News — Boating Safety

Baby On Board - Which Means We Need to Baby Proof the Houseboat.

 By: Heather Magda Serrano

Baby-proofing a houseboat is no small matter, as Forrest and Kayleigh Packebush can tell you. There are a lot of precautions and modifications to make, but it’s all absolutely worth it if it means a safer environment for your child. As proud parents of their baby girl, Emerson, who’s only 11 months old, both parents continue to be enchanted by their daughter and their houseboat lifestyle on LakePleasant in Peoria, Ariz.

The Packebushes purchased their 80-foot Sumerset houseboat about three-and-a-half years ago, but before that, they had lived on a 1978 Drifter that Forrest had renovated. Prior to that, Forrest lived on a 30-foot Cruiser. Altogether Forrest has lived on the water for 12 years and Kayleigh’s lived on it for about five, so it’s safe to say they’re no strangers to houseboat living.

Of course, now that little Emerson is a part of the picture, living on the water has become a whole new ball game and they’ve worked hard to make sure she is as safe and comfortable as possible on their houseboat.

From the typical modifications you’d find on land-locked homes to houseboat-specific ones, Forrest and Kayleigh have made sure to cover all the basics and more. And it’s a good thing too because now that Emerson is almost a year old, Forrest mentioned she’s become considerably more mobile.

“She’s full on sprinting, running, getting into everything, and smashing things,” laughed Forrest playfully. “I’ve lovingly nicknamed her the ‘Kraken,’ the eight-legged sea monster that grabs ahold of everything and destroys it.”

With Emerson running around and getting into all kinds of mischief, the Packebushes are happy to have their watchful dog Sully as another set of eyes. Sully isn’t usually a barker, but he always starts barking whenever he sees kids jumping and splashing in the water.

“I don’t curb him doing it because it lets me know there are kids around and he’s barking for a reason,” explained Forrest. “It’s nice having that third set of eyes watching the baby anytime she’s doing anything, especially if she were to jump in the water.”

Forrest and Kayleigh are both firefighters, and Forrest rescued Sully on a call. Ever since living with Forrest he’s become a part of both the fire station and boat life. “The first day I had him he was swimming,” chuckled Forrest, “and the second day I had him he was riding on a fire truck.”

The Packebushes also have 12-year-old goddaughter named Lexi who hangs out with them on the houseboat quite frequently, and they have always been grateful to have their loyal dog around to keep an eye out for her too.

Typical Baby-Proofing

The first thing Forrest and Kayleigh did to get ready for Emerson to live on board were the typical things that most homeowners would do like putting locks on doors, cabinets, drawers, and toilets. They made anything potentially harmful inaccessible to curious, grabby little hands.

They also put outlet protectors on all electrical outlets to keep the baby from sticking her little fingers or objects into the outlets. Additionally, the Packebushes have alarms on the sliding glass doors that go off anytime the doors open. A chime goes off during the day and at night they switch to a loud, obnoxious alarm.

They actually installed the chimes when they first bought the boat for their goddaughter Lexi who was only eight at the time, and they have always been helpful for keeping track of everybody’s comings and goings.

Baby-Proofing The Houseboat

After all the typical baby-proofing, Forrest and Kayleigh got to work on baby-proofing specifics for their houseboat. The first on this list was the railing of the houseboat. When they bought the houseboat, the railing on the upper deck only had canvas on its upper portion, leaving the lower wide open. A ball or anything could roll over the edge of the houseboat and the baby could go after it. So the Packebushes had custom screens made that close the lower portion of the railing so that nothing can get through. Secured neatly, these screens keep Emerson from being able to crawl off the edge.

The Packebushes also have some custom gates for the spiral staircase in the back and the main stairway in the front, which they were able to make and install with the help of their neighbor who blacksmiths as a hobby. Once Forrest and Kayleigh latch these gates shut, Emerson can’t get through without the help of mom or dad.

Baby-Proofing The Slip

The Packebushes have two slips at Pleasant Harbor Marina: they have their houseboat in the one and their speedboat in the other. With the help of the same blacksmithing neighbor, Forrest was able to fabricate some black iron pipe for fencing and put safety screens along the fence lines. This makes it so that even when she’s out on the slip, Emerson can’t get into the water.

The screen material Forrest used is the same used to contain cattle, so she can’t rip it, tear it, or poke things through it. It’s secure and long-lasting while still allowing her to see the water through it. Forrest added that one of her favorite pastimes is to sit and look at the water, so that’s a definite plus.

Inside the slip, the Packebushes decked in a 30- by 20-foot area in front of the speed boat. Forrest put some artificial grass down there so she has a little play area. He also put a gym in there for himself and his wife so that they can exercise while they watch Emerson. It’s quite the perfect set up for the whole family.

“So far so good, but it’s always a work in progress,” smiled Forrest.

Of course, Forrest stressed that all the safety precautions they’ve made don’t replace proper parenting and vigilance, but they do make it a lot easier to avoid accidents. Another precaution the family has taken is to give Emerson a Safety Turtle 2.0 bracelet which sets off an alarm when submerged in water. She has also been through Intelligence, Surveillance, and Reconnaissance (ISR) classes and is currently in swim lessons.

