Baller SkiJay Posted August 9, 2013 Baller Share Posted August 9, 2013 I just came back from my first houseboat/water skiing trip as a grandpa. Before the trip, my daughter (and lifelong ski buddy) was a little concerned about how her first baby would react to life in a ski boat. We are used to getting up early to grab the glass on the public lake, skiing through normal supper hours in the evening, again for the glass, eating late and making lots of noise. Then there's the routine in the ski boat itself. Long cruises through rough water to get to the quiet coves. Lots of movement in the boat between sets getting skis from under the bow, changing drivers, etc. Everyone and everything ends up wet and cold. Sometimes you get rained on. There's lots of noise, speed, buttonhook turns, etc., you know the drill. Where does passing around a four month old baby fit into any of this? The answer, as it turned out, is right in the middle of it all. Among the three of us skiing, we did nine morning sets and six evening sets daily. We had hot sun, rain, and even got caught out in the ski boat in a pretty serious storm. Not once, did little baby Quinn cry. She cried every time her mother dressed her in her regular clothes each morning, but after a couple of days, there was no crying when it came time to being shoehorned into a full body rashguard and a massive (to her) life vest. It was like showing a dog the leash. She LOVED going out with the skiers! I thought I was already head-over-heals in love with this little girl before this trip, but it just keeps getting better! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Baller_ Wish Posted August 9, 2013 Baller_ Share Posted August 9, 2013 Ok, where the HECK is the that's better then awesome button. @SkiJay You made my day. You really made my day.... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Baller SkiJay Posted August 9, 2013 Author Baller Share Posted August 9, 2013 Happy to pay the joy forward @Wish! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Baller Skoot1123 Posted August 9, 2013 Baller Share Posted August 9, 2013 @skijay - AWESOME!!! As it turns out we had to do some juggling this season as well. When my wife and I and the two kids (3 yrs and a 10 mnth old) wanted to waterski - we did. Baby (although she has been walking for a while) was in the carseat on the floor, and 3 year old on the seat in her life vest. Worked very slick - as long as we were moving and the baby had something to play with. Good for you on doing that adventure!! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Baller GOODESkier Posted August 9, 2013 Baller Share Posted August 9, 2013 @SkiJay TOTALLY COOL! It will get even better when you are standing in the water helping her get up for the first time! The best is yet to come! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Baller SkiJay Posted August 9, 2013 Author Baller Share Posted August 9, 2013 Wow @Skoot1123! I hadn't yet thought of how much more juggling it will take when the next one comes along. Good for YOU, man! @GOODESkier I've already got a rigid handle mod in mind for a skimmer. My goal is to have her skiing along the beach on the skimmer before she can even walk. Amazingly, I think I have her mom talked into letting me do it too! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Baller GOODESkier Posted August 9, 2013 Baller Share Posted August 9, 2013 @SkiJay GOOD FOR YOU. My 2 year old skiis the length of the course, does the turn island, and heads back to the starting dock! My 4 year old does the same! Can't wait for them to get up and headed on 1 ski. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
inland Posted August 14, 2013 Share Posted August 14, 2013 @SkiJay That's fantastic!! I've been taking my 18 month old out with me since he was 5 months old. I used to bring the infant car carrier and set it between the driver and observer seat where it opens to the bow and he was cool with it. He usually fell asleep. I take him out once a week now and he gets passed from wet skier to wet skier when we change drivers / skiers. Just this past Saturday he spent an hour and a half with 4 of us running through the course and didn't so much as make a sound. He just quietly observed. Same as the week prior and also in poor weather. Looking forward to getting him behind the boat next season. It's going to be a blast! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Joeprunc Posted August 14, 2013 Share Posted August 14, 2013 Had my brothers 2 1/2 year old on one of these last week. She has never been behind a boat and absolutely loved it. We taught her the signals. She kept giving me the thumbs up to go faster...I guess the 10 mph speed limit was too slow for her. They are a little pricey, but grandma (my Mom) loves buying new toys. http://www.overtons.com/modperl/product/details.cgi?pdesc=Airhead-EZ-Ski-100-Trainer&i=715458&r=view&aID=600A1&utm_medium=cpc&utm_source=googlebase&s_kwcid=googlepla&cvsfa=2587&cvsfe=2&cvsfhu=373135343538&cID=SHOPPING_715458 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ryno Posted August 14, 2013 Share Posted August 14, 2013 My first born has been on the boat since 3 weeks of age and absolutely loves it. Though since we had twins second time round, it's a little harder to manage and a little bit more of a tight squeeze! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Baller bdougherty Posted August 14, 2013 Baller Share Posted August 14, 2013 This summer my skiing has been less and not as good but it has been the most fun summer I have ever had on the water. Both my boys age 1.5 and 3.5 love the boat and the water. We have been taking them to the lake since they were infants. Picture attached is of our whole family skiing this summer. My oldest just skied on his combo trainers for the first time this weekend. Chasing buoys is fun but time on the lake with my family is way better. Also, love the EZ Ski we have introduced tons of kids to skiing with it. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Baller SkiJay Posted August 14, 2013 Author Baller Share Posted August 14, 2013 @Ryno It looks like your little guy is learning how to signal the driver too! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ryno Posted August 15, 2013 Share Posted August 15, 2013 @SkiJay Ha, I didn't see that! Good pickup Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Baller 6balls Posted August 16, 2013 Baller Share Posted August 16, 2013 Oh man those infant life vests are the worst, too. Let's just make the little gal's head pop off, shall we? Good stuff. @ryno...extra tight in the Flightcraft, no? At least no motor box in the middle! