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Cruising with Kids
Submitted by Joan Gunn-Allard, Roger
Allard & Kimberly Allard, M/V New Paige (Nordhavn
40)
 By
Cruising with our seven-year-old, Kimberly, has its challenges,
but certainly none more important than learning emergency
procedures. For us, one of the most important procedures
was to learn to react to a MAYDAY situation.
We began by writing the
procedures down in a step-by-step format in easy, comprehensible
language that our daughter could understand. Writing short
sentences that covered all we want to say, but basic enough
for her, is not that easy. However, I think we achieved
that goal.
We then posted the instructions
close to the VHF radio and had her practice them, holding
the mike but not actually pressing the key to the mike.
How to get our child to
understand the idea of reading longitude and latitude
over the radio also posed a challenge. In order for her
to understand what to read, we made a label—"READ
THESE NUMBERS"—and put it directly over the
GPS so she would make the connection between the instructions
that she was looking at, and what to read. We also explained
what the GPS is, and what it does in order for her to
understand the importance of getting the numbers correct.
It has taken a number of
practices but we think that she has the hang of it. I
have also pretended to be a Coast Guard person at the
other end of the MAYDAY and asked her questions that may
or may not be asked such as "How old are you? What
is your name?," etc.
Then we realized that she
needed to learn how to really talk on the VHF radio, so
we have her call and talk with our traveling friends,
Joe and Jan on Princess Jan. According to them, she has
a very good speaking voice and is easy to understand.
But more importantly she has learned that you must lift
your finger off the mike key in order to talk and/or to
hear the other party. And talking with Joe, she has learned
how to do that very well.
We will often simulate drills
where she needs to run to the VHF and do a MAYDAY and,
again, this has helped to build her confidence and the
ability to do the required task.
Editor's Note: The Allards,
who are residents of Alberta, Canada, have just begun
a two-year cruise and are on their way south to Mexico
from Alaska. We can attest to the fact that Kimberly is
delightful company with both adults and children! You
can follow their travels at www.newpaige.ca.
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