Other Challenges

Naturally, there are some other challenges that come with living aboard a houseboat with a baby. Forrest mentioned that one of the biggest challenges is grocery shopping, since the parking spots are a half-mile walk from the boat.

“Walking with a stroller and a cart full of groceries can get quite cumbersome because the garage is no longer 20 feet away from the kitchen,” admitted Forrest.

Some of the other challenges include people going to the lake to recreate and have a good time. It’s completely understandable to the Packebushes, but some weekends can get a little loud, especially when you just put a baby down to sleep. For this reason, they’ve come up with some inventive ways to keep the noise down so Emerson doesn’t get disturbed.

The solution to the noise problem that’s worked the best is white noise. “We’ve gotten a white noise machine for her,” described Forrest. “During the monsoon seasons we also put a dehumidifier with her because the humidity gets very high with the monsoons. Not only does it help her sleep more comfortably, but it also provides some extra white noise.”

All Worth It

One of Forrest’s absolute favorite things about living on the houseboat with Kayleigh and Emerson is coming home after a stressful day at work. “The minute we crest the hill and are coming down the ramp looking at the water, all of the stressors go away,” attested Forrest.

Life is good and tranquil living on the houseboat and being able to raise Emerson on board is a special adventure. From her frequent habit of gazing at the shimmering water with delight, it’s quite clear she loves living on the water too.

“Her new favorite thing to do is sit on the floor by one of the longer windows that goes down all the way to the water and watch the boats go by and say, ‘Daddy,’” beamed Forrest. “I scuba dive a lot so she’s used to me coming in and out of the water.”

Kayleigh enjoys scuba diving as well, and if all goes according to plan, Emerson will also have a scuba diving certification in hand when she turns 10 years old so she can go diving with Mom and Dad.

Lately, the Packebushes have had some really nice weather and they’ve been taking the houseboat out of its slip as often as they can. When they took it out for their first ride of the season, it was the first time they’d taken the houseboat out since Emerson had been able to walk.

“It was wonderful to be able to watch her run around and play on the deck of the houseboat while we’re out driving,” shared Forrest. “Of course, Mom’s about 2 feet behind her chasing her and making sure she’s not falling down with the waves or throwing toys over the railings.”

In moments like these when the Packebushes get to see their little girl frolicking and playing, they can’t help but reflect on how happy they are that they chose to raise their daughter out on the water. Baby-proofing the houseboat turned out to be a small price to pay for all the precious moments they are experiencing together as a family.

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Houseboat Living. What Laws, Rules & Regulations Affect Houseboats?

By: All About HouseBoat Living

When it comes to houseboat living, what are the laws and regulations about living on houseboats? Do they vary from state to state?

Well yes, welcome to the houseboat info, and congratulations on asking a popular question about living on a houseboat?

You will find that the laws, rules and regulations DO vary from state to state, and that is what makes it even more difficult to find a suitable location.

In some areas, they have time limit requirements stipulating that you can not spend more than 7 days at a time in one location, others it could be 30 days.

In other states, it is allowed, however it's not a topic that is highly publicized.

Houseboat living is not a popular subject amongst many government departments and officials, as there are many rumors and urban legends surrounding the type of clientele that live-aboard houseboats supposedly attract.

It brings up many controversial discussions like the effects it can have on waterfront property, property taxes, pollution, and the environment amongst so many others.

If you're looking for more in depth information, have a look at the following links:

US Army Corps of Engineers

USCG State Boating Laws

Personally, I find this is a very emotional subject for all houseboaters alike, and I assume that there will be some comments, and suggestions about the differences in various states?

Lastly, hopefully some of our readers will share and post comments about how their states laws, rules and regulations have affected their houseboat living experiences. Feel free to use the "Click here to post comments." link found near the bottom of this page.

Thanks again for sharing, IAN from all-about-houseboats

If you're still looking for information, you can try our search function, found at the bottom of the left Nav bar.

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Polaris Industries Looks to Make a Splash in Pontoon Boats

By: Motley Fool

The powersports vehicle maker looks to reenter the water market after leaving over a decade ago.

After a 14-year hiatus, Polaris Industries (NYSE:PII) is taking the plunge into watersports again by acquiring pontoon boat maker Boat Holdings for $805 million cash.

The powersports vehicle manufacturer exited the industry in 2004, selling both its personal watercraft (PWC) vehicles and powerboats because of changing industry dynamics. Rising costs and a lack of "commonality" with its existing powersports business led to the exit.

The market has apparently shifted once more as Polaris now says its customer base has a lot in common with boating -- 30% of them also own a boat. Buying Boat Holdings immediately catapults Polaris to the top of the pontoon market because it commands 26% of the industry.

Making waves

The boat market has been soaring. The U.S. powerboat market is an $8 billion opportunity, with pontoons one of the largest and fastest-growing segments. Polaris points out that pontoon sales have grown at an 11% compounded annual rate since 2010, though it may be starting to slow.

