SAFETY
BOAT TRAININGSAFETY
BOAT TRAINING1. To familiarise new members with the responsibilities and procedures of Safety boat duty.
2. To raise issues relevant to Safety boat duty for members of longer standing.
3. To give ‘hands on’ experience of operating the Safety boats in various circumstances.
1. The Safety Boat Officer (SBO) Assistant Safety Boat Officer (ASBO) should arrive 1 hour before the first race of the day, to ready the boat and check engines, equipment etc.
2. Safety boats are kept on the water; there is a tender for access and fuel and fuel line in the fuel store.
3. The SBO and ASBO should also check their clothing and lifejacket. Take a flask with a hot drink. Wear enough to stay warm in the worst weather because that is when an emergency is most likely to occur. A cold rescuer will make mistakes and respond slowly.
4. The Safety boat should be crewed by a minimum of two people and a maximum of three. One person in a Safety boat cannot provide adequate cover.
5. The club Safety boats are Dories.
a) They provide very stable working platforms with large load surfaces.
b) They have remote wheel steering and the gear lever and throttle are combined.
c) Their slab sides and cathedral hulls grip the water well so that they turn at speed with very little sideslip, and they tow effectively even with the tow line attached off-centre.
d) For the best weight distribution the crew should sit forward (but not on the bow with his feet dangling over the front) this prevents the stern from digging in and gets you ‘on the plane’ sooner.
e) When assisting or working from the Dory avoid both standing in the bows at the same time. In wavy conditions this can lead to the boat being swamped.
f) Do not stand up in the boat.
g) Both boats are fitted with prop guards, but lift the engine into the troll position when approaching the shore, and be careful when approaching people in the water. Switch off if necessary.
h) Use the kill cord provided.
6. The Safety boat may be used to start and finish the race. However it is primarily a Safety boat and the helm’s first duty is as SBO. The crew should therefore do the starting and finishing whilst the helm keeps a look out. If there is a capsize or emergency any other duty should be abandoned whilst suitable action is taken.
7. The Safety boat normally follows the race, paying particular attention to runs and gybe marks but all club members are entitled to Safety boat cover, even if they are not racing, even if they are windsurfing.
8. If conditions permit stay in the middle, from where any point can be quickly reached.
9. Before going on the water check for the presence of novices and children. Make sure you know which boats they are in and keep a special eye on them.
10. Count the number of boats on the water and keep checking they are all visible.
11. Attend every dinghy capsize, even if only to count heads.
12. Watch windsurfers carefully. They should signal if they need help, but you can still enquire after their health especially if they are near the spillways. It is better to assist someone early than wait and get into trouble yourself whilst trying to effect a rescue with too little room.
13. Do not drive the boat fast (unless you are attending an emergency) it wastes fuel, causes waves, makes a noise and upsets the fishermen. A good rule of thumb is not to go any faster than the fastest dinghy on the water.
These are the two spillways. The northern spillway is the lowest and therefore the one that boats are most likely to be ‘swept over’. Neither spillway is a pleasant prospect for a sailor in difficulty and early action to keep sailors away from these areas is advisable.
When a dinghy capsizes it is an emergency. Your response should be immediate and fast.
A boat in difficulties 100yds from the spillway. You might stand off and observe, ready to take action if needed. A capsized dinghy can be down graded to a possible emergency once the crew is counted and seen to be OK.
These are any other jobs that the Safety boat is asked to do. They are of lesser importance than the previous two.
Pass the tow line through the bow fitting of the dinghy, take a turn around the mast and let the dinghy crew hold the loose end. Centre board should be raised whilst the dinghy helm steers. Make the line long enough so that the towed boat sits on the back of your stern wave. The Safety boat crew should watch the towed boat in case of mishaps.
Get the sailor in the Safety boat, pull the sail, rigged and attached to the board across the Safety boat with the sailor and Safety boat crew (sat in the bows facing the stern) holding the mast. Proceed slowly so that the sail is not pulled from their hands. Alternatively derig the sail, get it aboard, and tow the board. This latter method is often not worth the trouble on a small lake such as ours.
If the dinghy is on its’ side then approach from the bow towards the forestay or mast if it is a single sail boat. This keeps you clear of the crew should be at the centreboard and stern, away from all loose ropes such as the mainsheet, and puts you in the best position to help. Grab the forestay, pull the dinghy into the wind using reverse throttle gently, and then lift the forestay out of the water. The bigger the boat the nearer you will need to be to the top of the mast.
Version 3 6/5/2010
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