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First Time Dad


TURNITRED

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I've searched the forums and unless I'm blind haven't seen a thread on this, but its been on my mind.

So after almost three years of trying, my wife and I are finally expecting our first child early 2014. So that's right before the water starts warming up and the bu' will our names. So here's the question, how soon did you all get your kids out on the boat with you?

Any recommendations? Safety precautions? (of course there will be)! Thanks.

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Congratulations.

In the first months, kids are plants. They stay where you place them. Just keep them out of the sun and well watered. We used to set my son in his car seat on the floor with a lifevest tied to the seat. Boating trips will be short, they get fussy. Have fun.

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Congrats

You're in Tulsa, Ok and want to take your baby on a boat in the heat? Your trips are going to be sitting on the water and not driving all over the pace tearing up the water that is for sure.

When your baby is a year plus that is when it will be fun for you.

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Congrats. Our daughter was born in April. Had her out on the boat at three weeks old, been out with us every weekend but a few all summer long. She has been a real trooper staying out most afternoons with us. Towards the end of summer started putting her in a floating childs ring (one with mesh and leg holes), still had a lifevest on. Few things we did for comfort:

We usually laid her in the observers seat when anchored.

Large towel clips (walmart) to clip the towels over the windshield to protect from sun.

Purchased a 12V fan that plugs into a cigarette lighter to help keep her cool.

Luckily she loves being in and on the water and the purr of a Chevy small block.

That's what I was hoping someone was going to say. And who doesn't love the sound of the Small block?

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short trips for a cruise...little sun, breeze and a nap in the shade.... as early as 3-4 months.

for being able to be held in the water, play with a few toys and float in a shaded floaty.... 9-10+ months.

Being able to float around, play and be a water baby- 18-24 months.

Water diapers, trashbags and wetwipes!! I seriously carried a small portable training potty on my boat for the last 6yrs!!! Kept a stash of small trash bags as liners in there in the event a #2 showed up. Untill the kids are 6+... do not even think for a SECOND you can go out for a day on the water without a #2 coming for kids 5 and under. that small potty will be family required gear every outing. <----negelct this and you will regret it!

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The first year is easy...they are stationary. Both our kids were on the water with us from day one (we now have a wide variety of infant to toddler life vests!). Time on the water revolves around their schedules though. Fortunately both of ours seamed to fall asleep the minute we hit the water. We have used the boat less as they have gotten older....both our kids have trouble sitting still for more than 10 seconds and once they can move time in the boat became an entirely new experience.

Our lake is small, not busy and we had become accustom to going for a ski and not worrying too much about having a third for a spotter. With mobile kid we immediately found time behind the boat was impossible without a third to tend children. This limited the use of our boat for a few years. My youngest is now 2.5 and she will sit and behave herself in the boat on her own now. Last weekend we had our first successfully outing with just the four of us, found time to ski and surf without complaint from the kids. I am optimistic that next year will see a lot more use of the boat because of this....hopefully the kids will let the parents in the water once in a while, as they are both starting to demand their own time behind the boat at 2 and 4 years old.

Enjoy it! Never thought I would enjoy putting across the lake at 10MPH towing an easyski trainer but the smiles on my boy's and my little girl's faces made for some of the best times I have ever had this summer.

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Our kids were 5 months when they went out (only because they were born in late October), but I would have gone out at 2 months with them. We would place them by the drivers feet up under the dash and out of the sun. Also used a 12 volt fan. That combined with hum of the motor and rocking boat would put them to sleep for hours.

While in Vegas we would put a chili pad under their blanket to keep them cool along with the fan.

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Our first was born in late march. Our first trip out was the week before Memorial day (about two months old) and we are closing in on 50 hours for the summer.

We put the baby in her life jacket and placer her in the car seat which sits in between the drivers and passengers seats. We cover the car seat with a thin sheet to keep out any sun that the bimini doesn't catch. At this point our trips tend to be half days, usually early morning till about noon. This works pretty well for us since she is an early riser and most of the tubers are not :biggrin:.

Diaper changes and feeding are a little more exciting on the boat...

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We took my son out at three weeks old. It was in October so weather was mild for us, hardly anyone out. Engine put him right to sleep. You'll figure it out. As others have mentioned, not too much sun, you'll be good. As they get older, items change, except for the wet wipes, always have wet wipes

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I appreciate all the comments from the crew. I am going to email this thread to my wife so she can see that i'm not the only crazy man out there that thinks taking a kid out on the boat that early is normal.

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First off Congrats!!!

We are expecting our first on Halloween and are pretty excited to say the least. :biggrin:.We we found out a seized the opportunity to do a small upgrade from a closed bow Echelon to an 02 SSLXI knowing that we might be needing a little more room next summer.

It is very encouraging to see the posts above.

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Well, as someone who had the experience of not conceiving the moment we wanted kids, I will say that I know the feeling, and congratulations to you both.

It took my wife and I about two years for the first one, and it was a difficult time, not knowing if it would ever happen for us.

The only good thing was that for a couple years I was getting some 4-5 times a week whether I wanted it or not. One time, she called me and said it 'was time' and I told her I had a Softball game and could not come home from work first. She said it would only take a couple minutes and met me in the parking lot of the softball field, then went home while I played. Keep in mind we were not teenagers doing such shenanigans in the back of my SUV in broad daylight, so it was kind of funny, but she was on a mission.

Haha, the old hurry up and get home from work!! my Temp is right! Good lord.

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I have twin daughters. They were born in December so they were almost 5 months old when i took them out the first time. Here are some things I learned from that 1st experience:

A golf umbrella tied to the infant car seat keeps the sun off good.

when skiing, put the car seat in the observers seat.. upon take off they wont slide anywhere, don't worry

Little hat with a neck flap help a lot

the little water bottles with a fan attached work well for spritzing the little ones

I have a DD so the motor box is a great place to place the car seat.. engine puts them right to sleep

a portable training potty is a must as the grow

I'm happy to report my kids are almost 19 years old now and they are at the lake with me 3 days a week mid-april to mid-October and would rater be there with me than out with a bunch of their peers! (yes, the friends come to the lake too!)

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We just had our first on September 4th, and my wife is excited for next summer with him on the boat! We are heading to our dealer to build our 23LSV next week! Anyway, my dealer said that he used to take a bouncer that would normally hang in a doorway and hang it from the tower while they were anchored out. Sounded like a good idea to me! Congrats!

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Ahh yes we also have one of the small red swings that we can hang from the tower. Daughter was too little to use it this summer but our nephew loved it last year.

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Congrats, Both my kids were born at the end of Dec. So I got them out at about 3 months but I would have done it after about a month. I tented my windshield it cools the inside of the boat down a good bit. I keep a few towels and use my lead sacks to keep them from rolling. Fan is a great idea. Mine love to sleep in the walkway.

IMG_1174_zps62262e1d.jpg

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We hung a fisher price swing from the tower. Works great while haging out in the cove. made a bed in the observers compartment and left the door open. We paid attention to the HOT days. didnt do many of them with the infants.

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It depends on the lake. Our's is very calm usually and for the first baby, we were very cautious. We went out maybe 2-3 times with the baby before it was 15lbs (coast gaurd minimum weight rating on the vests we owned). The second baby we got pretty laxed and the baby went with us every time as soon as weather permitted. 3rd baby will be here soon and I just hope I remember to put a life jacket on it.

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