OCC Forums

Thoughts on safety at sea:

https://forum.oceancruisingclub.org/Topic5213.aspx

By DariaBlackwell - 24 Jun 2019

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
By Dick - 24 Jun 2019

Daria Blackwell - 6/24/2019
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 Admin, 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

Thoughts on safety at sea:
Emergency tillers are important items that usually appear designed with little consideration to actual use and are often given equally little attention by their owners. Like so many safety items and procedures, practice is easy to postpone while at the same time practice is essential for efficient execution. I will speak to the most common design: tiller to rudder post while most comments can be adapted to other designs.
It might be observed that most emergency tillers are actually a bear to use, at least on sailboats. Many require a block and tackle to handle the loads effectively as the lever arm is so short and often slant-angled rather than right angled which makes use even more problematic. They can be dangerous when the rudder catches a wave if they whip around while being held. Finally, these emergency tillers should provide a way of securing the tiller onto the shaft rudder stock as, in the boisterous conditions these may be used in, it is best if they can be counted on to stay in one place.
Those really enterprising skippers can see whether their tiller can be out and steering in, say, 3 minutes. Then go and practice steering in waves and wind.     
Finally, if you are in the market for new below-decks autopilot, the above is a good argument for a system that is independent of the boat’s wheel-to-quadrant steering system.
Safe sailing, Dick Stevenson, s/v Alchemy
By DariaBlackwell - 24 Jun 2019

Dick, you are so right. When we were first getting acquainted with Aleria, our Bowman 57, we went through every piece of gear aboard and studied how to deploy it when necessary. Naturally, an emergency tiller would be useful to get at quickly. But when looking at ours and trying to fit it, we realized we would have to be steering from under the berth in our aft cabin, periodically sticking our heads out the hatch to check on things happening on deck. Not an ideal situation. 

That's when we decided that the Monitor windvane steering system, with its emergency rudder configuration, would be a good backup system for us. And so we fitted the Monitor which we love. Fortunately, we have not needed to deploy it despite losing steering - twice - mid-Atlantic. Because of our sail configuration (cutter ketch), we can balance Aleria exceedingly well. While I stayed on deck and steered the boat by adjusting sails, Alex worked on the steering. The first time, a gearbox had seized; many hours of greasing and manual persuasion finally managed to loosen it. We have rod steering and several gearboxes. We had called into our Atlantic crossing net via SSB and several yachts diverted to our position to assist if needed, but we got lucky. Fortunately, it held until Grenada where we replaced the gear.

The second time, the quadrant 'jumped' off the post. I had to align the wheel precisely up on deck so that Alex could refit it below. Naturally, I was at the helm both times. :ermm: 

By simoncurrin - 24 Jun 2019

Dick
We have only once lost steering - and once is enough!

In our case the ‘steerer’ seized without warning whilst manoeuvring towards the fuel dock in a harbour. The steerer is the axle of the wheel.

The result was that, in the short term, we could budge neither wheel nor use the below deck pilot as everything was jammed. The emergency tiller was of no use until the steering cables could be disconnected.

Luckily we were able to steer back to a berth using the bow thruster and then disconnect the wheel. One of the benefits of having two wheel ms was that we were then able to sail using the starboard wheel only until a replacement steerer reached us from Whitlock.

By the way I am not recommending that all boats have twin wheels and a bowthruster!

Simon
By Psy - 25 Jun 2019

I found and bought a Bruce Roberts 45' cutter. Her simple back-up systems drew me to her ruggedness and seaworthiness.
She's rigged as a cutter with:
1. an additional profurler forestay on the bow.  
2. monitor windvane which doubles as a separate steering system.
3. rigged emergency steering on deck.
4. 2x auto pilot systems
5. Hydraulic pistons driving her steering system.
6. Her deep central cockpit offering comfort deep sea.
7. Her 4x single berths with lee cloths
8. her vast tankage

I have yet to fully appreciate this fine vessel.
Pics to follow.
By Dick - 25 Jun 2019

Psy - 6/25/2019
I found and bought a Bruce Roberts 45' cutter. Her simple back-up systems drew me to her ruggedness and seaworthiness.
She's rigged as a cutter with:
1. an additional profurler forestay on the bow.  
2. monitor windvane which doubles as a separate steering system.
3. rigged emergency steering on deck.
4. 2x auto pilot systems
5. Hydraulic pistons driving her steering system.
6. Her deep central cockpit offering comfort deep sea.
7. Her 4x single berths with lee cloths
8. her vast tankage

I have yet to fully appreciate this fine vessel.
Pics to follow.

Hi Psy,
Your new vessel does, indeed, sound robust with a plethora of redundant systems. When it comes to emergency tiller use, all those owners of hydraulic steering systems should ensure that there is an easily accessible pressure relief valve for their hydraulics without which, the tiller may be unable to operate. More on this and repair of steering, both cable and hydraulic, can be found at: https://stevedmarineconsulting.com/june-2019-newsletter/.
Good luck with your new boat.
Enjoy, Dick Stevenson, s/v Alchemy
By Dick - 25 Jun 2019

Daria Blackwell - 6/24/2019
Dick, you are so right. When we were first getting acquainted with Aleria, our Bowman 57, we went through every piece of gear aboard and studied how to deploy it when necessary. Naturally, an emergency tiller would be useful to get at quickly. But when looking at ours and trying to fit it, we realized we would have to be steering from under the berth in our aft cabin, periodically sticking our heads out the hatch to check on things happening on deck. Not an ideal situation. 

That's when we decided that the Monitor windvane steering system, with its emergency rudder configuration, would be a good backup system for us. And so we fitted the Monitor which we love. Fortunately, we have not needed to deploy it despite losing steering - twice - mid-Atlantic. Because of our sail configuration (cutter ketch), we can balance Aleria exceedingly well. While I stayed on deck and steered the boat by adjusting sails, Alex worked on the steering. The first time, a gearbox had seized; many hours of greasing and manual persuasion finally managed to loosen it. We have rod steering and several gearboxes. We had called into our Atlantic crossing net via SSB and several yachts diverted to our position to assist if needed, but we got lucky. Fortunately, it held until Grenada where we replaced the gear.

The second time, the quadrant 'jumped' off the post. I had to align the wheel precisely up on deck so that Alex could refit it below. Naturally, I was at the helm both times. :ermm: 


Hi Daria,
It sounds like quick, creative work, planning ahead and a flexible rig saved the day. I believe it is accurate to say that too many fail to realize that the loss of steering has doomed a far larger number of boats than those things most of us worry about: hitting containers, storms etc. One hears every year or so of otherwise perfectly sound vessels being abandoned mid ocean because of a lost rudder or incapacity of steering ability. Servicing and maintenance of this mission-critical system is not a large or complicated job, but it is an important one.
My best, Dick Stevenson, s/v Alchemy
By Dick - 1 Aug 2019

To Be Seen

Checking that your navigation lights illuminate at commissioning is a good start, but may not be good enough.

Walking around a boatyard or marina; one item pops out at me: how inadequate many boats’ navigation lights are. Many, not all, were adequate at purchase, but their lenses are by now so crazed as to be mostly opaque. When was the last time you compared your lens to a new one? I would probably suggest that 10 years is about swap time for plastic lenses: sooner if in the tropics.

Now, some might say they never (or rarely) run at night, but I would contend that a cruising boat should always be ready to run safely at night. In addition to running a safe seaworthy boat, there is the fact that: were there a nighttime collision, one of the first things to be looked at will be the adequacy of your lighting. A lens heavily crazed will not pass regulation’s muster.

I say this with some emphasis as we observe poorly lit or illegally lit recreational vessels at least once a year: each time it causes unnecessary anxiety.

I believe most quality manufacturers sell lenses separately or: perhaps better yet, swapping the whole fixture ensures you have a replacement in spares. While doing, check the wiring for water intrusion and change bulbs.
Please also leave your comments, additions, thoughts, disagreements etc.: they are welcome.

My best, Dick Stevenson, s/v Alchemy
By Dick - 1 Sep 2019

Dick - 8/1/2019
To Be Seen

Checking that your navigation lights illuminate at commissioning is a good start, but may not be good enough.

Walking around a boatyard or marina; one item pops out at me: how inadequate many boats’ navigation lights are. Many, not all, were adequate at purchase, but their lenses are by now so crazed as to be mostly opaque. When was the last time you compared your lens to a new one? I would probably suggest that 10 years is about swap time for plastic lenses: sooner if in the tropics.

Now, some might say they never (or rarely) run at night, but I would contend that a cruising boat should always be ready to run safely at night. In addition to running a safe seaworthy boat, there is the fact that: were there a nighttime collision, one of the first things to be looked at will be the adequacy of your lighting. A lens heavily crazed will not pass regulation’s muster.

I say this with some emphasis as we observe poorly lit or illegally lit recreational vessels at least once a year: each time it causes unnecessary anxiety.

I believe most quality manufacturers sell lenses separately or: perhaps better yet, swapping the whole fixture ensures you have a replacement in spares. While doing, check the wiring for water intrusion and change bulbs.
Please also leave your comments, additions, thoughts, disagreements etc.: they are welcome.

My best, Dick Stevenson, s/v Alchemy

Flooding
This Safety at Sea message is a bit of a tease as I can merely introduce the subject but, follow up is easy.
Very few recreational boat bilge pump systems can do more than deal with small incidental leaks: it does not take much of a problem to start a “flooding” situation (where incoming water exceeds bilge pump capacity). A real problem: a break in a 1.5-inch raw water line say, and you have a fast-emerging emergency where sinking is on the near horizon.
So, you hear your bilge pumps get activated: the next step is…?
If your answer was to operate the manual bilge pump(s), I would suggest you think otherwise. De-watering must play second fiddle to finding the leak, repeat: Find and Stop the Leak. This is not the time to sit down and devise a plan over a cup of tea. Quick action, planned well ahead of time and practiced is required and the inspection areas should already be designated. Locating the leak is far more easily accomplished at the onset of flooding. Early, the leak’s location is easy to discern. You can still see. Later, higher water obscures and the chances of finding the leak diminishes rapidly.
Prior preparation, early warning (high water alarms), knowing where all sea cocks reside, and an inspection plan are among the essential ingredients. A complete article on the above can be found on the OCC’s Forum under “Strategies for a Flooding Vessel”.
Please come back with questions, comments, thoughts.
Safe sailing, Dick Stevenson, s/v Alchemy

By Alex_Blackwell - 1 Sep 2019

Dick - 8/1/2019
To Be Seen

Checking that your navigation lights illuminate at commissioning is a good start, but may not be good enough.

Walking around a boatyard or marina; one item pops out at me: how inadequate many boats’ navigation lights are. Many, not all, were adequate at purchase, but their lenses are by now so crazed as to be mostly opaque. When was the last time you compared your lens to a new one? I would probably suggest that 10 years is about swap time for plastic lenses: sooner if in the tropics.

Now, some might say they never (or rarely) run at night, but I would contend that a cruising boat should always be ready to run safely at night. In addition to running a safe seaworthy boat, there is the fact that: were there a nighttime collision, one of the first things to be looked at will be the adequacy of your lighting. A lens heavily crazed will not pass regulation’s muster.

I say this with some emphasis as we observe poorly lit or illegally lit recreational vessels at least once a year: each time it causes unnecessary anxiety.

I believe most quality manufacturers sell lenses separately or: perhaps better yet, swapping the whole fixture ensures you have a replacement in spares. While doing, check the wiring for water intrusion and change bulbs.
Please also leave your comments, additions, thoughts, disagreements etc.: they are welcome.

My best, Dick Stevenson, s/v Alchemy

Hi Dick
We did just that when we recently replaced the rigging on our boat. I had always thought our nav lights seemed a little weak and the bulbs kept disconnecting or failing. We now have new LED lights sized correctly for our vessel, and they are VERY bright - whi we had the chance we also replaced all the wiring. We also did Mast top tri-colour/anchor light combo with a deck level backup for the nav lights - old fixtures with new LED bulbs. The latter also seem much brighter than their incandescent predecessors. I suppose it also helped that we cleaned the glass lenses from the inside. :)
All the best, Alex Blackwell, S/v Aleria
By DariaBlackwell - 1 Sep 2019

Dick - 9/1/2019
Dick - 8/1/2019
To Be Seen

Checking that your navigation lights illuminate at commissioning is a good start, but may not be good enough.

Walking around a boatyard or marina; one item pops out at me: how inadequate many boats’ navigation lights are. Many, not all, were adequate at purchase, but their lenses are by now so crazed as to be mostly opaque. When was the last time you compared your lens to a new one? I would probably suggest that 10 years is about swap time for plastic lenses: sooner if in the tropics.

Now, some might say they never (or rarely) run at night, but I would contend that a cruising boat should always be ready to run safely at night. In addition to running a safe seaworthy boat, there is the fact that: were there a nighttime collision, one of the first things to be looked at will be the adequacy of your lighting. A lens heavily crazed will not pass regulation’s muster.

I say this with some emphasis as we observe poorly lit or illegally lit recreational vessels at least once a year: each time it causes unnecessary anxiety.

I believe most quality manufacturers sell lenses separately or: perhaps better yet, swapping the whole fixture ensures you have a replacement in spares. While doing, check the wiring for water intrusion and change bulbs.
Please also leave your comments, additions, thoughts, disagreements etc.: they are welcome.

My best, Dick Stevenson, s/v Alchemy

Flooding
This Safety at Sea message is a bit of a tease as I can merely introduce the subject but, follow up is easy.
Very few recreational boat bilge pump systems can do more than deal with small incidental leaks: it does not take much of a problem to start a “flooding” situation (where incoming water exceeds bilge pump capacity). A real problem: a break in a 1.5-inch raw water line say, and you have a fast-emerging emergency where sinking is on the near horizon.
So, you hear your bilge pumps get activated: the next step is…?
If your answer was to operate the manual bilge pump(s), I would suggest you think otherwise. De-watering must play second fiddle to finding the leak, repeat: Find and Stop the Leak. This is not the time to sit down and devise a plan over a cup of tea. Quick action, planned well ahead of time and practiced is required and the inspection areas should already be designated. Locating the leak is far more easily accomplished at the onset of flooding. Early, the leak’s location is easy to discern. You can still see. Later, higher water obscures and the chances of finding the leak diminishes rapidly.
Prior preparation, early warning (high water alarms), knowing where all sea cocks reside, and an inspection plan are among the essential ingredients. A complete article on the above can be found on the OCC’s Forum under “Strategies for a Flooding Vessel”.
Please come back with questions, comments, thoughts.
Safe sailing, Dick Stevenson, s/v Alchemy



Hi Dick,
It seems that we've had many experiences aboard Aleria that complement your safety at sea essays. When delivering Aleria from the Chesapeake to Long Island Sound after we bought her, we noted that there was water above the floorboards while we were sailing along the NJ coast. Not a good sign. The bilge pump had failed.

As there was a good deal of water but it was not coming in fast, we resorted to the hand-operated pump. It was having a positive effect, ie, the water level was slowly going down. Unable to readily find the source of the incursion we took turns pumping and steering the boat through the night. There was nowhere to pull in along the coast of New Jersey until Sandy Hook Bay near the mouth of the Hudson River.

After anchoring the next morning off Atlantic Highlands, NJ near the CG station, we finally found that the water was coming in through the shaft seal. We managed to tighten this to a point where there was merely a drip coming through. We later diagnosed that the packing had disintegrated probably while motoring earlier in the Chesapeake. The boat had been stored on land for two years and the packing presumably had dried and become brittle.

The problem was then exacerbated when we wanted to resume our voyage. The starter motor failed. Both it and the alternator had been submerged. The good news: we had spares for both. The bad news: all nuts and bolts on the engine were metric and all our tools were imperial. Alex hailed the USCG and asked if there was a hardware store nearby. They asked if we needed a tow. Alex said, "No, we just need some tools." They said to wait a minute and came back with directions to the only hardware store in the area. Alex prepped the dinghy and headed ashore.

About an hour later, Alex returned with a huge grin on his face. The hardware store was having a Christmas-in-July sale and he got two tool kits (metric and imperial) for the price of one. A short while later, alternator and starter were replaced. A spare automatic bilge pump was also installed. We managed to get past New York City and up the East River without any issues. We then continued to our mooring in Rye on Long Island Sound.

Once again, we learned a valuable lesson that day. Deliveries can be dicey without the right tools...and it takes a while to learn your boat. We also replaced the packed shaft seal with a flooded PSS shaft seal, which has worked perfectly for the past fifteen years.
By Dick - 3 Sep 2019

Alex Blackwell - 9/1/2019
Dick - 8/1/2019
To Be Seen

Checking that your navigation lights illuminate at commissioning is a good start, but may not be good enough.

Walking around a boatyard or marina; one item pops out at me: how inadequate many boats’ navigation lights are. Many, not all, were adequate at purchase, but their lenses are by now so crazed as to be mostly opaque. When was the last time you compared your lens to a new one? I would probably suggest that 10 years is about swap time for plastic lenses: sooner if in the tropics.

Now, some might say they never (or rarely) run at night, but I would contend that a cruising boat should always be ready to run safely at night. In addition to running a safe seaworthy boat, there is the fact that: were there a nighttime collision, one of the first things to be looked at will be the adequacy of your lighting. A lens heavily crazed will not pass regulation’s muster.

I say this with some emphasis as we observe poorly lit or illegally lit recreational vessels at least once a year: each time it causes unnecessary anxiety.

I believe most quality manufacturers sell lenses separately or: perhaps better yet, swapping the whole fixture ensures you have a replacement in spares. While doing, check the wiring for water intrusion and change bulbs.
Please also leave your comments, additions, thoughts, disagreements etc.: they are welcome.

