RYA safety boat RYA safety boat presentationpresentation

Suggested methods for Suggested methods for dealing with small craft in a dealing with small craft in a

sheltered environmentsheltered environment

Guiding principlesGuiding principles

• Count heads!Count heads!

• Ask if help is required, and if so, what.Ask if help is required, and if so, what.

• Recover and return students to shore if Recover and return students to shore if the situation is becoming serious.the situation is becoming serious.

• Leave the craft ‘tagged’ to let other Leave the craft ‘tagged’ to let other crews know it has been dealt with.crews know it has been dealt with.

• Don’t become another casualty Don’t become another casualty yourself .yourself .

Guiding principlesGuiding principles

• If students are in the water near to your If students are in the water near to your boat, turn the engine off.boat, turn the engine off.

• Even if they are not, consider turning the Even if they are not, consider turning the engine off. engine off.

• Involve the casualties in their rescue.Involve the casualties in their rescue.• Holding or raising the tip of the mast may Holding or raising the tip of the mast may

be all that is required if sailors are tired.be all that is required if sailors are tired.• Whilst dealing with a rescue, the rest of Whilst dealing with a rescue, the rest of

the fleet may be without cover. Remain the fleet may be without cover. Remain alert for them.alert for them.

High performance High performance dinghiesdinghies• In a training context ‘prevention is In a training context ‘prevention is

better than a cure’, therefore…..better than a cure’, therefore…..

• Use a mast-head float.Use a mast-head float.

• Prevents inversion.Prevents inversion.

• Doesn’t affect performance much.Doesn’t affect performance much.

They can be squash containers They can be squash containers or in this case, a canoe air-bag.or in this case, a canoe air-bag.

Just fasten it to the halyard.Just fasten it to the halyard.

High performance dinghiesHigh performance dinghies

• In the case of entrapment, the In the case of entrapment, the priority is to bring the casualty to the priority is to bring the casualty to the surface.surface.

• Either lift the spinnaker pole, or the Either lift the spinnaker pole, or the stern to create an air gap.stern to create an air gap.

It will allow you to see under It will allow you to see under the hull.the hull.

High performance dinghiesHigh performance dinghies

• Resist cutting lines, the sails will be Resist cutting lines, the sails will be easier to manage if you don’t.easier to manage if you don’t.

• Use wire cutters as a last resort and Use wire cutters as a last resort and only then on the trapeze system.only then on the trapeze system.

High performance dinghiesHigh performance dinghies

• If it’s a standard ‘rescue’..If it’s a standard ‘rescue’..

• Get the spinnaker down first.Get the spinnaker down first.

• Ask the dinghy crew to do this.Ask the dinghy crew to do this.

• If they can’t, ask them how and do it If they can’t, ask them how and do it yourself.yourself.

High performance dinghiesHigh performance dinghies

• Drop other sails if possible.Drop other sails if possible.

• Roll jib if it has that system.Roll jib if it has that system.

• Put wing/rack over RIB sponson and Put wing/rack over RIB sponson and ask crew to sit on it.ask crew to sit on it.

• Remove dagger board.Remove dagger board.

• Pass line around mast.Pass line around mast.

• Consider ‘spring’ towline to take strain.Consider ‘spring’ towline to take strain.

Single handers.Single handers.

Lay mast across safety boat, Lay mast across safety boat, helm or sailor sits on mast, helm or sailor sits on mast, drive away.drive away.

Open hulled boats Open hulled boats (and open canoes)(and open canoes)

Retrieve crew in normal way, Retrieve crew in normal way, then..then..

If inverted and no dagger If inverted and no dagger board, use paddle gently to board, use paddle gently to right.right.

Once on it’s side, draw hull Once on it’s side, draw hull across.. across..

Until high and dry on safety Until high and dry on safety boat.boat.

Turn upright, replace rudder, Turn upright, replace rudder, place boat and student back place boat and student back onto water.onto water.

Double handed Double handed dinghiesdinghies• Used on the more traditional dinghy.Used on the more traditional dinghy.

• By definition, heavier.By definition, heavier.

• Harder to right, especially if the crew is Harder to right, especially if the crew is light.light.

• Can also be used if the mast has become Can also be used if the mast has become stuck in mud on the bottom, and if so…stuck in mud on the bottom, and if so…

• take care to pull it out the way it went in.take care to pull it out the way it went in.

Attach a line from your painter Attach a line from your painter to the top jib sheet.to the top jib sheet.

and reverse gently away, and reverse gently away, keeping at right angles to the keeping at right angles to the dinghy.dinghy.

Maintain an even pressure on Maintain an even pressure on the tow-line…the tow-line…

•and as the dinghy comes up, and as the dinghy comes up, the crew get in as normal and the crew get in as normal and balance the boat.balance the boat.

If the dinghy needs towing, If the dinghy needs towing, consider towing it consider towing it backwards….backwards….

Once the stern is clear, it will Once the stern is clear, it will follow the towing vessel nicely.follow the towing vessel nicely.