Retrospective Risk Evaluation

[awol]

I used to be quite good at giving a safety brief to new crew but it occurred to me on Sunday that I no longer went through the full engine starting, radio usage or even bucket and fender man overboard drill just extinguishers, lifebuoy/dan buoy, don't hold onto the guard wires, adjust your lifejacket now and wear it if you want or when I say so etc.. Of the 4 crew on board only one had had the full version and the others needed help to use the heads.
It was only a coastal 50nm there and back jaunt, mostly, as it turned out, under motor with a glassy sea.
I reckon it is only me that is in danger as if I am still on board I can do my single-handed bit without too many problems but in retrospect I feel guilty as hell.
What do you do as a safety brief and how often? - and do you do it every time one new bod turns up?

 

[BrendanS]

It depends on my perceived idea of competancy of the people on board. People who have been at sea all their lives, I show then where everything is.

Complete newbies to boating, I show them the absolute basics, and concentrate on how to put the radio to Ch16 and how to press button to talk and holler for help, and where the flares are. Anything more to most guests is just overload, and I'd rather they remembered the absolute basics.

I keep meaning to put together a laminated 'emergency' instruction card if I went overboard and complete novice crew aboard.

 

[Kawasaki]

4 on board. Brief one on Radio, one one engine controls, one on M.O.B stuff ,one on "don,t take your eyes off me" Thats 4 with specific tasks + what your going to show them anyway. At least they can Call, maneuover and chuck a line and check where you are!

 

[BrendanS]

Not when two of them are young kids. You have to keep the intro to what you think they are capable of. With complete novices new to boating, absolute basics is about all you can expect, as they won't remmeber much more when required.

 

[Ships_Cat]

I agree Brendan.

I cringe when I see the enormous briefing lists that have appeared on these forums from time to time - the novices must wonder what the hell they have gotten into and, as you say, they certainly won't remember it. Personally, I think alot of it is driven by the "playing with the toys" syndrome.

For myself, on a reasonably large and stable boat I only state where the lifejackets are and that only if going further than the local bay (so to speak) into quite exposed waters.

Perhaps people should think of the briefing they themselves get on commercial water taxis and the like (which here operate on 20 - 30 mile routes in quite boisterous and remote conditions) there will just be reliance on signage as to where the lifejackets are even though just one crew member on board. Passengers are not expected to be able to operate the radio, start the engines, drive the boat home, etc, etc.

John

 

[Andrew_Fanner]

I normally give adults some form of "how to get (me) out of trouble" and children "how to shout for help". Everyone is shown where the lifejackets are, and then put into one, everyone is shown where the flares are and then told not to touch if I'm conscious and on board. The radio has an emergency procedures card to follow.

I also show them how to work the chemiloo, this is seen as a serious challenge by quite a few

 

[boatmike]

I agree with you and Brendan but would put a slightly different twist on it.
Like lots of us I single-hand my boat often. When I do I am very concious of the fact that if I go overboard or knock myself out I am in much more danger than if I have crew. If I have competent crew I think the risk is much reduced for obvious reasons but "crew" must be properly briefed. If I do have crew I feel the briefing given to "passengers" i.e. those not used to being afloat and not going to be competent to do anything anyway does not need to be great and they won't get most of it anyway. The greatest danger is when you don't have at least one crew and have passengers. Then I have far stricter rules, and insist they stay in "safe" places on the boat i.e. not up on the foredeck while underway and treat them as potential hazards. With respect Cat, the briefing given to ferry passengers is minimal because regulations require a minimum crew competent to handle emergencies. If you are on your own with passengers the situation were you to go over the side is just as serious for them as it would be for you and this is not adequate. At least one passenger should be told how to stop the boat if under sail or engine and given rudimentary MOB instructions. I also like to put that person on the helm (which most enjoy) for practice in steering the boat just in case.

 

[AndrewB]

[ QUOTE ]
What do you do as a safety brief and how often? - and do you do it every time one new bod turns up?

[/ QUOTE ]Yes ALWAYS with new crew. Plus a reminder to anyone who hasn't been on board recently. Its tailored to their experience of course, but I do it even for children. There is a reminder list of key items pinned by the chart table. I point that out as well.

OK, so it might sound a bit like the airplane safety pantomime. But I'm haunted by tales where the skipper fell overboard and the crew didn't have any clue how to start the engine or how to summon help, even in the Solent. Even if the skipper is rescued, the media are liable to pounce on such cases (which is why we get to hear of them). Moreover if someone should get injured, and the skipper hadn't bothered to offer them any safety information beforehand, well legally he's going to be up s**t creek without a paddle.

 

[ColinHuggins]

Wotta thought-provoking post - would that they all were!

 

[Mirelle]

Family sailing version. Comments very welcome.

I would welcome comments on this list; my sailing is gentle coastal pottering with small children.

