Sailing In Dublin: Safety

Members Safety Notes

Preparation

Show up on time for your allocated session.
Let the Organizer know if you are unable to show up or will be late.
Do NOT store valuables in the container.

Personal Safety

Mandatory for dinghies and rescue duty:

Wear a Wetsuit
Wear Booties or runners
Wear a Buoyancy Aid (provided by the Club)

Mandatory for ruffian sailing:

Warm clothing, Rain gear, soft soled shoes or boots
Wear a Life-Jacket (provided by the Club)

Optional/suggested:

Wear a Windcheater, Hat, Sailing Gloves
Sailing knife
Pair of shorts to protect wetsuit and/or splash proof leggings
Sun Tan Lotion
Food and soft drink/water
Sunglasses

Ruffian Safety

Follow the captains instructions.

Always wear a life jacket.

If you notice any crew without a life jacket tell them.

Make sure you know how to manually inflate a life jacket.

One hand for yourself and one hand on the boat. (i.e. always hold on)

Clip on with a safety line in heavy weather, rough seas, if you feel you may be sick, or if you are working on the foredeck.

If you are cold or feeling sick tell the captain.

Be careful using winches, watch out for fingers, loose clothing, jewellery

Know how to use the radio

Dinghy Boat Safety

You are responsible for your own boat, which must be rigged properly
Before sailing

Help with preparation and launch of rescue boat.
Listen carefully to sailing plan
Follow captains instructions
Prepare boat carefully
Tiller and rudder must be tied in
Paddles must be tied in
Bailer must be tied in
Bungs must be in
Do not sail a damaged boat
Rescue boat must be launched and started before any dinghies set sail

On the water

Know your own ability and limits
Keep an eye on and stay close to other SID boats and rescue boat
Stay in Harbour until all boats and rescue boat are ready to leave
Stick to sailing plan/area unless told otherwise by captain
If a SID boat capsizes, heave-to near capsized boat/rescue boat
Follow captains/rescue boat crew instructions at all times.
Watch out for other boats at all times and avoid collisions.
Give Right of Way
Keep fairways clear, do not race on Fairways
Avoid the HSS - EUR5000 fine which SID does not pay
Commercial craft have right of way
Sail before Power rule...... don’t rely on the rule
Try to improve your skills
Tell Captain if you are cold or unwell

After Sailing

Rescue boat is last out of the water
Help pull other boats up the slip
Container is not opened until all boats are up
Help with de-rigging the rescue boat
Buoyancy tanks must be checked to ensure that they are empty
Damage or incidents on the water must be reported to captain
Fix any minor damage
Pack all equipment away in its correct place.

Capsize Drill For Turtled 420

When boat has gone over both people hold on to the boat and stay with it.
Check with each other if your OK
Helm climbs up and grabs centreboard
Crew throws over far jib sheet to Helm and Crew also releases any cleated sheets that (s)he can get at safely
Crew moves to the front of the boat and grabs the painter and acts as an anchor point so that the boat turns head to wind.
No attempt should be made to right the boat until it is head to wind, otherwise it may just simply capsize again as it is being righted
When the boat is head to wind Helm then pulls on the centreboard with his or her feet on the lips of the gunwale. If the centreboard is up Helm can pull on the far jib sheet that was passed over by B
If after 2-3 minutes, the boat does not come up to the normal capsize position then Crew may move around to Helm (always staying in contact with the boat) and Crew can assist Helm by pulling on the jib sheet as Helm pulls on the centreboard. If possible both should have feet on gunwale tips
Or
Crew grabs Helm around the waist and adds more leverage If possible both should have feet on the gunwale lips

Note 1: Boat should come up slowly to normal position (mast parallel water surface) in 2 to 3 minutes.
Note 2 If at the normal capsize position the boat is not head to wind the bow must be taken again by Crew as in before righting continues. At this stage Crew can release any cleated sheets or push down the centre- But only if there is no danger of losing contact with the boat.
Continue until boat is fully righted
Once the boat is fully righted Crew should again take the painter and hold the boat head to wind
Helm should move around to the rear of the boat and enter using the stirrup, Helm should shout to Crew and check if (s)he is OK.
Quickly Helm should then release all tangled and cleated sheets so that the sails are flapping and ensure that the boat is safely head to wind and won’t re-capsize or begin sailing away. Helm should bail if necessary but in most cases the 420 will come up fairly dry and this is not required
Helm should then assist Crew to move to the rear of the boat. Once Crew has reached the rear Helm sold help him/her aboard.
Once both Helm and Crew have re-organised the boat and themselves they can then sail away again. However once in the boat both Helm & Crew should beware that they don’t drift into danger. If Helm or Crew are cold they should hail the rescue boat to bring them in immediate
Don’t’ Panic
Stay with the boat at all times
Check that each other is OK
Come off the water if you are cold after a Capsize

Function Of The Rescue Boat

The rescue boat is used for all sailing sessions and is manned on a rotation basis decided by the captain. People not familiar with the operation of the rescue boat will get instructions from the captain and should try to improve their knowledge during the season. The engine is run on a 100:1 petrol oil mix. The rescue boat is not a toy and should be used safely at all times. There is a speed limit of 6 knots in the harbour area and approaches. Depending on demand rescue boat lectures may be organised during the season.
Safety points:

2 crew at all times
Check that the petrol tank is full.
Anchor fixed to cleat and stored in box
Fenders attached to sides
2 Oars
Towing warp tied to cleat
Engine firmly clamped and tied to boat
Emergency stop cord must be worn on wrist at all times
Petrol stored in box.
Rescue box with full contents:
- First aid box
- 2 oar locks
- Torch
- Sailing knife
- Binoculars
- Flares
- Space Blanket
- Spares

Capsizes:

In most cases capsizes are righted by the Helm and Crew. The function of the Rescue Boat is to assist where non-standard situations arise or when either the crew or the helm have spent too long in the water.
The rescue boat should remain close (in neutral) as it observes the capsize recovery
The Rescue boat should keep an eye on other boats and assist the most urgent site if there are a number of capsizes.
When a capsize occurs other boats should stay in the vicinity so that the rescue boat can keep track of all the boats
The rescue crew should communicate clearly with one another and with the boat to be rescued.
The engine should be turned off within 2 lengths of people in the water. Any approach must be made head to wind. A towrope or oar can be used to bring them closer to the boat.

Basic Sailing rules

Keep a look out at all times
Take early and clear action to avoid collisions
Avoid the HSS - EUR5000 fine (which SID does not pay)
Sail before Power rule...... don’t rely on the rule
Give way to commercial/fishing vessels in fairways and approaches
Vessel on Port tack gives way to starboard tack
In an head on collision situation both boats should divert to starboard.
Overtaking boat gives way
Upwind boat gives way

Knots

It is essential that everyone can make and open knots quickly and properly in Sailing. A number of knots are described on page 46 of the manual (pdf) accessible on the Glenans website....this is an excellent manual for newcomers and should be read, studied, and practiced. Please study each these knots, their application and learn to do them all. We'll try to have a knot session at some stage but in the meantime why not when watching TV try to learn one of them. The bowline is especially important to be able to do.