My best, Dick Stevenson, s/v Alchemy

Hi Dick
We did just that when we recently replaced the rigging on our boat. I had always thought our nav lights seemed a little weak and the bulbs kept disconnecting or failing. We now have new LED lights sized correctly for our vessel, and they are VERY bright - whi we had the chance we also replaced all the wiring. We also did Mast top tri-colour/anchor light combo with a deck level backup for the nav lights - old fixtures with new LED bulbs. The latter also seem much brighter than their incandescent predecessors. I suppose it also helped that we cleaned the glass lenses from the inside. :)
All the best, Alex Blackwell, S/v Aleria

Hi Alex,
Those all sound like wise moves. And you are also wise to attend to before and after observations of your nav lights brightness as it always nice to get feedback that good work makes a difference.
Bright nav lights are just much easier to see at night and quicker to notice: a big increase in vessel safety. Like so much in the marine industry: meeting the standards, the regulations, is, to my mind, just generally not good enough. One step, maybe two, above the recommendations/requirements is often good judgment.
I suspect you know this well from your work on anchoring and ground tackle.
BTW, were they actually glass lenses, or plastic. If glass, can you specify the manufacturer?
My best, Dick Stevenson, s/v Alchemy
By Dick - 3 Sep 2019

Daria Blackwell - 9/1/2019
Dick - 9/1/2019
Dick - 8/1/2019
To Be Seen

Checking that your navigation lights illuminate at commissioning is a good start, but may not be good enough.

Walking around a boatyard or marina; one item pops out at me: how inadequate many boats’ navigation lights are. Many, not all, were adequate at purchase, but their lenses are by now so crazed as to be mostly opaque. When was the last time you compared your lens to a new one? I would probably suggest that 10 years is about swap time for plastic lenses: sooner if in the tropics.

Now, some might say they never (or rarely) run at night, but I would contend that a cruising boat should always be ready to run safely at night. In addition to running a safe seaworthy boat, there is the fact that: were there a nighttime collision, one of the first things to be looked at will be the adequacy of your lighting. A lens heavily crazed will not pass regulation’s muster.

I say this with some emphasis as we observe poorly lit or illegally lit recreational vessels at least once a year: each time it causes unnecessary anxiety.

I believe most quality manufacturers sell lenses separately or: perhaps better yet, swapping the whole fixture ensures you have a replacement in spares. While doing, check the wiring for water intrusion and change bulbs.
Please also leave your comments, additions, thoughts, disagreements etc.: they are welcome.

My best, Dick Stevenson, s/v Alchemy

Flooding
This Safety at Sea message is a bit of a tease as I can merely introduce the subject but, follow up is easy.
Very few recreational boat bilge pump systems can do more than deal with small incidental leaks: it does not take much of a problem to start a “flooding” situation (where incoming water exceeds bilge pump capacity). A real problem: a break in a 1.5-inch raw water line say, and you have a fast-emerging emergency where sinking is on the near horizon.
So, you hear your bilge pumps get activated: the next step is…?
If your answer was to operate the manual bilge pump(s), I would suggest you think otherwise. De-watering must play second fiddle to finding the leak, repeat: Find and Stop the Leak. This is not the time to sit down and devise a plan over a cup of tea. Quick action, planned well ahead of time and practiced is required and the inspection areas should already be designated. Locating the leak is far more easily accomplished at the onset of flooding. Early, the leak’s location is easy to discern. You can still see. Later, higher water obscures and the chances of finding the leak diminishes rapidly.
Prior preparation, early warning (high water alarms), knowing where all sea cocks reside, and an inspection plan are among the essential ingredients. A complete article on the above can be found on the OCC’s Forum under “Strategies for a Flooding Vessel”.
Please come back with questions, comments, thoughts.
Safe sailing, Dick Stevenson, s/v Alchemy



Hi Dick,
It seems that we've had many experiences aboard Aleria that complement your safety at sea essays. When delivering Aleria from the Chesapeake to Long Island Sound after we bought her, we noted that there was water above the floorboards while we were sailing along the NJ coast. Not a good sign. The bilge pump had failed.

As there was a good deal of water but it was not coming in fast, we resorted to the hand-operated pump. It was having a positive effect, ie, the water level was slowly going down. Unable to readily find the source of the incursion we took turns pumping and steering the boat through the night. There was nowhere to pull in along the coast of New Jersey until Sandy Hook Bay near the mouth of the Hudson River.

After anchoring the next morning off Atlantic Highlands, NJ near the CG station, we finally found that the water was coming in through the shaft seal. We managed to tighten this to a point where there was merely a drip coming through. We later diagnosed that the packing had disintegrated probably while motoring earlier in the Chesapeake. The boat had been stored on land for two years and the packing presumably had dried and become brittle.

The problem was then exacerbated when we wanted to resume our voyage. The starter motor failed. Both it and the alternator had been submerged. The good news: we had spares for both. The bad news: all nuts and bolts on the engine were metric and all our tools were imperial. Alex hailed the USCG and asked if there was a hardware store nearby. They asked if we needed a tow. Alex said, "No, we just need some tools." They said to wait a minute and came back with directions to the only hardware store in the area. Alex prepped the dinghy and headed ashore.

About an hour later, Alex returned with a huge grin on his face. The hardware store was having a Christmas-in-July sale and he got two tool kits (metric and imperial) for the price of one. A short while later, alternator and starter were replaced. A spare automatic bilge pump was also installed. We managed to get past New York City and up the East River without any issues. We then continued to our mooring in Rye on Long Island Sound.

Once again, we learned a valuable lesson that day. Deliveries can be dicey without the right tools...and it takes a while to learn your boat. We also replaced the packed shaft seal with a flooded PSS shaft seal, which has worked perfectly for the past fifteen years.

Hi Daria,
Those who wander widely over time usually encounter ample instances to illustrate safety-at-sea issues.
Your comments hit on important considerations.
Without alarms to indicate water ingress, wet feet will be your first clue. At that point, it is likely too late to find the leak: finding your shaft log leak initially would be easy had an alarm gone off when a few inches of water had accumulated. Underwater finding that leak would be virtually impossible and if the leak is at all serious, you had better prepare to abandon ship: you are likely sinking. You were lucky that your flooding was coming in at a manageable rate and you were able to de-water with a manual pump: it does not take much of a leak to overwhelm most manual bilge pumps I see on boats generally (not to mention how much work a manual pump takes after the first few minutes when adrenalin wears off). It also does not take much of leak to overwhelm most boats electric bilge pumps.
Another issue is having floorboards that lock. It is very dangerous to have floorboards that float, sloshing around on an unstable boat. At this point you are likely running around preparing to abandon ship and the floating floorboards leave big holes that a leg can drop into and become injured, the last thing one needs in an emergency situation.
Thanks for your illustration.
My best, Dick Stevenson, s/v Alchemy.

By simoncurrin - 3 Sep 2019

OK I am convinced. We will be fitting a Bilge Alarm.
Simon
By Dick - 3 Sep 2019

Simon Currin - 9/3/2019
OK 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
By DariaBlackwell - 3 Sep 2019

Dick - 9/3/2019
Simon Currin - 9/3/2019
OK 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!
By Dick - 22 Sep 2019

Daria Blackwell - 9/3/2019
Dick - 9/3/2019
Simon Currin - 9/3/2019
OK 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
By simoncurrin - 23 Sep 2019

Dick
What you say makes perfect sense but it does sound like a drift towards a workplace type regulated environment where procedures and protocols abound. I enjoyed your tip regarding where these documents get most read and may implement that at work!

Having made those slightly flippant points I do agree that having such documents in place and the procedure rehearsed would be very comforting when something does go wrong. Your idea of sharing those rehearsals with others at the start of the season or at the beginning of an ocean crossing is excellent. Maybe share that idea with Oliver who is organising and Ocean Safety Seminar In November ahead of the Atlantic Crossing season?

The details of his event are below:
Ocean Cruising Club Blue Water Sailing Safety Seminar

Presented by Oliver Solanas Heinrich

November 4th 2019

Agenda

10:00 Introduction from Agustin Martin OCC Port Officer Representative for Pasito Blanco, Gran Canaria

Presentation on The Ocean Cruising Club and its benefits to ocean sailors

Introduced by OCC Rear Commodore Jenny Crickmore Thompson

10:20 Safety at Sea Seminar presented by Oliver Solanas Heinrichs

11:20 Vote of thanks and a few words from OCC Member Shaun Weaver.

11.30 Agustin Martin will invite attendees to stay for light refreshments

This will be held in Club Maritimo Varadero, Las Palmas, Gran Canaria and spaces are limited to 108 so if you wish to attend email your names to Oliver at info@8islas.com


Simon

Ali
Dick - 9/22/2019
Daria Blackwell - 9/3/2019
Dick - 9/3/2019
Simon Currin - 9/3/2019
OK 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


By Alex_Blackwell - 23 Sep 2019

Dick - 9/22/2019
Daria Blackwell - 9/3/2019
Dick - 9/3/2019
Simon Currin - 9/3/2019
OK 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
By Dick - 23 Sep 2019

Simon Currin - 9/23/2019
Dick
What you say makes perfect sense but it does sound like a drift towards a workplace type regulated environment where procedures and protocols abound. I enjoyed your tip regarding where these documents get most read and may implement that at work!

Having made those slightly flippant points I do agree that having such documents in place and the procedure rehearsed would be very comforting when something does go wrong. Your idea of sharing those rehearsals with others at the start of the season or at the beginning of an ocean crossing is excellent. Maybe share that idea with Olivier who is organising and Ocean Safety Seminar In November ahead of the Atlantic Crossing season?

Simon

Ali
Dick - 9/22/2019
Daria Blackwell - 9/3/2019
Dick - 9/3/2019
Simon Currin - 9/3/2019
OK 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



Hi Simon,
At the risk of promoting OCD or embracing the mantle of OSHA (Health & Safety in the UK): that is exactly what I am encouraging. And I recognize that all these drills and practice will likely never see real-life action: they are fortunately relatively rare happenings. Their importance escalates not in reflection of their likelihood, but rather because the ante is so high: death and/or loss of boat.
Some people can pull off a seat-of-one’s-pants existence reacting spontaneously and successfully to the slings and arrows one encounters in offshore passage making: but I am not one of them. Nor, do I believe, are the vast majority of cruisers. Most of us need to be well prepared to respond to an unfolding and unexpected event with speed and efficiency. We are usually far less competent in anxious situations than anticipated.
It is no accident (pun intended) that airline pilots are wedded to a comprehensive checklist before they leave the ground. Nor is it surprising that hospitals and medical practices (you may be able to confirm this) are turning to checklists of various sorts to promote safety and to make less likely error: “accidental” deaths and inadvertent problems are documented to decrease markedly.
And it is not a coincidence that these activities have a responsible person (pilot, doctor, nurse) responsible for passengers/patients who essentially put their faith in the “system” such as it is.
I do not think it a big leap that the skipper of a boat embraces the same responsibility when he/she takes what is in all likelihood is a “naïve” crew to sea. By “naïve”, I do not mean in-experienced or in any way a passenger: but it is on the skipper’s shoulders to ensure good batteries are in the COB strobe, that drills are conducted, that there are high water alarms for early warning of flooding etc.
To me it is a huge responsibility and, my observation again, there are too many boats who go to sea crossing their fingers (or maybe not even crossing their fingers as they do not know they are relying on luck). I emphasize this, not only because I wish skippers and crew to have the best safety experience, but also because, when things do go pear shaped, SAR personnel will be called and will be putting their lives on the line. They have signed up for this, but our responsibility is to only go sailing in a well prepared vessel with a well prepared crew.
My best, Dick Stevenson, s/v Alchemy


By Dick - 23 Sep 2019

Alex Blackwell - 9/23/2019
Dick - 9/22/2019
Daria Blackwell - 9/3/2019
Dick - 9/3/2019
Simon Currin - 9/3/2019
OK 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
By David.Tyler - 23 Sep 2019

Dick - 9/23/2019
Simon Currin - 9/23/2019
Dick
What you say makes perfect sense but it does sound like a drift towards a workplace type regulated environment where procedures and protocols abound. I enjoyed your tip regarding where these documents get most read and may implement that at work!

Having made those slightly flippant points I do agree that having such documents in place and the procedure rehearsed would be very comforting when something does go wrong. Your idea of sharing those rehearsals with others at the start of the season or at the beginning of an ocean crossing is excellent. Maybe share that idea with Olivier who is organising and Ocean Safety Seminar In November ahead of the Atlantic Crossing season?

Simon

Ali
Dick - 9/22/2019
Daria Blackwell - 9/3/2019
Dick - 9/3/2019
Simon Currin - 9/3/2019
OK 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



Hi Simon,
Some people can pull off a seat-of-one’s-pants existence reacting spontaneously and successfully to the slings and arrows one encounters in offshore passage making: but I am not one of them. Nor, do I believe, are the vast majority of cruisers. Most of us need to be well prepared to respond to an unfolding and unexpected event with speed and efficiency. We are usually far less competent in anxious situations than anticipated.
It is no accident (pun intended) that airline pilots are wedded to a comprehensive checklist before they leave the ground. Nor is it surprising that hospitals and medical practices (you may be able to confirm this) are turning to checklists of various sorts to promote safety and to make less likely error: “accidental” deaths and inadvertent problems are documented to decrease markedly.
And it is not a coincidence that these activities have a responsible person (pilot, doctor, nurse) responsible for passengers/patients who essentially put their faith in the “system” such as it is.
My best, Dick Stevenson, s/v Alchemy



This brings to mind Capt "Sully" Sullenberger, of "Miracle on the Hudson" fame. Having just taken off, he suffers a massive bird strike that takes out both engines. He has seconds to decide what to do. His copilot starts working through the relevant checklist, but Sully realises that he needs power now, and that item comes some way down the checklist. He switches on the Auxiliary Power, and that enables him to make a successful landing in the Hudson that saves the lives of all on board. There had never been a bird strike that had completely disabled an aircraft in this way, so it hadn't been written into the pilot training or the checklists. Sully had to rely on his vast experience and quick thinking, because that was all he had to rely on.

Helmuth von Moltke the Elder (1800 -1891): "No battle plan survives first contact with the enemy".

Mike Tyson: "Everyone has a plan 'till they get punched in the mouth".

To put it another way: "It's not happening like it says in the checklist - now what do I do?"
By Dick - 24 Sep 2019

David Tyler - 9/23/2019
Dick - 9/23/2019
Simon Currin - 9/23/2019
Dick
What you say makes perfect sense but it does sound like a drift towards a workplace type regulated environment where procedures and protocols abound. I enjoyed your tip regarding where these documents get most read and may implement that at work!

Having made those slightly flippant points I do agree that having such documents in place and the procedure rehearsed would be very comforting when something does go wrong. Your idea of sharing those rehearsals with others at the start of the season or at the beginning of an ocean crossing is excellent. Maybe share that idea with Olivier who is organising and Ocean Safety Seminar In November ahead of the Atlantic Crossing season?

Simon

Ali
Dick - 9/22/2019
Daria Blackwell - 9/3/2019
Dick - 9/3/2019
Simon Currin - 9/3/2019
OK 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



Hi Simon,
Some people can pull off a seat-of-one’s-pants existence reacting spontaneously and successfully to the slings and arrows one encounters in offshore passage making: but I am not one of them. Nor, do I believe, are the vast majority of cruisers. Most of us need to be well prepared to respond to an unfolding and unexpected event with speed and efficiency. We are usually far less competent in anxious situations than anticipated.
It is no accident (pun intended) that airline pilots are wedded to a comprehensive checklist before they leave the ground. Nor is it surprising that hospitals and medical practices (you may be able to confirm this) are turning to checklists of various sorts to promote safety and to make less likely error: “accidental” deaths and inadvertent problems are documented to decrease markedly.
And it is not a coincidence that these activities have a responsible person (pilot, doctor, nurse) responsible for passengers/patients who essentially put their faith in the “system” such as it is.
My best, Dick Stevenson, s/v Alchemy



This brings to mind Capt "Sully" Sullenberger, of "Miracle on the Hudson" fame. Having just taken off, he suffers a massive bird strike that takes out both engines. He has seconds to decide what to do. His copilot starts working through the relevant checklist, but Sully realises that he needs power now, and that item comes some way down the checklist. He switches on the Auxiliary Power, and that enables him to make a successful landing in the Hudson that saves the lives of all on board. There had never been a bird strike that had completely disabled an aircraft in this way, so it hadn't been written into the pilot training or the checklists. Sully had to rely on his vast experience and quick thinking, because that was all he had to rely on.

Helmuth von Moltke the Elder (1800 -1891): "No battle plan survives first contact with the enemy".

Mike Tyson: "Everyone has a plan 'till they get punched in the mouth".

To put it another way: "It's not happening like it says in the checklist - now what do I do?"

Hi David,
My guess is that Cap’t Sully knew the checklist so well that he could quickly scroll down in his mind to the appropriate action to take. And, I would further suggest, that he knew the checklist that well because of his great experience and also because he had under his belt a great deal of practice and drills.
I do not know who said it, But I believe it to be true: “The essence of spontaneity is good preparation.” So, yes, every situation has unique elements, but the better prepared you are, the more likely you will deal with the surprising elements effectively.
So, I read your communication to argue, contrary to what I suggest, that preparation is silly and to be mildly ridiculed: “It's not happening like it says in the checklist - now what do I do?" to take one of your quotes. Or is it to point out that emergencies are more complex than I have portrayed and that one should never blindly follow a checklist, but rather be prepared to amend one’s planned and prepared reactions to fit the unexpected elements in a situation. I certainly agree with the latter sentence.
My best, Dick Stevenson, s/v Alchemy
By Alex_Blackwell - 24 Sep 2019

Dick - 9/24/2019
David Tyler - 9/23/2019
Dick - 9/23/2019
Simon Currin - 9/23/2019
Dick
What you say makes perfect sense but it does sound like a drift towards a workplace type regulated environment where procedures and protocols abound. I enjoyed your tip regarding where these documents get most read and may implement that at work!

Having made those slightly flippant points I do agree that having such documents in place and the procedure rehearsed would be very comforting when something does go wrong. Your idea of sharing those rehearsals with others at the start of the season or at the beginning of an ocean crossing is excellent. Maybe share that idea with Olivier who is organising and Ocean Safety Seminar In November ahead of the Atlantic Crossing season?

Simon

Ali
Dick - 9/22/2019
Daria Blackwell - 9/3/2019
Dick - 9/3/2019
Simon Currin - 9/3/2019
OK 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



Hi Simon,
Some people can pull off a seat-of-one’s-pants existence reacting spontaneously and successfully to the slings and arrows one encounters in offshore passage making: but I am not one of them. Nor, do I believe, are the vast majority of cruisers. Most of us need to be well prepared to respond to an unfolding and unexpected event with speed and efficiency. We are usually far less competent in anxious situations than anticipated.
It is no accident (pun intended) that airline pilots are wedded to a comprehensive checklist before they leave the ground. Nor is it surprising that hospitals and medical practices (you may be able to confirm this) are turning to checklists of various sorts to promote safety and to make less likely error: “accidental” deaths and inadvertent problems are documented to decrease markedly.
And it is not a coincidence that these activities have a responsible person (pilot, doctor, nurse) responsible for passengers/patients who essentially put their faith in the “system” such as it is.
My best, Dick Stevenson, s/v Alchemy



This brings to mind Capt "Sully" Sullenberger, of "Miracle on the Hudson" fame. Having just taken off, he suffers a massive bird strike that takes out both engines. He has seconds to decide what to do. His copilot starts working through the relevant checklist, but Sully realises that he needs power now, and that item comes some way down the checklist. He switches on the Auxiliary Power, and that enables him to make a successful landing in the Hudson that saves the lives of all on board. There had never been a bird strike that had completely disabled an aircraft in this way, so it hadn't been written into the pilot training or the checklists. Sully had to rely on his vast experience and quick thinking, because that was all he had to rely on.

Helmuth von Moltke the Elder (1800 -1891): "No battle plan survives first contact with the enemy".

Mike Tyson: "Everyone has a plan 'till they get punched in the mouth".

To put it another way: "It's not happening like it says in the checklist - now what do I do?"

Hi David,
My guess is that Cap’t Sully knew the checklist so well that he could quickly scroll down in his mind to the appropriate action to take. And, I would further suggest, that he knew the checklist that well because of his great experience and also because he had under his belt a great deal of practice and drills.
I do not know who said it, But I believe it to be true: “The essence of spontaneity is good preparation.” So, yes, every situation has unique elements, but the better prepared you are, the more likely you will deal with the surprising elements effectively.
So, I read your communication to argue, contrary to what I suggest, that preparation is silly and to be mildly ridiculed: “It's not happening like it says in the checklist - now what do I do?" to take one of your quotes. Or is it to point out that emergencies are more complex than I have portrayed and that one should never blindly follow a checklist, but rather be prepared to amend one’s planned and prepared reactions to fit the unexpected elements in a situation. I certainly agree with the latter sentence.
My best, Dick Stevenson, s/v Alchemy

hence also the loss of the Boing Max aircraft - If i remember the reporting correctly,
they went down the checklist
By David.Tyler - 24 Sep 2019

Dick wrote:
"Or is it to point out that emergencies are more complex than I have portrayed and that one should never blindly follow a checklist, but rather be prepared to amend one’s planned and prepared reactions to fit the unexpected elements in a situation."
This, certainly.
I feel that engraving procedures on tablets of stone and hanging them on the heads door is liable to encourage hidebound thinking. No such procedures can ever hope to cover all eventualities. It may induce less experienced crew members to think "all I have to do is follow what the skipper says here, and all will be well". Practice and drills: absolutely, the more the better. In the case of recovering a body in the water, working upwards from the fender and bucket that sailing schools use, through an alert active person, to a substitute for a heavy unconscious person. In all weathers and sea states. That can only add to a crew's competence when it comes to the real thing. Going through "what if" scenarios in one's mind to keep oneself awake during those long midnight watches: certainly. Writing it all down in too dogmatic a tone: not so much.
By bwallace - 24 Sep 2019

Hi, I was looking at the post by Daria on emergency tiller etc. I agree with her re the monitor and emergency rudder attachment. We fortunately have not used ours either.
But in regard to the emergency tiller, we always keep it ready at hand in the aft locker, and ensure the hole in the locker shelving is not blocked with clutter so the shaft can be quickly attached to the rudder head. I do admit every time we open the locker it is there winking at us., but for the last couple of seasons I had forgotten to free off the deck opening so I could deploy the rudder. When I thought of doing that a few weeks ago, it it was seized solid, and took quite a long effort to free the threaded cover, which has now been lubricated and is ready for use if needed. Just one of the many things that can be neglected!

Brian.
S/V Darramy
By Dick - 24 Sep 2019

bwallace - 9/24/2019
Hi, I was looking at the post by Daria on emergency tiller etc. I agree with her re the monitor and emergency rudder attachment. We fortunately have not used ours either.
But in regard to the emergency tiller, we always keep it ready at hand in the aft locker, and ensure the hole in the locker shelving is not blocked with clutter so the shaft can be quickly attached to the rudder head. I do admit every time we open the locker it is there winking at us., but for the last couple of seasons I had forgotten to free off the deck opening so I could deploy the rudder. When I thought of doing that a few weeks ago, it it was seized solid, and took quite a long effort to free the threaded cover, which has now been lubricated and is ready for use if needed. Just one of the many things that can be neglected!

Brian.
S/V Darramy

Hi Brian,
Good reminder. The devil is certainly in the details. Dick
By jmounter - 1 Oct 2019

Two weeks ago a friend, with two aboard his 55 footer, was sailing off Mallorca in strong winds, clocking speeds in excess of 9 knots. As they turned into the bay of Palma, as often happens, the wind completely died. They turned on the engine and took course for Palma. Because they had been sailing hard, all hatches except the main one were shut and that was open only an inch or two.

As those who have sailed extensively in the Med will know, not everyone tolerates wearing life jackets at all times so, against the safety advice, the jackets were below but placed so they could be easily retrieved. ( It is hard to criticise people for not wearing them when temperatures are well above 30 degrees, most are very uncomfortable. Flat calms, the boat motoring at, say 7 knots, what could go wrong?)

Approximately fifteen minutes after starting the engine one of them noticed a wisp of what appeared to be smoke coming out of the main hatch. On opening the hatch they were driven back by thick, foul toxic smoke. They shut it again and opened a cockpit locker to get at a fire extinguisher. Again they faced clouds of thick yellow and black sooty smoke.

Having immediately shut off the engine they tried again to get below, but could not. Meanwhile, they launched a liferaft, which inflated the wrong way up. The drogue deployed and pulled the raft to the end of its tether. It took exhausting minutes to haul it in and turn it the right way up. By then it had a foot and a half of water inside. Luckily, the sea was flat calm.

The skipper has tried to use the deck VHF to put out a May Day but all electrics were dead. Handheld VHFs were below but fortunately the skipper had his mobile phone in his pocket and sent for help on that. A Customs boat and a rescue craft were quickly on the scene and recovered all safely from the liferaft. The rescue boat pumped large amount of water into the yacht and extinguished the fire. She was towed to port.

On examining the boat back on shore, things got scary. The liferaft was kept in one of those bins that some yachts have, below the cockpit floor and over the engine. The heat from the engine fire had started to melt the bin, which was heavily blistered. Fortunately, the liferaft has been in a container and not a valise, or it might have been seriously damaged. The heat had also started to blister the purpose built gas bottle stowage locker.

The Skipper is highly experienced and generally very careful about safety. One of his crew is a professional yachtsman. They comment that they were extremely lucky. In the Caribbean, the Pacific, the Med, or anywhere where you can get days of benign sunny, shorts and T shirt weather, it is easy to think you are relatively safe. Particularly so when seas are flat calm and you are not far offshore.

But what if that main hatch had been closed completely and the fire had burned another ten minutes before being noticed? What if they had been fifty miles offshore, not ten? What if the liferaft had caught fire or been severely damaged? What if all the mobile phones had been below decks or they had been out of mob range? What if the gas had been on at the bottle and the lines had burned through?

This could in different circumstances, on a different day, in a different place have been a true disaster. Fire at sea is one of our greatest dangers. The skipper says he will never go to sea again without his grab bag on deck, I usually hang ours from the companion way steps and might have been able to grab that, an alternative way. He recommends mounting the liferaft on the push pit or, in any case, never in one of those purpose built liferaft storage bins over an engine. Too many liferafts inflate the wrong way up. Service companies should perhaps be encouraged to ensure that if this is a possibility, the drogue will not come out of the liferaft until purposefully deployed. If you insist on not wearing life jackets, because it is too hot and sticky, at least have them to hand.

I am sure there are other lessons from this incident, which happily caused no deaths or injuries.

Julian.


By Dick - 1 Oct 2019

jmounter - 10/1/2019
Two weeks ago a friend, with two aboard his 55 footer, was sailing off Mallorca in strong winds, clocking speeds in excess of 9 knots. As they turned into the bay of Palma, as often happens, the wind completely died. They turned on the engine and took course for Palma. Because they had been sailing hard, all hatches except the main one were shut and that was open only an inch or two.

As those who have sailed extensively in the Med will know, not everyone tolerates wearing life jackets at all times so, against the safety advice, the jackets were below but placed so they could be easily retrieved. ( It is hard to criticise people for not wearing them when temperatures are well above 30 degrees, most are very uncomfortable. Flat calms, the boat motoring at, say 7 knots, what could go wrong?)

Approximately fifteen minutes after starting the engine one of them noticed a wisp of what appeared to be smoke coming out of the main hatch. On opening the hatch they were driven back by thick, foul toxic smoke. They shut it again and opened a cockpit locker to get at a fire extinguisher. Again they faced clouds of thick yellow and black sooty smoke.

Having immediately shut off the engine they tried again to get below, but could not. Meanwhile, they launched a liferaft, which inflated the wrong way up. The drogue deployed and pulled the raft to the end of its tether. It took exhausting minutes to haul it in and turn it the right way up. By then it had a foot and a half of water inside. Luckily, the sea was flat calm.

The skipper has tried to use the deck VHF to put out a May Day but all electrics were dead. Handheld VHFs were below but fortunately the skipper had his mobile phone in his pocket and sent for help on that. A Customs boat and a rescue craft were quickly on the scene and recovered all safely from the liferaft. The rescue boat pumped large amount of water into the yacht and extinguished the fire. She was towed to port.

On examining the boat back on shore, things got scary. The liferaft was kept in one of those bins that some yachts have, below the cockpit floor and over the engine. The heat from the engine fire had started to melt the bin, which was heavily blistered. Fortunately, the liferaft has been in a container and not a valise, or it might have been seriously damaged. The heat had also started to blister the purpose built gas bottle stowage locker.

The Skipper is highly experienced and generally very careful about safety. One of his crew is a professional yachtsman. They comment that they were extremely lucky. In the Caribbean, the Pacific, the Med, or anywhere where you can get days of benign sunny, shorts and T shirt weather, it is easy to think you are relatively safe. Particularly so when seas are flat calm and you are not far offshore.

But what if that main hatch had been closed completely and the fire had burned another ten minutes before being noticed? What if they had been fifty miles offshore, not ten? What if the liferaft had caught fire or been severely damaged? What if all the mobile phones had been below decks or they had been out of mob range? What if the gas had been on at the bottle and the lines had burned through?

This could in different circumstances, on a different day, in a different place have been a true disaster. Fire at sea is one of our greatest dangers. The skipper says he will never go to sea again without his grab bag on deck, I usually hang ours from the companion way steps and might have been able to grab that, an alternative way. He recommends mounting the liferaft on the push pit or, in any case, never in one of those purpose built liferaft storage bins over an engine. Too many liferafts inflate the wrong way up. Service companies should perhaps be encouraged to ensure that if this is a possibility, the drogue will not come out of the liferaft until purposefully deployed. If you insist on not wearing life jackets, because it is too hot and sticky, at least have them to hand.

I am sure there are other lessons from this incident, which happily caused no deaths or injuries.

Julian.



Hi Julian,
Thanks for sharing that report and in such nice detail. The crew, I agree, were very fortunate.
There are a couple of thoughts:
It sounds like the crew kept their heads together and made good decisions in a difficult situation.
Early warning is everything (pretty much) for emergencies with short crew and small boats. Smoke detectors would have sounded alarm at the first whiff of smoke and might have allowed the crew to extinguish the fire with little damage. Our smoke detector in Alchemy’s engine room is so sensitive that it detected a slipping V belt that was starting to overheat. The one over the electric panel is the only alarm that has ever given a false alarm and it does so when we make toast. Other early warning devices that I recommend include high water alarms, an alarm that sounds when the bilge pump is activated, and a sniffer for gas fumes. Then there are the required alarms such as CO monitors.
It is often in the drills and practice sessions that placement of grab bags, access to comm (VHF, phone, EPIRB etc.) get figured out. Practicing Security, PanPan and Mayday calls is also good practice.
Life raft storage is frequently a headache. Each boat has a "best" solution, but I observe many boats with really poor choices. It is not bad advice to get the life raft out and ready to go at some early moments in responding to a boat-threatening emergency so it does not get damaged or inaccessible while grappling with the emergency. This hard as dealing with the emergency seems more pressing, but the skipper should keep crew safety foremost in mind and not only prioritize the saving of the boat.
Many larger boats in the 55-foot range have automatic fire suppressant devices in the engine room. These are getting better and better. Some are configured to be easily manually operated from a safe location if automatic operation is not wished for (good arguments both ways).
Communication access is also an issue not always easily solved: EPIRBS stored below decks might not be easy/possible to get: keeping a handheld VHF fully charged and in the cockpit is wise and comm by phone has been (maybe still is) discouraged by SAR authorities although that is bound to change. (Do you know who the skipper called and was the number programmed into his phone for easy access?) 
I am interested in other’s thoughts.
Again, Julian, thanks for the report.
My best, Dick Stevenson, s/v Alchemy
By jmounter - 1 Oct 2019

Hi Dick,

I agree with all your thoughts, including the alarm. I dd not recall but have a feeling they did have a smoke alarm, but sounding below. Clearly if these are any use they need to have sound in the cockpit, too. With an engine running and hatches closed, anything down below would be very hard to hear.

We have an auto fire extinguisher and now we are sailing back in northern waters both my Admiral and I keep Epirbs in our clothing. I always keep a hand held VHF on deck, too.

The advice about getting the liferaft ready, immediately a real problem is discovered, is very important. But, of course, they did that on this occasion and it seems it may have been cooking for up to 18 minutes. In a Valise it might have been toast. As a stowage arrangement, that system is hopeless and my friend is writing to the upmarket boat manufacturer to warn them.

Imagine this: Half way across an ocean, everyone on deck, clipped on and wearing lifejackets. Hatches closed. They start the engine to charge and, as with my friend, cannot get below. The life raft doesn’t inflate having been cooked. Fire is starting to cook the gas bottle stowage, as it did for my friends. Choices: None. Swim, try to survive in a dinghy ( if you can get it out of a fiery locker and inflate it in time ) or suffer a fiery death.

With or without alarms, even with lifejackets properly worn, that ‘over the engine’ liferaft stowage system is deadly, in my view, and I urge fellow members who have it to use it to stow extra ropes or maybe a spare anchor and look for an alternative place to keep their ‘last chance’ .

By Dick - 2 Oct 2019

jmounter - 10/1/2019
Hi Dick, I agree with all your thoughts, including the alarm. I dd not recall but have a feeling they did have a smoke alarm, but sounding below. Clearly if these are any use they need to have sound in the cockpit, too. With an engine running and hatches closed, anything down below would be very hard to hear. We have an auto fire extinguisher and now we are sailing back in northern waters both my Admiral and I keep Epirbs in our clothing. I always keep a hand held VHF on deck, too. The advice about getting the liferaft ready, immediately a real problem is discovered, is very important. But, of course, they did that on this occasion and it seems it may have been cooking for up to 18 minutes. In a Valise it might have been toast. As a stowage arrangement, that system is hopeless and my friend is writing to the upmarket boat manufacturer to warn them. Imagine this: Half way across an ocean, everyone on deck, clipped on and wearing lifejackets. Hatches closed. They start the engine to charge and, as with my friend, cannot get below. The life raft doesn’t inflate having been cooked. Fire is starting to cook the gas bottle stowage, as it did for my friends. Choices: None. Swim, try to survive in a dinghy ( if you can get it out of a fiery locker and inflate it in time ) or suffer a fiery death.With or without alarms, even with lifejackets properly worn, that ‘over the engine’ liferaft stowage system is deadly, in my view, and I urge fellow members who have it to use it to stow extra ropes or maybe a spare anchor and look for an alternative place to keep their ‘last chance’ .

Hi Julian,
All good thoughts.
Alarms are quite loud, but you are correct to point out that they need to be able to be heard closed up and with the engine going. Some alarms “daisy chain”. By that I mean if there are a few of them in the “house”, if one goes off, they all go off (look at NEST detectors, they are quite high-end and may need internet, but are reported to be superb). The alternative might be an alarm with a separate buzzer, which probably takes one into the realm of a bespoke piece of kit. My smoke detectors have all been household type which have served me well: quite inexpensive and the new ones are also CO detectors if memory serves.
Let us know if you find a good solution to this.
My best, Dick Stevenson, s/v Alchemy
By Dick - 10 Oct 2019

Shifting One’s Mind-Set
At this time when many are looking at ocean passages to warmer climates for the winter, one’s Safety at Sea is usually founded on a mind-set that is developed after long years of sailing, and much experience in a wide range of conditions. This mind-set is hard earned and serves us well. It is, however, possible, even for those who have a lot of sea miles and especially for first timers, to induce mind-sets that can markedly improve safety.
For example: When on passage, I think there is a world of difference, when doing a 360 sweep of the ocean, if you tell yourself ahead of time that there is a potentially dangerous ship out there and you just need to find it. The work is then to convince yourself that you were wrong: that there is no ship out there. This may be a particular effective suggestion for new and inexperienced crew.
The same goes for pre-passage inspections (or all inspections for that matter): look for the problem you “know” is there. When I go aloft to check rigging, I “tell myself” that a problem exists and I just need to find it. And then convince myself there is no problem.
I know this “mind-set” shift changes my behavior from what might be termed casual-but-attentive to one of increased diligence: others have confirmed that this “mind-set” shift made them more focused.
My best, Dick Stevenson, s/v Alchemy
By DariaBlackwell - 10 Oct 2019

Dick - 10/10/2019
Shifting One’s Mind-Set
At this time when many are looking at ocean passages to warmer climates for the winter, one’s Safety at Sea is usually founded on a mind-set that is developed after long years of sailing, and much experience in a wide range of conditions. This mind-set is hard earned and serves us well. It is, however, possible, even for those who have a lot of sea miles and especially for first timers, to induce mind-sets that can markedly improve safety.
For example: When on passage, I think there is a world of difference, when doing a 360 sweep of the ocean, if you tell yourself ahead of time that there is a potentially dangerous ship out there and you just need to find it. The work is then to convince yourself that you were wrong: that there is no ship out there. This may be a particular effective suggestion for new and inexperienced crew.
The same goes for pre-passage inspections (or all inspections for that matter): look for the problem you “know” is there. When I go aloft to check rigging, I “tell myself” that a problem exists and I just need to find it. And then convince myself there is no problem.
I know this “mind-set” shift changes my behavior from what might be termed casual-but-attentive to one of increased diligence: others have confirmed that this “mind-set” shift made them more focused.
My best, Dick Stevenson, s/v Alchemy

Dick,
This is a really important concept. Being convinced that there is a problem makes one concentrate on really investigating thoroughly.

