Russ and Barbara Jones
Nordic Tug 49
Russ Jones’ love of the water began very young. By age four he was learning to pull oars in a family rowboat, and by eight he was exploring the bays and coves around Boothbay Harbor, Maine. Those early days—watching crabs and fish and feeling the freedom of being on the water—set the tone for a lifetime of boating.
After high school he and a friend built a pram in his parents’ basement and later bought a worn Penn Yan runabout to waterski with their girlfriends. College, military service and marriage followed, and Russ and his wife Barbara raised their two sons, Chris and Steve, in West Hartford, Connecticut. In 1975 they fell for a Grady-White in Boothbay Harbor, and in 1980 upgraded to a 32-foot Cheoy Lee trawler to cruise New England more comfortably.
That trawler opened up family cruising to Cape Cod Canal, Nantucket, Boothbay Harbor and many other destinations. Russ and Barbara encouraged their boys to learn boating skills early—rowing on their own, then steering and taking on age-appropriate responsibilities. Those lessons in responsibility and accountability, Russ says, translated directly into everyday life.
Steve eventually worked on fish docks and later as a deckhand on various fishing boats, including runs to Alaska—choices Russ credits in part to those early experiences. Chris now owns a Grady-White 275 and uses it with his children, Jack and Lilly, who are frequent crew on their grandfather’s current boat, the Nordic Tug 49 Polaris, kept in Deep River, Connecticut.
The Joneses upgraded from a Nordic Tug 42 to the 49 to gain more customization for cruising with kids. They worked with Wilde Yacht Sales in Essex, Connecticut, and outfitted the boat to make family cruising comfortable and practical: each child has a bunk, and a smaller tender with a 40-hp Honda outboard rides atop the tug for waterskiing, towing tubes and exploring nearby coves.
Russ emphasizes the importance of giving grandchildren activities that spark imagination and foster responsibility. He looks forward to trips with his oldest grandson, Matthew, including an upcoming 80-mile excursion in the smaller boat where Matthew will have extended wheel time. “Adventure, imagination, responsibility—there’s no better setting for raising kids and strengthening family bonds,” Jones says.
Bryan Scheff
Carver C52 Command Bridge
After his wife passed away nine years ago, Bryan Scheff wanted an activity that would keep him close with his daughters, Tia and Arianna. He considered a summer house and towable boats, but ultimately focused on family cruising—a choice that transformed their lives.
new Carver C52.
Scheff began looking at smaller boats with the girls—then 11 and 9—before choosing a 31-foot Bayliner after a broker warned that a small boat could quickly lead to buying a larger one. He took private lessons from a captain for six weeks and then set out on their first family cruise. The Memorial Day weekend trip tested their resolve: they ran afoul of a bridge speed restriction, entered the wrong inlet to Cape May, and found some planned channels too shallow. Still, the trip cemented their bond and sparked a desire for a bigger boat.
After a few more family adventures, including a memorable cruise to Baltimore’s Inner Harbor with Tia and her friends, Scheff and his daughters decided to upgrade. A 44-foot vessel expanded their cruising range through Chesapeake Bay and on coastal trips, but service issues led Scheff to consider Carver. They chose a Carver C52 Command Bridge for its build quality, American manufacture and strong dealer support from Waterfront Marine in Somers Point, New Jersey.
Now operating The Tardis from Somers Point, Scheff plans to spend more time aboard and gradually move the boat south, first to North Carolina and eventually farther. Long-term plans include a Great Loop cruise after the daughters finish college, and a family trip to the Bahamas—especially to tie up at Atlantis Marina on Paradise Island, a dream they’ve discussed since visiting several years ago.
Erik and Kathy Olstein
Formula 45 Yacht
Erik Olstein grew up around small lake boats in Kinnelon, New Jersey, and later gained experience on larger vessels with an uncle’s 42-foot Hatteras. Kathy sailed Lasers in Fremont, California, as a child. Together they raised three sons—Ryan, Hunter and Kevon—and introduced them to boating when the youngest turned four.
Their first family boat was a 32-foot Sea Ray and their inaugural cruise across Long Island Sound included stops in Shelter Island, Greenport and Sag Harbor before returning to Mystic, Connecticut. Those early voyages were rich with lessons—knots, fog navigation with radar, docking and supervised helming—and created lasting family memories.
Erik values teamwork and calm communication while cruising. He believes in assigning children responsibilities early so everyone participates and learns. Over the years the Olsteins moved through different boats—an American Tug, a 42-foot Sea Ray and eventually a Formula 45 Yacht purchased from Rex Marine Center in South Norwalk, Connecticut. They chose Formula for its reputation, build quality and customer support.
Now in their early 50s with adult sons aged 20 to 28, the Olsteins appreciate that their children still make time for family cruises despite busy schedules. Those trips keep the family close and reinforce respectful communication—skills that translate to stronger relationships ashore.
Chris and Andrea Stewart
Prestige 500
“Boatload” is an apt name for Chris and Andrea Stewart’s Prestige 500, which ferries their busy family from Dunedin along Florida’s Gulf Coast to the Keys. Both parents grew up boating and moved from center consoles to larger yachts as the family expanded, first with a Sea Ray 43 and later the more spacious Prestige 500 Flybridge purchased from Galati Yacht Sales in Tampa Bay.
The Prestige provides ample sleeping space, a roomy aft cockpit and a swim platform that’s perfect for children to get in and out of the water while anchored. The Stewarts’ six children—three biological and three adopted from West Africa—range from ages 5 to 15. The adopted children have gradually grown comfortable aboard and now embrace boating as naturally as the rest of the family.
Their typical cruising style includes hopping from marina to marina to tire the kids out so the parents can relax at night. Annual trips to the Keys for lobster season are a family staple, and the Stewarts are planning a longer offshore trip to the Dry Tortugas, which will involve added fuel capacity, extended anchoring and exploration by dinghy.
For Andrea and Chris, life aboard their Prestige is their preferred way to spend time with their children—an environment that encourages shared experiences, outdoor activity and family bonding away from screens and distractions.
Mike McCain and Debbie Freeman
Grady-White Freedom 375
Mike McCain’s boating history reaches back to an era when wooden boats needed to swell after launch. He and friends started with a Chris-Craft, moved through several tow boats and ended up favoring Grady-Whites for their versatility. Mike met Debbie in 1994; their first date was a dinner cruise on his 19-foot Grady-White Tournament, and they later bought a home with saltwater access and continued upgrading through a succession of Grady models.
Today Mike and Debbie, in their early 60s and late 50s, have three adult children—Hunter, Alex and Sarah—who grew up boating and still prioritize family trips. The McCains settled on a Grady-White Freedom 375, purchased from FishTales Marina in Fort Myers, Florida, as a reliable platform for snorkeling, diving and fishing along the Gulf Coast.
A highlight of their yearly calendar is the lobster-diving trip to the Keys each August, which draws extended family and friends—this year’s trip hosted 24 people. Mike values that the kids still make time for these traditions and include their parents in big family plans. For the McCains, boats have been the centerpiece of shared experiences that keep their family connected.
This article originally appeared in the August 2019 issue.