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1) PERSONAL
PREPARATION.
Before going to sea all Cox’ns and Crew should be
in possession of RYA Powerboat 1 and Powerboat 2 qualifications.
Operating a Safety Boat
may be exciting, it may also be boring and cold and wet.
Crews should be aware of
the above possibilities and dress accordingly; a persons performance will
decrease rapidly as he or she gets cold and wet, diminishing the amount of
care and diligence they are able to provide for those for whom they are
providing Safety Cover. Crew members should wear warm clothing with
waterproof suit or overalls over, sailing Wellington boots or deck shoes
(non-slip soles) and a hat, probably with a peak. A towel or scarf is very
useful in wet or heavy weather to prevent water running down the neck.
Crewmembers who wear spectacles should consider a retaining cord to
prevent their loss, all crew members should consider the advisability of
sun glasses, these are very useful against glare in bright conditions,
they can also keep a proportion of salt water out of the eyes in heavy
weather
DEALING WITH
EMERGENCIES.
In dealing with any
emergency Cox’n and crew go through a three stage process, these stages
are;
1.
Assess the situation as a crew.
2.
Plan your response.
3.
React; put your plan into practice.
Remember; every sound plan has an escape route.
Your activities as a
Safety Boat crew member or Cox’n will inevitably bring you into contact
with emergencies involving small boats, board sailors, and, typically,
sailing dinghies. Never forget that your primary responsibilities are as
follows;
1. The
safety of your own craft and crew.
2. The
safety of people in difficulty.
3. The
safety of the craft in difficulty.
IN THAT ORDER.
Remember; when
on duty as Safety Boat Crew, it is entirely possible that one member of
the crew may be required to go into the water to assist a casualty. All
crews should be prepared to go into the water to assist and therefore be
dressed accordingly. All crewmembers WILL wear a correctly fitted and
functioning Lifejacket.
2) PRE-DUTY CHECKS.
BEFORE GOING TO SEA
.
Before commencing their
duty all Safety Boat crews should liase with Race Control and obtain
details of the course(s) to be used, weather forecast, numbers of boats
expected to race, and any other relevant information.
Before proceeding to sea
Safety Boat Crews are required to carry out the following checks on Safety
Boat and associated equipment;
1.
Outboard Motor: visual check of exterior of engine, control cables,
securing bolts.
2. Fuel
Tank: visual check of fuel level.
3. Fuel
Type: some engines run on fuel/oil mixture, some require unmixed fuel. Has
the boat got the correct fuel tank and fuel type.
4. Fuel
Water Separator (if fitted): Check for water in bowl, if water is present,
drain off by means of the bleed screw until neat fuel flows.
5. Fuel
Lines: connected correctly.
6.
Unlock seats and lockers as appropriate, and check contents.
7.
Equipment: check availability of; lines, fenders, anchor and warp, baler,
fire extinguisher, engine spares and tool kit, pump (if applicable),
compass, flares, torch, whistle, IC Flag ‘R’ charts (if applicable), first
aid kit, VHF radio, engine kill-cord.
8.
Equipment: check operation of VHF radio, navigation lights (if applicable)
9. Check
inflation of tubes, pump up as necessary. (RIB’s only)
ENGINE START-UP.
Most engines on Safety
Boats are Outboards.
All engines, especially
outboards, tend to have idiosyncrasies, peculiar to themselves, it is as
well to acquaint yourself with the characteristics of each engine prior to
attempting start-up.
1. Release
tilt lock, lower engine either manually or using power tilt if fitted.
2. Check
fuel, controls etc. (see above)
3. Fit engine
kill-cord to appropriate kill switch.
4. Pump up
fuel line to ensure carburettor is full using bulb on fuel line.
5. If a
manual choke is fitted, pull out the choke button. If an automatic choke
is fitted, ignore.
6. Check
that the gear control is in neutral. Most outboards have ‘start in
gear protection’ which will not allow the engine to start unless the
gearshift is in neutral, but not all.