Along with that is the question I ask myself while on watch -- "What if?"  I learned that from astronauts talking about their training protocols. What if a shroud breaks?  What if the forestay fails?  What if we hit a whale? What if the genoa sheet snaps?  What if we have an overlap on the winch? What if there's an injury aboard? And so on. By walking through 'what ifs' on a routine basis, the response to a risk scenario may be faster and more appropriate if thought through well in advance. 

Cheers,
Daria 
By Dick - 11 Oct 2019

Daria Blackwell - 10/10/2019
Dick - 10/10/2019
Shifting One’s Mind-Set
At this time when many are looking at ocean passages to warmer climates for the winter, one’s Safety at Sea is usually founded on a mind-set that is developed after long years of sailing, and much experience in a wide range of conditions. This mind-set is hard earned and serves us well. It is, however, possible, even for those who have a lot of sea miles and especially for first timers, to induce mind-sets that can markedly improve safety.
For example: When on passage, I think there is a world of difference, when doing a 360 sweep of the ocean, if you tell yourself ahead of time that there is a potentially dangerous ship out there and you just need to find it. The work is then to convince yourself that you were wrong: that there is no ship out there. This may be a particular effective suggestion for new and inexperienced crew.
The same goes for pre-passage inspections (or all inspections for that matter): look for the problem you “know” is there. When I go aloft to check rigging, I “tell myself” that a problem exists and I just need to find it. And then convince myself there is no problem.
I know this “mind-set” shift changes my behavior from what might be termed casual-but-attentive to one of increased diligence: others have confirmed that this “mind-set” shift made them more focused.
My best, Dick Stevenson, s/v Alchemy

Dick,
This is a really important concept. Being convinced that there is a problem makes one concentrate on really investigating thoroughly.

Along with that is the question I ask myself while on watch -- "What if?"  I learned that from astronauts talking about their training protocols. What if a shroud breaks?  What if the forestay fails?  What if we hit a whale? What if the genoa sheet snaps?  What if we have an overlap on the winch? What if there's an injury aboard? And so on. By walking through 'what ifs' on a routine basis, the response to a risk scenario may be faster and more appropriate if thought through well in advance. 

Cheers,
Daria 

By Dick - 11 Oct 2019

Daria Blackwell - 10/10/2019
Dick - 10/10/2019
Shifting One’s Mind-Set
At this time when many are looking at ocean passages to warmer climates for the winter, one’s Safety at Sea is usually founded on a mind-set that is developed after long years of sailing, and much experience in a wide range of conditions. This mind-set is hard earned and serves us well. It is, however, possible, even for those who have a lot of sea miles and especially for first timers, to induce mind-sets that can markedly improve safety.
For example: When on passage, I think there is a world of difference, when doing a 360 sweep of the ocean, if you tell yourself ahead of time that there is a potentially dangerous ship out there and you just need to find it. The work is then to convince yourself that you were wrong: that there is no ship out there. This may be a particular effective suggestion for new and inexperienced crew.
The same goes for pre-passage inspections (or all inspections for that matter): look for the problem you “know” is there. When I go aloft to check rigging, I “tell myself” that a problem exists and I just need to find it. And then convince myself there is no problem.
I know this “mind-set” shift changes my behavior from what might be termed casual-but-attentive to one of increased diligence: others have confirmed that this “mind-set” shift made them more focused.
My best, Dick Stevenson, s/v Alchemy

Dick,
This is a really important concept. Being convinced that there is a problem makes one concentrate on really investigating thoroughly.

Along with that is the question I ask myself while on watch -- "What if?"  I learned that from astronauts talking about their training protocols. What if a shroud breaks?  What if the forestay fails?  What if we hit a whale? What if the genoa sheet snaps?  What if we have an overlap on the winch? What if there's an injury aboard? And so on. By walking through 'what ifs' on a routine basis, the response to a risk scenario may be faster and more appropriate if thought through well in advance. 

Cheers,
Daria 

Hi Daria,
Yes, agreed: “playing” the “what if?” game, as I call it, is an active ploy on Alchemy to anticipate where things might go pear shaped and is another example of how one can shift one’s mind-set. As you correctly point out, this shift allows you to “jump- start” response time when an anticipated event does unfold. I believe most sailors do this as a matter of course, often unconsciously as just SOP (standard operating procedure), but I do believe an active engagement in the process pays dividends in preparedness and in safety at sea and in an effective response to challenges. Mostly this is done while day-dreaming on watch, but it is even more effective when it is done in discussion with crew. 
Thanks for your thoughts, My best, Dick Stevenson, s/v Alchemy 
By DariaBlackwell - 11 Oct 2019

Daria Blackwell - 6/24/2019
Dick, you are so right. When we were first getting acquainted with Aleria, our Bowman 57, we went through every piece of gear aboard and studied how to deploy it when necessary. Naturally, an emergency tiller would be useful to get at quickly. But when looking at ours and trying to fit it, we realized we would have to be steering from under the berth in our aft cabin, periodically sticking our heads out the hatch to check on things happening on deck. Not an ideal situation. 

That's when we decided that the Monitor windvane steering system, with its emergency rudder configuration, would be a good backup system for us. And so we fitted the Monitor which we love. Fortunately, we have not needed to deploy it despite losing steering - twice - mid-Atlantic. Because of our sail configuration (cutter ketch), we can balance Aleria exceedingly well. While I stayed on deck and steered the boat by adjusting sails, Alex worked on the steering. The first time, a gearbox had seized; many hours of greasing and manual persuasion finally managed to loosen it. We have rod steering and several gearboxes. We had called into our Atlantic crossing net via SSB and several yachts diverted to our position to assist if needed, but we got lucky. Fortunately, it held until Grenada where we replaced the gear.

The second time, the quadrant 'jumped' off the post. I had to align the wheel precisely up on deck so that Alex could refit it below. Naturally, I was at the helm both times. :ermm: 


Here's a new post on loss of steering in the Down Under Rally - Go West. http://blog.mailasail.com/zoonie/posts/2019/10/10/850-2019-aus-bounding-forth-to-bundy
By Silvio - 3 Nov 2019

Back to 2009 when I crossed from Galapagos to Marquesas, a 3200 miles route that took us 19 days to complete, I had a lot of time on hand to think about improving easiness and safety on board, so I made a few changes on managing the sails and on the ship abandoning procedures that included:
1. Reefing: when you have to reef a sail, is already because conditions are deteriorating so, the worst thing you can do, is going to the mast to reef the main sail. To resolve that, I installed one counter halyard (pull down) for each reef ( have 3), so I could pull down the sail from the cockpit, avoiding going to the mast. That significantly improved the effort of reefing the main sail. Recently, on winds over 50 knots, I found myself having to go to the mast to take the rest of the main sail down from reef 3 to zero, so I installed one small counter halyard to pull the last piece of main sail completely down, from inside the cockpit. Later, I had a chance to test the system on a real situation, and, provided that you manage that small cable well, avoided the trip to the mast on real bad wind or sea conditions.
2. Abandoning ship: Working on the "what ifs" of abandoning ships, came to mind that, the most important thing to take with you is water, so, I reserved a 3, 5L pet bottles of water, from which I took some wayer out to promote positive buoyancy, tie them together with a small rope, and tie the small rope on a longer rope, to take it out, throw it on the water, holding the long rope, and tying it up to the raft or other floating equipment to be used on the abandoning ship procedure.
3. Abandoning pack: using one of the waterproofed abandonig sacks, I put inside it:
Spot, Epirb, TelSat, Batteries, Solar powered chargers, Portable, waterproof VHF, on abandoning ship, take this sack out with you.
By Dick - 3 Nov 2019

Silvio - 11/3/2019
Back to 2009 when I crossed from Galapagos to Marquesas, a 3200 miles route that took us 19 days to complete, I had a lot of time on hand to think about improving easiness and safety on board, so I made a few changes on managing the sails and on the ship abandoning procedures that included:
1. Reefing: when you have to reef a sail, is already because conditions are deteriorating so, the worst thing you can do, is going to the mast to reef the main sail. To resolve that, I installed one counter halyard (pull down) for each reef ( have 3), so I could pull down the sail from the cockpit, avoiding going to the mast. That significantly improved the effort of reefing the main sail. Recently, on winds over 50 knots, I found myself having to go to the mast to take the rest of the main sail down from reef 3 to zero, so I installed one small counter halyard to pull the last piece of main sail completely down, from inside the cockpit. Later, I had a chance to test the system on a real situation, and, provided that you manage that small cable well, avoided the trip to the mast on real bad wind or sea conditions.
2. Abandoning ship: Working on the "what ifs" of abandoning ships, came to mind that, the most important thing to take with you is water, so, I reserved a 3, 5L pet bottles of water, from which I took some wayer out to promote positive buoyancy, tie them together with a small rope, and tie the small rope on a longer rope, to take it out, throw it on the water, holding the long rope, and tying it up to the raft or other floating equipment to be used on the abandoning ship procedure.
3. Abandoning pack: using one of the waterproofed abandonig sacks, I put inside it:
Spot, Epirb, TelSat, Batteries, Solar powered chargers, Portable, waterproof VHF, on abandoning ship, take this sack out with you.

Hi Silvio,
I appreciate your thoughts and suggestions. And yes, long hours on watch is conducive to much good reflection.
I will comment in turn here in this area of the Forum and may find better places to copy and paste your comments and my responses where those interested in, say, abandon ship procedures, can benefit from your thoughts.
Where to reef from:
I have participated in a number of discussions with respect to the debate of going to the mast for reefing vs staying in the cockpit. Experienced sailors fall into both categories so there is no consensus: generally, my take is that going to the mast prevails, but that may be a matter of boat design.
Basically, I do not consider this to be a “better than/worse than”/ seamanship issue where one is safer than the other. Some boats lend them selves to one system over the other and some boat’s initial design makes reefing from cockpit a bear to retrofit. The “on-watch” crew should always be ready to go on deck in any case (kitted up to conditions and harnessed) and I espouse a “deck walk” every watch to look for trouble (parts on the deck, chafe, fouled pennants and the like). In challenging conditions, this can be done at change of watch while the crew going off-watch is still kitted up and available.
I can certainly understand why one would not wish to go forward to reef in deteriorating conditions, but something is not right if the “worse thing you can do is go to the mast to reef”. If really nervous, reefing can always be accomplished from a hove-to position: about as comfortable as the boat can get. And, although not one’s idea of fun, it is never good to put off going forward: crew should always be willing, not necessarily excited, but willing to go forward and feel it is safe and reasonable to do so.
On Alchemy, our first two reefs are done from the cockpit. One of the pluses of this is that it can be done single handed from a safe location and there is no need to bother the off-watch person. Our third reef I need to go to the mast and a crew is needed to lower the sail from the halyard lead back to the cockpit. Even if reefing could all be done single-handed at the mast, I might feel, if going on deck to reef, some wish to wake the off watch person and have them know that I was working the deck.
Water etc. when abandoning ship:
Similar concerns and appreciate your solution. On Alchemy, my offshore raft was equipped with water packets and a Katadyne hand-held watermaker. The latter was expensive, bought brought some piece of mind. My Abandon Ship Bag had more water in re-usable containers. I also carried a 20l/5g jerry can (handy where good water is scarce) which, when off-shore would be filled to 3/4rs filled. The jerry can and ASB would be tied together and all floated.
Many of the items you mention are in our ASB at all times and ready to go. We also have a list of “last minute” items that started with the sat-phone and went down from there in order of importance. Having a waterproof bag for these items easily at hand when offshore is a wise pre-caution.
My best, Dick Stevenson, s/v Alchemy


By Dick - 1 Dec 2019

Dick - 11/3/2019
Silvio - 11/3/2019
Back to 2009 when I crossed from Galapagos to Marquesas, a 3200 miles route that took us 19 days to complete, I had a lot of time on hand to think about improving easiness and safety on board, so I made a few changes on managing the sails and on the ship abandoning procedures that included:
1. Reefing: when you have to reef a sail, is already because conditions are deteriorating so, the worst thing you can do, is going to the mast to reef the main sail. To resolve that, I installed one counter halyard (pull down) for each reef ( have 3), so I could pull down the sail from the cockpit, avoiding going to the mast. That significantly improved the effort of reefing the main sail. Recently, on winds over 50 knots, I found myself having to go to the mast to take the rest of the main sail down from reef 3 to zero, so I installed one small counter halyard to pull the last piece of main sail completely down, from inside the cockpit. Later, I had a chance to test the system on a real situation, and, provided that you manage that small cable well, avoided the trip to the mast on real bad wind or sea conditions.
2. Abandoning ship: Working on the "what ifs" of abandoning ships, came to mind that, the most important thing to take with you is water, so, I reserved a 3, 5L pet bottles of water, from which I took some wayer out to promote positive buoyancy, tie them together with a small rope, and tie the small rope on a longer rope, to take it out, throw it on the water, holding the long rope, and tying it up to the raft or other floating equipment to be used on the abandoning ship procedure.
3. Abandoning pack: using one of the waterproofed abandonig sacks, I put inside it:
Spot, Epirb, TelSat, Batteries, Solar powered chargers, Portable, waterproof VHF, on abandoning ship, take this sack out with you.

Hi Silvio,
I appreciate your thoughts and suggestions. And yes, long hours on watch is conducive to much good reflection.
I will comment in turn here in this area of the Forum and may find better places to copy and paste your comments and my responses where those interested in, say, abandon ship procedures, can benefit from your thoughts.
Where to reef from:
I have participated in a number of discussions with respect to the debate of going to the mast for reefing vs staying in the cockpit. Experienced sailors fall into both categories so there is no consensus: generally, my take is that going to the mast prevails, but that may be a matter of boat design.
Basically, I do not consider this to be a “better than/worse than”/ seamanship issue where one is safer than the other. Some boats lend them selves to one system over the other and some boat’s initial design makes reefing from cockpit a bear to retrofit. The “on-watch” crew should always be ready to go on deck in any case (kitted up to conditions and harnessed) and I espouse a “deck walk” every watch to look for trouble (parts on the deck, chafe, fouled pennants and the like). In challenging conditions, this can be done at change of watch while the crew going off-watch is still kitted up and available.
I can certainly understand why one would not wish to go forward to reef in deteriorating conditions, but something is not right if the “worse thing you can do is go to the mast to reef”. If really nervous, reefing can always be accomplished from a hove-to position: about as comfortable as the boat can get. And, although not one’s idea of fun, it is never good to put off going forward: crew should always be willing, not necessarily excited, but willing to go forward and feel it is safe and reasonable to do so.
On Alchemy, our first two reefs are done from the cockpit. One of the pluses of this is that it can be done single handed from a safe location and there is no need to bother the off-watch person. Our third reef I need to go to the mast and a crew is needed to lower the sail from the halyard lead back to the cockpit. Even if reefing could all be done single-handed at the mast, I might feel, if going on deck to reef, some wish to wake the off watch person and have them know that I was working the deck.
Water etc. when abandoning ship:
Similar concerns and appreciate your solution. On Alchemy, my offshore raft was equipped with water packets and a Katadyne hand-held watermaker. The latter was expensive, bought brought some piece of mind. My Abandon Ship Bag had more water in re-usable containers. I also carried a 20l/5g jerry can (handy where good water is scarce) which, when off-shore would be filled to 3/4rs filled. The jerry can and ASB would be tied together and all floated.
Many of the items you mention are in our ASB at all times and ready to go. We also have a list of “last minute” items that started with the sat-phone and went down from there in order of importance. Having a waterproof bag for these items easily at hand when offshore is a wise pre-caution.
My best, Dick Stevenson, s/v Alchemy



Not So Fast
It is not an exaggeration that “going fast” is endowed with admiration world-wide and is universally aspired to in most aspects of life. It is likely one of the first adjectives used when a skipper is asked about his/her boat. But cruisers, especially passage makers, might benefit from considering that going fast, as an aspiration, is over-rated and perhaps dangerous.
Take boat speed: on Alchemy, when on passage, I try not to exceed 75-80% of her speed potential. It is in that top 20% or so where there is little wiggle-room for the unexpected or forgiveness for errors. It is also the area where damage to the boat and injury to the crew is most likely. Similarly, in handling the boat, there is very rarely a call for speed. Working the boat and responding to problems benefit from a slow approach. Any really significant challenge likely benefits from a cup of tea before approaching.
On Alchemy, we try to move at 2/3rds speed at all times: there is just no hurry. Moving slow is a constant reminder of the possible devastating result that might result from a serious injury at sea. Moving fast generates a constant temptation to cut corners: to leave the harness behind, tether unattached etc. Most of us are husband/wife or short-crewed in some way and an injury, even minor, can cause a whole cascade of misfortune.
Going slow may not ensure a no-problem passage, but it certainly makes the completion of the passage in a satisfying way more likely.
Safe sailing, Dick Stevenson, s/v Alchemy
By Dick - 18 Dec 2019

