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What do you do on with your boat?

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drumsfield

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I'm just about to purchase my first boat and I'm looking forward to getting out on the bay with my kids. Besides the obvious answer like fishing and crabbing what else do you like to do on your boat on the Chesapeake bay? I'm thinking of taking the kids sightseeing on various islands (assuming it's allowed) I'm not too familiar with the restriction on parking a boat on a beach and look for clams and other critters. What do you like to do?

Shimano Stratic Ci4+ 4000/St Croix Premier 7ft 

Shimano Stratic FK 5000/St Croix Triumph 9ft

Shimano Saragosa 6000/St Croix Mojo Surf 11ft

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Hit up islands or sand bars or raft ups.  You can mingle with lots of friendly folks, or do your own thing and nobody will bother you. 

 

Run to bay-side or river-side restaurants for lunch/dinner or a drink if we're sans kids 

 

Some days just anchor in the shade of a bridge and eat a picnic lunch and swim.  My kids (5 and 8) are happy just jumping off the bow, swimming to the stern, climbing up swim platform, and repeat.  For hours.

 

With the kids I'll bottom or bobber fish for catfish.  Haven't taken them crabbing in Maryland yet, but we used to with chicken necks on a string in NC and they loved that (if you could get them to be patient enough to not check the line every 30 seconds.  I have a 600' trot line I bought on a whim, but might pick up some ring-traps for family crabbing.  The trot line is fun with a buddy or two, but might be a circus with two young kids.  Heck, it's a bit of a circus with just us adults.    

 

I'll let them steer thru uncrowded no-wake zones (under supervision, or course).  Makes them feel important, and I get to teach them about right of way, channel markers, constant observation, etc.   My boating experiences as a kid were strictly "the dad drives, and nobody else touches anything"   I want to instill a comfortable/capable boating culture in my kids, cause I don't plan on stopping anytime soon, and hope they want to keep doing it.     

 

Moral of this post is, since we got our boat 7 years ago, I've lost count of how many times we've taken it out...but I can safely say we've enjoyed every single trip.  Even the day we got towed home (make sure you get a Tow-Boat USA or Sea-Tow membership) was a fun memory.  

Edited by fishfood
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14 hours ago, fishfood said:

Hit up islands or sand bars or raft ups.  You can mingle with lots of friendly folks, or do your own thing and nobody will bother you. 

 

Run to bay-side or river-side restaurants for lunch/dinner or a drink if we're sans kids 

 

Some days just anchor in the shade of a bridge and eat a picnic lunch and swim.  My kids (5 and 8) are happy just jumping off the bow, swimming to the stern, climbing up swim platform, and repeat.  For hours.

 

With the kids I'll bottom or bobber fish for catfish.  Haven't taken them crabbing in Maryland yet, but we used to with chicken necks on a string in NC and they loved that (if you could get them to be patient enough to not check the line every 30 seconds.  I have a 600' trot line I bought on a whim, but might pick up some ring-traps for family crabbing.  The trot line is fun with a buddy or two, but might be a circus with two young kids.  Heck, it's a bit of a circus with just us adults.    

 

I'll let them steer thru uncrowded no-wake zones (under supervision, or course).  Makes them feel important, and I get to teach them about right of way, channel markers, constant observation, etc.   My boating experiences as a kid were strictly "the dad drives, and nobody else touches anything"   I want to instill a comfortable/capable boating culture in my kids, cause I don't plan on stopping anytime soon, and hope they want to keep doing it.     

 

Moral of this post is, since we got our boat 7 years ago, I've lost count of how many times we've taken it out...but I can safely say we've enjoyed every single trip.  Even the day we got towed home (make sure you get a Tow-Boat USA or Sea-Tow membership) was a fun memory.  

Thanks for the great advice

Shimano Stratic Ci4+ 4000/St Croix Premier 7ft 

Shimano Stratic FK 5000/St Croix Triumph 9ft

Shimano Saragosa 6000/St Croix Mojo Surf 11ft

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Go take the US Power Squadron Basic Seamanship course.  Besides learning a lot about running your boat, you will meet quite a few nice boating people who will be glad to share local knowledge with you.  The members around here (Pamlico River & Sound) are "boaters" more so than fishermen (what I use my boat for) but they really know the water and have lots of family oriented activities via their boats.  OH

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