Re: models for young kids

Posted by Dave on Oct 15, 2005

Both my 6 year old daughter and my 8 year old son built their own Chesapeake 14's this summer. They both did great jobs and had a lot of fun in the process. (Some day we'll post the pix). I didn't do much more the make sure they didn't epoxy each other to the floor.

The only real mods that I made was to the cockpit opening - my son's is 10% smaller then suggested, and my daughters is 20% smaller. This allows them a small enough opening to get their knees under the deck, but still big enough to allow them to grow quit a bit. We just tightened the elastic on the skirt and it fits fine.

The 14 is quite easy for my son to handle. He can turn it a lot faster then I can turn in the WR180. My daughter does fine in her's too - as long as it isn't too windy. In a strong wind she isn't quite strong enough yet to keep it on line.

I'm not sure that I would build a smaller boat as they will outgrow it fast. If they just go out for 10 or 15 minutes - it doesn't really make any difference what they are in. As they get more used to it - they will fill into the 14 nicely, and it will last them quite a while.

In Response to: models for young kids? by Dennis Rioux on Sep 29, 2005

Replies: