How to Avoid Collisions At Sea with ColRegs
by Stuart Batley | Boat Handling, Navigation, Preparation
Every Skipper Needs Accurate Knowledge of the IRPCS ColRegs As a responsible skipper it is every skipper’s duty to learn and apply the IRPCS ColRegs. How To Avoid Collisions at sea Accurate...
Sailing Safely at Night – Best Practice
by Safe Skipper | Boat Handling, Communications, Crewing skills, Emergencies, Navigation, Yacht ownership
Sailing at night can be a magical experience – the peaceful solitude, starry skies, and gentle lapping of waves create an unforgettable atmosphere. However, nighttime sailing also presents unique challenges and risks that require careful preparation and vigilance. This comprehensive guide will cover essential safety practices to ensure your nocturnal nautical adventures are both enjoyable and secure.
ESSENTIAL BOATING APPS >>

Safe Skipper App – a practical guide to managing risk at sea
Fast access to essential boating tips, emergency guidance & MAYDAY call support. Record vessel details & crew information. Save favourites & location. Be better prepared!

US Inland Navigation Rules App
Complete Inland Navigation Rules for all U.S. inland waters and the Great Lakes.
With 100+ specially produced explanatory illustrations and captions, for all recreational and commmercial vessels navigating US intracoastal waterways and the Great Lakes.

ColRegs: Navigation Lights & Shapes App
Provides skippers and crew of sailboats, power boats and commercial vessels worldwide with a quick reference tool to identify vessels in their vicinity and the activities they are engaged in.

Knot Bible App - Knots Made Easy
Learn the 50 essential boating knots for mooring, anchoring and rigging, with step-by-step photos, save favourites, search, clear instructions and practical Knot Scores.

ColRegs: Buoys & Lights App
All the essential quick reference knowledge you need to quickly recognise and interpret the buoys and the light markers and improve your overall boating skills and safety on the water.
As specified by the International Association of Lighthouse Authorities (IALA) Systems A & B.

Boating First Aid at Sea App
This app provides rapidly accessible guidelines for dealing with medical emergencies in a small boat or yacht at sea.
As well as detailing medical procedures the app also provides information on emergency communications.
Take a look at the new features!

ColRegs: Rules of the Road App
All the boating Rules of the Road in our essential quick reference boating app. Search the rules, Save Favourites, continue studying and test yourself! Used by seafarers worldwide.

Start Sailing: Yachts App
Learn the essentials of yacht sailing with 100+ expert illustrations, useful crewing tips, quick search, save favourites, quizzes and reliable offline access.