I often sail with my own children, and they are well able, even the four year old, to recite my first rule of safety afloat, which is “no matter what happens ashore, on a boat, any boat, the skipper is in command and everyone else must obey orders immediately, without asking “why?” arguing, or even hesitating!”

So, if the four year old goes off in the tender for a sail with the eleven year old, the older boy is the skipper and must be obeyed when he says “sit down”, “hands in the boat” etc.

The second rule is that everyone wears a lifejacket and harness on deck, and most certainly when in the dinghy, but those who can swim half a mile need not clip on when in rivers. (We don’t have guard wires).

I am confident that the eleven year old knows how to establish the boat’s position and to make a VHF distress call, but when we come to flares I am rather unsure of myself. I would not let him have fireworks ashore and I am not sure that he should have them on the boat.

With these provisos, here is what I include in a safety briefing, this applies to everyone over ten:

1. Seacocks. Location and how to operate. (The four year old knows how to use a Baby Blake and he knows that if he does not close the stop valve "the boat will sink!")

2. Bilge pumps. Location, how to operate, and how to clear the strum box.

3. Anchors and windlass. How to veer chain and brake the windlass.

4. Galley stove (Taylor’s) – how to turn off, and location of stop valve at tank.

5. Engine. Start, stop, gears. Location of propeller and risk of fouling propeller.

6. Chart in use, position by GPS and how to determine a safe course.

7. Halyards, which is which and what they each do, likewise topping lift and sheets.

8. Reefing gear.

9. VHF radio and how to use it for a distress call.

10. Liferaft and how to launch and board it.

11. The one I am unsure about – flares.

 

[fireball]

Re: Family sailing version. Comments very welcome.

For the localised sailing we do I don't bother too much with safety breifing - generally the ppl we take sailing have some commonsense (not much cos otherwise they'd go with someone else! /forums/images/graemlins/laugh.gif) and/or experience so I reduce my safety breifing to the real basics - DSC button for an emergency - Fire Extinguisher and Gas bottle location.
If they want to know more we'll discuss on the way...

 

[Blackfeather]

Re: Family sailing version. Comments very welcome.

[ QUOTE ]
With these provisos, here is what I include in a safety briefing, this applies to everyone over ten:

1. Seacocks. Location and how to operate. (The four year old knows how to use a Baby Blake and he knows that if he does not close the stop valve "the boat will sink!")

2. Bilge pumps. Location, how to operate, and how to clear the strum box.

3. Anchors and windlass. How to veer chain and brake the windlass.

4. Galley stove (Taylor’s) – how to turn off, and location of stop valve at tank.

5. Engine. Start, stop, gears. Location of propeller and risk of fouling propeller.

6. Chart in use, position by GPS and how to determine a safe course.

7. Halyards, which is which and what they each do, likewise topping lift and sheets.

8. Reefing gear.

9. VHF radio and how to use it for a distress call.

10. Liferaft and how to launch and board it.

11. The one I am unsure about – flares

[/ QUOTE ]


That doesn't sound like a safety briefing, it sounds like a dayskipper course.

 

[Mirelle]

Re: Family sailing version. Comments very welcome.

Point taken!

What would you omit?

 

[awol]

Then there's the racing nights when crew is made up from "Crew Wanted" board. Never seems enough time to get past introductions before the start, never mind anything else!

In retrospect I'm either alone or there is someone on board who has demonstrated they can at least get the boat back to a floating fender - passes the time when just sailing and keeps me amused. On passages every locker is investigated and every safety device is known to all.

What is the likely time between EPIRB activation and the arrival of help?

 

[Roberto]

Re: Family sailing version. Comments very welcome.

One of the first things I tell everyone is how to engage-disengage the pilot, otherwise in case of myself falling overboard.. brrrrr

+ where are seasickness pills, and basic first aid material

and another: for whoever cooks while underway, especially with a bit of waves, I bought a big long apron at the local fishery, I have been laughed at by every single friend until the day when a boiling coffee simply flowed over it instead of sending me to the hospital, people are warmly advised to wear it -.<)

 

[john_morris_uk]

Re: Family sailing version. Comments very welcome.

[ QUOTE ]
[ QUOTE ]
With these provisos, here is what I include in a safety briefing, this applies to everyone over ten:

1. Seacocks. Location and how to operate. (The four year old knows how to use a Baby Blake and he knows that if he does not close the stop valve "the boat will sink!")

2. Bilge pumps. Location, how to operate, and how to clear the strum box.

3. Anchors and windlass. How to veer chain and brake the windlass.

4. Galley stove (Taylor’s) – how to turn off, and location of stop valve at tank.

5. Engine. Start, stop, gears. Location of propeller and risk of fouling propeller.

6. Chart in use, position by GPS and how to determine a safe course.

7. Halyards, which is which and what they each do, likewise topping lift and sheets.

8. Reefing gear.

9. VHF radio and how to use it for a distress call.

10. Liferaft and how to launch and board it.

11. The one I am unsure about – flares

[/ QUOTE ]


That doesn't sound like a safety briefing, it sounds like a dayskipper course.

