Many people invest in a boat so they can have a convenient way to spend more quality time with their families. That's partially because there are so many recreational activities and adventures you can enjoy with your family when you have such a capable seafaring vessel.
But what are the best boating activities for families? And how should you approach them?
Choosing the Right Boat for Family Activities
When shopping for your next boat, you need to keep your boating activities in mind. That's because certain types of activities require certain qualities in a boat, and certain boats are going to be designed to facilitate certain activities.
These are some of the most important qualities you'll need to consider in your search:
- Size. Boats come in many shapes and sizes. Some are very large, with ample space for equipment storage and even a place to sleep. Others are very small, offering greater affordability, and in many cases, more speed and manoeuvrability as well. A bigger boat isn't always a better boat, and it certainly isn't always the right boat for your family.
- Space. You also need to consider how much space there is, and in many different respects. Will you and your family have plenty of room to move around while cruising? Will there be plenty of room for you to store your fishing equipment or larger gear like kayaks? Is there a bathroom and are there sleeping accommodations in place? These qualities may make or break the suitability of a boat for your intended activities.
- Power. The relative power of a boat plays an important role in determining its speed and manoeuvrability. If you're searching for leisurely family activities like fishing or cruising, this isn't a big deal. But if you want to participate in more advanced water sports, like wakeboarding, you're going to need a powerful vessel that can support them.
- Utility. Was this boat designed for a specific purpose? For example, some boats are designed with slow cruising or fishing in mind. Others are designed for overnight adventures. Think about the utility and applicability of your vessel for a variety of activities that you might enjoy.
- Other features. Consider other features of the vessel as well. Do you like the way it looks? Do you like the way it handles? Does it have internal components that seem easy to maintain? Family boating activities may be your highest priority, or among your highest priorities, but you shouldn't use them as the exclusive factor to consider.
Now let's take a look at some of the best family boating activities you can enjoy.
Fishing
One of the most common family boating activities is fishing, and for good reason:
- Many options. There are countless options for how to fish with your family. You can choose to fish for food or for sport. You can travel to different areas to fish for different kinds of species. You can get up super early and fish all day or only fish incidentally when it's convenient for you. There are no right or wrong ways to approach it, and even if you don't catch anything, you can still have fun.
- Quality time together. Fishing is a fantastic family activity in part because it gives you so much quality time together. Fishing is mostly an exercise of patience, as you'll be waiting and watching your lines for activity. This gives you an opportunity to talk to each other and to bond with each other while you're waiting for excitement on the lines.
- Food (in many cases). Depending on where you're fishing and what you're fishing for, this activity can also give you a reliable source of food. If you can learn how to scale and prepare the fish you catch, you can have a bountiful feast at the end of your excursion.
However, there are also some weaknesses associated with fishing as a family activity:
- Need for equipment. Fishing isn't exactly free. Basic equipment isn't expensive, but you'll still need to procure equipment for the entire family. You'll also need to pay for things like fishing licenses, bait, and more, making this a more expensive activity than it first seems.
- Learning curve. It's not complicated to start fishing, but there is a steep learning curve involved. If you and your family are inexperienced with fishing, your first few trips out might be rough.
- Lack of patience. Patience is a defining requirement of fishing. It might take hours of waiting before you have a bite in some cases. If you have impatient kids, or if you and your family are looking for something more stimulating, this may not be the activity for you.
Swimming and Snorkelling
You can also get off the boat and enjoy some swimming or snorkelling, as conditions allow.
There are some very attractive aspects of this activity:
- Any vessel. You can go swimming or snorkelling on pretty much any vessel. You don't need anything big; you don't need anything powerful, and you don't even need anything pretty. This is something that any family with a boat can enjoy.
- Environment exploration. Swimming and snorkelling are also a great way to explore the natural environment. Spending time in the water can give your kids an appreciation for their natural surroundings and help all of you better enjoy your time at sea.
- Flexibility. There's also a lot of flexibility here. You can swim or snorkel in different areas. You can challenge yourself to go quickly or take your time and enjoy the scenery. You can use some advanced equipment or just jump into the water as you are.
But of course, there are also some drawbacks:
- Potential risks. As with any water activity, there are some risks associated with swimming and snorkelling. This is especially true if you're swimming in an area where other boats may be travelling. Exercise caution and always make sure someone is poised for a rescue if necessary.
- Skill dependency. Not everyone has the fitness or skills necessary to swim or snorkel. Accordingly, not everyone is in a position to enjoy this family activity.
- Spatial limitations. There are also some special limitations. There are some areas where swimming and snorkelling are prohibited. There are other areas where they’re basically impractical.
Water Sports
There are many types of water sports that bear similarities, including wakeboarding, water skiing, and towing (with the help of often-inflatable tow toys). These types of sports typically involve pulling someone behind a powerful, speeding boat. They may also include tests of agility, such as jumping off ramps.
