Sailing is a thrilling and exhilarating sport, but it's important to always prioritize safety on the water. At Rick's Small Sailboats LLC, we're passionate about sailing and want to help you stay safe and enjoy this amazing sport to the fullest. Here are some sailing safety tips to keep in mind:
Wear a life jacket, float coat (in cold weather), or a inflatable life vest which is more comfortable and less bulky than a regular life jacket. In cold and or wet weather you may want to wear a wet suit, dry suit or foul weather gear (water proof bib overalls jacket with hood, and sometimes rubber boots). Do everything possible to avoid falling overboard. In cold water survival times are short. Recovery of a crew member who has fallen into the water is an important subject covered during the 8 hour course.
Check the weather. Before you head out on the water, make sure to check the marine weather forecast, which is not always correct so it is good to be prepared for unexpected rough weather.
If sailing in the ocean or Gulf of Mexico, it is safest to sail when the wind is on shore (blowing towards land), rather than off shore (blowing away from land). If you have problems an on shore wind will blow you back to land, an off shore wind will blow you further out to sea. When you first go out it is better to sail up wind first, sailing down wind is easier. If you sail upwind first you are more likely to get back to where you left from. Know storm tactics: how and when to reef (decrease the sail area. You need less sail area in high winds), how to heave to (does not work in all sailboats), It is rare but you may have to take the sails down completely and sail under bare poles, or turn on the motor if you have one. You may have to anchor and wait for the storm to pass by. Storm tactics are addressed in the 8 hour course. Try to start with easy sailing conditions and work your way up to more challenging conditions as you build your skills and confidence.
Make sure to tell people where you plan to sail and when you will be back home by, so they can report you missing if you don’t get back on your own. Make sure to have a safety plan in place in case of an emergency. Know how to contact the Coast Guard by cell phone or VHF Radio, consider purchase of a PLB or EPIRB which can transmit a signal in an emergency to help the Coast Guard find you. Make sure you have the necessary safety equipment on board, such as flares and a first aid kit, air horn or bell for use in Fog, bilge pump or bucket. What ever happens always stay with the boat. Almost all small trailerable boats are unsinkable due to positive flotation closed cell foam blocks installed in various placed in the hull of the boat. Rescuers can spot a boat much easier than someone swimming or treading water. If your boat does not have positive flotation installed by the manufacturer, you may be able to add foam blocks to your boat to make it unsinkable.
At Rick's Small Sailboats LLC, we're committed to helping you stay safe on the water. Contact us today to learn more about sailing safety and how we can help you enjoy sailing to the fullest.
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