[/ QUOTE ]I agree!

I won't go through every one item by item, but do you really need to know how to launch the liferaft if you are haing a gentle pootle up the river?

Perhaps its a matter of risk assessment....

Minimum brief has got to cover -

What if we are sinking? - bilge pumps (Seacocks are never going to get remembered the first time on our boat - we have got 15 through hulls without counting the shaft and rudder.) Lifejackets and harnesses and routines.

What if there's a fire? - gas safety and fire extinguishers Use of the cooker.

If there's no-one on board who knows the boat, someone gets shown how to start the engine and call for help? The liferaft gets a 'its on the deck and the instructions are on the top...'

On longer or offshore trips, flares come out after supper. The whole safety brief is far more swept up and all encompassing.

 

[Mirelle]

Re: Family sailing version. Comments very welcome.

In the case of our river, with a nasty bar at the mouth, the risk of clouting the bar hard is the very reason why we own a liferaft, rather than hiring one for the summer holiday!

The list is based on "what to do if Daddy has gone overboard and Mummy, if on board, is panicking".

1. Seacocks. There are seven of them, they are all labelled and marked with an arrow to "close". The most likely source of flooding is surely a cracked pipe.

2. Bilge pumps. Two manual bilge pumps, pretty obvious, but if you can't clear the strum box they are useless. ("lift grating, remove crud...")

3. Anchors and windlass. How to veer chain and brake the windlass, i.e. "what to do if you are dragging", not a complete course in anchoring technique. See Arthur Ransome!

4. Galley stove (Taylor’s) How to put it out in case of fire, not how to run it.

5. Engine - we agree.

6. Chart in use, position by GPS and how to determine a safe course. "X marks the spot. You can sail on the blue bits. Don't go on the brown bits".

7. Halyards, which is which and what they each do, likewise topping lift and sheets.

8. Reefing gear. "Insert handle. Ease this halyard. Turn handle." See Arthur Ransome.

9. VHF radio - we agree.

10. Liferaft and how to launch and board it. "Pull this. Shove that over. Pull this. Jump in. Cut this".

11. The one I am unsure about – flares

 

[peterb]

Re: Family sailing version. Comments very welcome.

RYA instructors are encouraged to give a very full safety briefing, but I suspect that this is seen more as a legal problem in the event of an accident; "They were told about that in the briefing." It is even suggested that the giving of a briefing should be logged. If I'm running a course, then I follow the RYA thinking.

But if I'm just cruising, then I'm not so certain about it. It's often said that from a half-hour lecture one is likely to remember only three things. I tend to look at the boat and wonder which three things are the most dangerous.

Our boat has a low boom, certainly low enough to hit the heads of most people. Our last boat had a high boom, so one bit of the briefing has to be "Watch out for the boom if you're in the cockpit." I tend to give this warning as people come on board.

As with most boats, the gas is a hazard, particularly since the ignition sequence differs from that of the last boat. Again, as people come on board we make a hot drink, and brief on the gas system at the same time.

The third thing we pick up on is the use of lifejackets and harnesses. Again, I don't do it as a part of a 'safety briefing', but as part of issuing everyone with their own jacket and harness.

My check list is simple; it's the firing of a gun. Boom as the gun goes off, bang (gas explosion) as the shell arrives, then people fall over.

I do have a check list of safety items to be covered, but I cover them as they arise. For instance, engine operation is covered as we leave the berth, with everyone starting, stopping and putting into gear (including looking at propwash in astern gear to give warning of prop walk.

We have a DSC radio, so I make sure that some responsible person knows when and how to use the distress button.

I mention the liferaft, but only to say don't touch it unless I say so. I reckon that the probability of me being hors de combat and needing to launch the liferaft at the same time is very small. Anyway, the instructions are on the liferaft. Similar comments apply to seacocks, bilgepumps and anchoring.

I do show people how to use the heads, but that's not in the safety briefing. I usually do it while making the tea, on the basis that what goes in must come out. And they frequently need instruction on the operation of a holding tank.

At an early stage once we've got sail up everyone not used to it will practise the "Quick-stop" manoeuvre to heave-to. Full instruction on how to recover me if I fall overboard comes later, but I'm awful careful that I don't!

 

[ColinHuggins]

Re: Singlehanded boating version. Comments welcome.

IF you've worked out your own routines for most procedures then someone coming on board does get in the way! And they sense it. And, I suspect, learn less then is necessary to cope with an emergency. Of course I point out seacocks, WC and cooker hazards, engine starting/stopping, location of harnesses, lifejackets and flares; there are the statutory EEC Distress cards summarising distress signals and radio procedures - but demonstrating them?

Sounds pretty irresponsible to me. Best leave me to sink or swim . . .

 

[graham]

Re: Family sailing version. Comments very welcome.

exactly right I think Peter. No one will remember all the points in a long and involved briefing. Far better top keep it concise then expand here and there with those crew members better able to absorb the information.