These are the perks of this type of activity in:
- Adrenaline rushes. Some people love these types of sports because of the adrenaline rushes they're capable of providing. It's very exciting to wakeboard as the yacht in front of you reaches peak speed.
- Transferability. The skills you develop in this area are largely transferable. If you already have some experience water skiing, it shouldn't be hard to convert to wakeboarding. That said, these activities are different enough to provide unique experiences.
- Physical fitness. This is also an opportunity to build up your physical fitness. Water sports require strength, dexterity, coordination, and balance, so they can help you stay in good shape while you spend time with the family.
However, these sports aren't suitable for every family.
- Potential risks. As you might imagine, there are some potential risks here. Without proper safety equipment and precautions, you are a member of your family could end up seriously hurt or killed.
- Boat demands. Not every boat is capable of facilitating water sports. If you want to enjoy these activities with your family, you'll need to invest in a vessel that's powerful enough and fast enough for them.
- Lack of accessibility. Similarly, not everyone has the ability to handle water sports. These aren't particularly accessible activities.
Camping
Another option is to take your boat to a relatively remote area to go camping.
Perks include:
- The great outdoors. Many people purchase boats because they love the outdoors. Camping can get you even more acquainted with nature.
- Quality time together. Like fishing, camping is a great opportunity to spend quality time together as a family. Sitting around the fire and talking is one of the best ways to bond.
- Infinite possibilities. There are probably many areas where you can camp near your location, and if you're willing to travel, there are even more options. There are also countless activities and games you can play while camping.
But beware of the downsides:
- Primitive accommodations. Some families struggle to adjust to the primitive accommodations of camping. If you're not used to these conditions, your first experiences may be difficult.
- Potential boat demands. If you want to spend the night on your boat, you'll need a boat with the proper accommodations. Of course, if you're camping outside, you'll have much more flexibility.
- Need for preparation. It's a bad idea to go camping unprepared. You'll need to invest some time and money making sure you have all the equipment and resources necessary to make your camping experience successful.
Boatgating/Cooking
You can stay relatively close to home by boatgating or simply cooking and having a picnic on the back of your boat.
These are some of the advantages:
- Collective meals. Eating meals together is a fantastic opportunity to get to know your family better and form some powerful memories.
- A specific viewing experience. In many cases, you'll be able to watch a sports game or a movie on the back of the boat.
- Accessibility and affordability. This is a very inexpensive, accessible activity that every family can enjoy.
These are some of the downsides:
- Need for preparation. You will need to prepare some food before you venture out.
- Limited novelty. After a couple of excursions, this activity may feel repetitive, ultimately weakening its appeal.
- Dependency on food quality. Your family may genuinely love sitting down for a meal together, cooking on a boat is much more fun if the food is especially good.
Cruising/Sightseeing
A similarly relaxing, accessible activity is cruising or sightseeing. All you have to do is travel around on the boat and enjoy your surroundings.
Some benefits of this include:
- Easy-going pace. Many families appreciate the relatively slow, easy-going pace of cruising, especially if they live busy lives.
- Practically no limitations. The nature of this activity means there are practically no limitations on how you pursue it. You can cruise at any speed you want, anywhere you want, with any vessel you want.
- Novel possibilities. You can also modify this activity with some unique games and activities of your own. For example, you may plan a mini scavenger hunt.
Some detriments include:
- Slow pace/impatience. Although the slow pace is appealing to many, it may be annoying to others. If your kids are impatient or in constant need of stimulation, this may not be the activity for you.
- Familiar surroundings. If you only cruise in the local area, the surroundings may become excessively familiar and boring to you.
- Lack of objectives. There are also no objectives to this activity unless you make some. This can make the activity feel directionless and pointless to some.
Solo Exploring
Kayaks, stand-up paddleboards, canoes, and other vessels allow for solo exploring in some areas of the water.
You might choose this family activity to achieve:
- Personal autonomy. When each member of the family has their own vessel, they can explore the water as they see fit.
- Physical fitness. Most of these solo exploring options demand some level of physical fitness, encouraging exercise and muscular development.
- Exploration. This is also a great way to become more acquainted with your local waters and surroundings.
However, you'll also need to account for these limitations.
- Demand for new equipment. Procuring the necessary equipment can present significant upfront costs.
- Accessibility limitations. As with some of the other sporting activities, not everyone will be able to access and enjoy this type of activity.
- Dependency on surroundings. The enjoyment you get from solo exploring depends heavily on the beauty and accessibility of your surroundings. It's not suitable or enjoyable in all areas.
If you want to enjoy these excellent family boating activities and more, you'll need a robust, reliable vessel that can handle them. But if you're new to the world of boating, you may not know where to start. That's why TheYachtMarket has made it easy to find your ideal boat. Browse our selection of new and used yachts for sale today!