7. Open
the throttle control; either use the static throttle control if fitted, or
operate the gearchange disconnect mechanism on the control box and move
the throttle to approx. half throttle.
8. Either
operate the electric start (key switch) if fitted, or if a pull start is
fitted, pull the starter cord two or three times. Do not snatch a pull
cord, take up any slack in the mechanism before attempting to start the
engine with a short sharp pull.
9. If an electric start engine does not start
at once, wait a minute or so before trying again. If a manual start engine
does not start after two or three attempts at pull starting, return the
choke to the ‘run’ position and try again, the engine should fire.
10. If an
engine fails to start, DO NOT start to dismantle the engine, the
probability is that the spark plugs have flooded with fuel. A few minutes
wait for the fuel to evaporate will probably cure the problem, if it does
not, advise Race Control and request assistance.
11.
Before getting underway, make sure that the engine kill cord is
attached to the Cox’n. It must remain so AT ALL TIMES.
12. If an
engine is equipped with electric start, the ignition key MUST be
separated from the kill cord, so that, in the event of the Helmsman going
overboard, the remaining crew are still able to drive the boat in order to
recover the helmsman.
Remember; your boat is driven by a high speed circular saw!
3)
COMMAND AND CONTROL.
Ultimately, responsibility for the management
of any race rests with the Principle Race Officer (PRO) or the Officer of
the Day (OOD).
The responsibility for the boat and crew
remains with the Cox’n at all times.
The PRO
or OOD will normally monitor all radio communications between safety boats
and will therefore be aware of all situations as they develop. A diligent
PRO or OOD will also consult with the Safety Boat Coxn’s by radio from
time to time as to course conditions and other matters which have an
effect on the management of a race.
It is the duty of Safety Boat Cox’ns to
inform the PRO or OOD promptly of any issue affecting safety.
It is the
duty of the PRO or OOD to request further assistance either from other
Safety Boats or from outside agencies if he/she thinks fit.
It is
entirely possible that a Safety Boat Cox’n will have to adopt a pro-active
role in a developing situation and declare a vessel a ‘casualty.’ Some
dinghy crews, especially the young or inexperienced, will not appreciate
that they are out of their depth, and it may fall to the Safety Boat Cox’n
to take charge of a developing situation in order that a more serious
emergency does not occur.
During an
incident involving a Safety Boat and a casualty, command of both vessels
is vested in the Safety Boat Cox’n. Casualty helm and crew will comply
with instructions of the Safety Boat Cox’n.
Command
of the casualty will not revert to the helm and crew until the Safety Boat
Cox’n is satisfied that the incident is completed and no further danger
exists.
OPERATIONAL
COMMUNICATIONS AND SAFETY.
A waterproof radio should
be carried at all times when afloat and radio checks should be completed
before putting to sea.
Once launched, and with
radio checks completed, Race Control will normally communicate regularly
with all Safety Boats. Failure to raise Race Control, or another Safety
Boat, either on installed radio or on portable radio for more than 5
minutes will necessitate the Safety Boat to return to base to contact Race
Control in person and obtain a replacement radio. If more than one Safety
Boat is operating crews should make every effort to communicate with their
opposite numbers at frequent intervals, this will not only ensure that
communications are maintained, but also that all boats are continually
briefing each other as to events on the water.
CO-OPERATIVE SAFETY.
Overall responsibility for
command and safety rests with the Cox’n but this in no way precludes the
Crew from safety responsibilities. TMSC has a policy of co-operative
safety that makes all crewmen responsible as lookouts, informing the Cox’n
of approaching craft and other dangers long before they become imminent.
It is the duty of the Cox’n to brief the crew before putting to sea, on
the nature of their task and the areas to be covered paying particular
attention to local knowledge of the area and the local danger spots.
LOAD DISTRIBUTION
AND STOWAGE.
Once launched, the Cox’n
will instruct the crew as to what is to be stowed, where, and how,
ensuring that all crew are fully briefed with regard to all equipment
carried on board, and how to deploy that equipment if required urgently.