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Baller Brady Posted August 16, 2013 Baller Share Posted August 16, 2013 Love love love this thread. When you really think of it, we are raising a generation of ballers!!!! @SkiJay, great job on this one!! Here are a couple of pics from my arsenal of being on the lake with babies. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ryno Posted August 16, 2013 Share Posted August 16, 2013 @6balls Yes quite tight in the Flighty, but you're right; by having the ski pole at the rear and no engine box helps quite a bit. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Baller ejj Posted August 16, 2013 Baller Share Posted August 16, 2013 A lot of people here go for the tournament tow-boats, but the reality of those with young kids is not the best. Moving the motor to the back is awesome for the family. I love the pics of kids skiing, but also love the knee boards and wakeboards I see I those pics. The key is to have fun together, and my girls love going for a ride on the hotdog. (Yikes, don't take that out of context.). I hope they will love skiing, but more importantly they love being on the water with me and my wife. (5 and 8 y.o. girls, I/O with horrific wake, public lakes, never in a course.) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Baller 6balls Posted August 16, 2013 Baller Share Posted August 16, 2013 @ejj I agree. I have an outboard centurion barefoot boat at home public lake with wrap around seating. It has lots of room and throws a baby wake at slow speeds and longer lines, as well as at slalom/barefoot speeds. I don't run a course behind it, but it's a great performing family boat. Will have the girls hockey team here on the lake tomorrow! We run buoys behind a Nautique on a different lake. I like your hope that your kids will love skiing but more importantly love being on the water with you and your wife...what a great way to spend family time. I hope you find a way to try a course someday as well...it's a riot. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
pq2 Posted August 16, 2013 Share Posted August 16, 2013 Ander started coming with mom and dad to ski since he was 5 months and started skiing at two years. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Baller_ The_MS Posted August 16, 2013 Baller_ Share Posted August 16, 2013 This is a great thread and it is great to see that people are out with their kids skiing. So often we read about people not having enough time to ski due to kids not being involved in skiing. This is the way to make sure you and your family spend time together and making it a priority to ski. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Baller estrom Posted August 16, 2013 Baller Share Posted August 16, 2013 Our youngest isn't a baby anymore and she wants to drive whenever possible! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Baller Skoot1123 Posted August 16, 2013 Baller Share Posted August 16, 2013 My oldest, the three of us, the two girls and finally at Coble's where Elyse skied for the first time at 3 yrs old. April Coble-Eller teaching my 3 year old how to swim made me cry!!! That was awesome! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Baller sunperch Posted August 16, 2013 Baller Share Posted August 16, 2013 @walleye and I are lucky enough to have both of our kids loving skiing. Emma, our 11 y.o daughter was on the boat @ 7 days old. I was pulling her dad that day, thought I had the car seat secured between the passenger seat and the pylon. When I pulled him up and straightened up for the course, her car seat slid back to the back of the boat. I shut boat down and needless to say secured her better for the second go round. Hubby was kinda mad I shut down as he was pulling out for the gates until I told him what happened. She started skiing @ 3. We had all the kinks worked out before our son Luke joined in on the fun. He started skiing @ 2 1/2. Even though taking the kids to the lake has been a lot of work, can't think of a better way for the whole family to spend all summer together! So far, my best memories with my family are at our lake and at tournaments. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Baller SkiJay Posted August 16, 2013 Author Baller Share Posted August 16, 2013 This is really a heartwarming thread and it makes me proud to be part of the skiing community. There sure are a lot of wonderful smiles in these photos, and @sunperch, your daughter's perfect-form fist pump really sums up what we're all doing in this sport, from quality family time and comradery through the thrill of persevering and victory. I can't look at your daughter's picture without breaking into a big ol' smile! @6balls What you are doing for the girls' hockey team is going to make an indelible impression on some of those lucky kids. Boating wasn't an option for my parents, but my dad's boss had a boat. He took our family water skiing one time back around 1963. It made such an impression on me that after decades of constantly wishing I could water ski again, I finally snapped and rearranged just about everything in my life to MAKE it happen. Now I rarely miss an opportunity to pay my dad's boss' generosity forward. I'll bet there are a lot of great stories among Ballers who were introduced to this obsession by generous friends and neighbors like you @6balls. Good on ya! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Baller 6balls Posted August 18, 2013 Baller Share Posted August 18, 2013 @skijay and @ejj went great yesterday with all of the hockey girls, and I couldn't have done what I did with an inboard(unless towered, and a bigger open bow at that). I had myself and 11 girls in the boat at one point with 2 behind it boarding. Had two big tubes later with all 13 of 'em back there jumping around. People on the lake were laughing and waving with all the squeals and cheers coming from the boat and behind it. Great bunch of kids who all pulled for one another. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Baller steve77 Posted August 18, 2013 Baller Share Posted August 18, 2013 I take all three of my kiddos with me almost every time I get out to ski...My oldest have decided that they like barefooting better than skiing...my daughter's (who is six) new saying is "why do you need skis when you have two feet." How awesome is that...lol Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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