Safety boat training
12 Oct 2015
Last weekend I did the safety boat training course. Fortunately the weather was dry, a nice breeze, and the sea temperature at this time of year is not too bad.....
Starting with classroom theory on Saturday morning, six of us, we then went onto the river in the RIBs to practise our boat handling skills. Driving around buoys forwards, backwards and blindfolded with another person giving directions. In the afternoon a couple of volunteer members went to sea in club dinghies and very kindly capsized and fell in several times so we could practise rescuing them. They came off worse than us but they seemed to go home afterwards in good spirits! We also practised setting up a string of dinghies ready to be towed.
Back in the classroom again on Sunday morning then out to sea to practice laying and recovering the sea marks. The cruisers were out there forming up for their race (sadly I was not taking part) so we helped by setting up their finish line. After lunch, we took time to look at various types of dinghies that had been set up for us on the beach near the club, so we understood how to de-power and de-rig the different types of sail arrangements. I was wearing my size XXL(Tall) one piece wetsuit I’d bought from the internet, and the six of us were ourselves towed out to sea in Toppers and the real fun began! The volunteer members were back to take part again and this time they were in a Wayfarer.
I was pleased to find, despite not having done it for about 40 years, that I could sail a Topper and capsize it and right it and get back aboard. The sun was bright and I found myself in the sea beside a shiny red Topper on its side, seawater sloshing over my head, reassured by the presence of the other guys nearby in the RIBs watching me. After about three capsizes I was hauled back onto the RIB but half an hour later it was time to try again – this time with the Topper completely inverted. A couple of goes at that and it’s surprising how tired you get hauling yourself into it for the 5th time. Great fun though. A shower in the clubhouse then hot coffee back in the training room were just the job after that.
Sadly no photos exist to illustrate this story!
We all survived and passed the course. I rinsed out my wetsuit and let it dry in the garage – will I ever wear it again? Maybe – I’m keen to be able to do a real safety boat duty if the club needs me to, so I’ll keep it handy! I’ve told my friends in the club that I’ll be selling Elsa to buy a Topper but they haven’t fallen for it.
Last weekend I did the safety boat training course. Fortunately the weather was dry, a nice breeze, and the sea temperature at this time of year is not too bad.....
Starting with classroom theory on Saturday morning, six of us, we then went onto the river in the RIBs to practise our boat handling skills. Driving around buoys forwards, backwards and blindfolded with another person giving directions. In the afternoon a couple of volunteer members went to sea in club dinghies and very kindly capsized and fell in several times so we could practise rescuing them. They came off worse than us but they seemed to go home afterwards in good spirits! We also practised setting up a string of dinghies ready to be towed.
Back in the classroom again on Sunday morning then out to sea to practice laying and recovering the sea marks. The cruisers were out there forming up for their race (sadly I was not taking part) so we helped by setting up their finish line. After lunch, we took time to look at various types of dinghies that had been set up for us on the beach near the club, so we understood how to de-power and de-rig the different types of sail arrangements. I was wearing my size XXL(Tall) one piece wetsuit I’d bought from the internet, and the six of us were ourselves towed out to sea in Toppers and the real fun began! The volunteer members were back to take part again and this time they were in a Wayfarer.
I was pleased to find, despite not having done it for about 40 years, that I could sail a Topper and capsize it and right it and get back aboard. The sun was bright and I found myself in the sea beside a shiny red Topper on its side, seawater sloshing over my head, reassured by the presence of the other guys nearby in the RIBs watching me. After about three capsizes I was hauled back onto the RIB but half an hour later it was time to try again – this time with the Topper completely inverted. A couple of goes at that and it’s surprising how tired you get hauling yourself into it for the 5th time. Great fun though. A shower in the clubhouse then hot coffee back in the training room were just the job after that.
Sadly no photos exist to illustrate this story!
We all survived and passed the course. I rinsed out my wetsuit and let it dry in the garage – will I ever wear it again? Maybe – I’m keen to be able to do a real safety boat duty if the club needs me to, so I’ll keep it handy! I’ve told my friends in the club that I’ll be selling Elsa to buy a Topper but they haven’t fallen for it.
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