Do No Harm
It is in the nature of cruising widely that skippers occasionally have to repair a system about which they may have little knowledge. It has been my experience and observation that there are some skills which make it quite likely that one will succeed in the repair.
My first “rule” is taken right out of medical training: “Do No Harm”. The primary danger where experience and knowledge are limited is that, in the poking around searching for a solution, that matters are made worse. Next worry is that you do not document how items came apart.
Please! Do not rely on memory: your smart-phone camera is an impressive tool in this regard. The best insurance to doing no harm is to proceed slowly and thoughtfully: usually there is no rush. In addition to photos, take real-time notes: partly as the notes will be helpful, but also because the taking of notes is a marvelous stimulus to creative problem solving. It is far too easy to get stuck in a limited line of thinking.
The next and last tool to be mentioned is persistence. If one persists in poking around and resists doing harm, the problem is very likely to reveal itself. Give yourself the mind-set to persist: tell yourself that you are learning about the system at hand, rather than repairing it. Make it fun and feed your curiosity and you will very likely execute the repair. At worst, you will have a better knowledge of the problem and what the next step is.
Please find this Thought in the Forum where comments/thoughts/questions can be posted.
Safe sailing, Dick Stevenson, s/v Alchemy
By Dick - 24 Feb 2020

Dick - 12/18/2019
Do No Harm
It is in the nature of cruising widely that skippers occasionally have to repair a system about which they may have little knowledge. It has been my experience and observation that there are some skills which make it quite likely that one will succeed in the repair.
My first “rule” is taken right out of medical training: “Do No Harm”. The primary danger where experience and knowledge are limited is that, in the poking around searching for a solution, that matters are made worse. Next worry is that you do not document how items came apart.
Please! Do not rely on memory: your smart-phone camera is an impressive tool in this regard. The best insurance to doing no harm is to proceed slowly and thoughtfully: usually there is no rush. In addition to photos, take real-time notes: partly as the notes will be helpful, but also because the taking of notes is a marvelous stimulus to creative problem solving. It is far too easy to get stuck in a limited line of thinking.
The next and last tool to be mentioned is persistence. If one persists in poking around and resists doing harm, the problem is very likely to reveal itself. Give yourself the mind-set to persist: tell yourself that you are learning about the system at hand, rather than repairing it. Make it fun and feed your curiosity and you will very likely execute the repair. At worst, you will have a better knowledge of the problem and what the next step is.
Please find this Thought in the Forum where comments/thoughts/questions can be posted.
Safe sailing, Dick Stevenson, s/v Alchemy

In the ongoing series of Safety Thoughts:
Alarms
Alarms are a good thing. They warn of emerging problems and they do not get tired or lazy.
That said, I think many would agree that we have so many alarms, that when one goes off, it is hard to know what the warning is or where to go to respond. Someday, an enterprising entrepreneur will come up with an alarm annunciator: in the meantime, it behooves every skipper to make a “vessel alarm list” and to try to differentiate the alarms by sound (buzzer, beep, two-tone, etc.).
Then, highlight the “urgent” alarms: on Alchemy these are: engine oil pressure & water temperature, high water, bilge pump activation, propane sniffer, smoke detectors, exhaust hose temperature, and CO. Then there are the skipper-set alarms on AIS, radar, instruments and the DSC alarm on your VHF. And finally, there are the alarms that emerge from our “devices”. Post this list where it is easily accessible to remind/review (wall of the head?).
One danger with alarms is that they can support a false complacency that inhibits regular inspections. For example, an eyes-in-the-bilge inspection should remain an every-watch occurrence during passages. Also, a reminder: many alarms need attention. Some beep when batteries are low: many do not. A beginning-of-season renewal of all alarm batteries is wise. Other alarms have expiry dates (CO are often 5 years) while smoke detectors can malfunction because of accumulations of dust or cobwebs. One’s confidence in propane sniffers increases when it activates when tested with gas from an (unlit) lighter.
Safe sailing, Dick Stevenson, s/v Alchemy
By Dick - 24 Mar 2020

Another Safety at Sea thought:
Schematics
They would have been a great winter project, but it is not too late: use this virus plagued down time to make schematics. Do some research and start at home from the comfort of your easy chair and then go to the boat. Of all the tools that are important in diagnosis, and to then dealing quickly and effectively to an on-board problem, comprehensive schematics are likely the most neglected. This is important when in your home waters, but at sea, when all are tired and the boat is bouncing about, swift and easy diagnosis and repairs becomes a safety issue.
Even if you choose professionals to do the work, you will save him/her hours (and yourself money) by good schematics. Our boats have become quite complicated and even the best of us are wise not to rely on memory. Schematics can include the electrical system (AC and DC), plumbing (fresh, salt, sanitation, fuel), instrument wiring, and coax runs among others. You will learn a great deal, and be far better prepared with good schematics drawn up and carefully stored on board.
But note, include the details: wire gauge sizes, hose diameters, all junctions, etc. etc. Schematics can allow for “virtual” repair; instead of diving blindly into dark corners, take your schematic, settle into your settee and take the symptoms of your problem and apply them to your schematic. At minimal, this is a great stimulus to problem-solving and, more likely, save hours of chasing down dead ends.
Please add your thoughts in the Forum,
Stay safe, Dick Stevenson, s/v Alchemy
By Dick - 21 Apr 2020

Dick - 3/24/2020
Another Safety at Sea thought:
Schematics
They would have been a great winter project, but it is not too late: use this virus plagued down time to make schematics. Do some research and start at home from the comfort of your easy chair and then go to the boat. Of all the tools that are important in diagnosis, and to then dealing quickly and effectively to an on-board problem, comprehensive schematics are likely the most neglected. This is important when in your home waters, but at sea, when all are tired and the boat is bouncing about, swift and easy diagnosis and repairs becomes a safety issue.
Even if you choose professionals to do the work, you will save him/her hours (and yourself money) by good schematics. Our boats have become quite complicated and even the best of us are wise not to rely on memory. Schematics can include the electrical system (AC and DC), plumbing (fresh, salt, sanitation, fuel), instrument wiring, and coax runs among others. You will learn a great deal, and be far better prepared with good schematics drawn up and carefully stored on board.
But note, include the details: wire gauge sizes, hose diameters, all junctions, etc. etc. Schematics can allow for “virtual” repair; instead of diving blindly into dark corners, take your schematic, settle into your settee and take the symptoms of your problem and apply them to your schematic. At minimal, this is a great stimulus to problem-solving and, more likely, save hours of chasing down dead ends.
Please add your thoughts in the Forum,
Stay safe, Dick Stevenson, s/v Alchemy

Another Safety at Sea Thought
A cruising skipper’s lot
If I offered you the opportunity to engage in an activity where the dominant background emotion was one a low-grade anxiety, what would you say? And, if on top of that enticing offer, I were to suggest that, during this activity, you would ask yourself many times every day and with almost every decision you make, “What can go wrong with this?”, how would you respond to me?
I would contend that, to a large extent, the above is a skipper’s cross to bear: looking for areas where the boat or crew might get into trouble. And it says something about the ultimate gratifications of cruising that most skippers bear that cross with grace and competence. A conscientious skipper has to not only tolerate, but actually embrace, a good deal of worry, or what I experience as “fretting”. This is more potently the case if the skipper has loved ones on board. And the skipper’s challenge is to transform this fretting, which starts well before the boat gets to the water, into action. For this fretting, this worry, this looking for where things can go pear shaped, is what keeps the boat and her crew safe.
It is not the boat that keeps crew safe, it is the skipper: for the boat is only an extension of the skipper. The boat reflects her skipper’s capacity to imagine the challenges that might emerge, to make choices among the various options and take the action necessary to prepare the boat and to then be prepared with creative responses to meet the un-anticipated.
We can continue these thoughts in the Forum.
Safe sailing, Dick Stevenson, s/v Alchemy


By DariaBlackwell - 21 Apr 2020



Dick - 3/24/2020
Another Safety at Sea thought:
Schematics
They would have been a great winter project, but it is not too late: use this virus plagued down time to make schematics. Do some research and start at home from the comfort of your easy chair and then go to the boat. Of all the tools that are important in diagnosis, and to then dealing quickly and effectively to an on-board problem, comprehensive schematics are likely the most neglected. This is important when in your home waters, but at sea, when all are tired and the boat is bouncing about, swift and easy diagnosis and repairs becomes a safety issue.
Even if you choose professionals to do the work, you will save him/her hours (and yourself money) by good schematics. Our boats have become quite complicated and even the best of us are wise not to rely on memory. Schematics can include the electrical system (AC and DC), plumbing (fresh, salt, sanitation, fuel), instrument wiring, and coax runs among others. You will learn a great deal, and be far better prepared with good schematics drawn up and carefully stored on board.
But note, include the details: wire gauge sizes, hose diameters, all junctions, etc. etc. Schematics can allow for “virtual” repair; instead of diving blindly into dark corners, take your schematic, settle into your settee and take the symptoms of your problem and apply them to your schematic. At minimal, this is a great stimulus to problem-solving and, more likely, save hours of chasing down dead ends.
Please add your thoughts in the Forum,
Stay safe, Dick Stevenson, s/v Alchemy

Hi Dick,
We'd love to go to the boat and work on her or update our schematics. But they closed the marinas before we could launch and put a restriction on travel. We can't go more than 2 km from home unless we have to buy food or medicine. This coronavirus pandemic probably means we won't launch at all this year. What will that do to her systems?  No use for two years?
Daria
By DariaBlackwell - 21 Apr 2020

Dick - 4/21/2020
Dick - 3/24/2020
Another Safety at Sea thought:
Schematics
They would have been a great winter project, but it is not too late: use this virus plagued down time to make schematics. Do some research and start at home from the comfort of your easy chair and then go to the boat. Of all the tools that are important in diagnosis, and to then dealing quickly and effectively to an on-board problem, comprehensive schematics are likely the most neglected. This is important when in your home waters, but at sea, when all are tired and the boat is bouncing about, swift and easy diagnosis and repairs becomes a safety issue.
Even if you choose professionals to do the work, you will save him/her hours (and yourself money) by good schematics. Our boats have become quite complicated and even the best of us are wise not to rely on memory. Schematics can include the electrical system (AC and DC), plumbing (fresh, salt, sanitation, fuel), instrument wiring, and coax runs among others. You will learn a great deal, and be far better prepared with good schematics drawn up and carefully stored on board.
But note, include the details: wire gauge sizes, hose diameters, all junctions, etc. etc. Schematics can allow for “virtual” repair; instead of diving blindly into dark corners, take your schematic, settle into your settee and take the symptoms of your problem and apply them to your schematic. At minimal, this is a great stimulus to problem-solving and, more likely, save hours of chasing down dead ends.
Please add your thoughts in the Forum,
Stay safe, Dick Stevenson, s/v Alchemy

Another Safety at Sea Thought
A cruising skipper’s lot
If I offered you the opportunity to engage in an activity where the dominant background emotion was one a low-grade anxiety, what would you say? And, if on top of that enticing offer, I were to suggest that, during this activity, you would ask yourself many times every day and with almost every decision you make, “What can go wrong with this?”, how would you respond to me?
I would contend that, to a large extent, the above is a skipper’s cross to bear: looking for areas where the boat or crew might get into trouble. And it says something about the ultimate gratifications of cruising that most skippers bear that cross with grace and competence. A conscientious skipper has to not only tolerate, but actually embrace, a good deal of worry, or what I experience as “fretting”. This is more potently the case if the skipper has loved ones on board. And the skipper’s challenge is to transform this fretting, which starts well before the boat gets to the water, into action. For this fretting, this worry, this looking for where things can go pear shaped, is what keeps the boat and her crew safe.
It is not the boat that keeps crew safe, it is the skipper: for the boat is only an extension of the skipper. The boat reflects her skipper’s capacity to imagine the challenges that might emerge, to make choices among the various options and take the action necessary to prepare the boat and to then be prepared with creative responses to meet the un-anticipated.
We can continue these thoughts in the Forum.
Safe sailing, Dick Stevenson, s/v Alchemy



Hi Dick,

It's not just the skipper's responsibility. We sail short-handed most of the time so it's basically like single-handing half the time. I spend my watches at night thinking like an astronaut. I go through numerous 'What if...?' scenarios. What if we hit something?  What if an alarm goes off?  What if the steering fails?  What if the wind vane breaks?  What if we get a sudden and violent change of conditions?  Visualising what to do is a form of advance preparation. 

We've had things go wrong, in fact we've just about all of the above happen. What we've learned is that if we don't panic, and act as a team, we can usually get through anything. In fact, we've learned most of all that neither one of us tends to panic and freeze. So far, we've managed to do the right things. 

Thanks for sparking these discussions. Stay safe. 
Daria
By Dick - 22 Apr 2020

Daria Blackwell - 4/21/2020


Dick - 3/24/2020
Another Safety at Sea thought:
Schematics
They would have been a great winter project, but it is not too late: use this virus plagued down time to make schematics. Do some research and start at home from the comfort of your easy chair and then go to the boat. Of all the tools that are important in diagnosis, and to then dealing quickly and effectively to an on-board problem, comprehensive schematics are likely the most neglected. This is important when in your home waters, but at sea, when all are tired and the boat is bouncing about, swift and easy diagnosis and repairs becomes a safety issue.
Even if you choose professionals to do the work, you will save him/her hours (and yourself money) by good schematics. Our boats have become quite complicated and even the best of us are wise not to rely on memory. Schematics can include the electrical system (AC and DC), plumbing (fresh, salt, sanitation, fuel), instrument wiring, and coax runs among others. You will learn a great deal, and be far better prepared with good schematics drawn up and carefully stored on board.
But note, include the details: wire gauge sizes, hose diameters, all junctions, etc. etc. Schematics can allow for “virtual” repair; instead of diving blindly into dark corners, take your schematic, settle into your settee and take the symptoms of your problem and apply them to your schematic. At minimal, this is a great stimulus to problem-solving and, more likely, save hours of chasing down dead ends.
Please add your thoughts in the Forum,
Stay safe, Dick Stevenson, s/v Alchemy

Hi Dick,
We'd love to go to the boat and work on her or update our schematics. But they closed the marinas before we could launch and put a restriction on travel. We can't go more than 2 km from home unless we have to buy food or medicine. This coronavirus pandemic probably means we won't launch at all this year. What will that do to her systems?  No use for two years?
Daria




Dick - 3/24/2020

Hi Dick,
We'd love to go to the boat and work on her or update our schematics. But they closed the marinas before we could launch and put a restriction on travel. We can't go more than 2 km from home unless we have to buy food or medicine. This coronavirus pandemic probably means we won't launch at all this year. What will that do to her systems? No use for two years?
Daria
Hi Daria,
Yes, I wrote that prior to many locations becoming as restricted as has become recommended.
A beginning on schematics can certainly be started at home in one’s easy chair and a lot of the preliminary diagrams outlined to be fleshed out later. And it would be interesting to see how one’s memory compares with the reality of the boat.
Your question about extended and unattended boat storage is a good one. I suspect most systems, if well winterized for one winter, will not be compromised by additional time with the caveat that battery banks should be charged occasionally for most battery types if not all. I will give some thought to this.
At first blush, I would pay attention to the outside of the boat. Leaves in the scuppers comes first to mind. I have known of cockpits that fill with water and the water spills into the boat. Lines may have gotten loose, jack stands may need a firming up, etc.
At the very least, I would hope that every boatyard had someone to look after the boats who you could talk with and have check things out.
It is hard to say how realistic this is, but I am still hoping for some kind of season, but I know that is at least a month in the future as the border US to Canada has recently been extended for 30 days.
We shall all see.
My best, Dick Stevenson, s/v Alchemy

By Dick - 22 Apr 2020

Daria Blackwell - 4/21/2020
Dick - 4/21/2020
Dick - 3/24/2020
Another Safety at Sea thought:
Schematics
They would have been a great winter project, but it is not too late: use this virus plagued down time to make schematics. Do some research and start at home from the comfort of your easy chair and then go to the boat. Of all the tools that are important in diagnosis, and to then dealing quickly and effectively to an on-board problem, comprehensive schematics are likely the most neglected. This is important when in your home waters, but at sea, when all are tired and the boat is bouncing about, swift and easy diagnosis and repairs becomes a safety issue.
Even if you choose professionals to do the work, you will save him/her hours (and yourself money) by good schematics. Our boats have become quite complicated and even the best of us are wise not to rely on memory. Schematics can include the electrical system (AC and DC), plumbing (fresh, salt, sanitation, fuel), instrument wiring, and coax runs among others. You will learn a great deal, and be far better prepared with good schematics drawn up and carefully stored on board.
But note, include the details: wire gauge sizes, hose diameters, all junctions, etc. etc. Schematics can allow for “virtual” repair; instead of diving blindly into dark corners, take your schematic, settle into your settee and take the symptoms of your problem and apply them to your schematic. At minimal, this is a great stimulus to problem-solving and, more likely, save hours of chasing down dead ends.
Please add your thoughts in the Forum,
Stay safe, Dick Stevenson, s/v Alchemy

Another Safety at Sea Thought
A cruising skipper’s lot
If I offered you the opportunity to engage in an activity where the dominant background emotion was one a low-grade anxiety, what would you say? And, if on top of that enticing offer, I were to suggest that, during this activity, you would ask yourself many times every day and with almost every decision you make, “What can go wrong with this?”, how would you respond to me?
I would contend that, to a large extent, the above is a skipper’s cross to bear: looking for areas where the boat or crew might get into trouble. And it says something about the ultimate gratifications of cruising that most skippers bear that cross with grace and competence. A conscientious skipper has to not only tolerate, but actually embrace, a good deal of worry, or what I experience as “fretting”. This is more potently the case if the skipper has loved ones on board. And the skipper’s challenge is to transform this fretting, which starts well before the boat gets to the water, into action. For this fretting, this worry, this looking for where things can go pear shaped, is what keeps the boat and her crew safe.
It is not the boat that keeps crew safe, it is the skipper: for the boat is only an extension of the skipper. The boat reflects her skipper’s capacity to imagine the challenges that might emerge, to make choices among the various options and take the action necessary to prepare the boat and to then be prepared with creative responses to meet the un-anticipated.
We can continue these thoughts in the Forum.
Safe sailing, Dick Stevenson, s/v Alchemy



Hi Dick,

It's not just the skipper's responsibility. We sail short-handed most of the time so it's basically like single-handing half the time. I spend my watches at night thinking like an astronaut. I go through numerous 'What if...?' scenarios. What if we hit something?  What if an alarm goes off?  What if the steering fails?  What if the wind vane breaks?  What if we get a sudden and violent change of conditions?  Visualising what to do is a form of advance preparation. 

