Being hit by boom
Ok I have to admit I nearly went overboard when doing my RYA Keelboat level two.
Luckly I grabed hold of the boom and stayed out of the drink. But, for some it can be very serious indeed. Its not uncommon for the boom to cause head injuries or even death. How to avoid it always be aware where the boom is. And be aware of an acidental gybe.
Being too close to other boats
We have all seen it in a bizzy mariner generaly motor cruisers not paying any attention until they hit another boat. Remember boats are always in motion unless they are aground or tied up or with a good helmsman. So pay plenty of attention to other boats because they may not be paying any attention
Mooring too fast
Again very common for a skipper to atempt to berth at high speeds without a means of escape. Most of the time they have a full crew with them and no excuss other than bad seamanship skills. So when you berth nice and slowly does it.
Running aground
I do not know any skipper who has not run aground I have done it a few times. If it is safe to so drop,the anchor hide the boat name and go down below. But, sometimes it can put the vessel and crew in danger. Many yachts have gone aground in the Thames Estuary as well as big ships the Montgomary being one of them. Set your depth sounder alarm on and check the charts before heading out.
Making a Mayday call
I often read articles of Skippers who have made a mayday call simply for running out of fuel or when having engine troubles when their is no danger to crew or vessel. This wastes time and costs the coast guard and the RNLI money. If their is a danger of loss of life to the crew or a vessel this does warent a mayday call.
No comments:
Post a Comment