Over the past year or so I've moved most of my blogging efforts over to my S/V Peregrine Charter website and blog. One of the things that I've been looking at lately is how to be a better, safer sailor. This includes preparation of the boat as well as crew skills. One of the resources that I've relied on heavily is the World Sailing Offshore Special Regulations. They provide extensive discussion about how to prepare a boat and crew for anything from coastal races to the most challenging of offshore conditions. Section 6 describes training crew training and there are two items that are considered required at every level as routine training that should be practiced at least annually.
The Offshore Special Regulations have a slightly higher requirement (2 kg of dry power is a B-II type extinguisher):
- Crew-Overboard Recovery
- Abandonment of Vessel
I personally believe that the one other topic that deserves crew practice is fire fighting. Just as with a crew-overboard situation, time is critical. A small fire that might be contained can rapidly develop into a boat consuming inferno that would force the crew to abandon ship.
Boat US published a good article on boat fires a few years ago that included a table of the federally required fire fighting equipment.
Fire Extinguisher Minimum Carriage Requirements
| Vessel Length | No Fixed System | With Approved Fixed System |
|---|---|---|
| Source: A Boater's Guide to the Federal Requirements for Recreational Boats, United States Coast Guard | ||
| Less than 26 feet | 1 B-I | 0 |
| 26 Feet to Less Than 40 Feet | 2 B-I or 1 B-II | 1-BI |
| 40 Feet or 65 Feet | 3 BI or 1 B-I and 1-B-II | 2 B-I or 1 B-II |
For Category 3 Races (Races across open water, most of which is relatively protected or close to
shorelines.)
4.05 Fire Fighting Equipment
4.05.1 A fire blanket adjacent to every cooking device with an open flame
4.05.2 2 fire extinguishers, each with 2 kg each of dry powder or equivalent, in
different parts of the boat
I personally have opted to go one step further aboard Peregrine (a 45 foot boat) having 2 B-II and one B-1 extinguisher. When looking at the layout I couldn't put an extinguisher close at hand so that I could grab an extinguisher to fight a fire from wherever in the boat I happened to be when the fire was discovered.
To pull all three of the training topics together in a fun way, I've outlined a "Sailing Safety Race" that could be put on by Yacht Clubs or other organizations to promote the improvement of crew skills.
