BoatProject - Blog , Safety

Splash Time - Safety First

Thu, 09 May 2024 15:45:00 +0000

Up North, boating season is starting. Before you pull away from the dock, check these things...

Getting your boat ready to splash (and get everything done to fit in the boatyard's launch schedule), you'll be excited once the boat is in the water waiting for you to sail her to her slip or mooring ball.

But Wait! Before you pull away, check these things first. You might be excited to get going, but it's best to check the boat while it can still be pulled out quickly if there is something amiss.

So, before pulling away, check these things:

Through-hull fittings. Check that every place there is a hole in the boat, there is no leak. The valves to the through hulls for your head intake, sink out flow, galley sink out (and in if you have a foot pump), air conditioning intake and outflow.

But that's not all - your depth finder and knotometer also should be checked to make sure they weren't knocked loose and/or leaking.

Next, check the engine compartment. The water intake (should be open to run the engine) and the muffler exhaust valve (if you have one) should also be open. Obviously, neither should be leaking. Then check your prop shaft. Your stuffing box should drip a bit, but not a lot.

Check the bilge; flip the float switch and make sure the bilge runs.

Almost there... Make sure your throw ring is mounted and your PFDs are accessible, your vhf radio is working, and other safety equipment checks out. It's no fun getting boarded as you are making your way to your slip for the first time only to get cited for not having your safety equipment out and updated.

You're ready to go! Make sure you have no lines in the water, your engine is ejecting water out the back, and have a safe and fun boating season!

Note that there is a splash template in BoatProject that you can refer to and check off items as necessary. It is more detailed than this blog and includes "pre-splash" items. Try BoatProject with all the bells and whistles for one month; then decide to subscribe or just use the free version moving forward.

If you have any comments, feel free to post below. If you want to try BoatProject™ membership free for a month (no credit card required) so you can take a look at the templates, click this link or visit our website.

Thanks, and happy boating! Rich

Is Your Anchor Ready in Case of an Emergency? Ours Wasn't.

Tue, 12 Sep 2023 05:37:22 +0000

Your anchor can be a lifeline keeping your boat safe when things go wrong.

Labor Day weekend is a time when we do an annual sail because of the long weekend. It seems, though, that on every Labor Day sail something goes awry.

Our latest Labor Day sail had a few issues/challenges that we'll post in a later blog. However, a "wake-up" call came late in the day just outside the mouth of Portsmouth, NH harbor. That reminder is: always be sure that you can drop your anchor at a moments notice.

First, I was on a friend's boat. Her boat is well maintained and she is very safety conscious. Her anchor roller was pretty bent up (she purchased the boat this way) so there was no way to keep an anchor on the roller. There were other issues requiring work that had been more pressing, so the anchor roller was low on the priority list.

Just as we were outside Portsmouth dropping our sails, we went to start the engine. It ran for a bit and then stopped. We started it again, and again, it ran for a bit and then stopped. Then my friend yelled that she couldn't get it into neutral to start it again.

I rushed below to check the transmission linkage. She went to the bow and started to deploy the anchor that was (what we thought) neatly stowed.

We were near Kitt's Rock and getting pushed/blown towards it. I got a wrench on the shifter at the transmission and got it into neutral. I went above, started the engine and as soon as I put it into gear, I could feel the engine grab and stop. We either had a transmission problem or we fouled the prop. (note: we had a scope on board that was waterproof; we later lowered it over and confirmed we fouled the prop.)

I ran forward to help with the anchor. We were trying to untangle the mess of rode that had been neatly put into a bag; it seemed like forever to get enough rode cleaned to drop the anchor while I watched how close the rocks were. We were able to clean about 90 feet of rode to drop the anchor. The anchor hit bottom and, fortunately, grabbed and held. We cleated it off and worked on cleaning the rest of the rode so we could add scope. We added more scope (it was pretty wavy) and once we were held fast (in a pretty busy area on a very busy weekend), we took a breath.

We called TowBoatUS and they got to us and towed us in (a story for another blog; the current at this time was ripping fast. Portsmouth is known for its challenging current and we lost our slack-tide window). By the way, that guy (Brian) was a rock star in getting us towed in while we were towing a dinghy, fighting a nasty current, managing a bridge raise, and parking us between two other boats. He also arranged a diver to free our prop since we didn't have diving gear. We owe you a beer, my friend.

So, the lesson learned here is to make sure that you can drop anchor at a moment's notice. It could be the difference between an "issue" and a catastrophe. I also suggest you try it to make sure your rode pays out OK. Those minutes untangling a mess is a real heart racer!

