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 SOYC Safety Culture – 2
Since I last wrote to you on the very important subject of safety, we have had one of our most significant safety incidents to date – a MOB.
The MOB happened in calm conditions, with a very able and experienced skipper, and in circumstances that one would least expect a man-overboard. Yet happen it did, and all credit to the skipper and crew for dealing with it quickly and competently.
Although the actual incident was relatively minor in nature (short in duration but very cold nonetheless!), it serves as a timely reminder that sailing can be dangerous, and we always have to be prepared for the worst – and try hard to make sure it never happens.
We have also had a meeting specifically regarding safety, attended by our safety team, which resulted in a number of proposals that you will see rolling out over the next couple of months. Some of these have to be approved at the Board meeting in April as they will result in bye-law changes. All are intended to improve the safety and enjoyment of all our members.
One area you might like to consider is the feedback we have received from everyone who has attended a Sea Survival Course. Without exception, people say the course is excellent, and teaches them a huge amount about survival in difficult sea conditions, how to launch and use a lifeboat, and how important it is to stay on the yacht unless you have absolutely no other option!
For all skippers, it is essential that you are familiar with the content of the web site with respect to Skippers Responsibilities. There have been a number of legislation changes that some may be unaware of, such as the specific legal requirement to have a voyage plan, even a simple one.
We will also be refreshing “Chirp”. The intention of Chirp is not well understood by many of our members, so you will soon see on the web site something called “Talk to Chris”. You can use this to ask questions about how the boats are operated, make suggestions for changes, raise concerns about any aspect of the boats or the way we sail them, etc. – it’s a pretty open agenda! They can even be anonymous if you like. They all go to Chris Berners-Price who will ensure they are dealt with properly.
Please remember – if we don’t know about something that’s wrong, we can’t fix it!
Many thanks and fair winds,
Kieran
Mar 07
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