We've had things go wrong, in fact we've just about all of the above happen. What we've learned is that if we don't panic, and act as a team, we can usually get through anything. In fact, we've learned most of all that neither one of us tends to panic and freeze. So far, we've managed to do the right things. 

Thanks for sparking these discussions. Stay safe. 
Daria

Hi Daria,
I write these Thoughts with about 250 words in mind which precludes the opportunity to deal with nuances and exceptions. The Forum is a great place for follow-ups so thanks for the opportunity.
You bring up excellent points. Your habit of anticipation: the “what if” scenarios you describe, is similar to the “fretting” I describe. A crew that participates in this way makes for a safer boat better prepared to respond to challenges.
There are some few boats that function well with shared skipper duties: the danger is to ensure that, in the shared responsibility, some important function does not fall between the cracks. For most boats, in my observation, there is a skipper who takes overall responsibility for the vessel’s preparation and safety, often delegating tasks and, hopefully, responding to and welcoming crew/partner suggestions and involvement. On most boats, there is one person who embodies “where the buck stops”.
That said there will be crew on watch alone and this crew must be prepared to run the boat and make decisions about what needs doing, including when to wake the off-watch crew/skipper: the on-watch crew carries responsibility.
I think it is an interesting to note the wide continuum of crew skills: the range being from skipper level skills through experienced crew to new crew to those who operate largely as passengers. (This is an important subject in its own right: especially the ability of crew /partner to take over for a disabled skipper.)
So, in the real world, I think there is always some degree of shared responsibility on most cruising boats, but, also, most cruising recreational boats have one person who is considered skipper and who operates as such. (One can argue whether this is “best” and certainly proffer alternatives.) This person is the skipper I am referring to in my short piece of writing and who must, to my mind, shoulder the burden, the “Skippers Lot” I referred to.
Being a skipper is a considerable responsibility.
My best, Dick Stevenson, s/v Alchemy
By Dick - 28 May 2020

Dick - 4/22/2020
Daria Blackwell - 4/21/2020
Dick - 4/21/2020
Dick - 3/24/2020
Another Safety at Sea thought:
Schematics
They would have been a great winter project, but it is not too late: use this virus plagued down time to make schematics. Do some research and start at home from the comfort of your easy chair and then go to the boat. Of all the tools that are important in diagnosis, and to then dealing quickly and effectively to an on-board problem, comprehensive schematics are likely the most neglected. This is important when in your home waters, but at sea, when all are tired and the boat is bouncing about, swift and easy diagnosis and repairs becomes a safety issue.
Even if you choose professionals to do the work, you will save him/her hours (and yourself money) by good schematics. Our boats have become quite complicated and even the best of us are wise not to rely on memory. Schematics can include the electrical system (AC and DC), plumbing (fresh, salt, sanitation, fuel), instrument wiring, and coax runs among others. You will learn a great deal, and be far better prepared with good schematics drawn up and carefully stored on board.
But note, include the details: wire gauge sizes, hose diameters, all junctions, etc. etc. Schematics can allow for “virtual” repair; instead of diving blindly into dark corners, take your schematic, settle into your settee and take the symptoms of your problem and apply them to your schematic. At minimal, this is a great stimulus to problem-solving and, more likely, save hours of chasing down dead ends.
Please add your thoughts in the Forum,
Stay safe, Dick Stevenson, s/v Alchemy

Another Safety at Sea Thought
A cruising skipper’s lot
If I offered you the opportunity to engage in an activity where the dominant background emotion was one a low-grade anxiety, what would you say? And, if on top of that enticing offer, I were to suggest that, during this activity, you would ask yourself many times every day and with almost every decision you make, “What can go wrong with this?”, how would you respond to me?
I would contend that, to a large extent, the above is a skipper’s cross to bear: looking for areas where the boat or crew might get into trouble. And it says something about the ultimate gratifications of cruising that most skippers bear that cross with grace and competence. A conscientious skipper has to not only tolerate, but actually embrace, a good deal of worry, or what I experience as “fretting”. This is more potently the case if the skipper has loved ones on board. And the skipper’s challenge is to transform this fretting, which starts well before the boat gets to the water, into action. For this fretting, this worry, this looking for where things can go pear shaped, is what keeps the boat and her crew safe.
It is not the boat that keeps crew safe, it is the skipper: for the boat is only an extension of the skipper. The boat reflects her skipper’s capacity to imagine the challenges that might emerge, to make choices among the various options and take the action necessary to prepare the boat and to then be prepared with creative responses to meet the un-anticipated.
We can continue these thoughts in the Forum.
Safe sailing, Dick Stevenson, s/v Alchemy



Hi Dick,

It's not just the skipper's responsibility. We sail short-handed most of the time so it's basically like single-handing half the time. I spend my watches at night thinking like an astronaut. I go through numerous 'What if...?' scenarios. What if we hit something?  What if an alarm goes off?  What if the steering fails?  What if the wind vane breaks?  What if we get a sudden and violent change of conditions?  Visualising what to do is a form of advance preparation. 

We've had things go wrong, in fact we've just about all of the above happen. What we've learned is that if we don't panic, and act as a team, we can usually get through anything. In fact, we've learned most of all that neither one of us tends to panic and freeze. So far, we've managed to do the right things. 

Thanks for sparking these discussions. Stay safe. 
Daria

Hi Daria,
I write these Thoughts with about 250 words in mind which precludes the opportunity to deal with nuances and exceptions. The Forum is a great place for follow-ups so thanks for the opportunity.
You bring up excellent points. Your habit of anticipation: the “what if” scenarios you describe, is similar to the “fretting” I describe. A crew that participates in this way makes for a safer boat better prepared to respond to challenges.
There are some few boats that function well with shared skipper duties: the danger is to ensure that, in the shared responsibility, some important function does not fall between the cracks. For most boats, in my observation, there is a skipper who takes overall responsibility for the vessel’s preparation and safety, often delegating tasks and, hopefully, responding to and welcoming crew/partner suggestions and involvement. On most boats, there is one person who embodies “where the buck stops”.
That said there will be crew on watch alone and this crew must be prepared to run the boat and make decisions about what needs doing, including when to wake the off-watch crew/skipper: the on-watch crew carries responsibility.
I think it is an interesting to note the wide continuum of crew skills: the range being from skipper level skills through experienced crew to new crew to those who operate largely as passengers. (This is an important subject in its own right: especially the ability of crew /partner to take over for a disabled skipper.)
So, in the real world, I think there is always some degree of shared responsibility on most cruising boats, but, also, most cruising recreational boats have one person who is considered skipper and who operates as such. (One can argue whether this is “best” and certainly proffer alternatives.) This person is the skipper I am referring to in my short piece of writing and who must, to my mind, shoulder the burden, the “Skippers Lot” I referred to.
Being a skipper is a considerable responsibility.
My best, Dick Stevenson, s/v Alchemy

In the ongoing series of Thoughts on Safety at Sea

Dangerous companions
There are many unappealing companions to have on board: pests come to mind. Most are more annoying than dangerous. But one companion can join you while on passage and can sneak up as it is quiet, invisible, and insidious. Part of its power is that it reduces situational awareness. And it is largely unheralded for its capacity for catastrophe.
I am referring to fatigue, particularly on the skipper’s part, arguably the underlying factor in many passage mishaps. Every skipper must be concerned with fatigue and must not only monitor their own fatigue level (not so easy without practice), but must keep a weather eye on the crew.
Underestimating the danger this companion warrants contributes to many “incidents”. At passage’s end, for example a tired skipper may attempt a nighttime entrance to an enticing anchorage. An unfortunate outcome might be attributed to “navigational errors” when the more important contributing factor was fatigue.
If, while sitting up, your eyes are drooping, take this as a warning. Less obvious signs of fatigue: rushing, clumsiness, taking (or tempted by) shortcuts, longing for the passage completion, and irritability.
Preparation: know and remember that this companion is very likely to join the cruise. Know that a passage is not a race; slow down for comfort, heave to for a watch to have a good meal and sleep, adjust watch schedules. Tell your crew if you are experiencing fatigue.
Know also that dealing with fatigue when on passage gets easier with experience.
Please go to the Forum for further discussion on this topic.
Stay safe, Dick Stevenson, s/v Alchemy
By simoncurrin - 28 May 2020

Lovely article Dick and so true. I remember on a double handed passage to the Azores my crew, not Sally, fell asleep on watch. Luckily I discovered this early and let him sleep on in the cockpit until his mobile phone pinged welcoming him to Graciosa. I was the Best Man at his wedding and made sure everyone knew about his unconventional way of monitoring an imminent landfall.
Simon
By Dick - 3 Jun 2020

Simon Currin - 5/28/2020
Lovely article Dick and so true. I remember on a double handed passage to the Azores my crew, not Sally, fell asleep on watch. Luckily I discovered this early and let him sleep on in the cockpit until his mobile phone pinged welcoming him to Graciosa. I was the Best Man at his wedding and made sure everyone knew about his unconventional way of monitoring an imminent landfall.
Simon

Hi all,
In the above, I was referring to fatigue that builds up during a passage.
I am reminded, there is another another Dangerous Companion: pre-departure fatigue. This is fatigue which results from the work and anxiety that usually accompanies the preparation for a passage. This is especially a challenge for one’s first passage.
On Alchemy, we try to be prepared a day or two ahead of the weather window we are looking at. When well meaning friends are wanting a piece of you and throwing bon voyage parties, it might be wise to go to a quiet anchorage for a night or so to get sorted and settled after the festivities and before departure.
The beginning of any passage is stressful. Everything is far more difficult at the onset of a passage if fatigued and most are far more likely to get seasick when stressed and tired.
My best, Dick Stevenson, s/v Alchemy
By Dick - 24 Jun 2020

Dick - 6/3/2020
Simon Currin - 5/28/2020
Lovely article Dick and so true. I remember on a double handed passage to the Azores my crew, not Sally, fell asleep on watch. Luckily I discovered this early and let him sleep on in the cockpit until his mobile phone pinged welcoming him to Graciosa. I was the Best Man at his wedding and made sure everyone knew about his unconventional way of monitoring an imminent landfall.
Simon

Hi all,
In the above, I was referring to fatigue that builds up during a passage.
I am reminded, there is another another Dangerous Companion: pre-departure fatigue. This is fatigue which results from the work and anxiety that usually accompanies the preparation for a passage. This is especially a challenge for one’s first passage.
On Alchemy, we try to be prepared a day or two ahead of the weather window we are looking at. When well meaning friends are wanting a piece of you and throwing bon voyage parties, it might be wise to go to a quiet anchorage for a night or so to get sorted and settled after the festivities and before departure.
The beginning of any passage is stressful. Everything is far more difficult at the onset of a passage if fatigued and most are far more likely to get seasick when stressed and tired.
My best, Dick Stevenson, s/v Alchemy

Hi all,
Below is my contribution to this month’s “Thought on Safety at Sea” for the e-Bulletin.
Maintenance
I have written about how preparation for catastrophic events (flooding, for example) benefits those responding: IOW, the essence of effective action is good preparation. Similarly, good boat preparation makes likely far less drama. And drama on the high seas is never to be courted. Roald Amundson put it this way, “Adventure is just bad planning.”
And the essence of boat preparation is good maintenance. Good maintenance is the vaccine for a multitude of boat illnesses and is far from beginning-of-season/end-of-season chores: it benefits from a little attention every day.
On Alchemy we make a seasonal “book” of the maintenance that needs to be done daily (check bilge for example), weekly (raw water strainer), monthly (test EPIRB battery), quarterly (zincs), semi-annually (lube steering), annually (strip, clean and lube winches). There are also lists for bi-annual, every 5 years, winter, haul-out, mast etc.
This “book” is our maintenance bible and chore tickler: the older I get the more I find that if something is not written down, it does not exist. We check off chores as they are done and make notes on conditions, repair/replacement, etc.
I will include my full lists in the Forum. It seems likely that many entries pertain to all sailing vessels, but each boat will want to customize the lists to their boat. I have generated these lists over 2 decades of cruising, but am clear that I add a few items every year, so I would appreciate additions/comments/thoughts/etc. I would also appreciate reports on how others approach this important task.
By simoncurrin - 24 Jun 2020

Dick,
I couldn’t find you list posted on the Forum,
Simon

Dick - 6/24/2020
Dick - 6/3/2020
Simon Currin - 5/28/2020
Lovely article Dick and so true. I remember on a double handed passage to the Azores my crew, not Sally, fell asleep on watch. Luckily I discovered this early and let him sleep on in the cockpit until his mobile phone pinged welcoming him to Graciosa. I was the Best Man at his wedding and made sure everyone knew about his unconventional way of monitoring an imminent landfall.
Simon

Hi all,
In the above, I was referring to fatigue that builds up during a passage.
I am reminded, there is another another Dangerous Companion: pre-departure fatigue. This is fatigue which results from the work and anxiety that usually accompanies the preparation for a passage. This is especially a challenge for one’s first passage.
On Alchemy, we try to be prepared a day or two ahead of the weather window we are looking at. When well meaning friends are wanting a piece of you and throwing bon voyage parties, it might be wise to go to a quiet anchorage for a night or so to get sorted and settled after the festivities and before departure.
The beginning of any passage is stressful. Everything is far more difficult at the onset of a passage if fatigued and most are far more likely to get seasick when stressed and tired.
My best, Dick Stevenson, s/v Alchemy

Hi all,
Below is my contribution to this month’s “Thought on Safety at Sea” for the e-Bulletin.
Maintenance
I have written about how preparation for catastrophic events (flooding, for example) benefits those responding: IOW, the essence of effective action is good preparation. Similarly, good boat preparation makes likely far less drama. And drama on the high seas is never to be courted. Roald Amundson put it this way, “Adventure is just bad planning.”
And the essence of boat preparation is good maintenance. Good maintenance is the vaccine for a multitude of boat illnesses and is far from beginning-of-season/end-of-season chores: it benefits from a little attention every day.
On Alchemy we make a seasonal “book” of the maintenance that needs to be done daily (check bilge for example), weekly (raw water strainer), monthly (test EPIRB battery), quarterly (zincs), semi-annually (lube steering), annually (strip, clean and lube winches). There are also lists for bi-annual, every 5 years, winter, haul-out, mast etc.
This “book” is our maintenance bible and chore tickler: the older I get the more I find that if something is not written down, it does not exist. We check off chores as they are done and make notes on conditions, repair/replacement, etc.
I will include my full lists in the Forum. It seems likely that many entries pertain to all sailing vessels, but each boat will want to customize the lists to their boat. I have generated these lists over 2 decades of cruising, but am clear that I add a few items every year, so I would appreciate additions/comments/thoughts/etc. I would also appreciate reports on how others approach this important task.


By Dick - 24 Jun 2020

Simon Currin - 6/24/2020
Dick,
I couldn’t find you list posted on the Forum,
Simon

Dick - 6/24/2020
Dick - 6/3/2020
Simon Currin - 5/28/2020
Lovely article Dick and so true. I remember on a double handed passage to the Azores my crew, not Sally, fell asleep on watch. Luckily I discovered this early and let him sleep on in the cockpit until his mobile phone pinged welcoming him to Graciosa. I was the Best Man at his wedding and made sure everyone knew about his unconventional way of monitoring an imminent landfall.
Simon

Hi all,
In the above, I was referring to fatigue that builds up during a passage.
I am reminded, there is another another Dangerous Companion: pre-departure fatigue. This is fatigue which results from the work and anxiety that usually accompanies the preparation for a passage. This is especially a challenge for one’s first passage.
On Alchemy, we try to be prepared a day or two ahead of the weather window we are looking at. When well meaning friends are wanting a piece of you and throwing bon voyage parties, it might be wise to go to a quiet anchorage for a night or so to get sorted and settled after the festivities and before departure.
The beginning of any passage is stressful. Everything is far more difficult at the onset of a passage if fatigued and most are far more likely to get seasick when stressed and tired.
My best, Dick Stevenson, s/v Alchemy

Hi all,
Below is my contribution to this month’s “Thought on Safety at Sea” for the e-Bulletin.
Maintenance
I have written about how preparation for catastrophic events (flooding, for example) benefits those responding: IOW, the essence of effective action is good preparation. Similarly, good boat preparation makes likely far less drama. And drama on the high seas is never to be courted. Roald Amundson put it this way, “Adventure is just bad planning.”
And the essence of boat preparation is good maintenance. Good maintenance is the vaccine for a multitude of boat illnesses and is far from beginning-of-season/end-of-season chores: it benefits from a little attention every day.
On Alchemy we make a seasonal “book” of the maintenance that needs to be done daily (check bilge for example), weekly (raw water strainer), monthly (test EPIRB battery), quarterly (zincs), semi-annually (lube steering), annually (strip, clean and lube winches). There are also lists for bi-annual, every 5 years, winter, haul-out, mast etc.
This “book” is our maintenance bible and chore tickler: the older I get the more I find that if something is not written down, it does not exist. We check off chores as they are done and make notes on conditions, repair/replacement, etc.
I will include my full lists in the Forum. It seems likely that many entries pertain to all sailing vessels, but each boat will want to customize the lists to their boat. I have generated these lists over 2 decades of cruising, but am clear that I add a few items every year, so I would appreciate additions/comments/thoughts/etc. I would also appreciate reports on how others approach this important task.



