Overview

Sailing provides an opportunity for participants to experience an activity that has been culturally significant for many hundreds of years and whose terminology has become fixed in common vocabulary. We use dinghies and keelboats which enable different levels of challenge, independence or team work.

Keelboats

Pre-session:

Equipment:

Complete the checklist below to ensure boat is ready for use.

Make sure the bilges are pumped out.

Check the engine has sufficient fuel and runs.

Sail activity leaders should be carrying a VHF, whistle and suitable knife in addition to that in the safety pack.

Ensure that you have made yourself aware of the weather forecast, tides and likely conditions during the session and that you have considered an appropriate balanced sail plan for the aims and level of the expected participants.

Participant:

Buoyancy aids or lifejackets for all participants.

Have waterproof/windproof layers available - participants wearing appropriate clothing for conditions.

Standard practice is for all sailors to be wearing footwear to provide both grip and foot protection.

Long hair should be tied back/up and items of clothing/jewellery that may become entangled in winches or pulley blocks removed or made safe.

During the session:

Getting participants on board:

Transfer from boat:

Standard practice would be to have the keelboat stopped on a mooring or at anchor. If sails are raised, sheets are fully loosened and rudder is secured or held by a competent person who is not involved in the transfer.

Where transfer must be made without the keelboat fixed, it will heave-to and the rudder will be minded by a competent person. The Sail Activity Leader will monitor the progress of the keelboat during the transfer, mindful of movement towards any hazards.

In both cases, the transfer boat will be secured alongside, engine off. Participants should normally board underneath the guard rail.

Transfer from pontoon:

Keelboat secured fore and aft to the pontoon with fenders deployed as appropriate.

If any possibility of boom swinging across boat during transfer, main lowered.

On J80s, consider lowering guard rail to facilitate access. Ensure no-one leans on it until resecured.

Participants made aware of dangers of getting limbs between pontoon and boat. Appropriate places to step, sit and to hold for stability identified.

Safety Briefing

There should be a briefing for all participants each time that new people board the vessel. With experienced people, the briefing might take the form of question and answer, however regardless of whether they have been on the boat before, the activity leader must ensure that all are aware of key safety information.

Typical boat briefing

Where to sit, what to hold on to, keep hands inside boat

If moving around, principle of one hand for you and one for boat.

What will be happening when on the water

How to communicate with the skipper

What to do in an emergency (MOB, medical, helm incapacitated)

Location of radio and how to use it

Where the equipment is and how to use

How to signal for help

Correct fitting and operation of lifejackets/buoyancy aids

Role in emergencies

Straps

Location of first aid kit

Posture, bumps

Hazards of winches and boom

How to organise the jib sheets – dangers of flogging sheets and clew.

Planned route/expected conditions

Moving around the boat

Crew and boat management

Minimum qualification for skipper when participants are onboard is a keelboat sign-off. It is desirable for this to be supported by the possession of an RYA Keelboat Instructor qualification or a Dinghy/Cruising qualification with appropriate experience.

An RYA Senior Instructor should be present at the venue and available to advise the Event Duty Officer.

Crew with training, can provide the skipper with valuable support, helping participants and with manoeuvres such as coming alongside the pontoon. Standard practice will be to operate with skipper and crew.

If skipper is to operate single-handed then assessment should be made of risks including weather conditions, participants, availability of support in emergency from other powerboats. Volunteers without appropriate training or experience should be considered as participants.

Carers/supporters for participants should be specifically briefed on their role in an emergency. This should be confirmed on each occasion that they take part.

Hawks will not operate without additional support from a powerboat of sufficient size to take all it’s crew on board. Another keelboat ‘buddy’ is not sufficient.

J80’s may operate independently following appropriate consideration using the RYA Keelboat Flowchart. They will require an engine, a skipper with additional sign off and authorisation from the event duty officer (who must not be on board)

When two or more keelboats are operating as a fleet with a single safety boat, they should remain together. A fleet leader should be nominated.

Keels on Hawks held down using sheet and cleat when under sail

Deck hatches should be closed.

Sailing Area:

Consider wind direction and strength avoiding lee shores, exposed areas in high winds, and obstructed and gusty areas in light and moderate winds.

Gybing:

Ensure that you give clear instruction before and during the gybe, reminding students where to sit and when to move.

If you are taking control to gybe, consider moving the student helm to the new side before gybing.

Ensure that the mainsail is sheeted in.

Make sure that the area around the falls is clear in case you have to sheet out rapidly following an over-steer.

If in doubt, tack!

Mooring:

When returning to a mooring, there is no heroism in sailing on to the mooring risking loss of control, particularly when short-handed or in strong tidal flow. If in doubt have the engine running and use it as required. Also ask for assistance from the safety boat.

Post Session:

Boats on moorings, double strop

Hawks - keels and rudders lifted

J80 - rudder fixed

Engines raised

Bilges pumped

Issues reported

Dinghies

Pre-session:

Volunteers:

The minimum qualification for Activity Lead is a dinghy lead sign-off. It is desirable for this to be supported by the possession of an RYA Dinghy Instructor qualification or a Keelboat qualification with appropriate experience.

Other volunteers may be signed off appropriately to assist as crew, helm or safety boat. The Lead instructor should not be responsible for more than 6 boats or 9 people in total.

An RYA Senior Instructor should be present at the venue and available to advise the Event Duty Officer.

Equipment:

Complete the checklist below to ensure boat is ready for use.

Check the safety boat engine has sufficient fuel and runs.

Sail activity leaders should be carrying a VHF, whistle and suitable knife in addition to that in the safety pack.

Ensure that you have made yourself aware of the weather forecast, tides and likely conditions during the session and that you have considered an appropriate balanced sail plan for the aims and level of the expected participants.

On land, be mindful of booms swinging, particularly in shifty conditions, ensure boats are chocked/unable to be blown around

Check rigging

Use buoyancy bags?

Participant:

Standard practice is for all participants to be wearing appropriately fitted buoyancy aids. If lifejackets are to be used instead then an additional risk assessment will be required considering measures taken to reduce the potential of capsize and entrapment.

Have waterproof/windproof layers available - participants wearing appropriate clothing for conditions.

Standard practice is for all sailors to be wearing footwear to provide both grip and foot protection.

Long hair should be tied back/up and items of clothing/jewellery that may become entangled in winches or pulley blocks removed or made safe.

Helmets should be offered as standard for beginners. If not used then the instructor must ensure participants/carers are aware of the risk of injury due to boom and design activity to minimise chance of inadvertent gybe.

Safety Briefing

There should be a briefing for all participants each time they go sailing. With experienced people, the briefing might take the form of question and answer, however regardless of whether they have sailed before, the activity leader must ensure that all are aware of key safety information.

Typical boat briefing

Brief students on how to move boats on land, avoiding swinging booms.

What to do in an emergency (MOB, medical, helm incapacitated)

Location of group safety equipment including radio.

Group signals including ‘come to me’, ‘go home’ and how to signal for help

Entrapment

Appropriate course setting to avoid accidental gybe