Ditch-crawler preparing for the new season…

The responsibilities of a boat’s skipper was brought home in the news the other day and the story would, surely, be a bit of a surprise to many.

Small craft owners, whether sailors or motorboaters will know that underway, the skipper is in charge and not only that, is responsible, under law, for the well being of others aboard.

The law of the sea was clearly not understood by a refugee who elected to be in charge of a boat attempting to cross the English Channel during 2022. The boat, like many, came apart and several fellow refugee seekers died. The ‘skipper’ was charged with manslaughter and has since been tried under English law and convicted. It is the first time this has been done…

Reuters news report: https://www.reuters.com/world/uk/uk-court-convicts-small-boat-pilot-migrant-deaths-channel-2024-02-19/

The MCA (the UK maritime authority) showed a mock up of the typical ‘safety’ gear carried, the gear amounted to, dinghy sailor buoyancy jackets, a bailer, couple of 5 L fuel cans and not much more.

I wonder how many boaters ‘play’ at this responsibility in respect to what the MCA and other organisations recommend?

*The only organisation we now belong to is the RNSA…*

The MCA and other organisations have recommendations about what should be carried by certain sized vessels – in the big ship world I worked in there are regular checks by statutory authorities – us mere boaters aren’t, unless chartering. But those recommendations if not complied with in a sufficiency can and will bite if an incident occurs…

*This is how it is done aboard Whimbrel – an A5 notebook makes an admirable log book…*

How many people keep a log of an activity, however small. A sail out on the tide can be as dangerous as a coastal passage. The MCA is quite clear and they use the words, You SHALL… (and there is a list).

As the winter has run along, bits of Whimbrel’s safety gear have been checked, serviced or renewed.

Although not an item many would consider to be part of the safety kit, the humble boat hook surely is in many respects. Ours needed stripping of old coats and has been re-varnished.

*Re-varnishing in progress – conservatory is purloined as a drying room!*

We still carry flares pack for coastal sailing – currently in date and dry inside waterproof container…

The spare life jackets have come home for cleaning, checking over – making sure auto-inflation parts are screwed in tight and in date (although I am told by providers that provided considered fit for purpose, these can run over). Jackets are inflated for 24 hours before packing into covers.