Drills.

[PilotWolf]

OK I know I’m from the commercial world but.

How many of your family or crew know what to do if you're incapacitated or can’t communicate?

i saw many times when we did for example a fire drill (they didn’t know it was a drill as that in my mind defeats the point), a crew member would show up at the fire scene after walking past an extinguisher.

Do they know how to properly put on a life jacket?

Do they know how to launch the life raft if you have one?

The basics of first aid?

How to turn on the bilge pumps?

How to stop the engine?

ive been updating my revision online and these were all questions that came up.

And yes as a captain I was/am an asshole on drills. I have run MOB and fire etc at the same time.

W.

 

[Portofino]

If I a have a group of friends I do a safety briefing on the first trip out .
Show them the liferaft, it’s pretty self explanatory.
Where the LV s are , although we don’t actually put them on , theres printed logos on them and I like to think they have at least 2 neurones ....but as you infer ...in a panic situation brain cells self evaporate.
I point out where the fire extinguishers are esp the one in there cabin .They are behind cupboard doors out of sight .I guess I could place a sticker on the door ...thought about it but it’s not a public service vehicle.
There are vertical escape hatches in each sleeping cabin to get out in case they can not fight the fire .
We have a grab bag if we run offshore.Its sits behind the helm seat .Hand held “ small “ ERIRB some flares , smoke , torch , knife .
One of the salon steps has the “ big “ ERIRB “ I show them how it works .
+ the regulation ( in France anyhow ) flare / smoke pack .Theses packs are mandatory in Fr and carry a fine if not in date .
Like to think that with two ERIRB s + a 10 person life raft we should be ok ?
Wife has VHF ticket , Son + daughter can helm , so can wife .They all can start it up etc .A best mate can too ex 20 M sailboat racer with transoceanic + southern ocean experienced so he s difficult to phase .
Bilge pumps all 4 are always on .I do regularly test the float switches and replace as and when .I have a switch on the dash for the dash and alarms + lights for the engine room .The other spaces just lights .
We have metal storm shutters on all the port holes in the hull ( no curtains) which are easy to swing down . Used them once but normally used as curtains + privacy.
The boats got water tight bulkheads , services run through dedicated glands .
Not sure if it’s a std feature or bespoke tbo , but every boat build by the yard was to the customers spec .
Helm has fuel in water alarms , emergency stop buttons in red and a suite of engine room fire toggles to pull , the air vents are spring loaded open , you pull a toggle and they close , the fuel tank cocks can be close remotely, and the auto fire inert gas can be triggered with a toggle remotely....all by the side of the helm .
Got DSC on the radio fwiw .
There’s a bright yellow MOB button on the plotter .
In the early years as a family we did practice the classic fig 8 MOB drill chucking a fender overboard, and I got the kids to steer back using the MOB button on the plotter as well .But some how in the med sun as the years passed that fizzled out .
This boat , we use the plotter but tbo I can’t recall ever practicing mob drills
Must try it .
Still use paper charts and when offshore plot with a pencil our position....habit really and I rather like it .
Got a nice chart area under Perspex near the helm.
There’s also red night vision lights down in the saloon built into the ceiling.
So @ night we can switch to red down below like the military fwiw .
First aid kits are regularly updated so have local anaesthetic + suture materials and such like + adrenaline for anaphylactic shock , tracheostomy kit few other bits and bobs

 

[ashtead]

On same point I was thinking the other day of checklists as my daughter and SIL visited our boat the other day without us and we thought a list of departure tasks beyond the basics might be of use
A laminated closing list also seems ideal if we grow older?‍

 

[PilotWolf]

