Messing about in boats!???????

(3 Posts)

Solo2 Thu 23-Jun-11 19:26:58

Single mum, going away on a UK beach holiday shortly with my twin 10 yr old DSs and have just bought an inflatable dinghy suitable for 4 to use in the local bay.

BUT...HELP.....SHRIEK!!!! This isn't what I'd had in mind when I thought of buying them something to mess about in. I'm not at all familiar with boating and have rowed on a lake - as a child - maybe 4 times about 38 yrs ago!!!

Should we really be going on a boating course and learning all about rules/ regulations and safety and manning a craft - although it's just a 4 person inflatable dinghy?

Or can we play Swallows & Amazons in the bay (THINK it's fairly safe there and little chance of currents taking us out to sea as it's a way off from the actual sea and more a marshland estuary thing where we've often seen people in canoes, sailing craft, dinghies) without me getting too neurotic about things?

Anyone with experience of boating please advise. smile

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Solo2 Fri 24-Jun-11 11:49:00

Bumping my own thread....

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headfairy Fri 24-Jun-11 11:53:16

Sailing courses and dinghy courses can be expensive... but here's a good place to start if you're keen

Otherwise, where are you going? Do they have a watersports centre type thing there (the sort of place you can hire dinghys, windsurfers etc) who could do a short course?

Whatever you do, take a mobile phone with you. You can get waterproof bags for them but at least if you do get in to difficulties you can contact someone.

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Messing about in boats!???????