"Gene Kearns" wrote in message
...
On Fri, 20 Oct 2006 21:48:11 -0400, " JimH" not telling you @
pffftt.com penned the following well considered thoughts to the
readers of rec.boats:

.......kids?


We started w-a-a-a-a-a-y-y-y-y late and our one and only is a son aged
almost 22. He's a great boater and quite a competent captain. I
trusted him to act in a mature manner and put him at the helm when he
was about 4 years old. He has acted as was expected of him (with
supervision, where appropriate) and has always been a responsible
boater. If *anybody* is catching fish... *he* is.... its always has
been like that, even when he was just a little kid. (I'm jealous.)
When time permits, he now serves as mate on a local head boat.

He's going the way of Tom's kid and is majoring in Criminal
Justice.... he has some pretty good prospects on the horizon pending
graduation.

Judging from some of our peer's kids... we've been lucky!

--

Grady-White Gulfstream, out of Oak Island, NC.

Homepage
http://myworkshop.idleplay.net/

Rec.boats at Lee Yeaton's Bayguide
http://www.thebayguide.com/rec.boats

Like you I let my kids take the wheel while in my lap since they were young,
but when sitting on my lap. When they were older and wanted to I allowed
them to take the wheel but with me standing beside them and in only light
traffic areas. With our smaller boat my son has taken the wheel on his own
in light traffic areas, including in the river off the Lake and is growing
more and more confident with his boating skills.