Skysail Training
	CONTACT	RYA CEVNI TEST ONLINE	BUY NAVIGATION SKILLS CHARTS	BUY CEVNI SIGNS CHART	RADAR COURSE  1:1 ON YOUR DATE

Heavy Weather Precautions

Handout:  Heavy_weather_and_fog.pdf

1. Clip on when the FIRST reef goes in.
2. Ensure spare diesel and petrol cans lashed down. Spilled fuel is dangerous and very slippery.  Plastic caps will split and break, use jerry cans for security.
3. All lockers including cockpit lockers secured.
4. Monitor position and ground track constantly.
5. Ensure washboards are accessible; washboards should be lockable - maybe carry a spare set.
6. Tie on dodgers with breakable string or shock cord.
7. Consider an EPIRB (what would happen if you did roll?)
8. Think about trailing warps early (need to be long).
9. Consider a series drogue (lots of small parachutes in series), many recommend them.
10. Method of securing lid of chart table.
11. Method of securing lid of fridge.
12. Make sure your oilies are waterproof.
13. Hot drinks and food made ready.
14. Floorboards and cushions fastened down.
15. No loose glass in the bottle store.
16. Put sweets and lemonade or similar in the cockpit for ready use.

More Heavy Weather preparations - The definitive book based on the original by Adlard Coles

• Plan and practice how to use your storm jib (you do have one?)
• Do a real walk about inspection of everything, inside and out. If you've any doubts about loose deck gear put an extra lashing on it.
• Put things you might need in a "ready use" position in or near the cockpit.

• Deflate dinghy and stow in deep locker

• Get buckets and mooring lines (especially grey long lines) out of lockers into saloon 

• Bring all but one winch handle below. Identify spare handles Check navigation lights work

• Tie up head sail with sail ties (to prevent it unfurling)

• Consider a preventer on the boom if sailing downwind

• Remove cockpit sprayhood

• Remove ventilators (dorades) and replace with cover plates

• Consider taking horseshoe lifebuoys below

• Instruct crew about use of manual bilge pump

• Change to full gas canister if current one is low

• Issue seasickness tablets

• Put on clothes for colder weather

• Make thermos of coffee and soup. Make sandwiches and put in plastic bag

• Give crew hot meal

• Crew to adjust lifejackets to go over storm clothing

• Brief crew about being clipped on, maintaining lookout, whereabouts of flares, grab bag, liferaft, sharp knife, search light

• Add to grab bag: spare clothes, loo paper, food, passports all in plastic bags

• Put EPIRB into grab bag

• Charge handheld VHF

• Put mobiles into plastic bags and then into pockets

• Charge main batteries

• Check windows all closed.

• Consider shutting WC seacocks

• Plot & record GPS position.

• Check barometer regularly

• Put dry towel near chart table.

• Pump bilge. Use electric pump but instruct crew about use of manual pump.

• Check torch batteries – replace if necessary.

• Put all loose items into cupboards, eg books in saloon, cups in galley

• Check rigging cutters

• Get some seaberths with lee cloths & buckets ready.

If they have specific jobs get them up to speed.

Tell them all about your plans, including the fact that you may not get to where your going but to an alternative or even back to where you started from.  Morale can plummet because suddenly we can't go where we want to. Explain that we're sailing with the washboards in. It's amazing how many people find this a worry.

Get them to have a pee and take their seasickness pills before they put all that kit on.

I like to avoid crew, particularly beginners, having to go below at the outset of a passage. You often don't get them back.

Be prepared to run out of helmsmen. I try not to helm much but to be near the helm to give advice. Remember you need rest too.

Beware of cold, fatigue and tension reducing efficiency. If it's going to be a long hard sail I do little tests in my head or with the crew, to see if I'm still working OK.

Try and have a passage plan that allows the skipper as much time on deck as possible. Initially it needs a lot of flexibility in it. Course to steer for example, can be a bit "suck it and see".

Don't be shy about running the engine. A lot of people find that comforting.

Watch out for crew inertia. They get wedged in, hood up, and cease to be useful.

Don't use drogues in the Channel. The shipping won't like you. Remember heaving to; you can use the autopilot if your boat is skittish.

25th May 2011