What is your initial crew briefing?

[boatman61]

My trips are usually treated as singlehanded with occasional assitance.. Crew if owners usually have minimum experience in the main such as charters in relatively sheltered waters and its their first time offshore and overnighting lasting several days to weeks... unnerving for many to say the least.
My prime rule is "If anything like wind, sea state changes, or something your unsure of like lights.. Call me"
I would rather be woken for trivia than to an escalating situation that could have been easily avoided by reefing or a course adjustment rather than having to make a last minute vital decision while still befuddled by sleep.

[dcstrng]

I think in my younger days my ego and insecurities made me tend a bit toward a closet Capt Blyth – generally these days, the briefing is minimal. Youngsters wear PFDs when not actually in the cabin, optional for adults unless I say otherwise, in any case show them where the PFDs are, and briefly explain when they are required – even when the wife and I are sailing overnight, we usually have a quick run-through so we both understand each other. Seldom do we have overnight guests anymore, so energy and water management is minimal – just don’t plug the plumbing. The rest of the “briefing” more as we sail – usually in the vein of light instruction for non-sailors – pull that rope, it’s called a sheet because…, etc., etc. I find that so long as the skipper treats the whole affair carefully/respectfully, all but infants will too… treat sailing/boating nonchalant or cavalier and guests are very good at mimicking…

[Palarran]

Originally Posted by Cpt Pat

I'm a licensed master, and I've skippered a variety of crew sizes and sailing missions. Most have been ferry jobs: other people's pride-and-joy taken to or returned from boat yards or "fly-out" destinations. Occasionally, the owners are among the crew.



I'm retired from NASA Ames Research Center, where Cockpit (now termed "Crew") Resource Management (CRM) was invented. Being also a commercial pilot, I appreciate how that approach and risk management framework has gone a long way toward making commercial flight safer. In a nutshell, it replaces the "Captain is God" approach with safety responsibility shared among all the crew. With that in mind, here is my initial crew briefing (which I try to keep true to its name -- brief):



"As captain, I am accountable for everything that occurs aboard this vessel. In an emergency, when there is no time for debate, commands will come from me. I expect them to be followed.



(In a much gentler tone) But the whole point of prudent seamanship is to avoid emergencies. Everyone aboard this vessel is responsible for safety.



Since I have only one set of eyes and I depend on each of you for the safe conduct of this voyage -- if you see something, say something. If you think something is being overlooked or faulty information is being acted upon, speak up before it becomes an emergency."

Funny the difference. My initial briefing? Starts with the toilet, moves to the refrigerator door, short discussion about closing side hatches, and ends with where the booze is. I'm not so pompas as to say to anyone "I as Captain" and have to worry about a gentler tone.

[Snore]

On deliveries, including owner assisted, there is a crew contract that includes the requirement to clip in, no drugs, weapons, tell me if you have any medical issues, etc.

Pre-departure is MOB procedure, fire, and for anything else wake me.

Standing orders 1) Don’t fall off the @$*^ boat. 2) Don’t hit anything that won’t buff out. 3) When in doubt wake me. Better to wake me when first confused by a light than when we are about to get hit by something big (see also rule 2).

[MV Wanderlust]

Most of our guests are family or friends, some of whom have been on smaller bay-type boats before, and are aboard for day trips. My briefing typically consists of:

Toilets: Nothing that didn't go through your body plus the absolute minimum necessary TP. Everything else goes in the trash, tampons included. This is how to operate these heads...

Safety first. If you see something, say something.

Arms and legs inside the ride at all times.

PFDs: Location and style. Put one on anytime you feel uncomfortable or immediately and without discussion if I or the Mrs say to.

Throw ring location.

MOB procedures.

Fire procedures.

Docking and undocking procedures. Please don't distract us; we'll ask for help if needed.

Location of water and other drinks.

Toilets again.

Have fun.

All said non-dictatorially. Usually gets the point across.

[Pete17C]

When I was flying light planes, it was how to use the seat belt and where the barf bags where.

Now it's where the PFDs are, and if you're gonna barf, you do so over the side.

