Safety
Safety Guidelines and Hurricane Plan Template for Yacht Clubs
The Burgee Program by Gowrie Group is committed to helping yacht clubs and sailing organizations achieve and maintain the highest safety standards. We recommend that each year clubs review and update their Hurricane Plan and implement safety standards when preparing for their active season. When the club is in full operation, a live review should be conducted to make sure all standards have been successfully adopted and put into practice. Please review the below safety materials that The Burgee Program has developed specifically to help make sailing clubs safer places for all to enjoy. The Burgee Program is endorsed by US SAILING and is the only specialized insurance program for clubs and sailing organizations. If you would like a full copy of our Club Safety, Junior Sailing Safety, or Hurricane Activation Plan Template, please contact us at burgee@gowrie.com, 800.262.8911, www.burgeeprogram.com.
• Hurricane Activation Plan Template Read excerpt
• Dock Safety Guidelines Read more
• Yacht Club Safety Read excerpt
• Junior Sailing Safety Read excerpt
Bayview Yacht Club Safety Program
The Bayview Yacht Club shares their safety standards and guidelines.
Dinghy Safety Information and Resources
The following links to various resources dealing with dinghy capsizes that trap sailors underwater are provided to encourage informative discussions of some options that may be available. This list was provided by the JSA of Long Island Sound.
Royal Yachting Assn Report on Entrapments:
- During 2003/04 the RYA conducted research into the numbers and contributing factors of entrapments under capsized dinghies. As well as setting up an online reporting system, RYA looked at ways of preventing entrapments by examining boat design and developing and testing rescue techniques. In addition, air gap tests were conducted under a range of boats and discussions took place with the major dinghy manufacturers. The study reported the most common cause of entrapment was 60% getting ropes tangled around the body or limbs or getting caught on other control lines and straps. 30% involved some part of the trapeze harness. So the most effective rescue of a trapped sailor is to right the boat as rapidly as possible, regardless of the cause.
- More at: http://www.rya.org.uk/coursestraining/resources/tcresources/Pages/dinghyentrapments.aspx and click the PDF link on right side to download full report.
Orange Bowl Trapeze Safety Clinic:
- Coconut Grove Sailing Club hosted its 49th Annual Open Orange Bowl Regatta December 27-30, 2012. 29ers, International 420’s and Lasers were the invited classes, of which the first two are trapeze classes with young sailors. Consequently, in view of the timing as the first major trapeze class event following release of the US Sailing report about the Olivia Constants accident, it was appropriate to present the latest thinking about trapeze safety to the entrants, their coaches and parent.
Ball and Socket s vs. Hook style Trapeze Harness:
- Trapeze harness entanglement is a known cause for drowning or near death events in sailing. In the U.S., the drownings of a 420 crew this past summer and an 18 footer crew in 2008 were attributed to the trapeze harness. And when Scuttlebutt spoke to several elite skiff sailors, they believe harness accidents are far more common than is publicized. Skiff champion and designer Julian Bethwaite was so motivated by a personal experience to seek a solution. Here are his comments.
Club 420 Association Class Rules:
- Has various safety items in Section 4, but does not specify type of trapeze hook. More at http://www.club420.org/PAGES/Library/classRules.htm
Masthead flotation:
- May prevent or slow down inversions during instruction of inexperienced sailors, depending on adequate volume of water displaced by the float. Sailing centers in the UK often require masthead floats, although the RYA does not mandate them; see this sample policy: http://www.queenmary.org.uk/Data/Sites/1/2011qmscentrapmentandmhfpolicy.pdf
- Install two pool noodles, one on each shroud.
- Install a large plastic soda bottle or bleach bottle at top of mast
- Triangle sleeve of closed cell foam over headboard http://www.wayfarer-international.org/WIT/useful_skills_of_all_kinds/masthead.buoyancy/NAgroup_Masthead_Buoyancy.html
- 8 liter float, pre-inflated: http://www.apsltd.com/c-2709-optiparts-mastfloat.aspx
- 40 liter float, pre-inflated: http://www.ldcsailing.com/crewsaver-masthead-float-40litre.ir and photo of a fleet with these floats http://www.minorcasailing.co.uk/?q=image/masthead-float