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Chartering with children: what should the skipper sort out?
Short answer
Charter yachts carry lifejackets for the number of people aboard, usually in adult sizes.
Children's lifejackets and guardrail netting are often extras you order in advance,
so settle them before you travel, not on the pontoon.
A family charter is a different undertaking from a trip with adult friends, and the difference starts well before you slip the lines. The yacht will carry lifejackets for everyone on the crew list, but often only in adult sizes. An adult jacket on a small child rides up over the head in the water and does not do its job. Children's lifejackets with crotch straps, guardrail netting and sometimes a child's harness and tether are frequently available only on request, or you bring your own.
Once aboard, the skipper is responsible for handling the yacht and for the safety of everyone on it, children included. Parents keep their own duty to supervise, and on a family crew they are often the same people. That is exactly why roles need settling before you leave the berth: who watches the children during manoeuvres, where they sit when you come alongside, and when lifejackets go on. A fixed rule, such as jackets on as soon as the lines are off, is easier to keep than a judgement made afresh each morning.
Include the children in the safety briefing, in words they understand and with a short practice: where the jackets are, what happens if someone goes overboard, what to hold on to. Note the briefing on the crew list as you would for adults. Plan short passages with a sheltered harbour as a fall back, because seasickness and boredom change a day faster than the wind. And check your skipper liability cover, because if a friend's child is hurt on board a claim can follow there too.
Worth remembering
Base
often supplies adult lifejackets only
Skipper
orders children's jackets and netting in advance
A lifejacket that does not fit is not safety equipment. Sort it out before you travel.
Questions
What owners ask us about this
Will the charter yacht have lifejackets for children?
Not reliably. Ask for jackets in the right weight bands and for guardrail netting when you book, and get the answer in writing. If the base cannot confirm, pack your own.
Who is responsible if a child is hurt on board?
The skipper is responsible for safety on board and parents keep their duty to supervise. Who is liable depends on the facts. Clear rules and a recorded briefing protect everyone.
Is there a minimum age for children on a charter?
There is generally no fixed age limit, though some bases and operators set their own conditions. What matters is the right kit, sheltered waters and enough adults aboard.
Related
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