Things that make your (modern) boat safe

[cmedsailor]

I was reading the article in August's YM regarding the 1979 fastnet race and the rescuer's boat that although having a little 12hp engine they were able to help mainly due to their variable pitch propeller.....so I have the following question:
What sort of gear could make a boat more safe? I would appreciate answers relating to modern design "fat bottom" boats since I own one of these.
Thanks

 

[FullCircle]

a pontoon and some decent mooring lines.

 

[ytd]

autopilot, single line reefing, roller furling, dry boat with no leaks through the companionway when pooped - so the crew are dry and rested when things get real bad.

 

[Salty John]

Some modern production boats have flimsy locker locking systems - make sure the lockers can retain their contents even when the boat is on it's ear and being subjected to violent motion.
Beamy boats are roomy boats but they are also dangerous below if there are inadequate handholds and wide open spaces.
Berths should have strong, well designed lee cloths to keep the occupants secure. I've been on expensive boats that have light netting style lee cloths that, when the boat is on it's beam end, allow the occupants to hang out and over the edge of the bunk, like sacks of onions. Extremely uncomfortable and scary for the crew on the other side of the saloon who are in the line of fire should one let go!
Batteries, cooker, fridge and other heavy items should be secured so that they stay in place in the event of a knockdown.
On deck you need a good jackstay system, a reefing system that is simple and effective (I prefer slab reefing worked at the mast), adequate harness strong points.
Emergency steering system that works and is simple to deploy.
All common sense, really, but finding inadequencies when your facing a rising gale is too late!

 

[Twister_Ken]

For starters:

A third reef.

A storm jib that's easy to rig and has sensible sheeting.

Plentiful hand holds down below.

Foot braces in the cockpit.

Secure harness points near the companion way (use when going on deck or going below).

Secure harness points for the helmsman.

Securing straps on the battery.

Positive locks on all lockers below and in the cockpit.

An inside/outside locking system for wash boards.

A sensible ballast ratio.

 

[lw395]

autopilot, single line reefing, roller furling, .

This sounds more like a list of things that will break.

I agree with SaltyJohn, I would add to that:
Good experienced crew.
Confidence that everything on the boat is tried, tested and sorted in heavy conditions.
A RORC/JOG checklist is a good start to preparing a boat for weather.

Ultimately decent weather forecasting to avoid the worst of it!

 

[cmedsailor]

What about:
- Offshore and good quality sails?
- Good quality lines (spectra, dyneema etc)?
- 3-blade propeller?
- Could an in mast furling main sail make things more easy and safe (provided it's a bullet proof mechanism)?

Thanks

 

[cmedsailor]

A RORC/JOG checklist
!

What's this? Where can I find one?

 

[SimbaDog]

You could try this one:

http://www.eaora.org.uk/docs/2009_eaora_special_regulations.pdf

 

[Katouf]

Safe in rough weather

I agree with most of the above but would add that engine failure due to dirt in the fuel is more likely after a good shake up in rough weather.
What about a fine mesh funnel over the fuel tank inlet to trap all the muck before it gets to the tank?
You'd be surprised at what I catch in marina fuel that supposedly is clean and filtered. As I've only got a 45 litre (10 gallon) tank on my Centaur, I tend to keep spare fuel in a 20 litre can and let the dirt settle out. I still filter it as it goes in the tank.

Alan

 

[Scotty_Tradewind]

One major thing I have noticed on many of todays caravans, is that there is not a quick and easy way to release the mainsheet in the event of a gust.
It should be in easy reach of the helm and with one hand a single action to let go.
This will help prevent rounding up or broaching which so often happens with a gust in flat bottomed fin keeled yachts with fairly inexperienced crew.

 

[Athene V30]

Good experienced crew.
Confidence that everything on the boat is tried, tested and sorted in heavy conditions.

How do you get to be a good experienced crew in heavy weather? Surely you have to start as an inexperienced crew and learn in some heavy weather?

 

[Scotty_Tradewind]

How do you get to be a good experienced crew in heavy weather? Surely you have to start as an inexperienced crew and learn in some heavy weather?

I think I'm seeing a possible aim to Karouise's statement.....??

Perhaps best though that a wholly inexperienced skipper + crew don't venture out in much more than a F5 until they have done so with more experienced skippers and crew to gain that experience.? Especially if in/on one of todays AWB type caravans.
;-)

 

[lw395]

What about:
- Offshore and good quality sails?
- Good quality lines (spectra, dyneema etc)?
- 3-blade propeller?
- Could an in mast furling main sail make things more easy and safe (provided it's a bullet proof mechanism)?

Thanks

Sails that won't fail are good.
I would be a bit reluctant to trust in-mast furling, but if it works well then it might encourage sensible reduction in sails. Opinions will differ, I know a lot of 2 handed crews have used it very successfully to cross many oceans. Equally there is a lot of tired and dodgy gear on some boats, and if that main jams 95% out , what do you do?

I don't think spectra is the point, you just want lines that are adequate and in good condition, not chafed or UV'ed.

http://www.rorc.org/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=34&Itemid=26
for the RORC special regs. Worth a read iirc.
A decent engine and prop for sure. Plenty of clean fuel in the tank and a decent filter you can change at sea. Maybe twin switchable pre-filters if the boat leans toward being a motor-sailer?
A fuel system that can be primed in heavy weather might help?

Maybe a decent chart plotter will let you concentrate on sailing instead of Nav?
But please, an external aerial not an indoor one that will lose margin when there's water on the deck.

But its the people who make the difference imho. For instance having someone who you can trust to stand a watch stops you getting so tired you make dangerous errors. Some miles on the clock, both together and with other boats can only help imho.

 

[Poignard]

I'd say plenty of strong handrails and a narrow deep cockpit with large drains.

Somewhere on my boat's worklist is "Make and fit boom gallows to aft end of coach roof", I reckon that as well as being good to be able to lash the boom into it when needed it would be a useful thing to grab hold of when leaving the cockpit to go on deck.

 

[matt1]

Strong washboards with a method of securing and releasing from down below, as well as on deck. Many boats in Fastnet 79 lost their wsahobards when rolled as the sliding main hatch was either left open or opened as the boat rolled

Hacksaw or other method of quickly losing a broken mast

 

[bedouin]

Hacksaw or other method of quickly losing a broken mast

Hacksaw? you are joking aren't you! Cable/Bolt cutters please. The idea of trying to cut standing rigging with a hacksaw sounds a bit optimistic

 

[srm]

Having sailed modern 'fat bottom' (and broad stern) boats in only moderatly bad conditions (35kn wind with 1 to 1.5 metre waves) I would suggest changing to an older, more moderate hull design to start with.

 

[srm]

Hacksaw? you are joking aren't you! Cable/Bolt cutters please. The idea of trying to cut standing rigging with a hacksaw sounds a bit optimistic

Having used proper wire cutters and a hack saw to cut 7 and 8 mm 1x19 ss rigging wire while rigging boats I now carry a hacksaw with lots of fine toothed blades, plus a vice mounted on a short board to hold the wire. Its a lot quicker and easier than trying to use long handled wire cutters that required my full weight on one handle with the other handle on the deck.

Try using both methods then decide for yourself which is the joke.

Oh yes, and bolt cutters flatten the wire without cutting it.

 

[Talbot]

a battery powered grinder is much quicker,

but the fastest is the the shoot-it