Crew weight should be
distributed evenly. If seating exists for all crewmembers, then all crew
must be in the seating provided. If seating is not provided for all crew
then crewmembers will sit as directed by the Cox’n in such a way as to
ensure safe and comfortable operation of the boat, sitting ‘sidesaddle’ in
heavy seas may cause spinal injuries. Toe straps, if provided, should be
used at all times, and thumbs should not be held under handholds as
dislocation may be caused in heavy weather.
IF CREW IS SAT ON THE
SIDES OF A BOAT the Cox’n will treat all manoeuvres with extreme care and
caution; transits will be kept to slow planning speeds and NO high-speed
manoeuvres undertaken.
CREW COMMUNICATIONS.
Communications between
Cox’n and Crew at high speed are difficult due to wind and engine noise so
speed should be adjusted to make communications as easy as possible.
4)
VHF COMMUNICATIONS.
During Training and
operations, crews are entitled to operate VHF Radio ‘under supervision.’
This supervision is normally provided by PRO or OOD who will carry a VHF
Operating Licence. However, all crews should regard it as a necessary part
of their personal development and training to obtain a VHF Operators
Licence.
Safety Boats use VHF Radio
to communicate with each other and with the shore base station. VHF Radios
operate on a number of channels, two of which are of immediate interest to
Safety Boat Crew:
1. Channel
16: International Calling and Distress Channel; this channel need
only be used in a realtime emergency to
call HM Coastguard if
communications with Race Control fail.
2. Channel
37A: Also known as Channel M; this is the normal working
channel for most Safety Boat operations unless another
(normally private) channel is specified.
Most VHF radios are able
to transmit at two power levels;
1. Low
Power: 1Watt; normally enough for routine operations close to home, with a
range of about three miles.
2. High
Power: 25Watt; used if Low Power is inadequate or for realtime emergency
use when communications with HM Coastguard may be necessary.
Basic Rules
There are a few basic
rules which MUST be observed:
1. Always
listen before you call; if there is other radio traffic it is quite
possible that your transmission might blank out an important message.
Always wait for a break in transmissions before transmitting.
2. You
must not transmit false or deceptive distress, safety, or identification
signals
or transmit without identification and you must use your vessels
name or
callsign.
3. You must
not make unnecessary transmissions nor transmissions of
a
profane, indecent or obscene nature.
4. You must
not divulge the contents or existence of correspondence
transmitted, received or intercepted. The airwaves are private.
Voice Technique.
The need for clear speech
on a radio transmission should be obvious. Before you speak, have an idea
of what you are going to say, and how to say it. Keep the microphone a
short distance from your mouth and speak slowly at normal conversation
level.
Remember to press the
‘Press to Transmit’ switch BEFORE saying your first words, if you do not,
the first syllables of your transmission will be lost, this will probably
be the identity of the station you are calling.
Voice Procedure.
As the calling station;
1.
Always call the station to which you wish to speak:
“Mosquito Control this is Searider, over’’
(This call advises Mosquito
Control that you wish to speak to them and the expression ‘over’ invites a
reply.)
“Searider this is Mosquito Control, over’’
(This reply establishes
communications between the two stations, both know that they can hear each
other, and other users will be alerted to the fact that radio traffic is
about to take place.)
2.
Pass your message:
“Mosquito Control this is Searider, can you confirm the number of
boats competing in this race please, over.’’
3.
Listen for the reply:
“Searider this is Mosquito Control confirm 21 boats
competing in this evenings race, over’’
(The
expression ‘over’ invites confirmation that the message has been
received.)
4.
Confirm receipt:
“Mosquito Control this is
Searider, understand 21 boats
competing, thank you, out.’’
(The expression ‘out’ advises
the caller that no reply is necessary or
expected
and terminates the transmission.)
If at the initial attempt to establish
communications, a station does not answer when called, callsigns may be
repeated up to three times to attract the attention of the called party:
“Mosquito
Control, Mosquito Control, Mosquito Control, this is
Searider, Searider, Searider,
over.’’
