Boating with 5 year olds

[HangOutdoors]

My fondest memories of my brother when we were young was when he, I and my dad would be out on the boat all day, every weekend on Saturday. almost 40 years later the memories are crystal clear. I definitely appreciate the time, funds and effort my dad put in to take us boating and fishing.

 

[drewkaree]

Your kids are going to enjoy it as much as you let them, and as much as you make it enjoyable for them. If they are dictating the fun they want to have, it's not going to matter if it's a boat, a car, an airplane, a sled, a motorcycle....how much do you want to do it, and why do you envision it being a ton of fun? Take that vision in your mind and put it into action with your kids. I've had 3 of my grandkids on the boat, some of the neighbor kids, and met up with TONS of families out on their boats with their kids. There's enough evidence to prove that kids love boats and being out on the water, but the kids that are having the REALLY fun times also have adults around them making sure they're safe and keeping them engaged in the real world in front of them and the experience they're having.

Everyone seems to be dancing around it, including me, so I guess I'll put it in stark terms - if YOU suck, boating for your kids will suck! Find yourself a boat and don't suck!

 

[2kwik4u]

Our daughter started boating as an infant.

Same here.

Both boys were on the water at ~6wks old. Been on the water since and they both love it. They're 3 and 9 now.

 

[rrmidden]

They should be knee boarding by the time they're 6, wake boarding the time they are 6 1/2, skiing and wake surfing by the time they are 7, and slalom skiing by the time they are 8.

I know times are different, but when I first learned how to ski, on my uncle's boat, he was pissed that I got up quicker than his daughters, so he spent my first lap around the lake trying to get me to fall. I didn't, but that episode just pushed my dad to get his own boat, so it was a win/win in my book.

 

[mbrown131]

Wow! Thank you all for the speedy replies! I really appreciate it!

I was looking at a Challenger 180 but it may be sold (it's pending sale - I couldn't get out there in time). There's a 2004 Utopia 185 near me. Any thoughts on that boat? We're looking for something to tube and cruise. Maybe wake board at some point, but I know these boats aren't meant for that really.

 

[Acard7]

Buy bigger if you can wait and/or afford it, you'll grow out of that boat fairly quickly with everything you will have to pack on there! Any busy day on the lake will give a smaller boat fits on ride comfort. Our first boat (19ft) was pretty rough on the weekends, but we hung out in the cove frequently. And the mother-in-law owns a 26ft tritoon so using that to tube didn't matter how rough it was.

Also forgot to mention a key piece of equipment you'll definitely need to buy and that's a lily pad or some sort of water mat. Kids love hanging out and jumping off of them, but it's another thing you'll have to carry along. They do make inflatable ones that seem to be great but I have no experience with those.

 

[suke]

Wow! Thank you all for the speedy replies! I really appreciate it!

I was looking at a Challenger 180 but it may be sold (it's pending sale - I couldn't get out there in time). There's a 2004 Utopia 185 near me. Any thoughts on that boat? We're looking for something to tube and cruise. Maybe wake board at some point, but I know these boats aren't meant for that really.

Hate to say it, but you dodged a bullet with the first one.....second one is probably worse with the mecury motors in them. I'm not dogging on seadoos, I own a seadoo ski, just they're not the best for reliability. Those old mercury motors had a host of problems, and the challenge was no one wanted to touch them. Merc dealers didn't want them, and seadoo dealers didn't wanna touch them either. IF you're very mechanically inclined and could replace/rebuild those motors then I say go for it. I used to want a seadoo utopia 205 for MANY years.

If you're hellbent on seadoo find one that has twin NA motors. Those had the least amount of issues.

 

[Babin Farms]

My kids are a bit older now but try to find a beach or sandbar for them to play with possible friends. This helps my kids enjoy the experience that much more.

 

[Wheelspin]

Both my boys have grown up on the river every summer, from months old up. I just got the new Yamaha we ordered last fall, and the wife cried the last outing on the old boat last fall. LOT of memories made on the old girl.

 

[2kwik4u]

Here's the mandatory baby swing picture. I'm sure you guys are tired of seeing it.....

 

[mbrown131]

Here's the mandatory baby swing picture. I'm sure you guys are tired of seeing it.....

View attachment 144768

Love it! Thanks for posting it.

 

[mbrown131]

I'm looking at a 2007 Utopia 205 SE 310hp (twin Rotax engines - but will need some upholstery), 2004 Utopia 205 with the 240hp engine, or a 2005 Yamaha LX210. I understand the Merc 240s can be tough to find a mechanic or parts for. All three seem to be maintained well except the 07 needs some upholstery work. I'm pretty mechanically inclined (grew up around racing), so I'm mostly worried about finding parts. If it is a complete rebuild I may need a mechanic because I'm not sure I can get the engine out without an A-frame or something. Either way, thoughts on the boats?

 

[tabbibus]

Here's the mandatory baby swing picture. I'm sure you guys are tired of seeing it.....

View attachment 144768

that picture inspired me to get a swing of my own. so yeah. keep posting

 

[Britboater]

My kids have been brought up in and around boats and lived by the ocean all their lives, they both are excellent swimmers and partake in numerous watersports. We have a photo somewhere of my son only months old, asleep under the dash of a non, open bow boat .

