Securing for sea

[MeirMark]

Sep. issue of YM posted a comprehensive article of preparing a yacht for sea, with special attention to expected bad weather.
I agree with all items listed, however I would point out some missing actions:
1. Life jackets (presented on the authors picture!) should be prepared, assigned to crew, crotch straps checked, and jackets fitted to user.
2. Floorboards should be secured against free movement.
3. Check bilge pumps operation, including floaters.
4. Put (in a secure place) a knife in the cockpit.
5. Check/replace/charge batteries in any handheld instrument

Anything else?

 

[Mister E]

Waterproofs should be checked that they fit are are to hand.

 

[LadyInBed]

preparing a yacht for sea, with special attention to expected bad weather

Call it off, go to pub and wait for a better weather window!

 

[MeirMark]

Waterproofs should be checked that they fit are are to hand.

This is listed in the original column.

 

[MeirMark]

Call it off, go to pub and wait for a better weather window!

Well, but the column addresses exactly that, how to prepare the boat to survive while you drink beer in the pub.
And, what to do if the bad weather gets to you while you are at sea and the pub is unreachable.

 

[Stemar]

Another vote for the pub!

How many people secure floorboards, even if they are expecting a bumpy ride? I didn't have any on Jissel, and if they escape in Jazzcat, they'll be the least of my problems.

I haven't seen the article, but I'd add safety lines attached to LJs on the OP's list.

 

[sarabande]

MM you are referring to a list that is not part of your OP, and to which many people may not have print access. The value of you and others adding items is thereby compromised.

 

[Neeves]

I have not seen the list but:

Harnesses are useless if they don't fit. They should be numbered, fitted and then hung at the companion way ready for use (along with tethers). Each crew member should have the appropriate number on the harness and it be demanded they will be hung, drawn and quartered if they ever appear on deck not wearing same + LJ etc etc. The skipper will have enough to consider without stupid crew members increasing anxiety. We hang our harnesses. LJs and foul weather gear at the cockpit/saloon door (recall its a cat) any time we go offshore - they stay there unless worn until we return to sheltered water).

THE knife should always be in the cockpit (anyway) and there should be one at the mast. I prefer each crew member to have their own, or an assigned knife, in the pocket of their foul weather gear + torch both on lanyards. We have spare knives and torches with lanyards (and some spare foul weather gear). We also have spare pairs of gloves. We also have a panic kit, in a device like a kitchen knife rack, comprising torch, large adjustable spanner, 2 x knife (one with shackle key, 2 x screwdrivers (Philips, flat) commonly used Alan keys, attached to the bulkhead between cockpit and saloon and 'reachable' from the helm. (I made the 'knife rack' to suit the tools).

I'm also in favour of wimpish sailing - fish for longer, stay in bed, clean the decks - but I also have to assume bad weather might develop at sea and the forecast might have been more optimistic than developed.

I cannot understand why floor boards would not be secured 'permanently' why leave them loose in the first place. Are people so incapable they cannot release a floor board in good weather - if so - don't have them on board. Bilge pumps should always be checked - do bilges never fill with water due to failure other than bad weather. What is the point of having battery operated equipmentment if it is not checked on a regular basis, torches, angle grinder, hand held radio, nav lights. To suggest Blige pumps, battery operated equipment and floor boards should only be 'checked' for bad weather seems an appalling lesson to me.

If all of this looks likely to be needed - I'd be reefing down in advance and running for cover - especially if I had people on board whose ability too resist sea-sickness was questionable, or whose presence on board, very young, very old, might become a liability

I'm the skipper, I'm responsible

Jonathan

 

[Neeves]

Noting my post above and accepting this is very PBO, so inappropriately posted here, I wondered if this might be inspirational. That grey 'thing' in the top right of the picture is the compass at the helm and we have a hatch, window also to the right (off picture) but if you are at the helm you can reach round and grab whatever you need. The stainless bracket houses an MDF which can be lifted higher (its a bit low if you are at the helm) to a bracket at eye height (hence the untidy cables under the 'knife rack'. The 2 knives (sheath knife and Currey Deckhand) are kept and stay sharp. I have had a mole wrench since I took this picture.

