Narrowboating on the Kennet and Avon Canal
by Simon Jollands | Boat Handling, Navigation
A recently cancelled sailing event I was due to take part in left us with a free weekend in the diary. Given that my wife and I were celebrating a bumper wedding anniversary and the weather forecast was for fine weather, we decided to hunt around for a last minute canal holiday.
How to cope with an emergency at sea
by Simon Jollands | Boat Handling, Communications, Crewing skills, Emergencies, Yacht ownership
A safe skipper will be mentally prepared for all kinds of potential emergencies happening at sea, including medical emergencies, engine failure, fire, a holed hull, capsize and dismasting.
Boat decks and superstructure
The deck of a boat is constantly exposed to the elements and should be inspected on an annual basis. Particular attention needs to be given to the overall condition of deck fittings such as the stanchions, cleats and chainplates.
Hourly Checks when sailing or motoring
Avoiding collisions at sea – how to stay safe on the water
Tools and spares for your boat
Peer to Peer yacht charter – How can you monetize your boat?
Essential Yachting + Power Boat Safety Briefing
How to operate a winch
Top Ten Tips For Learning The ColRegs Boating Rules Of The Road
First aid at sea basics
At least one person on board should be trained in first aid and know how to administer the contents of the first aid kit, ensuring there are adequate supplies for the planned duration of the trip.
Boat maintenance below decks
While most interior maintenance work can be done when a boat is afloat, some jobs such as servicing the seacocks have to be done ashore. It makes sense to do any major interior repairs and improvements with the boat hauled out in the boatyard.
Competent crew skills: arriving and leaving a berth
Safety Equipment Checklist for Boats
Competent crew skills: mooring lines
Boat Handling – anchoring
Boating emergency – how to broadcast a MAYDAY emergency call
Engine failure at sea – common causes and how to avoid them
Many engine failures are caused by lack of maintenance, resulting in fuel filter blockages, water pump failures, overheating and other breakdowns. Indeed, one of the most common reasons for marine rescue service call outs is for one of the most basic reasons possible – boats that have run out of fuel.
Top five windvane self steering installation questions
Top five windvane self steering installation questions answered by Sarah Curry of Hydrovane International Marine, courtesy of Viki Moore from Island Cruising NZ
Safety Briefings – leave nothing to chance
Always have an emergency grab bag to hand when at sea…
How to ensure your boat is in proper working condition
In this article Eva Tucker from Volvo Penta presents a handy check list of all the things that you need to check regularly in order to make sure that your boat is in a seaworthy condition. Including maintenance, safety gear and electrical checks.
Points of Sailing
ColRegs Rule 14 – Head-on Situation
Fractures, sprains and dislocations at sea
Moving about a boat at sea often results in a few knocks and bruises, but if a crew member has a fall or major bump and is in serious pain, they should be examined and treated accordingly.
Repairing a leaking hull-to-deck joint
Safe Skipper – crew management tips
Effective crew briefings are a vital part of the good on-board communication that helps everything to run smoothly on a sailing vessel at sea, whether it is cruising or racing.
Welcome to the Safe Skipper website.
Safe Skipper is run by boating enthusiasts who also have a background in publishing and TV production, design and app development. As well as creating great content for the website, we’ve developed a range of popular boating apps that allow you to get safely out on the water whilst having essential information to hand, covering International ColRegs: Nav Lights & Shapes, Rules of the Road, Buoyage & Lights to knot tying, nautical chart symbols and first aid at sea – all information available to you when on the water, on your phone or tablet, when you need it.
We’re regularly adding new articles to the site, hope you’ll bookmark us and visit again soon.
Before you go, scroll down to our boating quizzes and check your boating knowledge!
Steel hull maintenance
A steel boat owner’s biggest enemy is corrosion. You don’t have to worry about osmosis or rotting timbers, instead rust is the number one issue that will keep you awake at night.
Saildrive maintenance
There are less maintenance tasks to carry out on a saildrive transmission than on a traditional inboard shaft drive system with its associated stern gear. However, there are a few critical things that require maintenance, as recommended in detail by the engine manufacturers, and should be adhered to.
Winch Servicing
Pleasure craft safety equipment recommendations
Fractures, sprains and dislocations at sea
Moving about a boat at sea often results in a few knocks and bruises, but if a crew member has a fall or major bump and is in serious pain, they should be examined and treated accordingly.
How to use tides and currents to your advantage
If you are contemplating a cruise through tidal waters and strong currents, then planning your trip carefully in advance is essential to enable you to take advantage of favourable tides rather than constantly fighting against them.
How to predict wind direction and strength by reading a weather chart
ColRegs – avoiding collisions at sea
Antifouling for leisure boats – Part 1
Boats that are kept afloat can very quickly become a home for small marine organisms such as barnacles, weed and slime. Applying an antifouling paint to your hull is necessary to protect it from these micro-organisms, as a fouled hull can cause problems and will slow down a boat’s maximum speed considerably if left unchecked.
Tools and spares for your boat
I have just downloaded and am using ColRegs Nav Lights & Shapes app, a brilliant training and reference device
Instructor
Beautifully produced and very simple to use, a cool learning tool
Sailor
Nav Lights & Shapes app – downloaded by 1000s of seafarers worldwide. Just one of our popular boating apps to download from the appstores for Apple and Android devices.
Getting a tow for your sail or power boat at sea or on inland waterways
The Boatyard Book – a boat owner’s guide to yacht maintenance, repair and refitting
The Boatyard Book is a fully illustrated 224 page practical reference manual that provides advice for boat owners on planning and carrying out annual maintenance, repairs, upgrades and refits of sailing yachts and motorboats, up to 20 metres in length.
Feeling anxious at sea
Boat Engine Failure – what to check
Passage planning and pilotage
Wooden Hulls – Part 1
Traditional wooden boats have a plank on frame construction, a centuries old boat building method that is still in use today. Variations of the traditional method include carvel, clinker and strip planking, which all relate to the way the planking is attached to the frame.
Boating emergency – how to broadcast a MAYDAY emergency call
Top five windvane self steering installation questions
Top five windvane self steering installation questions answered by Sarah Curry of Hydrovane International Marine, courtesy of Viki Moore from Island Cruising NZ
Understanding your boat’s compass
Boat electrics inspection checklist
With the boat ashore, here are some recommendations for carrying out a boat owner electrics inspection. Safety is always paramount so remember to do the checks with the batteries off. Wearing a head torch helps, make notes as you go and only tackle a repair if you are 100% sure you know what you are doing:
Avoiding personal dangers at sea
In order to stay safe at sea, we need to know the risks we are facing and to be aware of any personal dangers we could possibly encounter. Here are six of the most common potential dangers individual crew members should be aware of.
Five dangers a vessel may encounter at sea
What are the main dangers a vessel may face at sea and what should skippers do to reduce the risk of these happening?
Know your Navlights & Shapes – essential for all skippers
Leaking decks
Leaking decks are perceived as a nuisance by some boat owners, but if leaks are ignored a much more serious situation may well be developing, especially in the case of boats with balsa or plywood deck cores. So deck leaks do need to be investigated and dealt with.
Sterndrive maintenance
Sterndrives are a popular form of propulsion in the powerboat market, but require a fair amount of care and maintenance. The main factors to be aware of are salt water corrosion, lubrication and regular inspection of the bellows, the condition of which is vital to prevent water from entering into the hull.
Understanding marine sealants & adhesives
Sail care and maintenance – Part 1
When thinking about the care, maintenance and repair of sails it helps to have some understanding of the properties of the ever growing range of modern sailcloth and the fibres they are made from, as opposed to the traditional canvas sails of the past.