Boat seat harness for kids?

[Grabs]

Does anyone own and use a boat seat harness for your kids? I will be the new owner of a 2006 Ranger 621VS in just a few days and for the next handful of years it would be nice to have a boat harness for one of the seats in the boat. Kind of like a car seat for a car, but for a boat seat. Something simple that attaches around the boat seat pedestal and wraps around the boat seat and holds them in it. Don't want to bounce the kid out.

Let me know if you have seen anything like this.

[Esox_Magnum]

Duct Tape. Sorry had to. Never seen anything like that but betting you could easily make something out of some salvaged seat belts.

[pikedreams]

Velcro pants!

[ANYFISH2]

Sorry but I haven't seen such a device. Would be nice in theory, but in all honesty I would not want my kids belted in the boat. Not likely to happen in your boat but a capsize would be tragic.

Just drive slow and responsible and your kids will be just fine.

[Big Buck Buster]

Velcro pants!

That would be sweet to see. With all the carpet in the boats now, the kids wouldn't be able to move.

[Whopper Stopper]

Your little one is far safer not being strapped in. I couldn't imagine setting them up for the horror of a boating accident and a capsized boat.

WS

[Sandmannd]

I agree with others in not belting them. I have thought about it and then think what would happen in the event of a flip over or something. My three year old does just fine sitting on the live well or rod storage and holding onto a handle. Your boat is going to be very stable and you shouldn't have to worry about much unless you are in a lot of waves and then I probably wouldn't take the midgets out with ya.

[Jethro80]

I hate be blunt about this but that's one of the most irresponsible things I have ever heard of.

I'm sure the dnr or the coast guard would love to find a child strapped in.

I would also think that engineers have already thought of and scraped that idea

[polarsusd81]

My grandpa strapped my car seat in his jon boat on the bayou when I was a little one (3 months old). When my mom found out, she told him to get me a life jacket, yeah, he didn't even have a jacket or cushion or anything for me. So he hopped in the truck and ran to pick one up asap.

If your child is infant to toddler sized, you can put their car seat in the boat, and strap the car seat down, but put a life jacket on them and do not use the seat belts of the car seat. When they are about 2 1/2 they should be fine to sit in a seat without a car seat. You will just have to take it easy with them in the boat. Just because you got a nice new boat coming doesn't mean you have to run it balls to the walls.

[wayne123]

For infants we strapped them in to the car seat and then tied a life jacket to the car seat. We only took them out on calm days with no bad weather forecasted and went slow.

[Down Deep]

When the little kids are in the boat there is no better time to excerise a high level of boater safety. Keep the throttle forward and an eye on the little one.

[BobT]

Your point is understodd out_fisherman but I wonder if it's being made a little strong. Name calling shouldn't be needed.

I agree that the best answer is to slow down to safe speeds for the conditions. In the case where someone else is reckless enough to run into you I would think it safer if the child is not bolted to the boat.

[wayne123]

I actually think it would be a good idea but somehow it would need to release and float if the boat capsized.

[Sandmannd]

I don't think there is a need to call this guy stupid or irresponsible. If anything, he was responsible enough to ask a question to look for answers. I wouldn't bash him for that. Like I said, I thought about the same thing and then the capsizing came to mind. It doesn't hurt to ask, isn't that what this site is for? Lay off him already. I don't think bashing anyone is allowed anyway.

[Grabs]

So I guess I missed some posts that were deleted already. I was driving to pick up my boat on Friday and Saturday and just now checking back in with this.

I really never considered capsizing, that wouldn't be good.

I still wonder though, my thoughts are more about keeping a kid in one place, one who wants to get off the seat and walk around while the boat is in motion. He's 18 months old now and not ready for being on the water for any amount of time right now, but I know I would have a hard time taking him out by myself at this age. There is no way he would sit in that seat while the boat was in motion. Maybe in another 8-12 months this will change?

Would be nice if there was a product that worked for both in motion and then let loose when capsized?

What's more likely, capsizing or a big wave hitting the boat wrong and bouncing us around? or out?

Of course we all need to drive our boats as the conditions and the passengers warrant. But sometimes it does mean getting on the gas a little, to avoid an in coming storm? get on top of the waves to smooth things out? There are reasons and times, I'm just trying to think ahead here.

My family never owned a boat until I was 14, so I've never known how to deal with really little ones in a boat. Fishing is a family activity and I want to my son to grow up enjoying the sport, after all he's going to get to fish in one nice rig growing up!

[river runt]

I used to make my kids sit on the floor when in motion and slip my foot under a strap on there life jacket to hold them down. or have them stand in front of me and hold on to the stering wheel or me. good luck RR

[wplatehunter]

I have them sit on my lap or stand in front of me when the boat is moving and hold onto them.

[Gadgetman]

kids are kind of like dogs...I have two children so I think I know what I am talking about. If you train them to sit when they should it will make things a lot easier for everybody. nuff said, no wandering about when the boat is under way.

[BobT]

My thoughts were the same. Have them sit on the floor while under way and make them stay there.

[Northlander]

If they are too young and antsy and wont listen and your worried that they wont stay put then they are too young to be out in the boat. I do agree in part to you should be able to teach your kids to listen and sit down but I also realize that young kids dont always listen the best.

In all cases with young kids eror on the side of safety.

[BoxMN]

You NEED two adults in the boat if the kids are real small anyway, so one can just hold the kid while moving. I agree keep it slow when they are small. But once they get a bit older, it gets easier.

I can finally take all 5 grandkids (6-12) by myself, but when there are more than one under 5 yo, you need two adults to be safe IMHO, regardless of how many there are. You still need to dock the boat, etc.

I also agree, teach them to listen to you and sit tight until you "release" them, ha! Hard to do with 18 month old, ha!

Have fun!

[jigginjim]

The only place I have seen seat harnesses is in a racing boat, where the driver was in a safety capsule. Even then they have divers ready for flipovers.

As for little kids, like most have already said "Do not take the kids out if it the waves are going to bouce the boat."

[RuKiddingMe]

My 4 yr old stands between me and the steering wheel when the boat is in motion, he loves it makes him feel like he's steeering and controlling the boat. My 7 month old goes to grandmas when the boat goes out for family day.

Llife jacket is the most important thing, we have the one with the strap between the legs and the loop handle on the top in back...

He loves boating, all he says is faster dad...

RU