Sea Survival Training

[GC1]

In two weeks time swmbo and myself are going to be trained in the RYA sea survival course, has anybody done this course and can give tips.

From the snippets I have heard it is meant to be good, we have not had the complete instructions through yet and wondered if you wear swimwear or clothes of some sort.

As we are now going to be doing extended passages we have bought a liferaft, it just seems sensible to know how to use it and experience what it would be like.

As I said, any hints would be appreciated, Thanks.

 

[ccscott49]

Should be done in full wet weather gear, then it becomes meaningfull, not just in swim shorts. Do they do it in a full enviromental pool? With waves, wind, spray etc? We do ours in the oilfield that way, but of course the RYA in their infinite wisdom will not accept that course, have to do this RYA one, so they get more money!

 

[sarabande]

Take your normal wet-weather full kit, so that you can enjoy climbing into a claustrophobic, dark, wet, rubber cube, that has a wobbly insecure floor, and is leaping about at frequencies and amplitude guaranteed to make you sick after 10 minutes.

Not sure if the course will provide you with their life-jackets, but it might be worth taking your own to see how they work in anger. There will be re-arming costs if you do.

You'll love the experience and be talking about it for ages ! The course is really fun, especially when they invert you.

 

[GC1]

"invert you" What's that? /forums/images/graemlins/shocked.gif

 

[ccscott49]

Turn the liferaft over!

 

[cliff]

[ QUOTE ]
You'll love the experience and be talking about it for ages!

[/ QUOTE ]Oh please god, NOOOOOOO, not on the forums at least. /forums/images/graemlins/grin.gif
--------------------

"Artificial intelligence is no match for natural stupidity"
sailroom <span style="color:red">The place to auction your previously loved boatie bits</span>

 

[Gludy]

Well at least you will end up appreciating the value of a spray hood - take one along and compare it to not having one. Use your own life jackets so that you understand exactly what to expect.

You will have to right an upturned life raft but just keep in mind that whilst the course is valuable such things in practice are near impossible.

 

[ccscott49]

Love the experience????? Must be a real fun experience then!
I have to do a full five day course every three years and I do not love the experience one bit! Try putting 20 men in a liferaft in an enviromental pool, all throwing up, then you'll really "love" the experience.

Survival at sea course! You are joking!

 

[omega2]

if you buy a flotation suit re your winter clothing post, this will also assist if you happen to be wearing it at the time of need, just in case the raft fails to inflate.

 

[sarabande]

1 Load 6 people into liferaft
2 Slowly, gently, carefully, lift one end of liferaft by overhead crane
3 Mix contents of liferaft (water, yuman beans, vomit, spare kit)
4 Drop liferaft slowly, etc.
5 Wait for contents to unsort themselves
6 Recover contents, and wash clean.
7 Repeat, ad nauseam.

Meant to simulate life on the ocean wave.

 

[tome]

Don't need to do this any longer, but used to every 3 years also. The helicopter underwater escape is a giggle, isn't it?

I always get stuck next to the bloke who panics, blocking my escape until the divers have removed him

 

[bilbobaggins]

Good. Is likely - and intended to - to change attitudes from 'wishful thinking' to 'informed determination', based on the limited experience that can be provided in a community swimming pool.

The closer to reality you/the trainers can make it, the better the training value is believed to be. To that end, and subject to the course joining instructions, take working overalls and cheap tennis shoes.

You will probably be shown/encouraged to try the difference between a lifejacket *with* thigh straps, and one *without*. If jacket used over 'slippery' foulies, then tendancy to ride up in use in the water, resulting in wearer trying to do a 'pressup' to stay supported. Thigh straps are VIP.....

Also, take several waterproof bin liner bags, for holding your wet gear on the way home.

Enjoi!

 

[itsonlymoney]

[ QUOTE ]
Don't need to do this any longer, but used to every 3 years also. The helicopter underwater escape is a giggle, isn't it?

I always get stuck next to the bloke who panics, blocking my escape until the divers have removed him

[/ QUOTE ]

GULP I could not do that, I like beeing on the water and even in it but no way would I willingly go under it........... /forums/images/graemlins/frown.gif

 

[st599]

[ QUOTE ]
"invert you" What's that? /forums/images/graemlins/shocked.gif

[/ QUOTE ]

They turn the liferaft over, with you and all your gear inside, then make you climb out and do a capsize recovery.

The course I went on was done in an environmental pool (8 degrees, waves and spray) - you had to swim 100m fully kitted up (clothes, oilies, boots, uninflated lifejacket etc.) just to prove how bad an idea it was. Then you're in the water for about 2 hours practicing survival drills, liferafts etc. Only time in my life I've ever felt seasick was in that raft.

 

[fibz99]

Heard or read a story about some chap doing the survival course with his own inflatable lifejacket, which he oraly inflated to save him having to buy a new cylinder.

Having not removed the cylinder, when the lifejackets pull cord got caught in something on the way into the liferaft, there was a loud bang!! and a total failure of cost cutting measures.

 

[Amphitrite]

Have done a two-day course with the german navy two years ago - it was a very good and aI believe realistic experience. It included fire-fighting, leak-fighting, some first aid and liferaft trial in an fully environmental pool.
The first thing I bought after the course was a 275N lifejacket with spray-cab.

Is it possible to do a more intense (5-days) course somewhere?

Holger

 

[Vara]

When you finish the course pop waterproofs into bin liner,don't allow to dry.Wash them at the earliest opportunity as the chlorine in the pool imparts a chemical smell to your oilies for ages and also degrades nylon.
Good course,along with thigh straps and face masks on LJs should be compulsory!

 

[polwart]

[ QUOTE ]
Heard or read a story about some chap doing the survival course with his own inflatable lifejacket, which he oraly inflated to save him having to buy a new cylinder.

Having not removed the cylinder, when the lifejackets pull cord got caught in something on the way into the liferaft, there was a loud bang!! and a total failure of cost cutting measures.

[/ QUOTE ]

Well either it was a defective jacket anyway or it was just a story - as lifejackets are designed to be overpressured in exactly this way, as it can happen for real.

 

[Wiggo]

I'm sure I remeber someone called Happy1 sending his better half on a sea survival course a few years ago. Obviously no connection with you, as he had a 20-odd footer that was so overloaded with kit it could barely float.

It might be worth going back through the archive. He seemed a knowledgable chap...

 

[GC1]

Thanks for the tips and advice everyone, I 'm sure some of the mature members of the forum have learned from it as well /forums/images/graemlins/wink.gif

As for those set on my 'ignore list', well I don't think it takes much to guess what jealous prattish childish immature rubbish you have spouted, but guaranteed no loss to the forum knowledge library /forums/images/graemlins/grin.gif