Safety & Seamanship
Youth sailors in Sarasota, Fla. practice their skills in Club 420s and the Optimist class (seen sailing in the background) on Sarasota Bay. A fatal accident last summer in a Chesapeake Bay youth sailing program prompted a study by US Sailing.
Safety Lessons Learned Part 1
Recent sailing accidents and their US Sailing investigations offer important lessons for all sailors.
This is the first in a two-part series that examines extensive reports on three sailing accidents. Each capsule summary of the reports is followed by a brief analysis of the US Sailing reports, and our recommendations for sailors. Fourteen-year-old Olivia Constants died last summer when her harness was accidentally hooked in the trapeze and she could not surface after the boat turned turtle. US Sailing made recommendations regarding capsize and recovery training; life jackets; trapeze gear and training; entrapment; electronic communication; language; and crisis, incident, and disaster plans.
More Safety & Seamanship
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US Sailing Recommendations
— The US Sailing report makes seven specific recommendations, several calling for important research into ways to... -
Help Us Design a Better PFD/harness
Subscribers Only — Do try this at home: Don your favorite inflatable-PFD/ harness and inflate it. Don’t waste a gas cartridge; use... -
Orion Replacing Potentially Faulty Flares
— In the wake of “repeated product failures,” Orion Safety Products has instituted a replacement program for... -
Seascoopa Revisited
Subscribers Only — In May 2010, Practical Sailor reviewed a prototype man-overboard (MOB) recovery device called the Seascoopa. The... -
Disposing of Expired Flares
— It’s a good idea to keep expired flares on hand to use as backups (on board or in a vehicle), but be sure to... -
Lessons from the Mackinac
Subscribers Only — On Oct. 31, U.S. Sailing released independent reports on three highly publicized sailing accidents that happened this... -
Tropical Storm Do's and Don’ts
— As Hurricane Irene headed for the Eastern seaboard in August 2011, Practical Sailor Technical Editor Ralph Naranjo... -
Hope for Best, Plan for Worst
— When tropical weather threatens, being prepared for the wind, waves, surge, and flooding pays off. How you prepare... -
The Cruise of Mascot
Subscribers Only — Ninety-nine years ago last month, Henry M. Plummer, his adult son, Henry Jr., and a cat named Scotty set out from... -
The No Discharge Zone Illusion
Subscribers Only — Long Island Sound, the belt of water stretching 110 miles from Hell Gate in New York City to the Race at the...
