www.iFourWinns.com

I've finally got my admiral to sign off on us getting a cruiser, as long as she gets to have a baby. We're most likely going to end up with a 24-26' cruiser hopefully sooner rather than later. This brings up a good question, where does your baby/newborn hang out on a cruiser? We went to both the Louisville and Indianapolis shows this year, and were only able to look at a handful of cruisers. We can't seem to figure out a good place to have the baby sleep overnight on board. I'm thinking maybe in the carseat, in between the galley and the head?

It will be myself and the admiral, and our four year old son. She wants to put him in the mid-berth, and have us sleep in the v-berth. I'm all for sleeping in the mid-birth, although its small, we could leave it set up as our bed full time.

Any ideas? What have you done?

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2007 358 T-5.7GXi IB
Previous Boats
'08 H240, '08 V318, '04 268, '04 225

My 5 yr old had her first trip on the 288 to St. Augustine for 2 days, she was 5 wks old. He purchased an infant PDf for her. At night she slept in the aft cabin with the wife inside of a foldable travel infant play do-hicky. My son and I stayed in the v-berth and out of the way as I didn't have the necessary hardware... It had a top that was half screen and half fabric which zipped closed. It worked out great both for sleeping and if we went anywhere. it folded nicely for easy storage aboard.

Similar to this http://www.target.com/Peapod-Portable-Travel-Bed/dp/B000A6J7P8/sr=1-1/qid=1235498415/ref=sr_1_1/189-8264673-9281561?ie=UTF8&frombrowse=0&rh=k%3Ainfant%5Fportable%5Fplaypen&page=1

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Jvalich
http://www.badcock.com

'04 FW 288 Vista "Mental Floss"

Babies are great with boats! Fresh air and the gentle rocking of the boat during the evenings.

JValich's recommendation on the Peapod is spot on. But in your filler cushions.

The admiral & I are kid-less still - but most all our friends have 1-2 kids. We've found that they really enjoy boating. The super young'ns just sleep.

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2008 318 Vista -SOLD, but I am still around!
All Night Long, Seattle WA

Cougercruiser:

Sooooooooooooo...... What are you waiting for....? .... I done my part and we are enjoying better boating life.

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08 H260 VP 8.1Gi DP.....Previous
2013 Crownline E6 Merc 8.2MAG BIIIX, DTS/SC

Babies.... HA!

We'll give one a try in late 2010, early 2011.

We travel and enjoy our lives too much right now. Besides, the wife has a sweet gig with her travels. We want one more solid summer with the 318 before we go down that road.

Why'd you think we named the boat "All Night Long"?

Too bad kids aren't available in the "try it before you buy it" world.

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2008 318 Vista -SOLD, but I am still around!
All Night Long, Seattle WA

We bought our 2000 298 Vista when my oldest daughter was just 18 mos old and we would lock her in the mid-cabin berth with the cockpit u-shaped seat filler cushion. It would close it up securely and it left about an 8" opening at the top which was just enough for our daughter to throw her empty bottle out and yell "milk"! AC and gen is a must for nap time during the hot afternoons (both for children and adults). As for the infants, my wife has always slept with each of our 4 children in her arms until they were about a year old. Hence, why our boat is not called All Night Long.

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Current Boat: 2000 Four Winns 298 Vista
Previous Boat: 2000 Carver 406MY

My youngest girl at 6 months. Now five years old.



My youngest boy at 4 months. He just turned 3.(napping on the V berth)If you look at the bottom of the picture you can see a collapsible bed rail. It is from our kids beds at home. It fit just perfectly between galley and the hanging locker to close off the V berth. So during the day we put the little ones in the berth no worry of them falling out or off.



These four slept in the midcabin(aft) berth perpendicular to the intended direction of sleep. My wife and I slept in the V berth. Last year there were no problems but the year before the youngest rolled out. So after that he slept on the cabin sole. But they have slept in the car carrier "pumpkin seat" in the past.

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2008 Horizon 260 VP 8.1 Gi

... and they do not come with a instruction or warranty either….

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08 H260 VP 8.1Gi DP.....Previous
2013 Crownline E6 Merc 8.2MAG BIIIX, DTS/SC

Boats are dangerous for having babies....William will be here in May due to that stupid trip out on Lake Michigan

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2001 Horizon 260 - 7.4 Volvo GSI DP

WHoa...sorry I jumped in on this thread...I read the title quick and thought it said "Babes on a cruiser"...guess I'll get back to work now.

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2009 SL262, Merc 8.1L HO 425 HP With
Bravo III "X" Drive and DTS Smart Tow

Thanks for the idea guys. I'm busy looking at new cruisers...she's trying to figure out which hospital system she wants to go with!!

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2007 358 T-5.7GXi IB
Previous Boats
'08 H240, '08 V318, '04 268, '04 225

This is a great thread for those of use at the "family stage!" We are sure to outgrow our 268 Vista in a few years with 4 little kids. I was wondering the same thing as I look forward to a summer with a newborn aboard. We spent a few days comfortably last summer with the 4, 3, and 2 year old (yes, we are insane!) so this year they will be 5, 4, 3 and 4 months. Probably no family weekends but you can be sure me and my son will be spending weekends on the boat! At least I can con the admiral into getting the Honda generator so she and the baby can nap while the rest of us swim! Also looking into installing an lcd/dvd player prior to launch. Good thing there are threads for both!
In a few years I'll be looking to take one of your 30-35 ft Vista's off your hands!
Teenja, love the pics. Gives me comfort to see there are other like us out there!

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2005 Vista 268 "ALTEAN"

Our boy Will was out on the boat at 11 days.



Until the baby can get itself into a sitting up position there's not a lot they're going to do on the boat. Other than require attention. For the first two months you have to be very careful about being out in the sun as they can't regulate their own temperature all that well. That and you generally don't want to be slathering anything on their skin. So you end up having to put the baby down in the cabin, and of course someone else generally has to be watching. This doesn't make for typical boating 'fun'. We used our 348 quite a lot less last year.

He'll be one this June and able to handle both sitting up and having sunscreen gooped all over him. So it'll probably be a lot more fun. He starts a baby emergency swimming class in a couple of weeks. Basically just how to hold his breath long enough to get up and floating on his back. Not that we expect anything, but between the boat and the pool it's good to be safe. That and the small lifejacket finally fits him well enough (none are really small enough for a baby under 3 months old). We're definitely looking forward to the adventure.

For anyone running a genset (built-in or redneck style) be absolutely sure you have a working carbon monoxide detecting system. CO poisoning is a cumulative risk and a baby is much more sensitive than an adult. Be sure to have at least one and make sure everyone on board knows what the CO alarm means and how to deal with it.

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-Bill Kearney, 2005 348 Vista

Hmm, my babies are rather big for all this stuff. he's 6'5" (yes played football in HS and college) and She's 5'13" and never left the U/W (sorry about that Cougar).

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Optimus Prime
Now: 2007 Horizon 260, (2007/08 brochure boat)
Previous: 1995 Sea Ray Signature Select 220
Tow: '07 Avalanche LTZ
Seattle and Chelan, WA

Nice Optimus.

I won't give you guys too much crap about the UW. Somebody's kid has to go there.

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2008 318 Vista -SOLD, but I am still around!
All Night Long, Seattle WA