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Thoughts on safety at sea:
The Communications Team is starting a new monthly feature based on robust discussions on the OCC Forum, mostly centred on Safety at Sea. We’ll include short snippets to provoke thought in the eBulletin and then continue the discussion on the Forum. Dick Stevenson, our diligent and thoughtful Forum Moderator, starts us off this month with a piece on tillers. Please contribute your experience and thinking for the benefit of all.
- Daria Blackwell, Vice Commodore, Web editor & PR Officer
Vice Commodore, OCC
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+x+x+x+x+xOK I am convinced. We will be fitting a Bilge Alarm. Simon Hi Simon, While you are at it, go for two: a dedicated high water alarm leveled just above where the bilge pump is activated and wire in an alarm that sounds every time the bilge pump runs. Dick Oh, Dick, great idea about the alarm indicating the bilge pump is running. I hadn't thought of that. If you hear it often enough, you'll know there's a problem. Thanks! The below is part of a series of safety thoughts: Practice and Drills The older I get, the more I find myself saying: “If it is not written down, it doesn’t exist.” Well, the same goes for seamanship and safety: without practice, the best strategy, the most well thought out plan, will not exist when you need it most if it is not practiced. Practice drills are one of the most easily put-off items on anyone’s to-do list, and one of the most important. Most who read this will think first of COB drills and most, I suspect, will cringe as they reflect on how long since their last practice drill. But I would suggest that other drills: fire, flooding and medical procedures are every bit as important. What is the response to an engine alarm? Or to the alarm from your propane sniffer? These should be thought through ahead of time and periodically reviewed with all crew. Firstly, it might be argued that every vessel should have a written plan/procedure for each emergency (ours is posted in the head where it is most likely to be occasionally reviewed). Then, drills can be scheduled, much like the maintenance one does to keep one’s boat in tip-top shape. When you have a drill, do a post-mortem, especially if you have new crew, to get feedback on what works, what does not and for new ideas. One stimulus to practice might be to organize through a local club or association a weekend day early in the season where boats do practice drills together and share thoughts and procedures: a “safety” day so to speak. This will be posted in the Forum and I welcome comments/suggestions/thoughts. My best, Dick Stevenson, s/v Alchemy Excellent thoughts, and I will suggest the COB day to our local sailing club today. One aditional aspect for them (and you) that I will add: The crew member who "falls" overboard during the event should be the skipper. This adds one critical aspect to the process: that other members of the crew are proficient in helming and managing the boat. This would also apply to husband and wife teams, who do not race. All the best alex Blackwell, s/v Aleria Hi Alex, Excellent idea. Lets us know how they respond. You have an excellent protected area for the following. Dick MOB, Alchemy’s recipe: Adapt the following as makes sense. For the drill, get another sailing experienced couple (preferably reciprocate on their boat) and the four of you go sailing on a moderate day, 10-15kn, and choose an un-traveled area. Review the drill in detail and any particulars for the vessel in question. The skipper jumps overboard in wet (or dry) suit and his/her usual inflatable life vest (perfect time to test the life vest and any recovery devices such as AIS locators, lights etc.). His usual crew, for most of us our wife, then executes recovery single-handed with the other couple standing by ready to help, but standing down unless needed. We did it going upwind and did not try with a spinnaker or with a whisker pole, but did discuss how those would change the procedures. If there are near observation points around, a call to the CG might make it less likely that they will get called out: possibly also a “Security” call announcing COB drills in progress with location. Come back with questions/comments. My best, Dick Stevenson, s/v Alchemy
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