According to Statistical Surveys says the pontoon market grew 7.2% last year, but notes that some markets like Houston were devastated by Hurricane Harvey and finished down for the year. Prior to the storm, however, sales had been positive and many large markets still enjoyed double-digit growth. Fort Wayne, Indiana, for example surged over 22% for the year.

Pontoon boats are a versatile vessel as they can be used for fishing, sports, cruising, and day trips. That latter part is key because rival boatmaker Brunswick (NYSE:BC) -- which Polaris used to have a business relationship with when it was in the marine market -- says that overnight trips with boats are fading. Industry site Boat Industry quotes Brunswick's freshwater boat group President Jeff Kinsey as saying, "There's been a clear shift toward day boating, and that speaks directly to the pontoon with its seating capacity, its open space, its amenities and its comfort."

National Marine Manufacturer's Association data that shows where pontoon boat market share has remained steady at around 20% of the market for the past five years, cruisers with overnight facilities have just a 3.2% of the market.

Riding the rising tide

Boat Holdings generated $560 million in revenue last year with earnings before interest, taxes, depreciation, and amortization (EBITDA) of $75 million. Polaris says that if you take into account the net present value of the tax benefits from the deal of $100 million, the purchase price represents a multiple of approximately 9.5 times Boat Holdings' EBITDA. The deal is expected to add $0.10 per share to Polaris' earnings depending on how sales do over the next few months.

Polaris has been eyeing a return to the marine market for four or five years, but couldn't find the right spot to jump in. That changed with Boat Holdings, which was originally explored last year, though Polaris CEO Scott Wine said the opportunity wasn't right then.

Boat Holdings brings with it four brands: its top-selling Bennington, which generates 70% of the company's sales; Godfrey, the third best-selling pontoon brand; Hurricane, the leading deck boat brand; and Rinker, manufacturer of sterndrive and outboard powered runabouts and cruisers.

The latter will put Polaris in competition with leading powerboat manufacturer Malibu Boats(NASDAQ:MBUU), which last year bought Cobalt Boats, the top maker of 24- to 29-foot sterndrive boats.

While the acquisition brings Polaris Industries back into the marine market, it really is a different one than it left a decade and a half ago. It's a different demographic that buys pontoons compared to those buying personal watercraft vehicles like Kawasaki's JetSki or Bombardier's Sea-Doo. 

Millennials are targeted by PWC dealers, but boat registration tracking firm Info-Link Technologies says younger families are buying pontoons and baby boomers are selling their PWCs.

Yet with the biggest manufacturer in the fastest-growing boating segment, Polaris should be able to make a big splash once again. 

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Small Efforts Make Big Difference in Recreational Boating Safety

By: National Safety Council 

There are over 11 million registered boats in the United States. Most boating experiences are positive – the stuff memories are made of. But the most joyful times quickly can turn deadly if boaters are not vigilant about safety – at all times. 

One of three things usually happens when a good day on the water turns tragic, according to the U.S. Coast Guard:

• A passenger falls overboard
• A boat capsizes
• A boat collides with another boat or object

In 2017, the U.S. Coast Guard counted 4,291 boating incidents that involved 658 deaths, 2,629 injuries and about $46 million of damage to property. 

Perils of Falling in Frigid Water

Hypothermia can set in if a person is exposed to water less than 70 degrees for too long. The body cools 25 times faster in cold water than in cold air, according to the Personal Flotation Device Manufacturers Association. In June 2015, a Utah doctor, his two daughters and one of their friends died in the frigid waters of Bear Lake, about 120 miles north of Salt Lake City, after their boat capsized. Lance Capener reportedly swam to shore with his wife, Kathryn, only to perish when he went back for the girls. Two other teenage girls survived by massaging cramps out of each other's arms and legs and praying while waiting for help to arrive. All were wearing life jackets, but their body temperatures plummeted in the 53-degree water and 70-mph winds.

Just Wear It

Life jackets are the lifeblood of safe boating. The U.S. Coast Guard reports 76% of boating deaths in 2017 were due to drowning, and 84.5% of the victims were not wearing a life jacket. The good news is, comfortable – and stylish – Coast Guard-approved life jackets are widely available. The Wear It campaign promotes boating safety by encouraging boaters to wear life jackets all the time. Before setting sail, review a pre-departure checklist to ensure you have everything you need in your boat, including a tool box and first-aid kit. Once on the water, use common sense. In a split second, a situation can arise or the weather can turn. If you notice storm clouds, a sudden temperature drop or wind speed increasing, the best advice is to play it safe. Get off the water.

Get Educated, Reduce Risks

The National Safe Boating Council promotes safer recreational boating through education, outreach and training. In 2017, Coast Guard data indicates 81% of deaths occurred on boats where the operator had no boating safety instruction. By comparison, 14% of deaths occurred where the operator had received a nationally approved boating safety education certificate. To further reduce risk, the Coast Guard offers these tips:

• Don't drink: Alcohol affects judgment, vision, balance and coordination
• Take a safety course
• Get a free vessel safety check; contact a local volunteer here
• Know about carbon monoxide; this odorless, colorless poisonous gas is emitted by all combustion engines and onboard motor generators

The extra effort that goes into taking these kinds of precautions will help create fun-filled adventures for you and your family on the water.

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