Skiing with a baby

[Justin_C]

We're about to have our first kid but my wife is my primary driver. Any tips or suggestions for skiing with a baby?

[swc5150]

We put the car seat next to the driver seat, facing the driver. Worked well for us. Then next thing you know you get this...

 

[Bruce_Butterfield]

Car seat on the floor works great for newborns. They usually go right to sleep.

[MISkier]

Put some netting to catch handle pops.

[Than_Bogan]

I installed a carseat base into my boat seat, and then could lock in the kiddo. I purposely put it facing forward and left the handle up for protection against handle snap-back. I skied about 3 seasons with each of two kids this way and it worked great. Kid almost always fell right asleep.

 

Note: This is technically illegal. I concern myself with physics and probability when I evaluate safety. I believe that I am better at both of those things than lawmakers.

[buski]

It's a little tricky and you might want to slow the boat speed a bit or increase the line length until you get used to the timing of swapping hands holding the baby so you can still release and maintain handle control.

[MrJones]

I took the strap off an old life jacket, cut it, and attached either end to the bottom of the passenger seat on either end. The other ends met like a seat belt across the passenger seat. Put the child car seat on the boat seat and buckle in as normal. (when not it use just leave under the seat) Baby gets to watch some skiing... Bruce is right. They usually pass out pretty quick.

 

Do use a shock tube when doing this. We are not a family of handle poppers, but better safe.

[swc5150]

Put the lid on a Prostar bow, and you create a perfect napping spot for a toddler on a slow cruise.

[Justin_C]

Thanks for the suggestions. Keep em coming! We do use a shock tube and I'm only skiing 22 and 28 off so I don't pop the handle too bad but certainly note worthy!

[MISkier]

The shock tube doesn’t totally prevent the handle from entering the boat. It does keep the rope from coiling around the driver’s neck, the throttle, etc.

[Ski_Dad]

i would say it would be a good time to use that kill switch that none of us connect to ourselves. Just another safety idea with a little one.

 

as a cool note my mom used to slide me under the closed bow area when I was 6 months old and I fell right to sleep every time.

[Jmoski]

Hire a baby sitter, or get a baby monitor that has an iPhone app so you can hear it in the boat - assuming you live on the lake you ski.

[Justin_C]

It's a bit of a walk to the water and we're kind of in the sticks.

[thager]

@ColeGiacopuzzi This ones right up your alley. You ski with @Horton.

[Jmoski]

@Justin_C - that’s tough, this is the first of many examples where you just need an extra pair of hands/help with a newborn.

 

Are you on a private lake that eliminates the risk of a yahoo in a runabout hitting you?

 

With no spotter/helper in the boat, in a remote area, the prospect of a kid strapped into the boat or in a car seat on the floor that does not float makes me nervous.

 

Clearly I am in the minority opinion on this topic, and yes I have an overactive hazard evaluation mechanism still running in my brain after being a climber for 30 years, an EMT and a member of search & rescue crews.

 

I’ve seen a lot of bad stuff happen in my days and a lot of stupidity from other boaters on public lakes.

 

Be patient, you life will resume but your going to be busy in the first n months - before you know it your kid will be in a heads up PFD and able to hold on while on the love seat and you will be good to go!

[oldjeep]

We worked from shore with relatives and never put the kids in the boat until they were old enough to sit with a uscg jacket on.

[UWSkier]

Do you folks who put them in car seats have them buckled in or strapped down? Are they wearing a PFD? I'd be nervous as hell having them in any arrangement that wouldn't let them float freely in the event of a swamping or capsize. These things happen on public water.

[bigskieridaho]

Car seat facing backwards strapped accross the front seat. Had both mine out super early and they were fine. You can find hook spots and just ratchet down. Have fun!

[Than_Bogan]

In any scenario where swamping is even a remotely possible outcome, leave the kid on shore!

 

In my slalom environment, and I think in most these days, that would have similar likelihood to being struck by a meteor.

[Bruce_Butterfield]

I was a paranoid parent once too. As an overkill safety precaution, the baby was strapped in the car seat and a buoy around the handle in the extremely unlikely event of the car seat going overboard or the boat swamping.

 

It still comes down to risk vs probability vs consequence.

[Orlando76]

My wife was my primary driver and an excellent one too. Baby came and shortly she lost any desire to ever go in a boat again. Hope you have a better experience. The short time we were in the boat as a family my son was in the car seat and a wedged in front of pylon and a kept a rope tied to car seat and the driver.

[nleuth]

@Justin_C Ratchet strap and an extra car seat base does the trick! I find boat rides definitely put the baby to sleep quickly!

[MuskokaKy]

Find a friend

[6balls]

forward facing in a car seat, kid in vest, we snagged a Cadillac seatbelt from the bone yard and secured the car-seat. Pretty controlled environment chances of problems very low and they are in a vest.