Since having kids my wife and I haven't been able to get out in the
rivers as much. We have a 2 and 5 yr old. 2 years ago I saw a pontoon
fishing boat at Sportsman's Warehouse that had a smaller seat behind
the main seat...perfect for a child. Of course now we can't find this
model and none of the sporting goods shops has seen anything similar in
their catalogs. We want something that is very portable and doesn't
require 2 people to put in or operate (sometimes we like to go out on
the water by ourselves).

For those of you with small children, how have you dealt with this
situation? Did you just quit enjoying the rivers until they were
older? Or did the kids stay home with the other parent or a
babysitter?

We want to go out as a family on the rivers rather than leave the kids
at home with a babysitter. My wife works full time and I'm in college
full time so time with our kids is important.

Thanks for your input...

On 23 Jul 2006 18:09:48 -0700, "Troy76"
wrote:

Since having kids my wife and I haven't been able to get out in the
rivers as much. We have a 2 and 5 yr old. 2 years ago I saw a pontoon
fishing boat at Sportsman's Warehouse that had a smaller seat behind
the main seat...perfect for a child. Of course now we can't find this
model and none of the sporting goods shops has seen anything similar in
their catalogs. We want something that is very portable and doesn't
require 2 people to put in or operate (sometimes we like to go out on
the water by ourselves).

For those of you with small children, how have you dealt with this
situation? Did you just quit enjoying the rivers until they were
older? Or did the kids stay home with the other parent or a
babysitter?

We want to go out as a family on the rivers rather than leave the kids
at home with a babysitter. My wife works full time and I'm in college
full time so time with our kids is important.


Get a canoe, an inexpensive, but sturdy one. Something where at least
one of the adults can watch both of the kids at all times. You can
sell it after the kids are grown enough for their own kayaks. One
person, not even athletic (trust me on this. That was me.) can handle
a eighty to ninety pound canoe (I recommend lighter) all by herself.

Even if that were really a seat behind the pontoon craft (they tend to
be for stowing gear or coolers), do you want a two year old where you
can't see what it's doing? I wouldn't even leave a five year old
behind my back on a river.
--

r.bc: vixen
Speaker to squirrels, willow watcher, etc..
Often taunted by trout. Almost entirely harmless. Really.

http://www.visi.com/~cyli

Troy76 wrote:
Since having kids my wife and I haven't been able to get out in the
rivers as much. We have a 2 and 5 yr old. 2 years ago I saw a pontoon
fishing boat at Sportsman's Warehouse that had a smaller seat behind
the main seat...perfect for a child. Of course now we can't find this
model and none of the sporting goods shops has seen anything similar in
their catalogs. We want something that is very portable and doesn't
require 2 people to put in or operate (sometimes we like to go out on
the water by ourselves).

I would reverse the order of seating by having the child in front of
you
where you could more easily reach them.


For those of you with small children, how have you dealt with this
situation? Did you just quit enjoying the rivers until they were
older? Or did the kids stay home with the other parent or a
babysitter?

We want to go out as a family on the rivers rather than leave the kids
at home with a babysitter. My wife works full time and I'm in college
full time so time with our kids is important.

Thanks for your input...\Troy76 wrote:

We solved this problem by getting a raft. It allowed us to carry just
about
anything we would have every needed and enabled us to do some extended
trips. A raft is roomy, incredibly stable, and very forgiving.

We started with flat water trips and worked up to moderate whitewater
over
the years. As a self guided tripper, one is always very conservative
when your
entire family is on a trip. Then we added inflatable kayaks (IK). My
daughter
and I would paddle one and my wife in another. When my daughter was
old
enough, she got her own IK

One can find a used raft for a very reasonable cost. And one can always
rent
one if you are planning a trip.

Blakely

---
Blakely LaCroix
Minneapolis, Minnesota, USA

"The best adventure is yet to come"

You could also look into an inflatable kayak. Two 2 man's or one 2 man and
put the kids in the middle. Like mentioned, a canoe is a good idea too. We
have one and take ours out in it as well.

Right now we just take our kids to the lake, river, or shore beaches. One
parent goes out on short excursions while the other stays at the beach with
the other child.

Courtney

"Cyli" wrote in message
...
On 23 Jul 2006 18:09:48 -0700, "Troy76"
wrote:

Since having kids my wife and I haven't been able to get out in the
rivers as much. We have a 2 and 5 yr old. 2 years ago I saw a pontoon
fishing boat at Sportsman's Warehouse that had a smaller seat behind
the main seat...perfect for a child. Of course now we can't find this
model and none of the sporting goods shops has seen anything similar in
their catalogs. We want something that is very portable and doesn't
require 2 people to put in or operate (sometimes we like to go out on
the water by ourselves).

For those of you with small children, how have you dealt with this
situation? Did you just quit enjoying the rivers until they were
older? Or did the kids stay home with the other parent or a
babysitter?

We want to go out as a family on the rivers rather than leave the kids
at home with a babysitter. My wife works full time and I'm in college
full time so time with our kids is important.


Get a canoe, an inexpensive, but sturdy one. Something where at least
one of the adults can watch both of the kids at all times. You can
sell it after the kids are grown enough for their own kayaks. One
person, not even athletic (trust me on this. That was me.) can handle
a eighty to ninety pound canoe (I recommend lighter) all by herself.

