Summer time is the best time to make a lifetime’s worth of memories with your kids on a boat. If you’ve never experienced the rush of ramming the throttle down with excited kids on water skis in tow, or the peace and serenity of a day under full sail with nothing but water as far as the eye can see, you’re really missing out. Here’s our advice: get yourself a boat. It doesn’t even matter which kind. Put some boat insurance on it, have a marine mechanic give it the once over, and get out on the water.

There’s something about being together in the relatively confined space that a boat offers, with the water surrounding you, which really brings a family together. Not only are there a lot of exciting and fun things you can do on the water, but you get a chance to really spend some time getting to know each other.

These days, families tend to fragment and go their separate ways, even when the children are young. There’s nothing wrong with everyone having their own interests and hobbies, but boating affords an opportunity to do something together, and that’s something you just can’t replace.

So, what kind of water fun is right for your family? Every family is different, and ultimately, that’s a question you’re going to have to answer for yourself. Here are some of the more popular family activities on a boat:

• Fishing. You don’t need a big boat, or a powerful one to have a blast reeling in whichever kind of fish inhabit your local waterways. Grab your tackle box and your kids and head out early to the marina to grab some bait and fisherman’s gossip. Make sure you find out where they’re biting and what they’re biting on. Then go out and have a great time.

• Water skiing. You need a little more boat for this, with a reasonably powerful engine and boat insurance. You also need some skis, of course. You should always have at least three people when you go water skiing: one to drive the boat, one to ski, and one to serve as a spotter, watching the skier and alerting the driver when he falls or has other issues. Teenagers in particular tend to love water skiing, though kids can be started much younger.

• Sailing. If you buy a sailboat, make sure you take some time to learn how to sail it before you get out on the water. It’s not as easy as it looks. That’s not to discourage you, it isn’t rocket science either, and it doesn’t take long to learn the basics, but you will want to make sure you have a basic understanding of how to handle the craft before you hoist the sail.

• Cruising. That’s right. Some families just like being on the water together. No activities, per se, no agenda. Just the boat, each other, and the water.

Photo via donjd2