View attachment 92874

If I a have a group of friends I do a safety briefing on the first trip out .
Show them the liferaft, it’s pretty self explanatory.
Where the LV s are , although we don’t actually put them on , theres printed logos on them and I like to think they have at least 2 neurones ....but as you infer ...in a panic situation brain cells self evaporate.
I point out where the fire extinguishers are esp the one in there cabin .They are behind cupboard doors out of sight .I guess I could place a sticker on the door ...thought about it but it’s not a public service vehicle.
There are vertical escape hatches in each sleeping cabin to get out in case they can not fight the fire .
We have a grab bag if we run offshore.Its sits behind the helm seat .Hand held “ small “ ERIRB some flares , smoke , torch , knife .
One of the salon steps has the “ big “ ERIRB “ I show them how it works .
+ the regulation ( in France anyhow ) flare / smoke pack .Theses packs are mandatory in Fr and carry a fine if not in date .
Like to think that with two ERIRB s + a 10 person life raft we should be ok ?
Wife has VHF ticket , Son + daughter can helm , so can wife .They all can start it up etc .A best mate can too ex 20 M sailboat racer with transoceanic + southern ocean experienced so he s difficult to phase .
Bilge pumps all 4 are always on .I do regularly test the float switches and replace as and when .I have a switch on the dash for the dash and alarms + lights for the engine room .The other spaces just lights .
We have metal storm shutters on all the port holes in the hull ( no curtains) which are easy to swing down . Used them once but normally used as curtains + privacy.
The boats got water tight bulkheads , services run through dedicated glands .
Not sure if it’s a std feature or bespoke tbo , but every boat build by the yard was to the customers spec .
Helm has fuel in water alarms , emergency stop buttons in red and a suite of engine room fire toggles to pull , the air vents are spring loaded open , you pull a toggle and they close , the fuel tank cocks can be close remotely, and the auto fire inert gas can be triggered with a toggle remotely....all by the side of the helm .
Got DSC on the radio fwiw .
There’s a bright yellow MOB button on the plotter .
In the early years as a family we did practice the classic fig 8 MOB drill chucking a fender overboard, and I got the kids to steer back using the MOB button on the plotter as well .But some how in the med sun as the years passed that fizzled out .
This boat , we use the plotter but tbo I can’t recall ever practicing mob drills
Must try it .
Still use paper charts and when offshore plot with a pencil our position....habit really and I rather like it .
Got a nice chart area under Perspex near the helm.
There’s also red night vision lights down in the saloon built into the ceiling.
So @ night we can switch to red down below like the military fwiw .
First aid kits are regularly updated so have local anaesthetic + suture materials and such like + adrenaline for anaphylactic shock , tracheostomy kit few other bits and bobs

Sounds like you have it sorted!

W

 

[PilotWolf]

I hadn’t thought about EPIRB.

One vessel a good crew could get the MOB recovery system at up in maybe 3/4 minutes. The worst I saw was over 30! the casualty could have swam ashore and been in the pub that time.

As said I was an asshole on drills but those I trained were grateful they could cope with everything that might happen.

When I did my last STCW most of the course was a waste of time and I felt sorry for the ‘kids’ who had paid for it out of their own pocket. The course did not present a realistic scenario for training. In the real world they would be stuffed and most were looking to get the super yacht industry.

For example a fire iis incredibly frightening. The noise, the heat, the sight and fear I have experienced 2 minor ones and that was bad enough.

MOB. Seeing your loved one drifting away.

PW

 

[PilotWolf]

Sorry to add another post but have your crew actually pick up an extinguisher- I had several crew who had never and were surprised by the weight.

W.

 

[PilotWolf]

If you have survival suits on board and I doubt most don’t but try putting them on before you need to for real.

Get the air out of the feet or you’ll end upside down.

W.

 

[Mr Googler]

If you have survival suits on board and I doubt most don’t but try putting them on before you need to for real.

Get the air out of the feet or you’ll end upside down.

W.

been there...done that in drysuits???

flapping about like a tortoise on its back!

 

[PilotWolf]

been there...done that in drysuits???

flapping about like a tortoise on its back!

Dry suits are one thing. Gumbee ones are another story.

I always picked on the most cocky to put it on and 99% of the time they failed the 2 minute test.

They are probably a more commercial and especially cold water item but when we worked with Shell they were insistent on their use and training.

W

 

[Momac]

My chief officer rarely drives the boat but has practised low speed manoeuvres and she could get it home ... or near enough .

We wear lifejackets when under way except in exceptionally hot weather as we are river based and go through locks - which is always presents a possibility of falling in- despite never having fallen in. So wearing them has become normal - like putting on a seat belt in a car.

The bilge pumps are automatic but the switches that over ride them are well marked .

Never thought of arranging a fire drill but we do have extinguishers well spaced about the boat and a fire blanket or two .
.

 

[PilotWolf]

My chief officer rarely drives the boat but has practised low speed manoeuvres and she could get it home ... or near enough .

We wear lifejackets when under way except in exceptionally hot weather as we are river based and go through locks - which is always presents a possibility of falling in- despite never having fallen in. So wearing them has become normal - like putting on a seat belt in a car.

The bilge pumps are automatic but the switches that over ride them are well marked .

Never thought of arranging a fire drill but we do have extinguishers well spaced about the boat and a fire blanket or two .
.

Getting alongside ability is great and again something I didn’t think about on my original post.

Fire is probably the biggest risk on all boats. Just knowing how to use the extinguisher is a plus.

Drills don’t have to be formal but have them know how to use them and where they’re located. Also have them pick them up - one of the things I found was crew didn’t realise the weight of a full one.

Unless you catch it early you have no chance with a fire so that’s where the abandon ship drill comes in to effect.

I’m not trying to be a dick here and want to help save lives but if I can help anyone out then pm me.

W

 

[Scubadoo]

One thing that should be assessed if solo, falling off and getting back onboard, many boats have tenders on snap/davits that block access to the bathing platform and ladder. There are rope ladders available to fit which are stored in a tube within the bathing platform port or starboard, all you see is what looks like a plug to pull from the water to release the rope ladder.