Just the project, very simple, for a winter's night



Jonathan

 

[Poignard]

What is an "MDF", please?

 

[Neeves]

What is an "MDF", please?

Its the same as a MFD when you have had a few glasses of red wine (remember its 9pm here) - or its an auto correction I missed. But its made from marine ply (not to be confused with MDF) with appropriate routing.

But don't blame others - its the wine and an inattention to detail.

Jonathan

 

[Poignard]

Its the same as a MFD when you have had a few glasses of red wine (remember its 9pm here) - or its an auto correction I missed. But its made from marine ply (not to be confused with MDF) with appropriate routing.

But don't blame others - its the wine and an inattention to detail.

Jonathan

This is embarrassing to admit but I don't know what an MFD is!

Belay that! I just looked it up: Multifunction Display. ?

Best chartplotter: 6 great options from marine MFDs to tablets

 

[Biggles Wader]

This is embarrassing to admit but I don't know what an MFD is!

Belay that! I just looked it up: Multifunction Display. ?

No, it's a TLA

 

[Poignard]

No, it's a TLA

You don't say!

 

[Boathook]

Sep. issue of YM posted a comprehensive article of preparing a yacht for sea, with special attention to expected bad weather.
I agree with all items listed, however I would point out some missing actions:
1. Life jackets (presented on the authors picture!) should be prepared, assigned to crew, crotch straps checked, and jackets fitted to user.
2. Floorboards should be secured against free movement.
3. Check bilge pumps operation, including floaters.
4. Put (in a secure place) a knife in the cockpit.
5. Check/replace/charge batteries in any handheld instrument

Anything else?

List the items from YM. Will make more sense for those haven't a copy.

 

[MeirMark]

Another vote for the pub!

How many people secure floorboards, even if they are expecting a bumpy ride? I didn't have any on Jissel, and if they escape in Jazzcat, they'll be the least of my problems.

I haven't seen the article, but I'd add safety lines attached to LJs on the OP's list.

Safety lines is good add-on to the list.
As to the floorboards - I had the pleasure of being on (wooden) yacht that sank.
Within few minutes after a bottom plank broke, the saloon and cabins floorboards started to float around and it was impossible to move around the boat to take out stuff we wanted.

 

[Mister E]

As we only have the first list to go on and not a recommendation to purchase the mag to get the full list. Is this discussion not a bit short of information?

 

[FinesseChris]

Noting my post above and accepting this is very PBO, so inappropriately posted here, I wondered if this might be inspirational. That grey 'thing' in the top right of the picture is the compass at the helm and we have a hatch, window also to the right (off picture) but if you are at the helm you can reach round and grab whatever you need. The stainless bracket houses an MDF which can be lifted higher (its a bit low if you are at the helm) to a bracket at eye height (hence the untidy cables under the 'knife rack'. The 2 knives (sheath knife and Currey Deckhand) are kept and stay sharp. I have had a mole wrench since I took this picture.

Just the project, very simple, for a winter's night

View attachment 127953

Jonathan

Forgive thread drift, but where did you source that neat stainless mount/bracket?

 

[MeirMark]

As we only have the first list to go on and not a recommendation to purchase the mag to get the full list. Is this discussion not a bit short of information?

I can try later today and upload here my list, which basically is the list as posted in YM 09.2021 (but in my words) , plus few personal additions.

 

[LittleSister]

We will all have our personal additions and deletions from any such list (useful though they are for consideration and comparison), but the important thing sometimes overlooked is the question of when are you actually 'at sea'.

A few horror tales in the press, and a few personal, er, interesting experiences, convinced me that you need to be 'ready for sea' as soon as you cast off the mooring or exit the marina.

All too easy to think you are just going for a quick spin round the harbour, up the river or whatever, in benign conditions, then find that circumstances - mechanical problems, weather, accidents, etc. - conspire to keep you underway for much longer, much further, and/or in more challenging conditions than you were intending.

That's when you find out what clothing, nav & weather info, food, drink, kit, tools, fuel, etc. you should have had (and be able to find!) when 'at sea'!