Summer is a special time for grandparents and their grandchildren. Summer vacation offers a great time for traveling and new opportunities. If boating is one of those opportunities you want to share with your grandchildren, then consider these 5 tips to best enjoy your boat with them:
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Pack a beach picnic
Having a destination and an activity is a great way to improve how grandkids enjoy your boat. Have them help pack the foods and pick a great spot. Small boats might be capable of pulling right up to the beach, while other times you might have to drop anchor and use a dinghy to go ashore. Or, have your picnic right on your boat!
Think fishing expedition
Summer is great for Florida fishers. For older grandchildren, grab a pail and head up to the Gulf Coast for some snorkeling for some scallops. Younger children might rather find a secret cove to dig up clams. And of course, everyone can handle a fishing pole wherever you go in Florida's waterways.
Share the knowledge
Your grandchildren will enjoy your boat the more they understand it. There are a ton of boating-specific words, phrases and symbols. Make learning fun and teach your grandkids about what it takes to become their own captain; ranging from the basics of port vs. starboard to more involved details like how to best navigate through a channel using buoys, depth finders, and tide charts.
Give your grandkids a job
Once your grandkids have learned the boating basics, it's time to graduate them to a job. Being in charge of some aspect of the trip improves their engagement both with the activity and you. And with boating, there are a ton of responsibilities to go around. Deputize them as the navigator, safety inventory control, deckhand to assist with launching and landing, DJ, or something else.
Get a slide
Certain boat styles, most notably pontoons, are ideal for adding fun accessories like slides. Grandkids of every age will have fun and enjoy your boat more when they can slide down and splash into the cool waters on a hot summer day.
For more boating tips, tricks, and techniques, contact us today. Duncan Seawall, Dock & Boat Lift is the premier full service marine construction company in the Sarasota area. We offer a full line of waterfront building services, so whether you're looking to rebuild a seawall or construct a new dock, you can contact us.
