Family-Friendly Features to Look for When Buying a Yacht for Family Trips

Buying a yacht means you can enjoy family trips at sea whenever the mood takes you. It means you can take the kids away for a long weekend or explore for longer with a luxurious, spacious place to spend unforgettable family holidays. If you’re thinking of buying a boat for the whole family, here are the features to look out for that can make your trips so much more comfortable and fun.

Safety Features

When you’re on the water with kids, safety needs to be the top priority. You should ensure the yacht that you choose is suitable for kids and has safety features such as:

• Lifeline netting – if you’re sailing with young kids, this can be fitted around the railings, stopping them from falling into the sea. However, kids should still be constantly supervised when they’re on board
• An enclosed cockpit that’s inaccessible to kids
• A safe area for them to play in – some parents use a playpen or travel cot for younger kids or a room where a safety gate can be installed
• Easy access to life rafts – make an evacuation plan, especially if you have children who are too young to climb into a life raft on their own
• Safe steps – avoid yachts with steep staircases or ladders if you have young children

In addition to this, you should make sure you have suitable safety equipment, such as a child-sized lifejacket that has been properly fitted. You can also add a line with a tether and safety harness for younger kids, as this will allow them to walk around on the deck and give them some extra protection when they play outdoors. 

Some yachts are more suitable for trips with kids, offering expansive decks and advanced safety features that provide a secure environment for young children to explore and enjoy the journey.

Space for Everyone

Having enough space makes a trip much more enjoyable, especially if you’re bringing the whole family along. If taking longer trips, consider whether children will be happy sharing rooms or whether you need more individual spaces. While your kids may be small now, in a few years, you will have teenagers who may want their own space or even want to bring guests along. 

Most people who buy larger yachts will hire a crew, so you need to ensure the boat has sufficient crew quarters. If you’re planning to bring along a nanny, au pair, or tutor, they’ll also need their own space. 

Think about the available indoor space for all-weather playtime or study time, as well as how much outdoor space there is on the deck for the kids to enjoy. If you plan to spend days at sea without docking, the kids will need enough room to entertain themselves without getting under your feet. 

When it comes to the evenings, you’ll no doubt want to spend some time on the deck sipping a cocktail as the sun goes down. If you have young children, make sure they have a cabin that’s safe and quiet, perhaps away from where festivities are taking place, so they can stay in their bedtime routine without being disturbed by the adults having fun. 

A Swim Platform

Your kids will no doubt be excited to get into the water, whether it’s for a swim or to play with some water toys. Choosing a yacht with a swim platform will make this much easier with children. They can jump off the platform into the water or use it to board a paddleboard or inflatable. It’s also much easier for them to get out of the water onto a platform rather than using a ladder. 

You’ll also want to equip your yacht with age-appropriate water toys. There are lots of options out there, such as inflatable slides and climbing walls, which kids will love playing on. If you plan to have a lot of water toys, choose a yacht with plenty of space to store equipment. 

Fun Family Facilities

Modern yachts are fitted with all sorts of fun facilities that kids will love. Think about what they enjoy doing on land and whether it’s something they can enjoy on your yacht! Superyachts have facilities such as pools, hot tubs, and even cinema rooms, so there’s plenty to do when you’re at sea or docked. 

While the best thing about being on a yacht is spending time enjoying the sea air, kids will get tired towards the end of the day. Consider what facilities they might want to enjoy in the evenings when they’re winding down. Many yachts come with high-tech AV facilities, so they can plug in their video console or spend time watching movies. 

Both kids and adults will be happy to find a reliable WIFI connection. Not only does it make navigation easier for the crew, but it also gives you a chance to keep in touch with work or loved ones. When the kids need some wind-down time, having WIFI will let them use their devices on board so they can play games or stream content.  

Personalisation Options

Having options for personalisation means you can make the space your own. If you’re buying a new yacht, you can often choose more family-friendly options, or you can sometimes retrofit them into a pre-loved model. For example, you can choose soft furnishing options that can stand up to wear and tear. You can also create a more family-friendly feel with your décor options, making it a cosy home away from home when you travel with the kids. If taking longer trips, you might want to let the kids personalise their bedrooms and play spaces so it feels like their home on the sea.  

Simpson Marine can help you find the perfect family-friendly yacht for those memorable trips. With a wide range of new and pre-loved yachts of many different sizes, we can find one suitable for your family. Start investing in amazing adventures by getting in touch today.