Ideas for briefing the crew
Thinking about crew safety
After reading the much publicised debacle with Chris Evans of TV. fame, when the skipper of the boat they were having a party on, fell overboard and no one knew how to use the V.H.F. I began to wonder if this could happen to me.
I also remember an incident a couple of years ago, in which a member of a local club was knocked overboard by the boom while racing in rough weather, unfortunately nobody knew how to start the engine and they missed him twice doing the conventional MOB and then lost him the third time round!
The need for consistency in crew briefing
I don’t know about other people but I am not very consistent when it comes to telling new crew about flares and V.H.F. etc. Sometimes I tell them, other times I wait until asked or it comes up in conversation.
When I tell them, it sounds like a lecture and when I ask if they understand and can remember what I have said I get a bit of a non-committal answer, “I think so.” And I wonder if I have said enough and explained all the relevant points.
Preparing safety 'Help Sheets'
So one wet day I sat at the computer and produced some help sheets. Now, instead of lecturing, I give the new crew the sheets which are in a clear plastic folder and ask them to read them through. I then ask them a couple of safety questions and if they can not answer them from memory I ask them to look at the sheet and read off the answer.
Then I tell them to put the folder back on the shelf so that they know where it is in an emergency. With regard to the V.H.F., I have produced an A5 sticker which I have pasted to the cupboard door above the set with emergency information on it and I quickly run through the procedure.
I have found that this is greatly appreciated, especially by crew members that have never sailed before. Also the sheet containing the plan of the boat is useful at home as sometimes I can not get along to check her on the berth, I can easily explain where things are to a friend or member of the family who volunteers to go in my place.
Examples
Examples of the VHF notice, and the Boat Layout are shown below.
Paul Winter, Helix
V.H.F. EMERGENCY
Switch on – At control panel & Set
VOLUME control knob
(Set hisses! Turn Squelch knob until silent.)
Press red (CH 16) Button (Top LH of set)
(No number should be showing in LCD panel)
Microphone – Press side lever to
speak
Release to receive.
V.H.F. Working Channels |
|
| 06 | Primary Inter Ship |
| 08 | Inter Ship |
| 10 | Inter Ship |
| 11 | Port Operations |
| 12 | Port Operations |
| 13 | Bridge to Bridge Safety and Navigation |
| 14 | Port Operations |
| 15 | On board transmissions (1 Watt only) |
| 16 | Calling and Safety only |
| 17 | On board transmissions (1 Watt only) |
| 23 | Weather Humber, Flam’gh Hd., Tees Bay & N’th of Amble. * |
| 37 | Yacht Club Races (M1) |
| 67 | Coastguard Liaison |
| 70 | Digital Selective Calling (D.S.C.) |
| 72 | Inter Ship |
| 73 | Inter Ship |
| 77 | Inter Ship |
| 80 | Marina (M2) |
| 84 | Weather Whitby and Tyne. * |
| * | Weather forecasts from Humber G.M.T. (CH 23 & 84). 03.40, 07.40, 11.40, 15.40, 19.40, 23.40 |
