Safety Briefing

For an emergency to take place, an event must have happened. Many of these events can be avoided through proper seamanship and knowledge as well as proper checks and crew briefing for each outing. By doing this it also helps you to establish command and confidence in your crew.

Since you have made it this far in this course, we commend you;  you have gained a significant amount of knowledge already to prevent or handle many such events.

Here is a downloadable Day Boating Check List document that you can put on your boat that gives you a final checklist on safety todo’s and items.

But also … what about new-to-your-boat crew? It is very important for the skipper to conduct a safety briefing for your crew prior to leaving the dock.

Crew Briefing

The below briefing items are duplicated in PDF format for you to print out and leave on your vessel for a checklist briefing.

CABIN

Safety

• Oven and Stove use instructions
• Location of propane shut-off
• Fire
  • Location of fire extinguishers
  • Location of fire blankets
  • Engine fire extinguisher port hole
  • Battery isolation switch in case of electrical fire
• First aid kit location
• Grab (ditch) bags
• Thermal Protective aids – hypothermia
• Flares
• VHF Emergency Use
• No wet bodies inside the cabin – slippery floors are dangerous
• Stowage of personal items

General

• Expected weather conditions
• No sand inside the cabin
• House tidiness rules: wet clothing, towels, food, cooler, bathrooms
• Hygiene –  Soap it up.
• Close hatches in the cabin when underway
• Close hatches in the salon when it rains at night
• Dealing with seasickness – take the helm – eat ginger.
• Shower pump switches
• Water pump switches
• Cabin light switches
• Head use – easy to block – keep clean – no skid marks 
• Don’t pump out when others are swimming, in marinas, or national parks (if applicable)
• Fresh Water tank switch-over
• Water conservation. Tell the captain when switching over the tank.
• Position of the windlass reset switch.
• One person other than the skipper should be knowledgeable of:
  • Cooker and gas
  • Radio use for distress
  • GPS use and navigation

ON DECK

Safety

• MOB
  • Man overboard routine. Follow my lead
  • MOB button on the chart plotter
  • Captain overboard. Appoint an able body prior to leaving the dock.
  • MOB lift aboard
  • Throwable lines and floatation device
• Life jacket location
• EPIRB
• Life Rings for MOB
• Life Raft
• Safety Harnesses
• Start and stop the engine and gears

General

• Procedures for fire, MOB, flooding
• Location of and how to do visual distress signals to other boats
• Procedure for heavy weather conditions
• Wind in fishing line when approaching an anchorage
• Bow-to-helm communication signals
• Pull the dinghy up to the boat when anchoring or mooring.
• Watch out for the dinghy painter before starting the engine
• Watch out for the dinghy painter before starting the engine (intentional repeat)
• Watch out for the dinghy painter before starting the engine (intentional repeat)
• Shorten dinghy painter when starting the engine, reversing, approaching a marina, anchoring or mooring
• Windlass use – let the boat do the work
• Watch elbows when starting the dinghy engine

DOCKING 

Safety

• Step, don’t jump between the dock and the boat
• Stereo off
• Watch out for dock lines in the water before starting the engine
• Line Handling – In particular – Rope burn: let it go – let it go

General

• Fender Clove Hitch and Fender placement
• Fending off the boat with roving fenders, not arms, legs, and hands
• The Cleat Hitch
• Follow my lead for dock line responsibility appointment
• Watch out for the dinghy painter before starting the engine and reversing

ANCHORING AND MOORING

• General procedure
• Windlass hazard with fingers