Priceless memories...why I own a boat!

[Fman]

As it continues to pour rain down today, under grey skies! I needed something to lift my mood up so I am putting up some pics of my kids last year wakeboarding at Lake Shasta. All of them have only been on the water for one year, I was really proud of them last year.... they made some great progress!

My oldest boy Travis is 16, Daugher Hannah is 13, and my youngest son Tanner was 6 in these pictures.

Post up some pics of your family in action!

[tg0824SSVGG]

Very nice !!

I don't have pics of my kids - just my wife riding the hydrofoil, I think ... I will have to look around.

http://photos-e.ak.fbcdn.net/hphotos-ak-snc3/hs005.snc3/11268_1300064346849_1387647550_849078_7477646_n.jp g

http://photos-d.ak.fbcdn.net/photos-ak-snc1/v377/21/4/1357076074/n1357076074_30146083_6258.jpg

http://photos-a.ak.fbcdn.net/hphotos-ak-snc3/hs168.snc3/19555_1374432764994_1357076074_31095498_4964881_n. jpg

[TayTay]

So i have a question for the fathers out there. I am expecting my first child in August. How and when did you introduce your kids to the water. I want to as early as possible and just wanted to see what other parents did.

[87SunSportMikeyD]

Swimming lessons - that I failed - because I wouldn't pay attention, I was too busy diving over and over and loving the water! Yes I can swim now lol

I LOVE those pics from both of you we dont have any lakes like that in MN...

[thescott]

Love these threads -
Some pics of my superstar 7y/o nephew, my 16y/o daughter, and a fuzzy one of me. Keep em coming! I can't wait for the weather to warm up and get back out on the water! I've gotta get some pics posted of my 63 y/o dad going w2w too-

https://forum.supraboats.com/picture.php?albumid=22&pictureid=658
https://forum.supraboats.com/picture.php?albumid=22&pictureid=657
https://forum.supraboats.com/picture.php?albumid=22&pictureid=750
https://forum.supraboats.com/picture.php?albumid=22&pictureid=751

[sybrmike]

Tay,

Early & often. Made baths fun when a baby & then on a boat as soon as they could stand having a life jacket on. Hum of the engine & lapping of the waves put em both right to sleep (still does @ 10 & 14). Swim lessons @ 3-4 just to get them comfortable in the water. Make it fun & don't push too hard. Show them see how enjoyable water sports by example & they'll want to be just like dad. Can easily be on tubes/skis/boards @ 5 or 6 - really, no different than riding a bike.

Congratulations on the future arrival!

[tg0824SSVGG]

Tay Tay,

We didnt' get a boat until my kids were all about 7 or 8 years old, but all of the
grandkids except the one born 2 months ago have been on the boat since "day 1" -- and all have also ridden in my wife's lap on the hydrofoil at about 8 or 9 months old.

I agree, as often as possible, and I would look into the "infant" swimming.

[Oilguy]

Fman - Great Shots!! I love this one:

http://supraboats.com/bbs/attachment.php?attachmentid=1997&stc=1&thumb=1&d=1267204728

I have some of my girls learning to board... I need to get some of them framed for the office.

[csuggs]

So i have a question for the fathers out there. I am expecting my first child in August. How and when did you introduce your kids to the water. I want to as early as possible and just wanted to see what other parents did.

I have 3 boys, 18, 16 and 14. Our oldest starting going on the boat with us regularly when he was 2 weeks old. All you need is an infant life vest a hat and lots of sunscreen. The motor on our friend's Mastercraft Prostar put him to sleep everytime! My middle son was kneeboarding solo at age 3 years! Get the swimming lessons to get them comfortable in the water and then take them out in the boat every chance you get - they'll love you for it! :cool:

[Okie Boarder]

Great pics!

My boys both went through some swim lessons when they were 3-4 years old. We've had a boat since they were 4 and 6 respectively. We had them tubing and starting to kneeboard that first year.

[Fman]

Very nice !!

I don't have pics of my kids - just my wife riding the hydrofoil, I think ... I will have to look around.

http://photos-e.ak.fbcdn.net/hphotos-ak-snc3/hs005.snc3/11268_1300064346849_1387647550_849078_7477646_n.jp g

http://photos-d.ak.fbcdn.net/photos-ak-snc1/v377/21/4/1357076074/n1357076074_30146083_6258.jpg

http://photos-a.ak.fbcdn.net/hphotos-ak-snc3/hs168.snc3/19555_1374432764994_1357076074_31095498_4964881_n. jpg

What a GREAT picture! Your wife is definitely the real deal, those air chairs are really cool... I rode one last fall and am considering buying one this year. They are also much easier on the back and knees then wakeboarding! How long has your wife been chairing for?

[Fman]

So i have a question for the fathers out there. I am expecting my first child in August. How and when did you introduce your kids to the water. I want to as early as possible and just wanted to see what other parents did.

I was on a boat at one year old as a kid, my parents were avid slalom skiers, so naturally we were on the Delta for most of our life. My kids were not exposed to much boating until last year, after doing it last year wish I had bought one years ago.... we have a great time on the water together, and best of all, no video games!!!

[Kip]

Great thread and great pics. That is what boating is all about quality time with family and friends.

I grew up sleeping under the console of our 16 ft Starcraft and grew to love the water from there.