Even if that were really a seat behind the pontoon craft (they tend to
be for stowing gear or coolers), do you want a two year old where you
can't see what it's doing? I wouldn't even leave a five year old
behind my back on a river.
--

r.bc: vixen
Speaker to squirrels, willow watcher, etc..
Often taunted by trout. Almost entirely harmless. Really.

http://www.visi.com/~cyli

Railtramp wrote:
One can find a used raft for a very reasonable cost. And one can always
rent one if you are planning a trip.

Blakely, good alternative, you only forgot to mention that this means
going over to the dark side! ;-)

--
Wilko van den Bergh wilkoa t)dse(d o tnl
Eindhoven The Netherlands Europe
---Look at the possibilities, don't worry about the limitations.---
http://kayaker.nl/

Wilko wrote:
Railtramp wrote:
One can find a used raft for a very reasonable cost. And one can always
rent one if you are planning a trip.

Blakely, good alternative, you only forgot to mention that this means
going over to the dark side! ;-)

--
Wilko van den Bergh wilkoa t)dse(d o tnl
Eindhoven The Netherlands Europe
---Look at the possibilities, don't worry about the limitations.---
http://kayaker.nl/

Wilko,

You are right. I should have mentioned how rafts have a negative
image due to their use as kayak krushers on the highly populated
rivers of the Eastern US. They have a much better image in the
Western US however where their cargo capacity can sustain a
group of people for 10 to 20 day outing. I only think of them in
this context. A river with any party in sight other than your own is
just too crowded for my tastes.

As for the dark side, I have gone even darker by adding a tripping
canoe to my fleet - my first single blade paddle! (I still think a
kayak paddle would work better but the local purists would give
me a very hard time).

Blakely
---
Blakely LaCroix #86.
Minneapolis, Minnnesota, USA

"The best adventure is yet to come"

I would second Cyli's recommendation for a canoe. When my kids were
young we got a used Mad River Explorer (15+ years ago). There was plenty
of room for the four of us to paddle together, and I took them out quite
often by myself. It worked out well for us.

Troy76 wrote:
Since having kids my wife and I haven't been able to get out in the
rivers as much. We have a 2 and 5 yr old. 2 years ago I saw a pontoon
fishing boat at Sportsman's Warehouse that had a smaller seat behind
the main seat...perfect for a child. Of course now we can't find this
model and none of the sporting goods shops has seen anything similar in
their catalogs. We want something that is very portable and doesn't
require 2 people to put in or operate (sometimes we like to go out on
the water by ourselves).

For those of you with small children, how have you dealt with this
situation? Did you just quit enjoying the rivers until they were
older? Or did the kids stay home with the other parent or a
babysitter?

We want to go out as a family on the rivers rather than leave the kids
at home with a babysitter. My wife works full time and I'm in college
full time so time with our kids is important.

Thanks for your input...

I just wanted to thank all of you for your comments and suggestions.
We currently own a canoe but because of a recent back injury, I cannot
paddle anymore (lower back...cannot twist). A year ago when we bought
the canoe it wasn't an issue...now I can barely pick it up. We didn't
use the canoe much because my son was barely a year old. My dr and PT
said I can row since I don't have to twist my lower back. That's why
we were looking into the pontoon fishing boats.
The summer's almost over though so maybe by next summer we'll figure
something out. By then our 2 yr old son might know what "no" and
"stop" mean...maybe not.

Thanks!
Troy

Kalispell, MT

On 26 Jul 2006 00:36:24 -0700, "Troy76"
wrote:

I just wanted to thank all of you for your comments and suggestions.
We currently own a canoe but because of a recent back injury, I cannot
paddle anymore (lower back...cannot twist). A year ago when we bought
the canoe it wasn't an issue...now I can barely pick it up. We didn't
use the canoe much because my son was barely a year old. My dr and PT
said I can row since I don't have to twist my lower back. That's why
we were looking into the pontoon fishing boats.
The summer's almost over though so maybe by next summer we'll figure
something out. By then our 2 yr old son might know what "no" and
"stop" mean...maybe not.

Thanks!
Troy

Kalispell, MT

There are adapters that allow one to row a canoe.

You'd still be left with the problem of moving it around, but if you
and your wife both go, she could do it unless it's very* heavy.
--

r.bc: vixen
Speaker to squirrels, willow watcher, etc..
Often taunted by trout. Almost entirely harmless. Really.

http://www.visi.com/~cyli

Yikes. Sorry to hear about the back issue. I know from experience what a
cramp it puts on one's activities. We do have some advantages being
bipeds, but the lower back is a real weak point!

Have you thought about a guideboat? Adirondack guideboats are much like
wide canoes but are rowed. In the late 19th C and early 20th C in the
Adirondacks they were considered to be the pickup trucks of the waters.
Just google on the term, and you'll come up with lots of hits.

Good luck!
Bill

Troy76 wrote:
I just wanted to thank all of you for your comments and suggestions.
We currently own a canoe but because of a recent back injury, I cannot
paddle anymore (lower back...cannot twist). A year ago when we bought
the canoe it wasn't an issue...now I can barely pick it up. We didn't
use the canoe much because my son was barely a year old. My dr and PT
said I can row since I don't have to twist my lower back. That's why
we were looking into the pontoon fishing boats.
The summer's almost over though so maybe by next summer we'll figure
something out. By then our 2 yr old son might know what "no" and
"stop" mean...maybe not.

Thanks!
Troy

Kalispell, MT