{"id":6199,"date":"2014-11-06T13:23:49","date_gmt":"2014-11-06T17:23:49","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/www.bwsailing.com\/?p=6199"},"modified":"2014-11-06T13:23:49","modified_gmt":"2014-11-06T17:23:49","slug":"care-and-maintenance-of-safety-gear","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.bwsailing.com\/bw\/care-and-maintenance-of-safety-gear\/","title":{"rendered":"Care and Maintenance of Safety Gear"},"content":{"rendered":"

Staying safe at sea means having the proper gear and ensuring that everything will work as planned in the event of an emergency. This article is an excerpt from Safety at Sea, published by US Sailing\u00a0 (published May 2014)<\/em><\/p>\n

All safety gear must be up-to-date, inspected and properly stowed with a posted chart near the chart table or the companionway to show locations in an emergency. The entire crew should know what safety gear is available, where it is stowed and how to use it. The gear on board a vessel must not only meet the minimal definition for what is required but must also be sized correctly for the vessel. The gear is selected to allow the skipper and crew of a vessel to remain safe at sea and to fetch a safe harbor.<\/p>\n

The following is a guide to the safety gear needed for an offshore passage.<\/p>\n

PERSONAL SAFETY GEAR
\n\"DSC04047(1)\"<\/a>\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 Life Jackets: Inflatable life jackets require daily as well as semi-annual inspections. Since previously inflated life jackets can look just like those that are ready for use, crewmembers have to ensure that the CO2 cylinder has not been punctured. This is easier with recent 1F or 3F inflators that show a \u201cGood to Go\u201d green indicator through a transparent window. If you have a life jacket with an older inflator, take the time to pull open the shroud and inspect the small end of the cylinder. Also, make sure the life jacket fits properly and is in good repair.<\/p>\n

Life jacket lights should have their batteries checked. Whistles should be attached with lanyards. Strobes and flashlights should be checked for operation. And if the gear hasn\u2019t been used for six months or a year, replace the batteries, regardless of how bright the lights appear to be.<\/p>\n

Harnesses and tethers: Tethers can either be integrated into an inflatable life jacket or used separately. Harnesses have to fit correctly, which means that they should be a few inches below the armpits, but not down near the small of the back. They should also be snug around the chest, not so tight that they constrict breathing, but snug enough so they are unlikely to be pulled over one\u2019s head if they come under load.<\/p>\n

Tethers should have an overload \u201cflag\u201d that shows if the tether has been previously subjected to high loads. If the overload flag is showing, the tether must be replaced. Also, check for the smooth operation of the snaps at each end of the tether. If you\u2019re using a tether with a \u201ccow hitch\u201d attachment to the harness, ensure that the tether cutter is in place on the life jacket and that it is sharp.<\/p>\n

MAN OVERBOARD
\nLifesling: Open the Lifesling bag and remove it and its retrieval line from the bag. Stretch the line out on a dock, or trail the lifesling behind a vessel under sail and ensure that the line pays out correctly. Make sure the bitter end is attached to a cleat, padeye or base of a stanchion. Flake the Lifesling line down the center compartment into the bag; don\u2019t coil it. Put the Lifesling in last, ensuring that the covered portion of the retrieval line is all that shows outside the bag. Test the operation of the light and replace batteries if necessary.<\/p>\n

MOM (Man Overboard Module) and DAN Buoy: MOMs should be serviced every two years by a certified repacker. The repacker will verify that the inflation mechanisms are ready to go, that the batteries are replaced, and that the MOM hasn\u2019t been damaged between inspections. DAN Buoys can be owner-serviced. Refer to the information supplied with the DAN Buoy for specific repacking instructions. For any piece of gear that can be owner-serviced, ensure that you have the correct rearming kits aboard.<\/p>\n

BOAT SYSTEMS
\nAll systems should be checked before any voyage and labeled appropriately for use in an emergency by those unfamiliar with the items. Manuals should be collected in a central location for reference. The following systems in particular need attention: fuel tanks clear of debris that tends to settle, but will clog lines when agitated in a seaway; steering cables and hardware; fresh water tanks filled and treated with very diluted bleach (or similar); bilge pumps\u2014one on deck, one below\u2014, operational with spare diaphragms; fire suppression systems appropriately distributed and currently inspected; battery isolation system functional.<\/p>\n

Navigation Lights and Spares: Vessels racing in a ISAF Category 0, 1, or 2, or a US Sailing ocean race, are required to have a second set of navigation lights. Generally, sailboats will have a set of deck-level lights that are used with a masthead light when under power, and a tricolor masthead light when under sail. If your boat has only a single set of navigation lights, you need to have the ability to rig a second set, either by using portable lights or lights that operate off the vessel\u2019s electrical system. In either case, both sets of navigation lights must be Coast Guard and\/or COLREG standard, and each set should be powered independently so that a single failure doesn\u2019t cause both sets of lights to fail.<\/p>\n