My only real addition to others, is buy a proper "Life preserver" not just a buoyancy aid, they have a collar which will keep their face up and an offset front padding, so if the unthinkable was to happen, the jacket will roll them over and keep their head above water, until you get to them.
My daughter was so confident in hers that we would have to watch she didn't jump ship as soon as the engine was stopped she would launch herself overboard, even when we were anchoring in deep water!

 

[the MfM]

I'm looking at a 2007 Utopia 205 SE 310hp (twin Rotax engines - but will need some upholstery), 2004 Utopia 205 with the 240hp engine, or a 2005 Yamaha LX210. I understand the Merc 240s can be tough to find a mechanic or parts for. All three seem to be maintained well except the 07 needs some upholstery work. I'm pretty mechanically inclined (grew up around racing), so I'm mostly worried about finding parts. If it is a complete rebuild I may need a mechanic because I'm not sure I can get the engine out without an A-frame or something. Either way, thoughts on the boats?

Of those I’d strike the 2004 off your list, the Mercury powerhead is ok and parts are available. But the jet pump is hard to find parts for and when you can they are expensive...just price out a mercury m2 wear ring.

The 2007 utopia is a nice boat and with the 155hp 1503 engines should be reliable. Parts are available but being a four stroke if something happens to an engine it’ll be $10k or more for a shop to put an sbt reman in the boat.

The LX210 is twin two strokes. Plan on rebuilding the carbs ASAP if the engines don’t fire with a turn or two of the key. Otherwise a top end rebuild will be in your future. The engines are super simple and can be torn down and rebuilt DIY for ~$750 in parts/machine work. Part support is good. Most dealers don’t want to work on two strokes anymore though. The ls/lx 2000/210 and early ar210 are all the same hull/engines with a different option package (swim step or tower for example)

 

[kgower]

Hate to say it, but you dodged a bullet with the first one.....second one is probably worse with the mecury motors in them. I'm not dogging on seadoos, I own a seadoo ski, just they're not the best for reliability. Those old mercury motors had a host of problems, and the challenge was no one wanted to touch them. Merc dealers didn't want them, and seadoo dealers didn't wanna touch them either. IF you're very mechanically inclined and could replace/rebuild those motors then I say go for it. I used to want a seadoo utopia 205 for MANY years.

If you're hellbent on seadoo find one that has twin NA motors. Those had the least amount of issues.

Had my 03 Vans edition SeaDoo ski for 18 seasons, never had an engine related problem. Only real repairs I had was to replace the O ring twice and the impeller once.

 

[BlkGS]

Wow! Thank you all for the speedy replies! I really appreciate it!

I was looking at a Challenger 180 but it may be sold (it's pending sale - I couldn't get out there in time). There's a 2004 Utopia 185 near me. Any thoughts on that boat? We're looking for something to tube and cruise. Maybe wake board at some point, but I know these boats aren't meant for that really.

When I was looking for a boat, the challengers were very high on my list. They were inexpensive, small enough to tow easy, and felt like they'd be enough room. Then we got on one that was for sale and hesitantly said "yeah this is big enough". On the way back we said "yeah it was kinda tight" and realized it would be too small.

We looked a the 21 foot challenger, but they were rare and pricey. We looked at the utopia, but again, they were rare, and I felt like their hull would confine them to be only a lake boat. We ended up in our Sx230 and don't know that any other boat would have worked out better.

 

[suke]

I'm looking at a 2007 Utopia 205 SE 310hp (twin Rotax engines - but will need some upholstery), 2004 Utopia 205 with the 240hp engine, or a 2005 Yamaha LX210. I understand the Merc 240s can be tough to find a mechanic or parts for. All three seem to be maintained well except the 07 needs some upholstery work. I'm pretty mechanically inclined (grew up around racing), so I'm mostly worried about finding parts. If it is a complete rebuild I may need a mechanic because I'm not sure I can get the engine out without an A-frame or something. Either way, thoughts on the boats?

I'd go for the 2007 Utopia. 2004 has the dreaded mercury motor as mentioned isn't the best. If the 210 has the triple carb 2 stroke motors I'd want to do a compression check on both motors. Middle cylinder has been known to run lean. As mentioned a carb rebuild is in order, or if you can just buy new carbs all together. I have 2 stroke skis and I sure wouldn't want 2 motors and 3 carbs each.

 

[Bizywk]

Here's the mandatory baby swing picture. I'm sure you guys are tired of seeing it.....

View attachment 144768

Awesome idea Hoosier! My wife saw this and is already looking to borrow your idea for new member of the family.

 

[OCMD]

I now want to sell my boat as the kids have grown up and moved on and out. Rarely use it. 3 times last year, none the year before. But when they were 6 to 19, it was out of control fun. Cousins, friends, etc. When they were young, it was always about safety. My youngest took the boater safety class with me at 7 and was proud of her "license." By 8 or 9 she could pilot onto the trailer. Guess that's why at 21 she is now flying jets. Even when they were whining, after 30 minutes on the water whatever the whine was about was forgotten. Just make sure they are vested up properly, when they are still little ones.