What makes a family-friendly design? Here are some points to consider if you’re looking for a yacht to cruise long-term as a family:
• Ease of handling:• Comfort at anchor: sailing with children you’re likely to spend more time at anchor than on long passages. Catamarans are popular for their stability.• How many cabins (and heads) do you need? Young children may enjoy sharing, but different sleep patterns mean having a cabin each can increase family harmony. Older children and teens will want privacy and personal space. Consider ex-charter if you’re looking for four-cabin models.• Even if your children are young enough to share, having spare room for a visiting grandparent, au pair, or additional deck crew for long passages can be valuable.• Safety is key. A secure centre cockpit or well-enclosed transom is a must for many family cruisers. Consider whether you need to retrofit lifeline netting, additional harness points, or even secure car seats or similar in the cockpit.• Cruising kids tend to spend a huge amount of time in the water, so look for safe sea access, large swim platforms etc. Space for water toys – paddleboards, kayaks etc – is also important.• Cockpit safety: consider winch and mainsheet track placement.• For very small children, will you need to ‘childproof’ the companionway and galley? Stoves backing onto the saloon seating area are harder to secure than U-shaped galleys.• Room for a washing machine?
