Safety & Seamanship

A personal rescue strobe is a small signaling light intended to be attached to a PFD so if a boat crew member goes overboard, their position will be visible to those left on board. Since we last looked at personal rescue strobes theres been some new developments in the intensity of the light that can be generated from a small handheld strobe (see PS February 2016). Strobes can be manual or automatic (water activated) and…

Gas detectors are not magic gadgets, quantifying specific chemicals and then alarming when they reach a precise level. Because of the simplicity of the detection algorithm, sensors are subject to interferences from other gases, some harmless and some that are themselves a problem.

When we read about a sailor lost overboard in the storm, we think about PFDs and personal locator beacons, and accept the sea is unforgiving. When we read of novice boaters drowning in a local lake, were sad, but say that will not happen us because we wear PFDs. But when we read of a PFD-equipped sailor falling overboard and dying within minutes its a real eye-opener.

Should you find yourself cast in icy water, there are few things you can do that may help.

Nearly one year ago, the Volvo Ocean Race boat Sun Hung Kai-Scallywag was deep in the Southern Ocean bound from Auckland, New Zealand to Itajai, Brazil when 47-year-old John Fisher was thrown overboard during an accidental jibe. (Fishers tether was unclipped at the time of the accident as he moved between stations.)

Good seamanship is the cornerstone of safety at sea, and its best allies are a seaworthy vessel and an able crew.

Most sailors are familiar with Thor Heyedrahls adventures aboard his balsa raft Kon Tiki. Some may remember the self-rescue line that they dragged behind the boat. Since the raft travelled so slowly, this last chance line gave a fit sailor a sporting chance to haul himself aboard.

Is an auto-inflate PFD the right answer for solo offshore cruisers?

When we buy rain gear, deck shoes, or binoculars, we assume theyve been tested, not just in the factory and in the lab, but just as importantly, in the field in the normal manner of use. If a climbing company develops a new carabiner, rope, or harness, you can bet they give prototypes to their sponsored climbers, with instructions to take them out in the mountains and fall on them.

Regarding your recent Inside Practical Sailor blog post Drysuits vs. Survival Suits, I raft the Colorado river in Grand Canyon where water temps are around 50 F, even in the summer. The whitewater down there is furious and sometimes dangerous. I wear a 3 millimeter neoprene wetsuit under a full drysuit. If the drysuit rips, the wetsuit should slow down thermal loss. The problem is heat buildup in the sun. The solution is to jump in the cold water now and then to keep from over heating. On a sailboat that would be harder to do. There have been a few times sailing solo when I wore both garments, but it was pretty clammy inside. There is no perfect solution, just reasonable compromises by which to stay alive. Something to remember is that once a drysuit rips, it will take on hundreds of pounds of water. A high flotation PFD is mandatory, at least 26 pounds I would think.