Hi Simon and all,
Simon, you are quick and I got distracted for a couple of hours.
Below are my Daily, Weekly and Monthly maintenance check lists to give an idea of how this system works. I will add the further lists (Quarterly, Semi-annually etc.) in the future. Clearly some items are specific to my boat for example “Work HT Y valve”. This holding tank Y valve tends to stick if not worked once a week or so and if it gets stuck, generates an un-appealing job.
Please, come back with questions and suggestions of items that I have overlooked.
My best, Dick Stevenson, s/v Alchemy

w/m = watermaker
HT = holding tank
prn = as needed
Espar = Eberspracher furnace

DAILY
o    Check fluids (eng. & genset),& Racor filter bowl_________________________
o    Check bilges; ___eng room, ___main ________________________________

WEEKLY    date________
o    Check: ___raw water strainer, ____w/m strainer prn, ___w/m filters prn______
o    Mold patrol________________________________________________________
o    Vinegar toilet______________________________________________________
o    Computer—back up_________________________________________________
o    Watermaker________________________________________________________
o    Work HT Y valve___________________________________________________
o    Dehumidifier vent, clean & vacuum ___________________________________
o    _________________________________________________________________

MONTHLY    Jan, Feb, Mar, Apr, May, Jun, Jul, Aug, Sep, Oct, Nov, Dec
o    Zincs: ______genset, ______Maxprop, ______hull, ____Spurs, _____shaft
o    Engine & genset inspection: connections, hoses, clamps, drips, etc.____________
o    Propane integrity test (do when putting newly filled tank on)_________________
o    Check EPIRB battery & test___________________________________________
o    Superlube toilet prn,________________________________________________
o    Clean shower strainer prn_____________________________________________
o    Run Espar prn or monthly_____________________________________________
o    Test CO monitor____________________________________________________
o    Charge handheld vhf________________________________________________
o    Reefer: ___clean vents and fans, ___defrost/scrape reefer/freezer plates ________
o    Check/oil wood trim hatches prn_______________________________________
o    Computer (prn): ___A1disk clean-up, ___Microsoft error check (p.185), ___defrag- (p.187), ___system restore (p.198) ____________________________
o    Vacuum out vents: ___ battery charger, ___computer, ___reefer,___dehumidifier,___
o    Charge battery packs for drills________________________________________
o    Check eng cubby for water____________________________________________
o    __________________________________________________________________
By Dick - 31 Jul 2020

Dick - 6/24/2020
Simon Currin - 6/24/2020
Dick,
I couldn’t find you list posted on the Forum,
Simon

Dick - 6/24/2020
Dick - 6/3/2020
Simon Currin - 5/28/2020
Lovely article Dick and so true. I remember on a double handed passage to the Azores my crew, not Sally, fell asleep on watch. Luckily I discovered this early and let him sleep on in the cockpit until his mobile phone pinged welcoming him to Graciosa. I was the Best Man at his wedding and made sure everyone knew about his unconventional way of monitoring an imminent landfall.
Simon

Hi all,
In the above, I was referring to fatigue that builds up during a passage.
I am reminded, there is another another Dangerous Companion: pre-departure fatigue. This is fatigue which results from the work and anxiety that usually accompanies the preparation for a passage. This is especially a challenge for one’s first passage.
On Alchemy, we try to be prepared a day or two ahead of the weather window we are looking at. When well meaning friends are wanting a piece of you and throwing bon voyage parties, it might be wise to go to a quiet anchorage for a night or so to get sorted and settled after the festivities and before departure.
The beginning of any passage is stressful. Everything is far more difficult at the onset of a passage if fatigued and most are far more likely to get seasick when stressed and tired.
My best, Dick Stevenson, s/v Alchemy

Hi all,
Below is my contribution to this month’s “Thought on Safety at Sea” for the e-Bulletin.
Maintenance
I have written about how preparation for catastrophic events (flooding, for example) benefits those responding: IOW, the essence of effective action is good preparation. Similarly, good boat preparation makes likely far less drama. And drama on the high seas is never to be courted. Roald Amundson put it this way, “Adventure is just bad planning.”
And the essence of boat preparation is good maintenance. Good maintenance is the vaccine for a multitude of boat illnesses and is far from beginning-of-season/end-of-season chores: it benefits from a little attention every day.
On Alchemy we make a seasonal “book” of the maintenance that needs to be done daily (check bilge for example), weekly (raw water strainer), monthly (test EPIRB battery), quarterly (zincs), semi-annually (lube steering), annually (strip, clean and lube winches). There are also lists for bi-annual, every 5 years, winter, haul-out, mast etc.
This “book” is our maintenance bible and chore tickler: the older I get the more I find that if something is not written down, it does not exist. We check off chores as they are done and make notes on conditions, repair/replacement, etc.
I will include my full lists in the Forum. It seems likely that many entries pertain to all sailing vessels, but each boat will want to customize the lists to their boat. I have generated these lists over 2 decades of cruising, but am clear that I add a few items every year, so I would appreciate additions/comments/thoughts/etc. I would also appreciate reports on how others approach this important task.



Hi Simon and all,
Simon, you are quick and I got distracted for a couple of hours.
Below are my Daily, Weekly and Monthly maintenance check lists to give an idea of how this system works. I will add the further lists (Quarterly, Semi-annually etc.) in the future. Clearly some items are specific to my boat for example “Work HT Y valve”. This holding tank Y valve tends to stick if not worked once a week or so and if it gets stuck, generates an un-appealing job.
Please, come back with questions and suggestions of items that I have overlooked.
My best, Dick Stevenson, s/v Alchemy

w/m = watermaker
HT = holding tank
prn = as needed
Espar = Eberspracher furnace

DAILY
o    Check fluids (eng. & genset),& Racor filter bowl_________________________
o    Check bilges; ___eng room, ___main ________________________________

WEEKLY    date________
o    Check: ___raw water strainer, ____w/m strainer prn, ___w/m filters prn______
o    Mold patrol________________________________________________________
o    Vinegar toilet______________________________________________________
o    Computer—back up_________________________________________________
o    Watermaker________________________________________________________
o    Work HT Y valve___________________________________________________
o    Dehumidifier vent, clean & vacuum ___________________________________
o    _________________________________________________________________

MONTHLY    Jan, Feb, Mar, Apr, May, Jun, Jul, Aug, Sep, Oct, Nov, Dec
o    Zincs: ______genset, ______Maxprop, ______hull, ____Spurs, _____shaft
o    Engine & genset inspection: connections, hoses, clamps, drips, etc.____________
o    Propane integrity test (do when putting newly filled tank on)_________________
o    Check EPIRB battery & test___________________________________________
o    Superlube toilet prn,________________________________________________
o    Clean shower strainer prn_____________________________________________
o    Run Espar prn or monthly_____________________________________________
o    Test CO monitor____________________________________________________
o    Charge handheld vhf________________________________________________
o    Reefer: ___clean vents and fans, ___defrost/scrape reefer/freezer plates ________
o    Check/oil wood trim hatches prn_______________________________________
o    Computer (prn): ___A1disk clean-up, ___Microsoft error check (p.185), ___defrag- (p.187), ___system restore (p.198) ____________________________
o    Vacuum out vents: ___ battery charger, ___computer, ___reefer,___dehumidifier,___
o    Charge battery packs for drills________________________________________
o    Check eng cubby for water____________________________________________
o    __________________________________________________________________

By Dick - 31 Jul 2020

Dick - 6/24/2020
Simon Currin - 6/24/2020
Dick,
I couldn’t find you list posted on the Forum,
Simon

Dick - 6/24/2020
Dick - 6/3/2020
Simon Currin - 5/28/2020
Lovely article Dick and so true. I remember on a double handed passage to the Azores my crew, not Sally, fell asleep on watch. Luckily I discovered this early and let him sleep on in the cockpit until his mobile phone pinged welcoming him to Graciosa. I was the Best Man at his wedding and made sure everyone knew about his unconventional way of monitoring an imminent landfall.
Simon

Hi all,
In the above, I was referring to fatigue that builds up during a passage.
I am reminded, there is another another Dangerous Companion: pre-departure fatigue. This is fatigue which results from the work and anxiety that usually accompanies the preparation for a passage. This is especially a challenge for one’s first passage.
On Alchemy, we try to be prepared a day or two ahead of the weather window we are looking at. When well meaning friends are wanting a piece of you and throwing bon voyage parties, it might be wise to go to a quiet anchorage for a night or so to get sorted and settled after the festivities and before departure.
The beginning of any passage is stressful. Everything is far more difficult at the onset of a passage if fatigued and most are far more likely to get seasick when stressed and tired.
My best, Dick Stevenson, s/v Alchemy

Hi all,
Below is my contribution to this month’s “Thought on Safety at Sea” for the e-Bulletin.
Maintenance
I have written about how preparation for catastrophic events (flooding, for example) benefits those responding: IOW, the essence of effective action is good preparation. Similarly, good boat preparation makes likely far less drama. And drama on the high seas is never to be courted. Roald Amundson put it this way, “Adventure is just bad planning.”
And the essence of boat preparation is good maintenance. Good maintenance is the vaccine for a multitude of boat illnesses and is far from beginning-of-season/end-of-season chores: it benefits from a little attention every day.
On Alchemy we make a seasonal “book” of the maintenance that needs to be done daily (check bilge for example), weekly (raw water strainer), monthly (test EPIRB battery), quarterly (zincs), semi-annually (lube steering), annually (strip, clean and lube winches). There are also lists for bi-annual, every 5 years, winter, haul-out, mast etc.
This “book” is our maintenance bible and chore tickler: the older I get the more I find that if something is not written down, it does not exist. We check off chores as they are done and make notes on conditions, repair/replacement, etc.
I will include my full lists in the Forum. It seems likely that many entries pertain to all sailing vessels, but each boat will want to customize the lists to their boat. I have generated these lists over 2 decades of cruising, but am clear that I add a few items every year, so I would appreciate additions/comments/thoughts/etc. I would also appreciate reports on how others approach this important task.



Hi Simon and all,
Simon, you are quick and I got distracted for a couple of hours.
Below are my Daily, Weekly and Monthly maintenance check lists to give an idea of how this system works. I will add the further lists (Quarterly, Semi-annually etc.) in the future. Clearly some items are specific to my boat for example “Work HT Y valve”. This holding tank Y valve tends to stick if not worked once a week or so and if it gets stuck, generates an un-appealing job.
Please, come back with questions and suggestions of items that I have overlooked.
My best, Dick Stevenson, s/v Alchemy

w/m = watermaker
HT = holding tank
prn = as needed
Espar = Eberspracher furnace

DAILY
o    Check fluids (eng. & genset),& Racor filter bowl_________________________
o    Check bilges; ___eng room, ___main ________________________________

WEEKLY    date________
o    Check: ___raw water strainer, ____w/m strainer prn, ___w/m filters prn______
o    Mold patrol________________________________________________________
o    Vinegar toilet______________________________________________________
o    Computer—back up_________________________________________________
o    Watermaker________________________________________________________
o    Work HT Y valve___________________________________________________
o    Dehumidifier vent, clean & vacuum ___________________________________
o    _________________________________________________________________

MONTHLY    Jan, Feb, Mar, Apr, May, Jun, Jul, Aug, Sep, Oct, Nov, Dec
o    Zincs: ______genset, ______Maxprop, ______hull, ____Spurs, _____shaft
o    Engine & genset inspection: connections, hoses, clamps, drips, etc.____________
o    Propane integrity test (do when putting newly filled tank on)_________________
o    Check EPIRB battery & test___________________________________________
o    Superlube toilet prn,________________________________________________
o    Clean shower strainer prn_____________________________________________
o    Run Espar prn or monthly_____________________________________________
o    Test CO monitor____________________________________________________
o    Charge handheld vhf________________________________________________
o    Reefer: ___clean vents and fans, ___defrost/scrape reefer/freezer plates ________
o    Check/oil wood trim hatches prn_______________________________________
o    Computer (prn): ___A1disk clean-up, ___Microsoft error check (p.185), ___defrag- (p.187), ___system restore (p.198) ____________________________
o    Vacuum out vents: ___ battery charger, ___computer, ___reefer,___dehumidifier,___
o    Charge battery packs for drills________________________________________
o    Check eng cubby for water____________________________________________
o    __________________________________________________________________

Dick - 6/24/2020
Dick - 6/3/2020
Simon Currin - 5/28/2020
Lovely article Dick and so true. I remember on a double handed passage to the Azores my crew, not Sally, fell asleep on watch. Luckily I discovered this early and let him sleep on in the cockpit until his mobile phone pinged welcoming him to Graciosa. I was the Best Man at his wedding and made sure everyone knew about his unconventional way of monitoring an imminent landfall.
Simon

Hi all,
In the above, I was referring to fatigue that builds up during a passage.
I am reminded, there is another another Dangerous Companion: pre-departure fatigue. This is fatigue which results from the work and anxiety that usually accompanies the preparation for a passage. This is especially a challenge for one’s first passage.
On Alchemy, we try to be prepared a day or two ahead of the weather window we are looking at. When well meaning friends are wanting a piece of you and throwing bon voyage parties, it might be wise to go to a quiet anchorage for a night or so to get sorted and settled after the festivities and before departure.
The beginning of any passage is stressful. Everything is far more difficult at the onset of a passage if fatigued and most are far more likely to get seasick when stressed and tired.
My best, Dick Stevenson, s/v Alchemy

Hi all,
Below is my contribution to this month’s “Thought on Safety at Sea” for the e-Bulletin.
Maintenance
I have written about how preparation for catastrophic events (flooding, for example) benefits those responding: IOW, the essence of effective action is good preparation. Similarly, good boat preparation makes likely far less drama. And drama on the high seas is never to be courted. Roald Amundson put it this way, “Adventure is just bad planning.”
And the essence of boat preparation is good maintenance. Good maintenance is the vaccine for a multitude of boat illnesses and is far from beginning-of-season/end-of-season chores: it benefits from a little attention every day.
On Alchemy we make a seasonal “book” of the maintenance that needs to be done daily (check bilge for example), weekly (raw water strainer), monthly (test EPIRB battery), quarterly (zincs), semi-annually (lube steering), annually (strip, clean and lube winches). There are also lists for bi-annual, every 5 years, winter, haul-out, mast etc.
This “book” is our maintenance bible and chore tickler: the older I get the more I find that if something is not written down, it does not exist. We check off chores as they are done and make notes on conditions, repair/replacement, etc.
I will include my full lists in the Forum. It seems likely that many entries pertain to all sailing vessels, but each boat will want to customize the lists to their boat. I have generated these lists over 2 decades of cruising, but am clear that I add a few items every year, so I would appreciate additions/comments/thoughts/etc. I would also appreciate reports on how others approach this important task.

Medical Training
Preparing for safety at sea can be more an emotionally challenging issue (actually doing it) than a “best practices” issue (figuring out the way to do it). Nothing may document this better than a recent survey on medical emergency preparedness of about-to-go-offshore sailboats reported by OCC member Dr. Maria Forbes. Her statistics (see the OCC Forum) present a dim picture of both training and medical kit by these about-to-be-on-their-own vessels.
Going to sea, especially for skippers, is a complex mixture of recreation and responsibility. It is not a stretch to say there is a responsibility for the lives of others. One does not go to sea expecting disasters--quite the contrary, and allowing the reality of say, the myriad of possible medical challenges a skipper might face on an ocean passage, is intimidating. Countering a natural reluctance to anticipate and prepare for challenging but unlikely events might be a volitional willingness to imagine the regret that might occur if preparedness was neglected and the worst happened and could have been avoided.
This may not apply if your sailing is along developed countries’ coastlines, but for those who wander widely and cross oceans, medical training (possibly re-training) is the kind of preparation that one hopes to never use. It is also the kind of skill that, if neglected, might allow a handle-able injury or illness to become an emergency or worse.
So, like other safety issues, it might be worth pushing yourself in this area. I am starting an on-line refresher course in wilderness medical preparedness which I will report on in the Forum.
Safe sailing, Dick Stevenson, s/v Alchemy
By Dick - 1 Aug 2020

Dick - 6/24/2020
Simon Currin - 6/24/2020
Dick,
I couldn’t find you list posted on the Forum,
Simon

Dick - 6/24/2020
Dick - 6/3/2020
Simon Currin - 5/28/2020
Lovely article Dick and so true. I remember on a double handed passage to the Azores my crew, not Sally, fell asleep on watch. Luckily I discovered this early and let him sleep on in the cockpit until his mobile phone pinged welcoming him to Graciosa. I was the Best Man at his wedding and made sure everyone knew about his unconventional way of monitoring an imminent landfall.
Simon

Hi all,
In the above, I was referring to fatigue that builds up during a passage.
I am reminded, there is another another Dangerous Companion: pre-departure fatigue. This is fatigue which results from the work and anxiety that usually accompanies the preparation for a passage. This is especially a challenge for one’s first passage.
On Alchemy, we try to be prepared a day or two ahead of the weather window we are looking at. When well meaning friends are wanting a piece of you and throwing bon voyage parties, it might be wise to go to a quiet anchorage for a night or so to get sorted and settled after the festivities and before departure.
The beginning of any passage is stressful. Everything is far more difficult at the onset of a passage if fatigued and most are far more likely to get seasick when stressed and tired.
My best, Dick Stevenson, s/v Alchemy

Hi all,
Below is my contribution to this month’s “Thought on Safety at Sea” for the e-Bulletin.
Maintenance
I have written about how preparation for catastrophic events (flooding, for example) benefits those responding: IOW, the essence of effective action is good preparation. Similarly, good boat preparation makes likely far less drama. And drama on the high seas is never to be courted. Roald Amundson put it this way, “Adventure is just bad planning.”
And the essence of boat preparation is good maintenance. Good maintenance is the vaccine for a multitude of boat illnesses and is far from beginning-of-season/end-of-season chores: it benefits from a little attention every day.
On Alchemy we make a seasonal “book” of the maintenance that needs to be done daily (check bilge for example), weekly (raw water strainer), monthly (test EPIRB battery), quarterly (zincs), semi-annually (lube steering), annually (strip, clean and lube winches). There are also lists for bi-annual, every 5 years, winter, haul-out, mast etc.
This “book” is our maintenance bible and chore tickler: the older I get the more I find that if something is not written down, it does not exist. We check off chores as they are done and make notes on conditions, repair/replacement, etc.
I will include my full lists in the Forum. It seems likely that many entries pertain to all sailing vessels, but each boat will want to customize the lists to their boat. I have generated these lists over 2 decades of cruising, but am clear that I add a few items every year, so I would appreciate additions/comments/thoughts/etc. I would also appreciate reports on how others approach this important task.