[TrentePieds]

Interesting shift in tone, 'ere :-) If there is one thing that is certain to ensure that ears will close and teaching will become ineffective, even impossible, it is to come on all military-like.

Most of us on this forum sail boats so small that we can single hand them - or should be able to. I certainly can and do single-hand TrentePieds, even when MyBeloved is aboard which she almost always is. Most of us sail with friends and rellies who do not appreciate a shift in deportment whereby cuddly old Unca Willy suddenly becomes Cap'n Bligh.

So basically there are only two points I make, jocularly, to naïfs who may join us: 1) Don't "help" unless you are specifically asked and I tell you PRECISELY what to do, and 2) NOTHING goes down the toilet unless you've eaten it first!.

From there on all instruction becomes insidious and often delivered via the Socratic method, e.g. "See that big ship over there? What would you suggest we do so's he won't run us down?" Regardless of the precise answer to this query it will be a perfect opening for a discourse on the existence of the ColRegs, and their purpose. We are not on a commercial schedule, we are not in combat, we are moving at a mere six knots. We have plenty of time to let intellectual osmosis work for us. Teaching is a side issue that I for one treat as separate from, but collateral to, the job of single handed Skippering, or, if you wish to employ the term that is offensive to many, "being in command".

Our task as pleasure boat skippers is to confer pleasure - in safety :-)!

TrentePieds

[MartinR]

Originally Posted by TrentePieds

Our task as pleasure boat skippers is to confer pleasure - in safety :-)!

TrentePieds

Exactly!

[Mike Banks]

This is NOT a democracy--the decision is mine--but all useful constructive input will be appreciated.

Safety is everyone's concern, and when the weather is bad, lifelines will be rigged and and tethers and harnesses WILL be worn at all times.

When going on deck while under way, ensure your MOB alarm/satellite locator is around your neck.

[Scotty Kiwi]

Also, and taking the term crew more broadly, for "day or weekend trip crew":

"The shelves are designed to hold your stuff.
If you leave your bags on the seats instead of the shelves, you'll have to pick the contents up from the floor.
Sailing is always on an angle.
There's 5 tonne of lead 2 meters under water.
That keeps the angle stable, but enough to empty your bags onto the floor.
If you leave your bag on a seat, you'll have to pick up the contents from the floor.
If you all leave your bags on the seats, all your bags will tip on the floor at once, and lipsticks and stuff will get mixed up as they slide around the floor".

This almost universally not comprehended, until maybe the third or more occasion.
(Do handbags have more rights to seating than people?)

[mowerandy]

Originally Posted by Cpt Pat

You may not know it, but sitting back in coach on a commercial flight, you have the authority to stop a takeoff. I don't suggest ever doing this without a valid and really good reason, but if you push the flight attendant call button, and then say: "someting's wrong with this aircraft," it'll stop the takeoff. Everyone on board has abort authority. It's that way because safety of flight authority is delegated to everyone, even passengers. The consequences of being on the ground wishing you were in the air are better than being in the air wishing you were on the ground. It's the same with my crews - they all have safety responsibility. If you see something, say something. If it turns out to be nothing - no harm no foul.

Only twice have I used those words to commercial airline staff - once at 30,000 feet I had to call the attendant and inform her that "something is seriously wrong with this turbine next to me" which had developed a very horrid vibration in short order - as she legged it towards the cockpit the captain, who must have had a bunch of warning lights already, shut it down and commenced the mandatory 20,000 foot plummet towards flight-sustainable air density below 10,000. All ended well, except for my bruised kidneys when he stalled her onto the tarmac in a circle of RFFS vehicles with fire hoses ready. I never thought a commercial plane could actually stop that fast - truly inspiring!
The other time was boarding a Pappadum airlines flight in the back-blocks of India - the front fan of the turbine we were boarding past had a thumb sized notch six inches along the leading edge of every fan blade - needless to say the captain was already aware - and took off on one engine, the damaged one idling with horrid vibrations. Went down that runway sideways praying hard...and were still at less than a hundred feet about five miles from the strip - and still praying! Those engines are expensive to service eh !!

