized that, in an overboard situation, the person piloting from the flying bridge would not likely hear a cry for help from someone in the water. One of us could leave the other behind without even knowing it.

GLEN JUSTICEGreco makes a small version of its popular Pack 'N Play, which fits on the flying bridge and helps contain children while mom and dad are docking.We started with a pair of affordable walkie-talkie style radios, but they were easily misplaced and their batteries didn’t hold much of a charge. They work, but not all that well. A better solution came when we replaced our primary VHF radio in the cabin with an Icom unit that had an intercom function. We added a “command microphone” to the VHF, which allows it to be controlled remotely, and installed that mike on the flying bridge.

The resulting configuration allows us to communicate from bridge to cabin via an intercom powered by a single radio – and it wasn’t all that expensive. We now have a rule when we cruise alone that anyone who goes down checks in when they arrive and again when they head back up.

Truthfully, not every addition we have made to the boat worked so well. One big disappointment was a wireless remote unit that I installed to control the autopilot. I had hoped that the Raymarine SmartController would help me step away from the helm and maintain control of the boat. To further its utility, I located it in the lower helm so that I could control the autopilot from there without adding a second, mounted panel.

But the reality was that it never worked very well. The unit I received had a paltry battery life – less than an hour at times – which severely limited its use. I grew to mistrust it. I inquired about it to my electronics dealer, who said it was a common complaint. Raymarine offered a repair if I sent the unit in, but I opted against it. It was a piece of gear I didn’t need and didn’t trust, and so I decided not to pursue it. The unit still sits on my dash, but I consider it retired.

SAFETY GEAR

Of course, modifications to the boat are only part of the childproofing equation. Several well-chosen pieces of gear – some for safety and some for convenience – are also required.

The most obvious are personal floatation devices. Recommending specific models is beyond the scope of a story like this, and I urge you to do your own research. Read product tests and manufacturer’s claims, then take your children to a marine store and have them wear each vest. Choose a unit that fits well without riding up (a crotch strap helps) and that has adequate buoyancy and head support. After you buy something, test it in a swimming pool.

Don’t be surprised if you find yourself with more than one or two. Children grow quickly, requiring upgrades to maintain a proper fit. Most of our friends also have children, and they too need vests when they come on the boat. At times, we have had up to four small children aboard, and so we carry extras. At last count, I had 14 child-sized life vests in varying sizes and configurations on board.

Of course, all of the standard pieces of safety gear – floatation aids, throw lines, flares, portable bilge pump, hand-held VHF radio, EPIRB, fire extinguishers and the like – become even more essential when you have young lives in your care. We upgraded almost all of our safety gear, and added extra units where we felt it was warranted, including an expansion of the ditch bag to accommodate supplies for the children.

I have not yet invested in a canister life raft, though it is high on my list. Until then, we make sure the dinghy and engine are in working order and ready to deploy. Our tender is mounted on the stern and we use it regularly, so this is not difficult. (I also have a second, smaller raft on deck in a valise). When tender and engine are not working, I will not go out with my children aboard.

GLEN JUSTICEEmmett, 7 months, sits in the Bebe Pod, a foam rubber seat that holds him secure and safe while the author steers. It has an optional tray for feeding.

BABY GEAR

While floatation devices and safety gear are necessities, there are many other pieces of equipment that simply make life easier. For example, we have several pieces of gear allow me to keep the kiddies corralled during docking, while my wife goes below to fend off and tie us up.

Graco, the manufacturer of the Pack ‘N Play, an all-in-one portable playpen, changing table and crib that is a fixture in every family household I know of, makes a smaller model that fits reasonably well on our flying bridge. It is a simple matter to toss the babies in when the time comes. Usually, they go willingly. But I am willing to let them cry in order to tie up safely.

We also carry an alternative known as a BeBe Pod, which is a foam rubber chair that seats infants securely. I can place it on the cushions next to the helm and keep an eye on my youngest as I maneuver into the slip. If he were to fall – and he never has – it’s just a few inch drop onto the soft foam of the seat.

We also carry an umbrella stroller that folds tight; a small tabletop high chair with straps and a snap-on table; and a short bed rail that, miraculously, fits onto the bed in our master cabin and keeps the kiddies from rolling over the side.

I may suffer some grief for this, but I’m going to say it anyway: I also consider a television and DVD player a must-have piece of child gear, whether it is mounted or portable. The ability to punch up Bob the Builder and Thomas the Tank Engine has enabled many hours of maintenance and cleaning on the boat. Toys that stay on the boat – and are therefore “new” each weekend – are another key ingredient.

One pleasant surprise was that traditional childproofing gear, those latches we all install at home, were largely unnecessary on the boat. The mechanisms in place to keep doors and drawers secure in rough seas do a pretty good job of keeping kiddies out as well. We simply added a pair of plastic covers to our AC and DC electrical panels, both of which were exposed, and put plastic inserts in all of the outlets.

Of course, there are many things still on my list. The panel covers need latches, and so do the folding boarding steps in the cockpit. I have my eye on a life raft. And I’m thinking about jack lines.

As a daddy and as captain, the work is really never done.

GLEN JUSTICEThe Anonymous Source has undergone many modifications in the interest of childproofing. Note the upper deck is webbed in to prevent falls.

Glen Justice is the Editor of Mad Mariner.