Chartering a sailing boat for your holidays is not
all about enjoying the sun and the sea. You should also bear in
mind the safety of your crew, yourself as well as your boat. Safety
on a sailing boat includes a range of activities and
equipment.
Who goes first?
First, you should understand the
right of way rules to avoid collisions with other
boats. Right-of-Way (ROW) Rules are: a sailboat running free must
keep clear of one close hauled; a sailboat close hauled on the port
tack must keep clear of a sailboat close hauled on the starboard
tack; when both boats are running free on opposite tacks the vessel
with the wind on the port side must keep clear; and when both boats
are running free on the same tack the boat to windward must keep
clear.
Necessary
equipment
Use a safety checklist
to check the boat's equipment before setting sail. There
should be enough life vests for everyone in the crew; fire
extinguishers; horn, whistle or bell; flares; radar reflector, and
all the necessary documentation.
Emergency
procedure
Adopt a healthy attitude in case
of an emergency - do not panic - and use a float plan to alert
rescuers in an emergency. Make sure you and your crew wear
a PFD (personal flotation device) at appropriate times -
children
should wear them all the time - since falling off the boat is
the leading cause of boating fatalities. Using a safety harness in
rough weather as well as when sailing solo is a smart idea. In case
someone does fall overboard, you need to know
crew-overboard (COB) maneuvers. You
should also practice them in advance.
Other safety tips
Another important sailing safety
advice is to sail with the VHF radio turned in to monitor for
distress calls and for other information.
You should also beware of
sunburns, sun strokes, and hypothermia if someone falls
overboard.
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articles:
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What You Should Know about
Charter Sailboats?
Why Charter a Sailing
Boat?
How To Select A Sail
Boat For Charter?
Typical Day On a Charter Sailing
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