[dfelsent]

My newbie briefing alway includes the fact that the boom can kill you by knocking you unconscious and throwing you overboard, and that the forces on most lines can easily be far more than you can control without mechanical advantage.
And I always ask about swimming skills. If they are lacking it’s mandatory PFD time.

I always emphasize that we are going to have fun and that getting hurt is not fun.

[Nigel Heath]

Martin R has covered most of the basics. Should also go through engine starting and running procedures. VHF usage Life raft deployment e.g. strongest on board first to help weaker crew. Dedicate and fit life jackets to individual crew members.
Also basics about playing music at reasonable times. Do not disturb sleeping crew during change of the watch. Alcohol usage while under way.
Did you know that after WW2 playing cards were discarded from life raft kit as there was major problems with owing money after rescue.
On long passages some peoples characters change. A good captain will address all issues prior to sailing.

[jrbogie]

Originally Posted by Cpt Pat

Sure, I know the rules. But mine isn't a legal question. It's a question about human behavior. (The post above about Captain Cook carries good advice.)

To see the effect of the traditional paramilitary command structure (that I was taught and disagree with), please read: "Run the Storm" by George Michelsen Foy, about the wreck of El Faro. The whole deck crew knew the captain had them on a doomed course, but none of them asserted their disagreement. CRM was invented to prevent that situation.

In aviation, there were many cases like when the First Officer said: "Ah, the fuel gauges read nearly empty - maybe we should land," and when the captain said there was plenty of fuel, everyone else just sat back until the plane crashed. "It's skipper's problem" is not a good attitude.

You may not know it, but sitting back in coach on a commercial flight, you have the authority to stop a takeoff. I don't suggest ever doing this without a valid and really good reason, but if you push the flight attendant call button, and then say: "someting's wrong with this aircraft," it'll stop the takeoff. Everyone on board has abort authority. It's that way because safety of flight authority is delegated to everyone, even passengers. The consequences of being on the ground wishing you were in the air are better than being in the air wishing you were on the ground. It's the same with my crews - they all have safety responsibility. If you see something, say something. If it turns out to be nothing - no harm no foul.

I don't sail with idiots as crew (except possibly when I'm single-handed). If they're on my crew, I hand picked them and I trust them. And trust works both ways.

haven't a clue which country you were trained to fly in or who paid your salary but your crm practices suck. nobody, and I mean NOBODY, especially a passenger in coach has any authority over the cockpit crew and the cockpit crew has very little if any authority over the captain unless he/she has become incapacitated. crm, cockpit resource management, which was around long before nasa btw, is all about communication and a good manager, captain in this case, communicates with the crew in a manner that will fully involve fellow crewmembers in performing the many tasks to come while at the same time asserting, without actually saying, his command authority.

a captain that would abort a takeoff, one of the most dangerous maneuvers to execute a in large transport aircraft, after hearing a passenger shouting ANYTHING would be committing the utmost of irresponsible acts. far more aborted takeoffs result in an accident than continuing the take off even with a severe problem such as engine fire/failure. every one of my fellow captains and right seaters understood that simple statistic. I won't get into accelerate/stop, V speeds and single engine climb gradients here but as a former faa designated pilot examiner with authority to issue airline transport pilot certificates as well as conduct six month line checks and annual instrument proficiency checks i'd be more than happy explaining it all to you.

I hope that everybody that reads crap such as this on a sailing forum about yelling out ABORT from the passenger compartment of a commercial airliner reads what I've said her and never considers that he/she has any authority whatsoever once that entrance door is closed on an aircraft. push that flight attendant call button during takeoff and if she even unbuckles her seatbelt her job is on the line. sure, if you see something suspicious by all means bring it to the attention of a crew member but in doing so understand fully that you have absolutely NO AUTHORITY over ANY CREW MEMBER, cockpit or cabin. given to you by the FAA or ICAO.

[MartinR]

Originally Posted by Pete17C

Now it's where the PFDs are, and if you're gonna barf, you do so over the side.

To leeward, please