Friends wanting to bring babys...

[bigmac]

Hmmm..a good friend, you're invited to his lake house, you won't be seeing him for 3 years...

I'd say you're just going to have to suck it up. The responsibility to keep the little tyke safe will be with the parents. From a personal risk standpoint, you have more responsibility every time you put a wakeboarder in the water.

I put myself in your buddy's shoes...I'm leaving for three years, I invite you up to my lake house for a goodbye party, and you tell me you won't allow my baby on your boat? Sorry...I don't think there's any way you can get out of that one without looking like a d1ck.

[tommcat]

drive like an animal, they wont want the kid in the boat anymore

[Jkelly]

I have taken several friends and the babies out in my boat. We just go for a short slow ride. I have had babies as young as 2 months in my boat. Like the rules that were being discussed yesterday everyone under 13 must were a life vest in my boat anyway.
And if it is like the friends I have had in my boat the mother has a death grip on the kid anyway.
I might mention to my friend that I would like to take the boat for a drive with out the wife and kids (all so no one get up set) just to get the feel of it. When we first bought our boat my wife and me took it out and left our kids (they were 4 and 8) at home the first time just to get the feel of it. Then load every body up for a nice slow gentle ride. My

[Evan Jones]

I think he just doesn't want baby puke on his seats and floor !

[Monte]

I say take them out and drive slow. Somebody mentioned it before, but momma and baby will grow weary of the boat pretty quick IMHO. At some point it is going to be time to feed and nap. I'd just crawl around for an hour or so, mention to the buddy you'd like to get some runs in, and drop mom and baby off at the house. I can assure you mom isn't going to want to stay onboard with baby when the runs start. Win/win You don't have to seem like a jerk, baby gets a little experience on the water.

[#47of100TeamMC]

I don't think it would be a big deal. it's not like your going to be doing Power turns or anything. As long as Mom has a death grip and the kid has a lifejacket on you should be just fine.

My brother had his first kid last June 14th. and we were on my boat with her on the 4th of July. lets see... that's just over 2 weeks old. She seems fine now except that little shake and twitch she has, (kidding kidding) You'll be fine. take pics and post them!

[twieder]

Just my


A buddy of mine had a little girl spring of 05,and aginst mommies orders, baby and dad took a boat ride at 4 weeks old! No issues at all! At that age,a baby carrier is the key and will contain any "accidents".

Like others mentioned, baby will get cranky and so will mom and once they are safely back on shore, then the fun can begin.

[SkiEngr]

Ok, it seems the concensus is that the kid should go. I'm not worried about the baby having an accident or anything...life is too short to be anal about that type of stuff (i.e. it'll clean), but since we don't have kids and most of my friends are just beginning to have kids, I just didn't know what was standard practice on the water.

The comments do bring up another question though...several have said that it would be wrong to be invited to a guy's lakehouse and then tell him I don't want the kid in the boat. That does seam harsh, but does the same logic apply to other rules of the boat? For instance, if I had owned my boat for several years and had a standing rule that kids under 6 months were not allowed, do I toss that rule because I was invited to his lakehouse and it would be rude for me to enforce the rule? What if it was cheetoes (sp?)? What if I had a standing rule that I didn't allow cheetoes in my boat, do I toss that rule because I was invited to his lakehouse? (by the way, I am not that dumb...I just think it makes for good discussion)

So, in the end, the forum has spoken and I'll allow the kid in the boat (assuming the lake isn't swarming with idiots). Again, I wasn't really trying to spite my friend or be a jacka$$ about it, I was just more concerned with safety.

[Sodar]

Okay, maybe I am a little harsh ... but if I invited someone up to our cabin and they had a new boat and didn't want my kid to come out in it ... I'd probably put them on the "never to invite again" list .... just go for a short ride ... this is my daughter when she was 1-2months old, I can't find the pics of her when we took her out but it was 2-3 weeks after she was born.

RIGHT ON CASEY! That is the FIRST thing that ran through my head! I would literally laugh in my buddy's face and give him the boot right then and there!

I have been on boats just as long as I have been on land and my kids will be NO different.

Heck, I have pictures of getting bathed in the galley sink, 90 miles off Cabo San Lucas at a month old!!!

I have tons of pictures too, much like Pendo's and TX.X-30's with me passed out under the bimini... actually, my parents tell stories about when I was really being a pain in the arse and would not fall asleep, they would take me out in the boat to get me to pass out... bring the kid up around water and he will love it just as much, maybe even more than you!!

[PendO]

LIFE JACKETS NOT REQUIRED TO BE WORN IN IDAHO WHEN A BOAT IS ABOVE A CERTAIN LENGTH - PENDO

"Children 14 years of age and younger, on board vessels 19 feet or less, must wear an approved life jacket when the vessel is underway."

http://www.boat-ed.com/id/handbook/pfds.htm

[SkiEngr]

I think that you guys are assuming that everyone has as much experience and is as comfortable around water as most of you are. I wasn't necessiarly going to totally dismiss the kid or anything, I just want to make sure the parents (who don't have that much experience around water) to think thru their decision a little bit before just throwing him in the boat.

[#47of100TeamMC]

LIFE JACKETS NOT REQUIRED TO BE WORN IN IDAHO WHEN A BOAT IS ABOVE A CERTAIN LENGTH - PENDO

"Children 14 years of age and younger, on board vessels 19 feet or less, must wear an approved life jacket when the vessel is underway."

http://www.boat-ed.com/id/handbook/pfds.htm

I wonder why there isn't just a nationwide boating rule book. I'm pretty sure in MN/WI you need a lifejacket under 13.

[PendO]

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[#47of100TeamMC]

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[#47of100TeamMC]

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oh yeah... take this...........................