Clean Tanks and Engine Maintenance: The greatest test of most auxiliary propulsion systems is when a boat is in a storm. In particular, debris from diesel tanks can be stirred up sufficiently to clog fuel filters and bring the engine to a premature halt. While crewmembers can remove and replace filters, and bleed the engine\u2019s fuel system, it\u2019s not undertaken lightly when in a storm. This can be virtually eliminated by maintaining the cleanliness of fuel systems, especially fuel tanks, and polishing the fuel if necessary.<\/p>\n

UNDERWAY
\nPart of any watch rotation should include having the new watch perform a deck-level inspection of the vessel. Even in the course of a few hours, cotter pins can disappear, rigging wires can break strands, chafe can develop on sheets, halyards and sails, and stowed gear can come unlashed. This is a good time for a new watch stander to acclimatize to being on deck, although caution should be exercised if the crewmember is coming on deck after a deep sleep.<\/p>\n

Items to check at change of watch should be chafe on lines that are loaded including\u00a0 active sheets, guys, halyards and topping lifts. Use a flashlight to see if spinnaker halyards appear chafed where they exit the mast or halyard block. Also check clevis pins that are attached to hardware that\u2019s in motion including goosenecks, boom vangs and outhaul cars.<\/p>\n

By taking the time to routinely and thoroughly examine your boat’s safety gear and by keeping it properly maintained, you will ensure the overall preparedness of your vessel in the event of an emergency and will be confident when the unexpected happens while underway.<\/p>\n

ADDITIONAL GEAR PREPARATION<\/strong><\/p>\n

Sound Producing Devices\u00a0\u00a0 \u00a0Verify operation before start of voyage. Check for extra cans of horn propellant if necessary. <\/em>
\nEPIRBs and PLBs\u00a0\u00a0 \u00a0EPIRBs and PLBs should have a dated sticker on them showing battery replacement intervals. Verify operation using test features on the device.<\/em>
\nSEND Devices\u00a0\u00a0 \u00a0Use messaging function to send a test message to your email account. Replace batteries according to MFR recommendation. Most SEND devices specify lithium cells.<\/em>
\nFire Extinguishers\u00a0\u00a0 \u00a0Verify the gauge shows \u201cgreen.\u201d Invert extinguishers several times to free up extinguishing agent. Clearly mark locations of extinguishers.<\/em>
\nAnchors and Rode\u00a0\u00a0 \u00a0Verify that anchors are assembled and have not been \u201ccut down\u201d to fit in tight places. Assemble rode to anchor. Mouse shackles to prevent pins from unscrewing.<\/em>
\nVisual Distress Signals\u00a0\u00a0 \u00a0Verify dates on each pyrotechnic. Can be no older than 42 months, 3 \u00bd years from date of manufacture. Ensure flares are undamaged by water or abuse. <\/em>
\nLife Raft\u00a0\u00a0 \u00a0Life rafts must be serviced by a factory authorized service center either every 1, 2, or 3 years, depending on the model. Make sure rafts are stored \u201cready to go\u201d with lanyards attached to a hard point. Replace hydro releases every 2 years.<\/em>
\nAbandon Ship Bag (Ditch Bag)\u00a0\u00a0 \u00a0Remove all gear from bag and verify operation, battery condition, expiration dates, etc. Verify that ditch bag has a lanyard for security. Update inventory card.<\/em>
\nDrag Devices\u00a0\u00a0 \u00a0Remove from vessel; check for rot, corrosion, etc. Identify line to be used with device. Flake rode into a bag or box so it can be deployed without knots.<\/em>
\nVHF Radios\u00a0\u00a0 \u00a0Verify operation of VHF on Channel 68 by asking for a radio check. For boats with masts that are frequently unstepped, check condition of coax connector at the bottom of the mast. Connect using silicon grease for some water protection.<\/em><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

Staying safe at sea means having the proper gear and ensuring that everything will work as planned in the event of an emergency. This article is […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":67,"featured_media":6200,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[8,14,16],"tags":[292,145,181,26],"class_list":["post-6199","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-cruising-news","category-gear","category-seamanship","tag-chuck-hawley","tag-emergencies-at-sea","tag-safety-gear","tag-seamanship-2"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.bwsailing.com\/bw\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/6199","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.bwsailing.com\/bw\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.bwsailing.com\/bw\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.bwsailing.com\/bw\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/67"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.bwsailing.com\/bw\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=6199"}],"version-history":[{"count":1,"href":"https:\/\/www.bwsailing.com\/bw\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/6199\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":6202,"href":"https:\/\/www.bwsailing.com\/bw\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/6199\/revisions\/6202"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.bwsailing.com\/bw\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/6200"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.bwsailing.com\/bw\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=6199"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.bwsailing.com\/bw\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=6199"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.bwsailing.com\/bw\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=6199"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}