ColRegs: 3 App Complete Collection
The ColRegs Complete Collection brings together three highly visual reference, learning and revision apps for skippers and crew of sailboats, powerboats, fishing boats and commercial vessels.
Stern gear maintenance
The stern gear of a boat needs to be checked carefully when the boat is ashore as this is something that can only be done when it is out of the water. The same applies for any maintenance and repairs that may need doing, so it is best to check it all over as soon after an end of season lift out as possible.
Boat surveys
Wooden Hull Repairs
While wooden boat hull maintenance is mostly straightforward, it is always a good idea to take expert advice on any repair job needed doing to a wooden boat, unless you have done the job before and know what you are doing.
Winch Servicing
Sailing & Motoring in Fog
Understanding boat engines
Irrespective of what kind of engine a boat is equipped with and who does the work, the regular care and maintenance of a marine engine is essential. The most common cause of marine engine failure is widely known to be lack of maintenance.
The give-way hierarchy at sea – who gives way to whom?
Pre-start engine checks
According to the Royal National Lifeboat Institution (RNLI) almost one third of emergency call outs at sea are caused by mechanical failure. Many engine breakdowns are avoidable. The best way to avoid a breakdown is to carry out pre-start checks before heading out to sea.
Going aground – what to do if it happens to you
When a yacht runs aground, it can be a stressful situation, especially on a falling tide in an exposed position with a swell running. There are several steps you can take to address the situation in order to ensure the safety of your vessel and its occupants. Here are some tips should this happen to you.
Tidal terms and definitions
Getting to grips with tidal terms and definitions can seem a little daunting, even to the most experienced sailors! Here we look at some of the key terms and definitions associated with the language of tides.
Distress flares – which flare, how & when to use?
How to trim a genoa sail
I recently had two new sails made by Sanders Sails, based in Lymington UK. The first to arrive was the new genoa and it took me a little while to get to know it and learn how to adjust it correctly. Here is an aide memoire for getting to know how to trim a genoa so that it will deliver the best performance.
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.
What boating skills should you have before you buy a yacht?
Essential Knots: Round turn and two half hitches
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.
Preparing for sailboat cruising
Preparing for a sailing trip entails a lot of planning. In this blog, we take a look at some of the many safety aspects that a skipper needs to consider before heading off on a cruise.
You Need To Understand The IRPCS ColRegs To Pass Your Yachtmaster, Master of Yachts and Coxswain Certificate of Competence
Boat Handling – anchoring
Essential Boat Safety Briefing
Keel maintenance and repair – Part 1
Keels are designed to act as underwater foils that generate lift as the boat moves through the water, counteracting the leeward force of the wind and enabling the boat to sail closer to the wind. Keel maintenance and repair is essential for the performance of your boat.
Keel maintenance and Repair – Part 2
If you have ever witnessed a boat colliding with a rock or other submerged obstacle you will know that there is an almighty thump and the whole boat shakes and judders. While such hard groundings seldom result in catastrophic keel failure, something has to give and even the sturdiest keels can easily be damaged by such an impact.
The Round The Island Race 2023
This year’s Round the Island Race turned out to be a really thrilling and competitive event. 1100 boats entered the race, which took place on Saturday 1st July. The race started from the world famous Royal Yacht Squadron line in Cowes UK, with the largest and fastest boats starting first, leaving the rest of us to wait our turn.
ColRegs – avoiding collisions at sea
Cleaning & polishing painted 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.
Welcome to the Safe Skipper website.
Safe Skipper is run by boating enthusiasts who also have a background in publishing and TV production, design and app development. As well as creating great content for the website, we’ve developed a range of popular boating apps that allow you to get safely out on the water whilst having essential information to hand, covering International ColRegs: Nav Lights & Shapes, Rules of the Road, Buoyage & Lights to knot tying, nautical chart symbols and first aid at sea – all information available to you when on the water, on your phone or tablet, when you need it.
We’re regularly adding new articles to the site, hope you’ll bookmark us and visit again soon.
Before you go, scroll down to our boating quizzes and check your boating knowledge!
Fractures, sprains and dislocations at sea
Moving about a boat at sea often results in a few knocks and bruises, but if a crew member has a fall or major bump and is in serious pain, they should be examined and treated accordingly.
How to improve a yacht’s upwind performance
There are several ways to improve the upwind performance of a sailing yacht. Read on for some useful tips including headsail reefing, heavy weather jibs and motor sailing.
Boat electrics
All boat owners should have a basic knowledge of electrics, both to avoid encountering electrical problems at sea and to stand a chance of solving them should they occur.
Boat Handling – anchoring
Antifouling for leisure boats – Part 2
To prepare for antifouling, as soon as your boat has been lifted out and pressure washed, you need to check all the surfaces of the hull below the waterline, remove any remaining barnacles and check for blisters.
Boat maintenance – what does it involve?
The maintenance of a boat involves things like cleaning, varnishing, painting, polishing, antifouling, servicing the engine, servicing the seacocks, and maintaining the gas and plumbing systems. It all amounts to a fairly considerable amount of work that can’t be ignored if you are to keep your boat in a safe and good condition.
Rudders and steering systems – Part 1
Rudders and steering systems. A rudder is one of the most critical parts of a boat. Rudder failure is a common occurrence on neglected or overworked boats and a very unpleasant and potentially dangerous thing to happen when you are out at sea.
Medical Emergency at Sea
Boat Engine Failure – what to check
Navigation safety: a quick-reference mobile app to learn the ColRegs NavLights and Shapes
I have just downloaded and am using ColRegs Nav Lights & Shapes app, a brilliant training and reference device
Instructor
Beautifully produced and very simple to use, a cool learning tool
Sailor
Nav Lights & Shapes app – downloaded by 1000s of seafarers worldwide. Just one of our popular boating apps to download from the appstores for Apple and Android devices.
How to tackle osmosis
Distress flares – which flare, how & when to use?
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.
A simple guide to understanding tides when passage planning
Sailing Safely at Night – Best Practice
Sailing at night can be a magical experience – the peaceful solitude, starry skies, and gentle lapping of waves create an unforgettable atmosphere. However, nighttime sailing also presents unique challenges and risks that require careful preparation and vigilance. This comprehensive guide will cover essential safety practices to ensure your nocturnal nautical adventures are both enjoyable and secure.
You Need To Understand The IRPCS ColRegs To Pass Your Yachtmaster, Master of Yachts and Coxswain Certificate of Competence
An explanation of the IALA maritime buoyage systems – IALA A and IALA B
VHF DSC radio – how best to communicate at sea
Boat electrics inspection checklist
With the boat ashore, here are some recommendations for carrying out a boat owner electrics inspection. Safety is always paramount so remember to do the checks with the batteries off. Wearing a head torch helps, make notes as you go and only tackle a repair if you are 100% sure you know what you are doing:
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.
ColRegs Rule 14 – Head-on Situation
Preparing for sailboat cruising
Preparing for a sailing trip entails a lot of planning. In this blog, we take a look at some of the many safety aspects that a skipper needs to consider before heading off on a cruise.
Top 5 Reasons Why an Inflatable SUP Should Be Your Next Yacht Accessory
Sending distress signals
In an emergency situation at sea, it is a top priority is to know how to send and receive emergency radio calls and alert others of your predicament. Likewise, if you receive a distress signal, you must be ready to go to the help of others.
Peer to Peer yacht charter – How can you monetize your boat?
Understanding marine sealants & adhesives
Sail trimming for cruisers
Sail trimming tips for cruisers. Whether racing or cruising, a well tuned boat will sail faster and tend to heel less than a boat with badly adjusted sails.
Rudders and steering systems – Part 3
In the third of our three blog articles on rudders and steering systems, we look at how to replace rudder bearings and repair a water-saturated core.
Points of Sailing
Boat electrics
All boat owners should have a basic knowledge of electrics, both to avoid encountering electrical problems at sea and to stand a chance of solving them should they occur.