Once communications have been established, revert to
the shortest possible callsigns, try to keep all transmissions as short
and to the point as possible. Once you have finished speaking, make sure
your finger is removed from the ‘press to transmit’ switch, if it is not
all other transmissions are liable to be blanked out.
If after calling, a called station does not answer
for whatever reason, the calling station transmits an end of transmission
message:
“Mosquito Control, this is
Searider, nothing heard, out.”
This message signifies, by
using the expression ‘out,’ that the transmission is terminated, and frees
the airwaves for other users.
Distress Messages.
Under normal circumstances there will be no
requirement for Safety Boat crews to summon outside assistance from either
HM Coastguard, Lifeboat or Ambulance, this task can be better performed by
Race Control once alerted of the need by the Safety Boat crew.
If it is ever necessary for a Safety Boat crew to
call for outside assistance there is an Internationally recognised format
for distress messages.
The preface to a message “Mayday, Mayday, Mayday’’,
which MUST, legally, be transmitted on Channel 16, indicates
to all listeners that a vessel, aircraft or person is threatened by
serious and imminent danger and requires immediate assistance. On hearing
a ‘Mayday’ call all routine traffic will cease to enable the emergency to
have free access.
Preface “Mayday, Mayday, Mayday.”
The calling (Distressed) station must:
a.
Identify itself. “This is Searider, Searider,
Searider”
b.
Confirm Status. “ Mayday, this is Searider”
c. State
Location. “ In Plymouth Sound, between Queens
Ground Bouy and
Picklecombe Fort”
d. State
the nature of the difficulty.
“Providing safety cover for dinghy race
have disabled dinghy in
tow and
injured
crew on board, suspect fractured
skull,
have lost engine power, being
driven
quickly onto a lee shore’’
e.
State the assistance required.
“Require immediate assistance, over.’’
A call of this nature will probably result in a reply
from HM Coastguard who will assume control of the incident and will
instruct all other traffic to stop pending the satisfactory completion of
the incident. HM Coastguard will co-ordinate rescue operations.
Incidents which do not
warrant such a degree of urgency may be prefaced with the call ‘Pan Pan,
Pan Pan, Pan Pan.’ Such a call indicates to all who hear it that a very
urgent message is to be transmitted which concerns the safety of a vessel,
aircraft or person.
All vessels hearing a ‘MAYDAY,’ or ‘PAN, PAN’
transmission are obliged, by Law, to respond if within range. Such a
transmission may result in many, even very large, vessels diverting to
assist.
A call containing the prefixes ‘Mayday,’ or ‘Pan
Pan’ should never be made unless the circumstances warrant the action
which will result from such a call.
5) OPERATING
PROCEDURES.
General Principles.
The purpose of a Safety
Boat is to provide Safety cover for vessels involved in racing or other
water borne activities. A Safety Boat is required to be in a position
where it can reach a casualty within two minutes, Safety Boat Cox’ns need
to position their boats to achieve this objective.
Whilst attending a
casualty it will clearly be necessary to operate within the racing area,
however, whilst observing, and after rendering assistance, the interests
of all will best be served if the Safety Boat stands a considerable
distance off from the fleet. From a distance the angle of observation will
be decreased and a greater number of boats can be observed at any one
time.
Crews should be aware that
it is impossible to observe anything directly into the sun. Cox’ns should
position their boats so that the sun is behind them. This is particularly
important when the sun is low, i.e. early morning or late evening.
Cox’ns and Crews should be
aware of the objectives of small boat sailors and the effects that the
close operations of Safety Boats may have.
Safety Boats cause a wash
at speed which may upset the sometimes delicate balance of a small sailing
dinghy. This is particularly important when operating with young or
inexperienced sailors, or with some high performance dinghies with
trapezes and asymmetric headsails.
In general, unless
involved in assistance to a casualty, stay as far away from sailing
dinghies as is practical.
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