We did re-pack the anchor rode and flaked it instead of coiling it. This is similar to how you pack the rode for a drogue; flaking is laying the line in and going from side to side versus in a circle when packing it. It should pay out easily when deployed. We'll be testing this just to make sure so that next time (and there's always a next time!) we can drop anchor fast when needed. And, of course, we need to address that anchor roller...

So test that you can drop your anchor quickly. I also suggest that you have a way to secure your anchor when on the roller so it doesn't slip and bang your bow (that happened to me just after getting the bow gelcoat fixed. Ugh!) I put a shackle connected to a rope secured to the boat that could easily be released when necessary. I found that faster than having to untie a line before dropping the anchor.

I hope you found this helpful. Let me know if I missed anything by commenting below.

Happy and Safe Boating! -- Rich

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If something bad happens on the boat, do your passengers know what to do?

Wed, 16 Aug 2023 15:29:00 +0000

Before leaving the dock with passengers, you need to brief them on how to be safe and what to do in an emergency

If something bad happens on the boat, do your passengers know what to do? What if you get hurt, or worse, go overboard?

Prevention is the best tactic for minimizing and reducing risks. Keeping people from getting hurt in the first place is much better than having to deal with injuries or other emergencies. And, you want people to have fun and enjoy the experience.

So, before I leave the dock, I get everyone together and go through my "safety speech". It is simple, yet important, and sets expectations of what's ahead. Here is how it goes:

"As we get underway, I want to make sure this is a fun, but safe trip, so I am going to go through a few things that you need to know. Hopefully, most of the items won't be needed, but we should be prepared in case of an emergency."

Then I go through the following. (After a few trips out, it gets to be second nature. In fact, I sometimes have my kids give it to ensure THEY are solid on it.)

1) I note how many fire extinguishers there are and WHERE they are located. Note: fire extinguishers' purpose is to buy you time to save yourself and others, not the boat. Important distinction.

2) I point out where the life preservers (PFDs) are located. I also ask everyone if they would feel more comfortable wearing one and that there is no shame in it. I wear one for safety and to cover my bases in case the crew decides NOT to pick me up in the event I go overboard.... :)

3) I address what happens in a Man Overboard situation: if someone goes over, everyone yells "Man Overboard" and points to the person in the water and does NOT stop pointing or taking their eyes off the person. The captain or the next designee will then give orders to specific people to get the boat stopped, to press the MOB button on the chart plotter, and to call in a "pan pan" to the Coast Guard. I stress that you can't joke about this because any nearby vessels who hear a shout of "man overboard" are obligated to help. At this point in the talk, I designate the next person or two in charge in the event I become incapacitated.

4) I explain how to get around the boat safely: three points of contact when moving about the boat. Two hands and a foot; a hand, foot and backside, etc. Also, show them where they should grab hold and where NOT to grab hold for support. If on a sailboat, always move on the high side (the side without the sail).

5) I explain how to safely go below: always go down the gangway (ladder) backwards i.e. facing the ladder and holding on. Going down forward during an unexpected wave can cause great injury to your back and neck.

6) On sailboats, I caution about always keeping low and out of the way of the boom. If they ever hear "Duck" to immediately duck vs. thinking about why someone is yelling "duck". That instant hesitation could be the difference of something not whacking you in the head vs. something severely injuring or killing you.

7) I point out where the first aid kit is located.

8) I talk about illness and feeling seasick: if you feel seasick, let me know so I can get you some relief or return to shore. Note that heat stroke can look a lot like sea sickness, so be on the lookout and make sure people are drinking liquids (non-alcoholic ones for hydration). Here is a link to heat exhaustion and signs of heat stroke.

Last, I ask (jokingly) "Did you sign up for the Booze Cruise or the Adventure Sail? The Booze Cruise means that you just want to relax and have a drink and enjoy the ride. The Adventure Sail means you want to handle the lines and be more involved." This way I can best assess how to make it an enjoyable trip for all.

At some point, we usually need to instruct passengers on how to properly use the head and where the cold drinks are.

If you use BoatProject™, there is a template with these listed called "Safety Briefing" that you can copy and customize to your needs. Once you have it down you can mark it complete or just delete it.

I hope you found this helpful. Let me know if I missed anything by commenting below.

Happy and Safe Boating! -- Rich

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What's a "go" bag? Hint: it is NOT a ditch bag

Thu, 20 Jul 2023 03:29:38 +0000

Sailing on other people's boats means that you are relying on them to have all the appropriate safety equipment. My experience led me to create a "go" bag that I have with me whenever I go boating.