Hi Simon and all,
Simon, you are quick and I got distracted for a couple of hours.
Below are my Daily, Weekly and Monthly maintenance check lists to give an idea of how this system works. I will add the further lists (Quarterly, Semi-annually etc.) in the future. Clearly some items are specific to my boat for example “Work HT Y valve”. This holding tank Y valve tends to stick if not worked once a week or so and if it gets stuck, generates an un-appealing job.
Please, come back with questions and suggestions of items that I have overlooked.
My best, Dick Stevenson, s/v Alchemy

w/m = watermaker
HT = holding tank
prn = as needed
Espar = Eberspracher furnace

DAILY
o    Check fluids (eng. & genset),& Racor filter bowl_________________________
o    Check bilges; ___eng room, ___main ________________________________

WEEKLY    date________
o    Check: ___raw water strainer, ____w/m strainer prn, ___w/m filters prn______
o    Mold patrol________________________________________________________
o    Vinegar toilet______________________________________________________
o    Computer—back up_________________________________________________
o    Watermaker________________________________________________________
o    Work HT Y valve___________________________________________________
o    Dehumidifier vent, clean & vacuum ___________________________________
o    _________________________________________________________________

MONTHLY    Jan, Feb, Mar, Apr, May, Jun, Jul, Aug, Sep, Oct, Nov, Dec
o    Zincs: ______genset, ______Maxprop, ______hull, ____Spurs, _____shaft
o    Engine & genset inspection: connections, hoses, clamps, drips, etc.____________
o    Propane integrity test (do when putting newly filled tank on)_________________
o    Check EPIRB battery & test___________________________________________
o    Superlube toilet prn,________________________________________________
o    Clean shower strainer prn_____________________________________________
o    Run Espar prn or monthly_____________________________________________
o    Test CO monitor____________________________________________________
o    Charge handheld vhf________________________________________________
o    Reefer: ___clean vents and fans, ___defrost/scrape reefer/freezer plates ________
o    Check/oil wood trim hatches prn_______________________________________
o    Computer (prn): ___A1disk clean-up, ___Microsoft error check (p.185), ___defrag- (p.187), ___system restore (p.198) ____________________________
o    Vacuum out vents: ___ battery charger, ___computer, ___reefer,___dehumidifier,___
o    Charge battery packs for drills________________________________________
o    Check eng cubby for water____________________________________________
o    __________________________________________________________________

More to the maintenance list: Dick Stevenson
QUARTERLY    
o    ELECTRICAL system; ___corrosion inhibit and check all major charging systems & connections, ___dialectric grease electronics connections (handheld, radar, computer, alpha remote, remote vhf), ___ spray alternators in action_____
o    PROPELLOR; ___check feathering prop for ease of movement, ___inspect/ clean prop for pitting, cavitation, corrosion, etc.,__________
o    McLUBE (prn); ___mainsail track and slides, ___jib & ss turning blocks, ___fairleads on deck, ___traveler, ___mast base turning blocks, ___mainsail turning blocks, ___rf pennant blocks, ___sail tracks sheets and blocks, ___stern anchor blocks, ___Monitor blocks, ___whisker pole, __boom sheaves at aft end, __snatch blocks
o    Inspect sails; ___main, ___ss, ___jib, ___spin __________________________
o    Polish fuel; ___starboard tank, ___port tank____________________________
o    Windlass motor clean and spray w/ anti-corrosion__________________________
o    Clean deck wash strainer_____________________________________________
o    Clean/lube all locks_________________________________________________
o    Fire extinguisher inspection, tap and shake_______________________________
o    Reefer: vacuum heat exchanger and interior______________________________
o    Light oil down Morse/control cables___________________________________
o    Clean and wax all plastic windows and hatches____________________________
o     Lube W/M piston shaft prn__________________________________________
o    Oil hatches wood trim _______________________________________________
o    Some sort of medical skills maintenance________________________________
o    Use holding tank & macerator_________________________________________
o    Pump out engine cubby PRN_________________________________________
o    _________________________________________________________________

SEMI-ANNUALLY, ___January, ___ July (July if wintering over)
o    ZIPPERS lubricate: ___dodger, ___bimini, ___windshield, ___main cover, ___coats, ___medical supplies bags, ___scuba bag________________________
o    Run all bilge pumps and inspect; ___cockpit, ___elec bilge, ___elec emergency
o    Undo and re-mouse anchor shackles_____________________________________
o    Check batten pocket bolts____________________________________________
o    Check Antal mainsail car bolts________________________________________
o    Rust on portlights___________________________________________________
o    Spray control cable connections on eng_________________________________
o    Drills: ___fire, ___flooding, ___MOB___________________________________
o    Lube & check steering controls, ___grease bearings in sheaves, ___chk wire tension, __¬chk bulldog clamps_______________________________________
o    Check propane sniffer for proper functioning_____________________________
o    Work all seacocks _________________________________________________
o    Water absorbers in sextant case_______________________________________
o    PFDs and MOB-1 test and maintain___________________________________
o    __________________________________________________________________


By Dick - 30 Aug 2020

New Safety at Sea Thought
Partner Preparedness
I believe I have done about a baker’s dozen of these Thoughts on Safety over the last year or so and I hope they have brought some enjoyment. This last “Thought” is directed at the cruising “team”: often a husband and wife. Offshore passage-making is safest when done as a team and not as a driver/skipper with passenger. And, while unreasonable for each team member to be proficient in all aspects of running the boat, both should, were one to become incapacitated, have the skills, knowledge and experience to single-hand the boat safely home, whether a few hours out on a day sail or a few weeks out on passage. The skipper needs to ensure that his/her team-mate can take over. One method is to “exchange” skipper days. For the skipper, holding back and allowing mistakes will likely not come easily while the partner will likely feel initially intimidated and unsure. Go slowly and be patient and the result will be increased involvement, enjoyment and confidence for all concerned. The goal would be a safer boat and for the less experienced crew to feel more connected and confident while the skipper would feel well backed-up and less alone in responsibility. Then take turns practicing single-handing the boat and learning what the boat needs to make that easier. Finally, especially for those boats that take on crew for passages, a “crib sheet” with detailed instructions on critical aspects of running the boat would be wise.
My best to all, stay safe, Dick Stevenson, s/v Alchemy
By Dick - 5 Sep 2020

Dick - 7/31/2020
Dick - 6/24/2020
Simon Currin - 6/24/2020
Dick,
I couldn’t find you list posted on the Forum,
Simon

Dick - 6/24/2020
Dick - 6/3/2020
Simon Currin - 5/28/2020
Lovely article Dick and so true. I remember on a double handed passage to the Azores my crew, not Sally, fell asleep on watch. Luckily I discovered this early and let him sleep on in the cockpit until his mobile phone pinged welcoming him to Graciosa. I was the Best Man at his wedding and made sure everyone knew about his unconventional way of monitoring an imminent landfall.
Simon

Hi all,
In the above, I was referring to fatigue that builds up during a passage.
I am reminded, there is another another Dangerous Companion: pre-departure fatigue. This is fatigue which results from the work and anxiety that usually accompanies the preparation for a passage. This is especially a challenge for one’s first passage.
On Alchemy, we try to be prepared a day or two ahead of the weather window we are looking at. When well meaning friends are wanting a piece of you and throwing bon voyage parties, it might be wise to go to a quiet anchorage for a night or so to get sorted and settled after the festivities and before departure.
The beginning of any passage is stressful. Everything is far more difficult at the onset of a passage if fatigued and most are far more likely to get seasick when stressed and tired.
My best, Dick Stevenson, s/v Alchemy

Hi all,
Below is my contribution to this month’s “Thought on Safety at Sea” for the e-Bulletin.
Maintenance
I have written about how preparation for catastrophic events (flooding, for example) benefits those responding: IOW, the essence of effective action is good preparation. Similarly, good boat preparation makes likely far less drama. And drama on the high seas is never to be courted. Roald Amundson put it this way, “Adventure is just bad planning.”
And the essence of boat preparation is good maintenance. Good maintenance is the vaccine for a multitude of boat illnesses and is far from beginning-of-season/end-of-season chores: it benefits from a little attention every day.
On Alchemy we make a seasonal “book” of the maintenance that needs to be done daily (check bilge for example), weekly (raw water strainer), monthly (test EPIRB battery), quarterly (zincs), semi-annually (lube steering), annually (strip, clean and lube winches). There are also lists for bi-annual, every 5 years, winter, haul-out, mast etc.
This “book” is our maintenance bible and chore tickler: the older I get the more I find that if something is not written down, it does not exist. We check off chores as they are done and make notes on conditions, repair/replacement, etc.
I will include my full lists in the Forum. It seems likely that many entries pertain to all sailing vessels, but each boat will want to customize the lists to their boat. I have generated these lists over 2 decades of cruising, but am clear that I add a few items every year, so I would appreciate additions/comments/thoughts/etc. I would also appreciate reports on how others approach this important task.



Hi Simon and all,
Simon, you are quick and I got distracted for a couple of hours.
Below are my Daily, Weekly and Monthly maintenance check lists to give an idea of how this system works. I will add the further lists (Quarterly, Semi-annually etc.) in the future. Clearly some items are specific to my boat for example “Work HT Y valve”. This holding tank Y valve tends to stick if not worked once a week or so and if it gets stuck, generates an un-appealing job.
Please, come back with questions and suggestions of items that I have overlooked.
My best, Dick Stevenson, s/v Alchemy

w/m = watermaker
HT = holding tank
prn = as needed
Espar = Eberspracher furnace

DAILY
o    Check fluids (eng. & genset),& Racor filter bowl_________________________
o    Check bilges; ___eng room, ___main ________________________________

WEEKLY    date________
o    Check: ___raw water strainer, ____w/m strainer prn, ___w/m filters prn______
o    Mold patrol________________________________________________________
o    Vinegar toilet______________________________________________________
o    Computer—back up_________________________________________________
o    Watermaker________________________________________________________
o    Work HT Y valve___________________________________________________
o    Dehumidifier vent, clean & vacuum ___________________________________
o    _________________________________________________________________

MONTHLY    Jan, Feb, Mar, Apr, May, Jun, Jul, Aug, Sep, Oct, Nov, Dec
o    Zincs: ______genset, ______Maxprop, ______hull, ____Spurs, _____shaft
o    Engine & genset inspection: connections, hoses, clamps, drips, etc.____________
o    Propane integrity test (do when putting newly filled tank on)_________________
o    Check EPIRB battery & test___________________________________________
o    Superlube toilet prn,________________________________________________
o    Clean shower strainer prn_____________________________________________
o    Run Espar prn or monthly_____________________________________________
o    Test CO monitor____________________________________________________
o    Charge handheld vhf________________________________________________
o    Reefer: ___clean vents and fans, ___defrost/scrape reefer/freezer plates ________
o    Check/oil wood trim hatches prn_______________________________________
o    Computer (prn): ___A1disk clean-up, ___Microsoft error check (p.185), ___defrag- (p.187), ___system restore (p.198) ____________________________
o    Vacuum out vents: ___ battery charger, ___computer, ___reefer,___dehumidifier,___
o    Charge battery packs for drills________________________________________
o    Check eng cubby for water____________________________________________
o    __________________________________________________________________

Dick - 6/24/2020
Dick - 6/3/2020
Simon Currin - 5/28/2020
Lovely article Dick and so true. I remember on a double handed passage to the Azores my crew, not Sally, fell asleep on watch. Luckily I discovered this early and let him sleep on in the cockpit until his mobile phone pinged welcoming him to Graciosa. I was the Best Man at his wedding and made sure everyone knew about his unconventional way of monitoring an imminent landfall.
Simon

Hi all,
In the above, I was referring to fatigue that builds up during a passage.
I am reminded, there is another another Dangerous Companion: pre-departure fatigue. This is fatigue which results from the work and anxiety that usually accompanies the preparation for a passage. This is especially a challenge for one’s first passage.
On Alchemy, we try to be prepared a day or two ahead of the weather window we are looking at. When well meaning friends are wanting a piece of you and throwing bon voyage parties, it might be wise to go to a quiet anchorage for a night or so to get sorted and settled after the festivities and before departure.
The beginning of any passage is stressful. Everything is far more difficult at the onset of a passage if fatigued and most are far more likely to get seasick when stressed and tired.
My best, Dick Stevenson, s/v Alchemy

Hi all,
Below is my contribution to this month’s “Thought on Safety at Sea” for the e-Bulletin.
Maintenance
I have written about how preparation for catastrophic events (flooding, for example) benefits those responding: IOW, the essence of effective action is good preparation. Similarly, good boat preparation makes likely far less drama. And drama on the high seas is never to be courted. Roald Amundson put it this way, “Adventure is just bad planning.”
And the essence of boat preparation is good maintenance. Good maintenance is the vaccine for a multitude of boat illnesses and is far from beginning-of-season/end-of-season chores: it benefits from a little attention every day.
On Alchemy we make a seasonal “book” of the maintenance that needs to be done daily (check bilge for example), weekly (raw water strainer), monthly (test EPIRB battery), quarterly (zincs), semi-annually (lube steering), annually (strip, clean and lube winches). There are also lists for bi-annual, every 5 years, winter, haul-out, mast etc.
This “book” is our maintenance bible and chore tickler: the older I get the more I find that if something is not written down, it does not exist. We check off chores as they are done and make notes on conditions, repair/replacement, etc.
I will include my full lists in the Forum. It seems likely that many entries pertain to all sailing vessels, but each boat will want to customize the lists to their boat. I have generated these lists over 2 decades of cruising, but am clear that I add a few items every year, so I would appreciate additions/comments/thoughts/etc. I would also appreciate reports on how others approach this important task.

Medical Training
Preparing for safety at sea can be more an emotionally challenging issue (actually doing it) than a “best practices” issue (figuring out the way to do it). Nothing may document this better than a recent survey on medical emergency preparedness of about-to-go-offshore sailboats reported by OCC member Dr. Maria Forbes. Her statistics (see the OCC Forum) present a dim picture of both training and medical kit by these about-to-be-on-their-own vessels.
Going to sea, especially for skippers, is a complex mixture of recreation and responsibility. It is not a stretch to say there is a responsibility for the lives of others. One does not go to sea expecting disasters--quite the contrary, and allowing the reality of say, the myriad of possible medical challenges a skipper might face on an ocean passage, is intimidating. Countering a natural reluctance to anticipate and prepare for challenging but unlikely events might be a volitional willingness to imagine the regret that might occur if preparedness was neglected and the worst happened and could have been avoided.
This may not apply if your sailing is along developed countries’ coastlines, but for those who wander widely and cross oceans, medical training (possibly re-training) is the kind of preparation that one hopes to never use. It is also the kind of skill that, if neglected, might allow a handle-able injury or illness to become an emergency or worse.
So, like other safety issues, it might be worth pushing yourself in this area. I am starting an on-line refresher course in wilderness medical preparedness which I will report on in the Forum.
Safe sailing, Dick Stevenson, s/v Alchemy

Hi all,
I said a while back that I was taking a refresher course in medical training: below is my report.
Comments on the course;
1.    Medical training has come up upon occasion. There is very little for the offshore recreational sailor and is more easily found among wilderness support programs. In these covid period with time on our hands, my wife and decided to do an on-line course labeled “Wilderness First Aid” (solowfa.com). It is a self-paced training that takes about 16 hours, I think matching the 2-day in house training of the same name and you have a month to complete the course. It is presented under the umbrella organization of SOLO Schools, one of three well known and well thought of wilderness training organizations in the US. It comes with a handbook.
2.    All will benefit, but those sailors who do a lot of hiking will particularly benefit from the emphasis on trail injuries.
3.    This is an on-line course that was cobbled together for this covid time, and should be viewed as an impressive effort. There is definitely a loss from missing class participation where hands-on skills are practiced, but some, or most, of that can be covered by diligent students on their own.
4.    We got a lot out of the course and felt we had renewed some, perhaps much, of the skill-and-thinking set acquired in previous training that is the basis for wilderness intervention.
5.    We certainly noticed that this was a “low budget” locally produced production, but did not feel that this interfered with the training nor did it impact adversely our ability to learn the content. That said some of the whiteboard hand writing and organization could have been improved; additionally, not all is covered in the accompanying text. A lower fee for couples training together would be appreciated.
6.    It is not a wilderness course by my definition: being completely on one’s own. Most interventions are predicated on the thought that there could be an ambulance called to the trailhead. That said, it did cover the essentials of making a determination of the nature and severity of a medical emergency. An offshore sailor would do well to continue training using this course as a beginning.
7.    This not a course that teaches initial and follow-up treatment of moderately serious injuries/illness that do not meet the level to bring rescue hundreds of miles to seas: perhaps the loss of a finger tip in a winch might be an example. Painful, gruesome, worrisome, but within the treatment capacities of a crew with an adequate medical kit and reasonable prescription pain medications and meds for infection.
8.    In summary, I would very much recommend this course for those who have had no prior training or for those whose training has consisted of CPR and a few hours of first aid. This course is far more substantial and might be best described as and “Adventurer’s First Aid” course rather than a “Wilderness First Aid” which should do nothing to diminish its usefulness.
Come back with questions,
My best to all, Dick Stevenson, s/v Alchemy