Focus on the new year - Pico

Winter creeps on in the UK but here in New Zealand we start the summer and so thoughts turn to the great outdoors and what could be, rather than what should have been.

So with a renewed vigour I am going to be pushing for the Pico option this year. This is based around limited funds (whole project to be completed for less than  NZ$2000 - $1000 Boat and $1000 refit and kit buying) and simply scaling back to weekend and evening cruising in a Dinghy, something Mirror-esk would be great.

This means that putting the Dinghy to one side I need to look at simpler ways of sailing and what I would be doing for an overnight as well as accommodating our 6 year old, should he want to venture out with his old dad!

Sailing Clothing for Kids

Great sailing kit for kids can be found here

Mixing children and boats

When I first started to think about my sailing venture I was young(ish) and free of family life, constraints and concerns, but times have changed. I now have a young family meaning that sailing has had to take a back seat for almost the last 10 years, and in fact my partner has never know me to sail and has very little interest in it, in fact its safe to say that she has no interest.

That said I would love my children to, at the very least, have the opportunity to try sailing and if they like it, pursue it. The obvious route (like mine) is small dingy sailing, which can offer all sorts  but I would also love for them to be able to experience the 'camping' style of cruising offered by a small trailer sailer.

Safety is an obvious concern on board a boat and currently we have a 5 year old and 2 year old, and IF we were to get a boat then these tender ages need to be taken into account. Interestingly enough there is a site that offers advice for sailing with children, which oddly enough is run by... women.

Womenandcruising is a great site for the real practicalities of cruising with kids and offers a great amount of resources from real experience, but surely there is some fatherly advice knocking about for cruising with young children?

This is still a theoretical exercise and all depends upon actually getting a boat and then convincing the other half that her and the kids would be safe aboard!? 

Kids in the Cockpit