Most everyone has heard of, or knows what a ditch bag is. It's that bag you want ready in the event you abandon ship. (If you want to know what goes in one, there is a "ditch bag" template in BoatProject.) I created a "go" bag with what I feel is necessary so I know that I'll be safe when I go on other people's boat. Here is what I mean by that.

As most of you are likely aware, the boating community is very friendly. Many times I am invited to go out with someone, sometimes last minute. I jump on and away we go only to find that I am very nervous. Why? Because not all boats will have a VHF radio. How do you call for help or signal another ship? Or a pair of binoculars. Or a first aid kit. Most boats have most items, some have all. For me, I want to know that I am self-reliant when it comes to managing my own safety.

Every item I keep in my "go" bag is there because I got burned at one point or another. A couple of items just make sense. So let me list what I keep in a very small duffel bag (that I got from Sailor Bags) that I take with me sailing always. In fact, I don't leave it on my boat in case I head directly to someone else's boat in a different marina; I keep it with me at home and transport it back and forth.

PLB - Personal Locator Beacon. Not overly expensive; it will send a signal up to satellites with my position and a distress call. I have never (thankfully) had to use it, but I'm not going to be one of those lost at sea with no one having any idea where I am.
Hand-held VHF radio - This is a good backup for boats that have one (especially if they don't have one in the cockpit and you have to hail the marina for your slip assignment) and a must-have for boats that don't have one. I keep the charger with it in case I need to top up the batteries.
Sailing knife - ropes are made by twisting strands and, thus, will coil around extremities. Having a sailing knife with you (and on you connected with a lanyard) is not only handy, but can cut you loose if you get tangled in a line or need to cut a line free in an emergency. This comes out of the bag and attaches to my belt every sail. Once I'm back on shore, it goes back in the bag.
Small First Aid Kit - I like knowing that if I need some first aid, the supplies are there, in good condition, and not expired. I added some ibuprofen, Benadryl (for allergic reactions), and seasick meds. Not a lot of each as I rarely need them, but I'm glad they are there when I do.
Flashlight - I grab it when jumping in the dinghy. Too many times I hear, "we'll be back before dark" and then find that my flashlight is what gets us back to the boat safely. Also, I know it works, where it is, and how to get to it quickly.
Binoculars - I keep a small Celestron pair of binoculars (there is a nice compact one) in my bag. I was on a charter and the boat did not have any and we were in a high traffic area. Mine came in handy. On boats with binoculars, this provides a second set of eyes and I'm not fighting anyone to see what's out there.
Sailing gloves - actually, they are finger-less work gloves from Home Depot. After having a sheet get yanked through my hands in a storm and causing severe rope burn, I ALWAYS wear gloves.
Sailing hat - I keep a Tilly hat that is waterproof and has a brim that unsnaps to cover my ears. It also has a chin strap and a strap for the back of the head so it doesn't get blown off. It's needed to keep sunburn and sunstroke at bay.
Light windbreaker - I picked up a Marmot windbreaker that just breaks the wind and keeps out the rain and sun. I wear it when I get chilly at the helm from the wind, but the temperature is still hot. It rolls up nicely and fits easily into the bag.
Sunglasses - For when I forget my usual glasses.
Glasses keeper - to keep my glasses on my head.
Camp towel - this very compact towel is great when you need to dry off from a rain or errant wave. This is more a "nice to have", but is so small and light I threw it in the bag.
Headlamp flashlight - another "nice to have", but helpful if you need light but you need your hands to work on something.
Spare battery pack - I use this to ensure my mobile phone will work when I need it. It also can charge via solar. It is primarily in there so I have power for my phone in the event I need to use my phone for navigation. Not all boats have chart plotters! I also have appropriate USB cables to charge my phone.
Multi-tool - another "nice to have" but I'm finding that it comes in really handy on other people's boats when you find they don't have any tools on board!

These all fit nicely in my small duffel bag. When I jump on my boat (or anyone else's boat), I know I have the basics to keep me safe and facilitate a rescue. And when someone needs something and you pull it out of your magic bag, you look pretty cool. So, there is that. :)

For those using BoatProject, there is a template called "Pack Go-Bag" that lists these and a few other items so you can pack your own. Then review the list annually to see if you need to replenish anything.

Feel free to comment below, and Happy and Safe Boating! -- Rich

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Am I Required to Keep a Ship's Log?

Sat, 01 Jul 2023 04:05:06 +0000

Recreational vessels are not required to keep a ships log, but it's a great idea and here is why.

