How to respond to crew overboard under sail
• Keep the MOB in sight
• Tack into the heave-to position, do not adjust the headsail sheets
• If under spinnaker, alter course to windward and haul sail down immediately
• Throw buoyancy to the MOB
• Mark MOB with dan buoy
• If within earshot of MOB reassure them you are manoeuvring into recovery position• Steer onto a beam/broad reach and sail away• Sail for about 5 or 6 boat lengths• Tack, aiming the leeward side of the yacht at the MOB
• Let out the headsail and mainsail sheets until the main flaps
• Keep the angle of approach as a close reach, so the sails can be powered and de-powered under full control
• Use one sail only in breezy conditions
• Approach the MOB slowly. Don’t be tempted to approach too quickly
• Pick up the MOB to leeward, aft of the mast
• In light conditions, approach MOB to windward and drift down towards casualty so they can be recovered on leeward side
(taken from the Safe Skipper app for iPhone, iPad & Android)
Estimating your position at sea
Navigators use a combination of techniques to estimate their position at sea. The primary method used today is GPS (Global Positioning System), a network of 24 satellites that became fully operational in the 1990s and was originally restricted for use by the United States military.
Essential Boat Buying Tips for First-Time Boat Owners
The first question that comes to mind when thinking about buying a boat is: what type of boat? There are more than 20 different kinds, of different sizes, for different purposes, and different pockets. So, your first step is to decide your boat type.
Pleasure craft safety equipment recommendations
Understanding marine sealants & adhesives
How to use tides and currents to your advantage
If you are contemplating a cruise through tidal waters and strong currents, then planning your trip carefully in advance is essential to enable you to take advantage of favourable tides rather than constantly fighting against them.
Marine toilets – care and maintenance
There are a number of different types of marine toilet, or heads. They fall into one of three categories – manual, electric and vacuum, the most common being the manual, hand pumped type. These have double acting piston-pumps which both discharge the waste and flush the toilet with sea water.
Boat engine cooling systems
Some boat engine breakdowns are unavoidable but those caused by lack of maintenance or regular checks can be avoided. Failure to maintain an engine’s cooling system is a well known example of this, so it is well worth spending time checking over the cooling system both when the boat is ashore and afloat.
Marine engine oil system maintenance
The regular maintenance of a marine diesel is key to preventing engine failure at sea. This means doing regular checks of the fuel, cooling, electrical and oil systems.
2023 Rolex Fastnet Race
Safe Skipper’s Simon Jollands took part in the 2023 Rolex Fastnet Race – a classic offshore sailing event. This is the first of several articles on the race and focuses on the start.
Sailing & Motoring in Fog
Boating emergency – how to broadcast a MAYDAY emergency call
Cleaning & polishing gelcoat topsides
The gelcoat topsides of a GRP boat can be pampered and restored to their former glory relatively easily when it is ashore. Gelcoat is only a very thin outer layer of the hull, often less than 1mm thick, so you should avoid cleaning it with highly abrasive cleaners, or an-ything that could potentially damage its surface.
Seasickness – how can you prevent it?
Peer to Peer yacht charter – How can you monetize your boat?
Weather forecasting resources and tips
All competent sailors need to have a good basic understanding of how to interpret a weather forecast. They also need to be able to interpret the actual conditions they are experiencing.
First aid at sea – four common emergencies
In this blog we look at what to do in the event of a crew member choking, drowning, or suffering from hypothermia or fatigue. Knowing how to cope with them could well save a life, while not knowing could result in an avoidable tragedy.
Galvanic and electrolytic corrosion
Galvanic corrosion is an electrochemical reaction between two or more different metals, in the presence of an electrolyte (note salt water is a good electrolyte).
Sailing Boat Rig Care
The rig of a sailing boat is put under huge stresses and strains so it is important for inspections of a yacht’s spars and rigging to be carried out at regular intervals.
VHF DSC radio – how best to communicate at sea
Boat batteries
Under-sized battery banks are one of the key factors behind power failure at sea, as well as the premature failure of batteries, so make sure that your boat battery measures up to the use you want to put it to.
Sailboat rig checks – Part 2
In part two of Sail boat rig checks we run through some useful rig maintenance tips and then finish with a brief look at what a professional rig check involves.
Boat Engine Safety Checks
Top five windvane self steering installation questions
Top five windvane self steering installation questions answered by Sarah Curry of Hydrovane International Marine, courtesy of Viki Moore from Island Cruising NZ
Fire safety advice at sea from the Marine & Coastguard Agency
The give-way hierarchy – sail boats and power boats
Who gives way to who at sea? Even seasoned sailors sometimes get this wrong and in a crowded harbour this can easily lead to a collision or at best considerable embarrassment for a boat that mistakenly thinks it has right of way over another.