[csuggs]

Yeah - I think bringing them up on the boat is a great thing. It teaches them about quality time with family and friends and also responsibility, respect for the water, how to deal with sticky situations and stay calm (every boater has a "close call" story to tell). On top of all that, and it's fun! Pretty good investment of your time and money in my opinion. My dad always had a boat of some form or another when I was growing up - when you grow up like that it kind of gets in your blood! It's the best!

[tg0824SSVGG]

Travis, she's been riding for about 10 years - but don't let that scare you.

The sky ski's are pretty easy to ride, and as you say - much easier than the
damn wakeboard!!!!

That is a grandmother to 5 ... ;o) and my wife for nearly 29 years!

Todd

[ssmith]

I have a 5 yr old daughter that has been boating since 2 yrs of age and was tubing with an adult then. My youngest is 18 months now and she spent all of last summer on the water. Babies love the water if it is warm enough and yes the engine sounds and the rocking of the boat puts them right off to sleep. We started swimming lessons with our now 5 yr old when she was 8 months old. The instructor really would have preferred that she had been started at 6 months old.

Here's the 5 year old on the water scooter...

She was 4 yrs in this pic.

http://i175.photobucket.com/albums/w126/scotties2006/Mobile%20Uploads/IMG00068-20090725-1132.jpg

[KY Steve]

So i have a question for the fathers out there. I am expecting my first child in August. How and when did you introduce your kids to the water. I want to as early as possible and just wanted to see what other parents did.

We had our daughter on the boat at 2 weeks old. Both my kids were kneeboarding(and snowboarding) at 3 years old, now at 8 and 10 they swim on competitive teams. Swimming to me is very important, not only for the amount of time we spend on boats but its also one sport that they will use the rest of their life.

Here is a pic of my son at 4, first time on a board. They now have a board that fits them.:p

http://i840.photobucket.com/albums/zz327/toolsail/Launch24/IMG_0483sm.jpg

[venom93corba]

Wow guys these pics are really inspiring. We just bought my son ( 6 ) a wakeboard ( Hyperlite Motive 109 ) for Christmas and were pumped for him to use it in the spring. Any tips I should know for getting him up the first time. Speed, rope length etc.

[Fman]

Wow guys these pics are really inspiring. We just bought my son ( 6 ) a wakeboard ( Hyperlite Motive 109 ) for Christmas and were pumped for him to use it in the spring. Any tips I should know for getting him up the first time. Speed, rope length etc.

I started my son on a kneeboard first just to get him used to being behind the boat, and only about 15' feet back, very slow.... not a necessity, but something to consider. My youngest (who was 6 last year) watched my older kids a few times and then asked me to let him try.

For wakeboarding I would recommend putting him in the water only 15-20' behind the boat, you can even hold the rope while sitting on the ski locker/platform with your hand or tie it off on the ski pole/tower and have someone else drive the boat and go very slow so you can talk to him. Being somewhere with the water calm and not a lot of other boats around will also make it much easier. If your son is a little scared you can also get in the water with him and put your wakeboard on to show him how to sit in the water. You barely need to touch the throttle and they will pop right up, the main key for the kids is once they are up to lean back on there back foot so they get a little control and dont catch an edge and take a faceplant. When they are in the water putting them in the correct position with the rope and bent legs helps a lot.

I am now towing my 7 year old at about 14-15 mph, and my other older kids are from 16-19 mph. I am trying to get my oldest son in the 22 mph range so the wave cleans up better and he can start to get more air.

Anyway, just my .02.... this seemed to work well for us.

[venom93corba]

Thanks Fman, i'm really excited for the spring. He watched me all last year and I had to keep tellin him "bud your just not big enough". But low and behold Santa dropped off a wakeboard for him. He's been watchin alot of youtube vids and is pickin out all the tricks he wants to do. LOL

[Newty]

Great pics Travis! I'm getting the itch for summer too!
As far as the kids are concerned, My daughter was on the boat by 3 months only because she was born in January and my son's first outing was a July fourth weekend after being born on June 25th. I can't keep them out of the boat and both love the water. So early and often as stated previously. It works great for nap time too, just get the boat on plane for more than 10 minutes and... out like a light.:D
Both my kids were skiing at 4 years old, and love surfing with me but
my daughter got up on a wakeboard on the last outing of the season last fall, and now she is super excited for spring, all be it probably not as much as me.:D
Isn't it awesome seeing your kids do things like that?

[Fman]

Great pics Travis! I'm getting the itch for summer too!
As far as the kids are concerned, My daughter was on the boat by 3 months only because she was born in January and my son's first outing was a July fourth weekend after being born on June 25th. I can't keep them out of the boat and both love the water. So early and often as stated previously. It works great for nap time too, just get the boat on plane for more than 10 minutes and... out like a light.:D
Both my kids were skiing at 4 years old, and love surfing with me but
my daughter got up on a wakeboard on the last outing of the season last fall, and now she is super excited for spring, all be it probably not as much as me.:D
Isn't it awesome seeing your kids do things like that?

Hey Ryan,

Whats up bro... yes it is awesome, and like I mentioned, NO VIDEO GAMES out on the boat. They actually get to spend quality time with us and get to bring some friends along too. When your kids become teenagers (I have two of them) it seems like it gets more challenging to find things everyone likes to do, thankfully the boat is still on the top of there list!

I tell ya..... spring cant come soon enough!