Commercial vessels are required to keep a ship's log. This log is a legal document and is referenced in the event of any mishap or reviewed when boarded and inspected.

But, I have a recreational sailboat and I keep a ship's log. Why? And how do I use it?

I keep a log book for my destination sails. Going out for a day-sail in the harbor and returning to where I left doesn't warrant a log entry in my book (ha! see what I did there?!) However, when I'm sailing somewhere, I need to know how to get there. On destination sails, I'm usually outside my known sailing waters, and further from help.

The log book serves multiple purposes.

It reminds me to check the weather thoroughly and record it. I am already being more thoughtful about the sail / motor. It reminds me to check all my fluids and battery levels prior to leaving. It reminds me to record my estimated time of arrival; this reminds me to text my safety person as to when to expect me and when to call the USCG if I don't arrive by a certain time.

Next, while underway, I record my speed, course, position, barometer, etc. every hour. This also serves multiple purposes, one of which is having a safety net if my GPS devices don't work. So recording your position every hour plus speed and heading will allow you to closely approximate your location, especially when there are no landmarks to reference.

Recording the barometric pressure will provide data to see if your pressure is rising/falling and how fast. Based on how fast the pressure changes will indicate if bad weather is on your horizon. Recording the sky conditions and sea state also help provide some context if things are starting to go badly. If you are thinking, 'I'll know if things are starting to go badly,' think again. As conditions slowly change and you adjust to those conditions, you can find yourself unprepared for a lot worse weather. The log provides data to show you where things are headed. It also confirms or contradicts any weather or changes in wind that were predicted. This helps to get a better feel for how good the forecast is.

The log is also a great way to hand off watches. The person coming on watch sits with the person coming off watch to fill out the log entry, goes through the other entries prior, and discusses any issues that occurred. Then the person coming off watch gives any current information (watching a storm front, trawlers off to starboard, etc.) so the new watch is going in well informed. When I do longer trips, I will actually plot on a paper chart my positions with times so that I have a good visual of where we are and how far we have to go. It's a good "big picture" look as chart plotters have limited screen space and generally are zoomed in so you can see local navigation hazards.

Also, one regulation that few boaters know is that you are required to record any radio traffic that you participate in. So, if you hailed another vessel, called for a bridge raise, or asked for a radio check (btw, if you do a radio check, PLEASE do it on channel 9 and NOT channel 16), it must be recorded. The log book gives you a place for that.

Tracking your sea time is also helpful if you go to get a captain's license, demonstrate to insurance your experience, or show to a charter company you have sea time and experience to bareboat charter. A log book is also a good place for tracking your maintenance.

And finally, having a log book gives you more credibility with the coast guard that you are following regulations and are a good boater. The log is a legal document and can help bolster your recounting of an incident should it be necessary.

In a later blog, I'll talk about how I prep for a longer sail and how I use paper charts and my log book to stay safe and have an immediate backup should my instruments go.

Silver and Gold subscribers of BoatProject can access a log book template that they can customize and print. Just go to Library, search for "Vessel Log Book" and select "Public Documents". You can download a word doc or pdf that you can print and/or edit. I sent mine to Staples to have printed and bound just by uploading the file to their site. It turned out great.

Feel free to comment below, and Happy and Safe Boating! Rich

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Do you have a cutoff switch installed on your boat?

Sat, 24 Jun 2023 06:19:35 +0000

A regulation in 2021 requires all boats under 26 feet to have a cutoff switch

Back in April of 2021, a new law took effect that requires power boats and personal watercraft under 26' to have a kill switch. Many boats are grandfathered in, but that list continues to be reduced each year.

The purpose of the law is to reduce runaway boats and prop strikes. The operator is supposed to be wearing a lanyard (or an electronic kill switch fob) to kill the engine if they are thrown off the vessel. I'm most familiar with them on dinghy outboards and wave runners.

My dinghy has an older Mercury two-stroke 9.8hp outboard. It has a switch to kill the engine, but not one to accommodate a lanyard that would stop it if the operator (me, in this case!) fell off. After reading an article by the Boat Galley lady, Carolyn, about how a friend escaped grave injury when their dinghy got away and tried to run them down, I decided to install a kill switch with a lanyard.

By the way, there is a template in BoatProject called "Kill Switch Install Outboard" that details the process and shows the replacement switch.

