HAVING FUN
‘Kids have an amazing ability to have fun,’ says Frank Thorogood, ‘and our three were no exception in finding out what parts of our days on the water they enjoyed.’
‘All of life is on board a cruising boat, from practical and cerebral skills, nautical and domestic, food preparation and cleaning, but also the psychological – seeing their parents solve real immediate problems in a calm logical way is a wonderful legacy to pass on,’ says Hamish Southby Tailyour.
‘There are a multitude of mathematical opportunities to learn. There is the fun of knot-tying and rope-throwing competitions, but give them names that describe how they are used: not a clove hitch, a fender knot; not a rolling hitch but a lee cloth knot; and not how far can you throw a rope, but can you lasso a cleat, or even your brother? If it’s dark and you notice the phosphorescence, stop putting the children to bed and jump in for a swim. The lasting memories are worth the effort of a midnight swim in the phosphorescence with your children. Help them keep a daily journal with drawings and scraps stuck in, or a video log. Set up your own traditions. We have pancakes every Sunday, and this doesn’t change when we’re on the boat.’
INSIDE GAMES
Julia Jones says a boat is ‘a great space for family reading aloud.’ Frank Thorogood agrees that plenty of books are essential, as well as audiobooks. ‘Our son Kemmel is dyslexic, and on the voyage down to Cornwall audiobooks of the Harry Potter series were brilliant for him.’
Games are essential for family life on board. ‘There’s usually some game that everyone gets obsessed by,’ says Julia. ‘Liar Dice was very popular when I was little, or gambling with matchsticks,’ says Julia. ‘Gameboys suited the millennial children. I’ve come to dread iphones as we are not strong on battery power, so long-lasting battery packs are very useful.’
‘Down below we keep a stock of sticker books, colouring books, modelling clay, paints and books to read,’ adds Abi Kavanagh. ‘There are also some good stopmotion apps that you can download and we have made some stop-motion animations with the things they have created.’
‘Musical instruments are a must so they can join in with others who you’ll meet along the way,’ adds Hamish Southby Tailyour.
OUTSIDE GAMES
There’s plenty to occupy children on deck without getting off the boat. Julia says, ‘My brothers and I used to spend hours climbing around without touching the cabin floor or the side decks or whatever the challenge was. I often welcome visiting children and find that being encouraged to climb in and out of the forehatch never fails to provide amusement.’
‘When getting off the boat isn’t an option, we sometimes put a paddling pool on the foredeck and give them a variety of containers to play with,’ says Abi Kavanagh.
Hamish adds, ‘The Star Atlas by H E Ray and red head torches is a wonderful and easy way to learn the constellations. Mast-swinging and jumping from the boom are our best activities. Set up the fender board or passerelle and make them walk the plank. Hammocks are a must.’
‘We have a fishing rod and some hand lines,’ says Conrad Humphreys. ‘We also tow an inflatable paddleboard which the kids spend many an hour jumping off or exploring the mud flats.’
As for equipment for playing, Hamish recommends, ‘Sand castle-making equipment and snorkeling gear, tractor inner tube and an SUP board, wetsuits and rash vests, and things for a barbecue. Or use rope, fenders, oars, boathooks, deck brushes and the passerelle to make a raft.’
If the children are getting cooped up, however, ‘always make sure the kids can let off some steam on dry land,’ says Olly Perkins, ‘and remember sandy beaches are always a winner!’
EXPLORATION AND INDEPENDENCE
‘Children probably learn more seamanship when commanding a dinghy than while steering their parents’ big yacht,’ says Ken Endean. ‘When the girls were nine and six, we built a small folding boat, Sugarlump, in which they played Swallows and Amazons when at anchor. Sugarlump has been refurbed and is about to be given to our granddaughters.’
Young people thrive on being challenged, says Hamish Southby Tailyour. ‘Give them slightly over-age responsibility. Send them off rowing on a long floating line. Let them steer with the outboard and lean to start and stop it, practise coming alongside and how to balance the dingy. Heather has been steering with the outboard since she was seven, and by 11 was confident and competent enough to take the dinghy ashore alone under outboard to collect some friends.’