This is a copy/paste of the Archipelago Raid safety regulations. It's not that I intend to participate in that regatta, I just felt it is an excellent summary that applies to Wayfarer or any other small boat equally well. So here it is:

18.4 Safety equipment

A boat shall carry adequate life-saving equipment for all persons on board. Each competitor is individually responsible for wearing personal buoyancy adequate for the conditions.

 

18.4.1 Mandatory equipment per boat

- 1 GPS + extra batteries*

- 1 Compass

- 1 Waterproof handheld VHF*

- Paddle (at least one per boat) not longer than 1,6m

- 3 (2* + 1) Red parachute flares* (check the date of validity)

- 3 (2* + 1) Red hand-held flares* (check the date of validity)

- 1 Knife*

- 1 Waterproof flash light*

- 2 Waterproof and crush proof polyethylene containers (one small for 2 flares and one big for the rest of the equipment marked *)

- 1 Towing line (at least 12 m long, minimum 8 mm diameter, non-floating and with stretching quality rope). Gennaker sheet and floating rope will not be accepted.

- 1 Knife (diving knife type) with fixed and serrated blade and knife pocket.

 

18.4.2. Mandatory equipment per crewmember

- 1 Dry suit

- 1 Mobile phone in waterproof pocket*

- 1 Survival cover

- 1 Strobe light + extra batteries*

- 1 First aid compress

- 1 Life jacket and whistle

 

18.4.3. Highly recommended equipment

- Individual EPIRB (1)

- You are going to sail at 60 degrees north. The nights and the water can be cooooold!!! Choose good clothing.

 

*Has to be stored in the big water-proof and crush-proof container in hard shell. The container has to be strongly attached to the boat at an easy accessible place when the boat is sailing and in a capsized position.

One red parachute flare and/or one red hand-held flare have to be attached on each crew life jacket or stored in a small water-proof and crush proof container. It has to be fixed under the trampoline, in an accessible place when the boat is in a capsized position.

 

The diving knife with pocket has to be attached strongly on the front side of the front cross beam.

 

Between sunset and sunrise, each crewmember has to wear the strobe light around his arm or on the life jacket.

 

A safety equipment control will be organized before the start of the Raid. The deadline to complete the equipment control will be communicated later.

 

There could be an inspection of all required equipment before the start from each headquarters.

 

19 – Navigation lights

The navigation light has to be white, water-resistant and powerful enough to make the boat visible over 2 nautical miles. It has to be strongly attached on the top of the mast.

From the sunset to the sunrise all boats have to be perfectly visible all the time.

During the safety control before the start, the organisation will check your installation.

If, for technical reason your navigation light is not in order for part of the leg, you have to inform the organisation team (security boat or main HQ) as soon as possible by VHF or mobile phone.

The penalty for failing to use the navigation light as determined in the rules may be disqualification for the leg.

Controls can be done before the start of each HQ.