Safety!!!!!!!!!!!....

Sep 15, 2009
6,244
S2 9.2a Fairhope Al
.....Ok i see a lot of of good advice on here ...thanks to Phil and the gang..... it would be nice to have a thread on safety sense it is all to often taken for granite.....this is for ALL to comment on if you have a safety tip please share it.....it can be about any thing that relates to working on the boat electrical, mechanical, structural, cosmetic and last but not least rigging ( standing and running) in and out of the water....and make it fun and memrable...... thanks for your comments....

regards

woody
 
Nov 10, 2008
47
Hunter 25.5 Ossining
DO NOT CARRY YOUR PHONE in SHIRT POCKET!!!!!!!!What could fall in the water ,Will fall in the water. ô¿ô
 
Nov 8, 2010
11,386
Beneteau First 36.7 & 260 Minneapolis MN & Bayfield WI
Go to a USsailing Safety at Sea seminar.

Excellent material, great demonstrations, and sobering first-hand accounts. No matter how much you think you know, everyone learns something. We went to the one in San Diego this year. Seem every year the Bayfield one is on a absolutely gorgeous sailing day.

http://offshore.ussailing.org/SAS/Seminars/SAS_Calendar.htm
 
Feb 6, 2013
437
Hunter 31 Deale, MD
Watched a CG rescue episode on TV over the weekend. Pacific Northwest, four people in the water after capsize. The boat owner kept his handheld VHF with him and was able to direct the rescue chopper toward him, because he spotted it before it spotted them. Likely saved theirs lives because it dramatically reduced the search time. Hypothermia was already setting in.
 
Oct 25, 2011
576
Island Packet IP31 Lake St. Louis, Montreal
I'll second the Handheld VHF.

I did go over the side, on our lake, in the middle of the night many years ago (long story, swam to shore) and some way to communicate with the boat or rescuers would have been great.

Of course staying on the boat woudl have been even better, so, now I am always harnessed during the night or when on deck alone, with a working strobe and the handhelf VHF on me.

Cheers

Matt
 

gpd955

.
Feb 22, 2006
1,164
Catalina 310 Cape May, NJ
Check the weather before you go, learn how to read weather maps/pressures so you can anticipate changes, watch the sky, reef and secure the boat early!

Learn to read a chart and plot position. Do it when you don't need it so you can do it when you need it.

Know you boat inside and out!

Keep safety/emergency supplies near where they'll be needed and keep them accessible. (E.g. Plugs near through-hulls, fire extinguishers not buried in a locker)

Have a way back on the boat if you find yourself on the outside looking in.

I have an Emergency Operations Plan that I make guests browse while I prep the boat and before the pre-sail briefing. I work in Emergency Preparedness so it was a habit!
 
Jun 6, 2006
6,990
currently boatless wishing Harrington Harbor North, MD
Don't wear glasses when working leaning over the gunnel or aft.
ALWAYS keep a lookout posted.
Check behind you for commercial traffic, it moves at 20+ knots and can sneak up on you very quickly.
Practice your MOB drill with the least experienced crew member as the helmsman.
Reef when you think you should, not after it is too late.
Keep a weather eye out.
Keep spare belts filters and hoses/clamps for EVERYTHING that might need it.
Don't forget the sewing kit to repair sails at sea.
know the navigation lights for everything out there. test what does flashing red strobe indicate? It's a new designation that scares the heck out of me.
 
Mar 30, 2013
700
Allied Seawind MK II 32' Oologah Lake, Oklahoma
When working aloft keep your tools or anything else you could drop on lanyards.
 
Sep 15, 2009
6,244
S2 9.2a Fairhope Al
ok heres one ...when working on high voltage (120vac) always have some one with you just in case things go wrong.... you may need this person to bail you out or kill the power if it is live ...it is best not to work on high voltage when it is powered up but it has been know to happen.....

regards

woody
 
Jan 1, 2006
8,001
Slickcraft 26 Sailfish
1) Never work on the cabin top with the companionway hood open. Just don't do it.
2) Don't go in the lazarette with the hatch not restrained in the open position while alone on the boat. Take your cell phone anyway.
3) Two big guys shouldn't be on a floating dock together unless they're trained in ballet.
 

WayneH

.
Jan 22, 2008
1,121
Tartan 37 287 Pensacola, FL
When working aloft keep your tools or anything else you could drop on lanyards.
When working under, keep your tools on a lanyard. That way when the sheepheads spook ya you don't lose your tools. (ever been eyeball to eyeball with an 18" fish? :eek: )

When partying at anchor, make sure the boarding ladder is deployed.
 
Jan 19, 2010
12,938
Hobie 16 & Rhodes 22 Skeeter Charleston
...when working on high voltage (120vac) ...
And keep one hand in your pocket. If you accidentally ground a live wire, you don't want the surge to pass from one hand... through your heart and out the other hand. It is much better if the surge exits through your foot.
 
Jan 6, 2010
1,520
My first safety tip would be:

If you leave the dock knowing something is NOT right with your boat, the sea WILL find it at the worst possible moment.

CR