Boats for Young Sailors

   My two sons, ages 3 and 5 have just started to take an interest in sailing and boats. 

I would like peoples thoughts on the best way to get them on the water - in a dinghy or perhaps in a small trailer- sailer or bilge keel yacht, and what types people would recommend?

Both can swim. I want something safe but enjoyable for both of them

Budget is a bit limited - c£2/3k

I currently sail single handed dinghies on the North Kent Coast but have my day skipper theory and crewed on 'big boats'

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Starsailor12 Send Private Message Find Member's Posts Newbie Joined: 03 Aug 15 Online Status: Offline Posts: 4	Post Options Post Reply Quote Starsailor12 Report Post Quote Reply Topic: Boats for Young Sailors Posted: 03 Aug 15 at 3:38pm
	My two sons, ages 3 and 5 have just started to take an interest in sailing and boats. I would like peoples thoughts on the best way to get them on the water - in a dinghy or perhaps in a small trailer- sailer or bilge keel yacht, and what types people would recommend? Both can swim. I want something safe but enjoyable for both of them Budget is a bit limited - c£2/3k I currently sail single handed dinghies on the North Kent Coast but have my day skipper theory and crewed on 'big boats'

Starsailor12 Send Private Message Find Member's Posts Newbie Joined: 03 Aug 15 Online Status: Offline Posts: 4	Post Options Post Reply Quote Starsailor12 Report Post Quote Reply Posted: 03 Aug 15 at 3:46pm
	And before anyone points it out, I have posted this in the wrong section - it was not meant to be in the Olympic Sailing Forum. Sorry I am new to this business.....

Noah Send Private Message Find Member's Posts Really should get out more Joined: 29 Dec 04 Location: United Kingdom Online Status: Offline Posts: 521	Post Options Post Reply Quote Noah Report Post Quote Reply Posted: 03 Aug 15 at 6:21pm
	At that age probably Oppies for the elder and a Cadet or Mirror with someone older and capable for the younger, but VERY GENTLY to begin with. Don't want to be scaring anyone off now, do we? I would also recommend an RYA 1 / 2 course if you can find one locally. They will be mixing with other kids of their age and all starting out on this wonderful road we walk.
	Nick GBR 14821 Sijambo

sawman Send Private Message Find Member's Posts Posting king Joined: 04 May 11 Online Status: Offline Posts: 160	Post Options Post Reply Quote sawman Report Post Quote Reply Posted: 03 Aug 15 at 6:30pm
	in the OP's position, I got a miracle, and took them both out at the same time, although they were a couple of years older. For kids that small, I would probably find an inland venue

andymck Send Private Message Find Member's Posts Far too distracted from work Joined: 15 Dec 06 Location: Stamford Online Status: Offline Posts: 336	Post Options Post Reply Quote andymck Report Post Quote Reply Posted: 03 Aug 15 at 7:08pm
	We have found cheep oppi's good from age 6 or so. Before that family trips for ice cream in a cheap and cheerful 2k. The slightly older kids at our club have gone mad for open bics. If you want very small ones in an oppi you may need to get in yourself. One of ours has a longer mast to allow this. You can get an extension.
	Andy Mck

smurfer Send Private Message Find Member's Posts Newbie Joined: 23 Apr 04 Location: United Kingdom Online Status: Offline Posts: 33	Post Options Post Reply Quote smurfer Report Post Quote Reply Posted: 03 Aug 15 at 10:03pm
	3 and 5 are very young to be putting in a boat on their own. My daughter has sailed with me in a Mirror since she was 3 and until this year (9) she was very nervous when put in an Oppie. She did her Stage 1 last year in an Oppie and it's not until this year that she's been smiling when in a boat on her own. She's just done her Stage 2 in a Tera and is grinning from ear to ear when in it. Please don't rush to put them in single-handers. The Mirror has been a fantastic boat to introduce my daughter to sailing (as a crew) - and when it's been too windy to take her out I've had a blast three-sailing it on my own! She's now happy in the Tera, as well as helming (with me as crew) in the Mirror - best of both worlds!

Starsailor12 Send Private Message Find Member's Posts Newbie Joined: 03 Aug 15 Online Status: Offline Posts: 4	Post Options Post Reply Quote Starsailor12 Report Post Quote Reply Posted: 03 Aug 15 at 10:10pm
	Thanks for the replies everyone! Whilst I currently sail a single hander, I was going to change to a double hander at first - I would not want them alone at first!

Rupert Send Private Message Find Member's Posts Really should get out more Joined: 11 Aug 04 Location: Whitefriars sc Online Status: Offline Posts: 8130	Post Options Post Reply Quote Rupert Report Post Quote Reply Posted: 03 Aug 15 at 10:12pm
	They can crawl all over the deck of the Mirror, too. Mine had a wonderful time at this age playing in one.
	Firefly 2324, Lightning 130, Puffin 229, Minisail 3446

patj Send Private Message Find Member's Posts Really should get out more Joined: 16 Jul 04 Location: Wiltshire Online Status: Offline Posts: 584	Post Options Post Reply Quote patj Report Post Quote Reply Posted: 04 Aug 15 at 6:30am
	We always find that children who grow up sailing double handers are much nicer as they learn teamwork and communication whereas those in single handers are much more selfish.

JimC Send Private Message Find Member's Posts Visit Member's Homepage Really should get out more Joined: 17 May 04 Location: United Kingdom Online Status: Online Posts: 5915	Post Options Post Reply Quote JimC Report Post Quote Reply Posted: 04 Aug 15 at 8:22am
	Bethwaite made an interesting point in his last book. He commented that (changing the language) in initial aviation training the pupil always uses a two hander and even when sailing solo has regular checks with an instructor on board so that incipient faults may readily be spotted and corrected. He suggested that we are not very good at this in conventional training because it is so much more difficult to spot and correct faults from a passing RIB, and that one of the motivations for his on shore trainer was exactly so such checks could be readily instituted. I see the point. If you put the sailors in two handers and swap round then they have half the sailing time that they would in singlehanders. But if you don't regularly put the sailors in two handers with an instructor your ability to correct incipient faults is greatly reduced. It seems to me that there's an argument for one instructor to spend a large chunk of every session in a two hander, swapping all the pupils into it one at a time so as to be able to correct incipient faults far more readily than is possible shouting from a RIB.