Safety Tips to Share

[Ex-Calif]

Originally Posted by Ann T. Cate

This is so important! Crew confidence is built by the successful rescue of the ring or floating cushion (what we use). And I expect Jim feels better, knowing I can do it, too.

Other things for safety, never stand over loaded blocks.

Make sure your head is on the other side of the forestay when you release the spinnaker guy.

These are important ones - Especially for newbies I also describe a "safety zone" on the foredeck.

On my boat it is a triangle from the baby stay to the shrouds to the mast to the baby stay. Here is where you can stand when tacking - safe from boom and genoa. You must also make sure that any lines laying on deck are outboard of you (you are inside all lines).

In higher winds I still may require you to be in the cockpit because the flying clew can also knock you out.

Originally Posted by Ann T. Cate

NEVER, EVER put any part of your body between the boat and a hard bit.

Never ever jump to the dock or fend off the boat. Fiberglass is replaceable.

Had a young man - semi-experienced and even reminded him not to jump. But there were girls on the dock!

He jumped, slipped and face-planted achieving the exact opposite impression he wanted to make...

[sailorboy1]

keep seawater out of the people tank parts of the boat

[thinwater]

Originally Posted by Ex-Calif

# 1 - Practice MOB.

My crew knows I will periodically throw a ring in the water and call MOB with no prep.

One time I called, "Skipper overboard!" released the tiller and sat down.

By the time they figured it out (I was OB and not going to help them) the ring had gone mid-channel and had been run over by a towed barge and the boat was pretty close to the lee shore. I was basically dead and they had a new "emergency" that now had them and the boat in danger.

While you may be able to execute a perfect MOB recovery, can your crew do it without you?

#2 - Brief for safety - Especially with new people on board. You may have it all figured out in your head but it always helps to hear it periodically.

Sail like you are single handing when the crew is inexperienced. Much smarter, because this situation is avoided. Simple.

[Snowpetrel]

Play the "what if" game occasionally. Ie what if the engine fails right now. What if the anchor drags, what if the the boat starts flooding... Might male you a paraniod wreck, but it will make you a better seaman.

[thinwater]

Originally Posted by openseas

Always test your radio before you leave, and wait to hear a response to make sure it is working. Add it to your check list before you untie the lines.
Andy

Day sailing? We're going to be listening to redundant radio checks all day. So much for 16.

[transmitterdan]

Originally Posted by openseas

Always test your radio before you leave, and wait to hear a response to make sure it is working. Add it to your check list before you untie the lines.
Andy

This makes me crazy to hear numerous people asking for "radio check" on 16 all day. That is not what 16 is for. If your radio system is prone to failure get an inexpensive meter. Diamond makes the SX40C for $80 but there are others. Learn how to use it and you can know your radio works without bothering anyone else.

[model 10]

Originally Posted by Snowpetrel

Play the "what if" game occasionally. Ie what if the engine fails right now. What if the anchor drags, what if the the boat starts flooding... Might male you a paraniod wreck, but it will make you a better seaman.

I really really hate the paranoid wreck thing. I kind of admire the laissez-faire sailors.

[Ex-Calif]

Originally Posted by thinwater

Sail like you are single handing when the crew is inexperienced. Much smarter, because this situation is avoided. Simple.

My crew were all experienced enough to do MOB without me. The point was without practicing the unusual there is no "obvious" course of action.

Not training the crew is not wise. There are lots of things that can incapacitate the skipper.

Single handing is not comparable. When single you assume all risk only for yourself. When crewed you assume safety obligations to all on board.

[thinwater]

None of which changes what I said.

Or as a climbing partner once told me, "you've got to kno when ot to fall."

[Ex-Calif]

Originally Posted by thinwater

None of which changes what I said.

Or as a climbing partner once told me, "you've got to kno when ot to fall."

It's not clear what you are saying or advocating.

Sail like you are single handing when the crew is inexperienced. Much smarter, because this situation is avoided. Simple.

This is not true - Otherwise single handers would never go overboard.

[gjordan]

Never tie the dink over the forward hatch. If your galley or engine goes up in flames, you need a way out before you are charbroiled. Have more than the minimum of fire extinguishers. Dont depend on sat phones to save you. _____Grant.

[Kenomac]

Leave the swim ladder untied, you never know when you might need it to get back on board.

[Pelagic]

Originally Posted by openseas

Always test your radio before you leave, and wait to hear a response to make sure it is working. Add it to your check list before you untie the lines.
Andy

A quick key mike test on a working channel while monitoring on the handheld is a lot less annoying.

[thinwater]

Originally Posted by Ex-Calif

It's not clear what you are saying or advocating.

This is not true - Otherwise single handers would never go overboard.

I should have made myself plain. Unless sailing in truly awful conditions, single handers fall off because they are not tethered or are other wise careless. Perhaps they momentarily forgot they were alone, which they cannot afford to do. Anyone can be careless for a moment; this is not an insinuation of stupidity. So we must fight against it.

My point, which I believe is very plain, is that focusing on not falling off, whether by holding on tight or wearing a tether most of the time, is far more likely to produce a favorable outcome than believing that an ill trained crew will be able to recover you in cold, nasty conditions. The vast majority of guests don't really want to learn enough about sailing to be able to lead an MOB in difficult conditions, in my experience, and trying to train them is probably pointless and tiresome. The captain would be better to spend his safety resources on not becoming incapacitated. In my case, I often sail with my wife who is disabled. No amount of training will allow her to get the chute or manage sails in a blow. She can manage only what she can manage--under power she can park it on a dime. But there are things a crew cannot do. My "obligation to my crew" (wife) is to never fall off or become incapacitated. Have you thought of it in that way? It is different from your case and requires a different mind set.

If the crew is better trained and truly interested in sailing, that is a different situation. If it is likely or inevitable that I will someday fall off, then single handing at all is truly stupid. I don't believe that. When I am alone or with crew I do not trust, I move differently. I plan ahead. I clip in on sunny 12 knot days. There is such a thing as "knowing when not to fall."

[Ex-Calif]

Thanks TW - Very clear and I agree.

Expectations from guests vs. crew are definitely different.

That's a good safety tip in itself.