Medical Training

Talbot

Talbot

Well-Known Member
Joined
23 Aug 2003
Messages
13,610
Location
Brighton, UK
Visit site
I have done the RYA one day medical course and while that was fine for coastal cruising, I feel woefully underprepared for long distance cruising.

I have looked at other courses and have considered Wilderness First Responder, but have also seen that there is a couple of STCW courses that may do the business.

What do long distance cruisers normally do to prepare for their cruising?
 
The Medical First Aid at Sea/Management of Casualties at Sea (MFAS/MCAS) course, formerly known as the Ship's Captain's Medical Course is superb, but it is expensive, takes a week and makes you feel that you need half about full of medical kit! The course is now a requirement of the Joint Services Adventurous Sail Training Centre for both skippers and mates for ocean sailing.
 
SWMBO and I have done the STCW 95 courses. Medical First Aid Aboard Ship and the more advanced Medical Care Aboard Ship. Though expensive, they gave us the confidence to handle the medical kit and deal with most contingencies. We felt necessary to have all the kit to deal with a medical emergency for 4 days, after that help would probably be at hand from a cruise/warship both of which normally carry doctors.

We've done the courses twice, at Warsash and the North East Kent College in Gravesend. The courses are a lot of fun to do, invariably with professional seafarers. Injecting oranges, suturing plastic wounds, strapping your fellow student into a Neil Robertson stretcher. There was a lot of mutual respect from the WAFIs to the pros and vice versa. "You cross the Atlantic in a 10m boat, you must be bonkers!"
 
Last edited:
You must log in or register to reply here.

Share this page

Top