But the general process for me was this:

Research - find some kill switch/lanyard combos and get the specs.
Measure - I put a caliper on the stem of the existing switch to see how big the hole was in the housing to make sure I got a replacement that would not (hopefully) require drilling.
Figure out what kind of switch - There are two types of switches; one that closes a circuit when the lanyard is pulled, and one that opens the circuit when the lanyard is pulled. The switch that closes when the lanyard is pulled is most common. This was curious to me. I figured you would want to break the electric to the spark plug; instead, the switch closes and in effect, shorts the circuit denying the spark plug of electricity. To know for sure, I put a meter at each end of the existing button and watched what happened when I pressed it (motor not running of course). I found that with the meter on the button unpressed, the circuit was open ie. no electricity was going through the switch. When I pushed the button (which is how I currently kill the engine), the meter showed continuity, ie. a closed circuit. So my engine took the common type of switch; one that closes a circuit to stop the engine.
Check your new switch - just to be sure, I put the lanyard on the switch and took a meter reading. Switch was open; no continuity. When I removed the lanyard (ie. I fell off and the lanyard came with me), the switch showed continuity ie it was closed. It should work as intended.
Wire the new switch - I could not for the life of me loosen the screws that the ends of the wires attached, so I cut them such that I could crimp on the new switch. At least I didn't have to worry about reconnecting to the wrong place!
Test - First time firing up the engine, pull the lanyard and make sure the engine stops.

I purchased the switch off of Amazon and it works great. I feel a lot more comfortable that my dinghy won't get away from me and turn around and hunt me down. And, I am compliant with a law that makes sense.

For power boaters, an electric kill switch that uses fobs might be the best answer as it give the operator more mobility. Especially if you are fishing, you can still move around the boat without killing the engine. Also, you can get extras for passengers so that if they fall off, the engine stops. You can then reset it and go pick up your wayward passenger.

There is a great article here that goes into more detail.

Happy boating and be safe! Also, feel free to comment below.

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US Coast Guard Inspected My Vessel and I Failed!

Mon, 05 Jun 2023 16:11:01 +0000

My vessel was inspected and I didn't pass. :(

While hanking on the sails on my boat, Providence, an Auxiliary US Coast Guard officer approached me and asked if I wanted my vessel inspected. I thought this would be a good opportunity because I felt I had everything pretty well nailed on safety. Plus, if he did find anything, I wouldn't get fined since this is a "courtesy" inspection.

The officer was great, by the way. He went through and not only checked things but explained what was needed and why some things were close, but not in compliance. Then he either showed me how to fix it or told me how to remedy the problem.

First, I rather pride myself on being safe on the water. Sailing/boating is not without its risks, and mitigating those is necessary to make it fun. So, when I did not pass, and when he found deficiencies, it was a blow to my ego. But, it was also an opportunity to remedy those things.

Besides the usual fire extinguisher check and PFDs, I learned a few things. Actually, more than a few things. Here is what I learned:

While my safety equipment passed, ALL of my flares were expired. Ouch. I confused replacing the ones on Providence with upgrading all my flares on Temptation Won. Fortunately, I can use the Annual Safety Inspection template and copy it for each vessel so I can track them individually. BTW, I passed because I had the electric SOS beacon and two floating orange mats on board. I'm still going to update my flares, though.
While I had the appropriate number of PFDs, the buckles were clipped and the straps wrapped around them. This no longer makes them "readily accessible". Simply un-clicking the buckles and unwrapping the straps and returning them to the lazarette remedied that.
I didn't have the Trash Placard mounted. Fortunately, the officer had an extra that he gave me to stick on the galley wall to make me compliant. He admitted it is very ugly, though....
While I had a noise maker that worked, I did NOT have a bell. In Massachusetts where I keep Providence, boats over 16 feet (unlike Federal law of boats 65 feet and over) must also have a bell. That couldn't easily be remedied on the spot, so he had to fail me. Bummer. The bad news is a new bell is around US$280; the good news is, Sailboat Parts, a "Friend of BoatProject" (check out our friends on our website) had a used one for US$35. It pays to have friends!

I created a public template for a USCG inspection in BoatProject. You can find it by creating a project and choosing "From Template". In the search box, type "USCG Safety Inspection" to pull up that template and copy it to your vessel. It mirrors the checklist the Coast Guard uses, so if you address everything in it, you should be good to go (federally, at least). I also loaded the MA Boating Regulations in the Library if you want a quick reference.

Once my bell arrives, I'll mount it and give the officer a call to come back and verify I remedied that deficiency. Then I'll get a decal to display on my mast. That itself can discourage the Coast Guard from boarding you since they know that you have passed inspection and are, presumably, a safe boater.

Happy Boating and let me know your comments or if there are any enhancements to the template you think I should make!

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