Fixing position at sea using traditional methods
by Simon Jollands | Communications, Crewing skills, Navigation, Preparation
This post looks at some traditional methods used for fixing a vessel’s position at sea, within sight of land. Electronic fixes using chart plotters are very straightforward to record, but if for some reason a vessel’s electronics are faulty it is essential that a skipper knows how to use traditional methods.
Always have an emergency ditch bag ready to go…
by Safe Skipper | Boat Handling, Emergencies, Preparation, Yacht ownership
An emergency ditch bag (also known as a grab bag, abandon ship bag, or go-bag) is a crucial piece of safety equipment for any vessel venturing out to sea. It's a waterproof and buoyant bag packed...
ESSENTIAL BOATING APPS >>

Safe Skipper App – a practical guide to managing risk at sea
Fast access to essential boating tips, emergency guidance & MAYDAY call support. Record vessel details & crew information. Save favourites & location. Be better prepared!

US Inland Navigation Rules App
Complete Inland Navigation Rules for all U.S. inland waters and the Great Lakes.
With 100+ specially produced explanatory illustrations and captions, for all recreational and commmercial vessels navigating US intracoastal waterways and the Great Lakes.

ColRegs: Navigation Lights & Shapes App
Provides skippers and crew of sailboats, power boats and commercial vessels worldwide with a quick reference tool to identify vessels in their vicinity and the activities they are engaged in.

ColRegs: Buoys & Lights App
All the essential quick reference knowledge you need to quickly recognise and interpret the buoys and the light markers and improve your overall boating skills and safety on the water.
As specified by the International Association of Lighthouse Authorities (IALA) Systems A & B.

Boating First Aid at Sea
This app provides rapidly accessible guidelines for dealing with medical emergencies in a small boat or yacht at sea.
As well as detailing medical procedures the app also provides information on emergency communications.
Take a look at the new features!

ColRegs: Rules of the Road App
A quick reference tool and educational app that enables the user to quickly interpret what other vessels are doing, who has right of way and what action they should take to prevent a possible collision, as defined by the ColRegs.

Safe Skipper App – a practical guide to managing risk at sea
Fast access to essential boating tips, emergency guidance & MAYDAY call support. Record vessel details & crew information. Save favourites & location. Be better prepared!

US Inland Navigation Rules App
Complete Inland Navigation Rules for all U.S. inland waters and the Great Lakes.
With 100+ specially produced explanatory illustrations and captions, for all recreational and commmercial vessels navigating US intracoastal waterways and the Great Lakes.

ColRegs: Navigation Lights & Shapes App
Provides skippers and crew of sailboats, power boats and commercial vessels worldwide with a quick reference tool to identify vessels in their vicinity and the activities they are engaged in.

ColRegs: Buoys & Lights App
All the essential quick reference knowledge you need to quickly recognise and interpret the buoys and the light markers and improve your overall boating skills and safety on the water.
As specified by the International Association of Lighthouse Authorities (IALA) Systems A & B.

Boating First Aid at Sea
This app provides rapidly accessible guidelines for dealing with medical emergencies in a small boat or yacht at sea.
As well as detailing medical procedures the app also provides information on emergency communications.
Take a look at the new features!

ColRegs: Rules of the Road App
A quick reference tool and educational app that enables the user to quickly interpret what other vessels are doing, who has right of way and what action they should take to prevent a possible collision, as defined by the ColRegs.
Medical Emergency at Sea
Antifouling for leisure boats – Part 4
Applying antifouling. Antifouling is best applied on a dry, calm day. It is best to apply the antifouling in the middle of the day to ensure the hull is dry and as warm as possible.
DIY boat upgrades: Budget-friendly projects to enhance your (older!) boat
DIY projects that can enhance both the functionality and aesthetics of your boat. In this article, we’ll explore a variety of DIY boat upgrades that won’t break the bank but will significantly enhance your boating experience.
A simple guide to understanding tides when passage planning
Understanding tides
Boating emergency – how to broadcast a MAYDAY emergency call
Engine failure at sea – keeping the boat safe
If the engine stops when you are underway, or your have to shut it down when a warning buzzer sounds, you also need to make sure the boat remains safe. It’s important therefore to recognise situations in which the boat would be immediately put in danger if the engine were to fail.
Going aground – what to do if it happens to you
When a yacht runs aground, it can be a stressful situation, especially on a falling tide in an exposed position with a swell running. There are several steps you can take to address the situation in order to ensure the safety of your vessel and its occupants. Here are some tips should this happen to you.
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:
Distress flares – which flare, how & when to use?
Keel maintenance and repair – Part 1
Keels are designed to act as underwater foils that generate lift as the boat moves through the water, counteracting the leeward force of the wind and enabling the boat to sail closer to the wind. Keel maintenance and repair is essential for the performance of your boat.
Essential Knots: Bowline
Rig check – how to prevent failure at sea
Cleaning & polishing painted topsides
The gelcoat topsides of a GRP boat can be pampered and restored to their former glory relatively easily when it is ashore. Gelcoat is only a very thin outer layer of the hull, often less than 1mm thick, so you should avoid cleaning it with highly abrasive cleaners, or an-ything that could potentially damage its surface.
Dripless shaft seals
Dripless shaft seals are designed to completely stop water from entering a boat’s hull via the stern tube. There are two main types of dripless seals known as face seals and lip seals which many boat manufacturers now fit to production boats.
Essential Yachting + Power Boat Safety Briefing
Passage Planning Advice & Safety for skippers
Seized fixings and fastenings
Maintaining a boat can be a rewarding experience but at times it can also be frustrating. A prime example of this is when you come across a seized fixing or fastening that refuses to budge. Read our tips on how to release and fix them:
Navigating Through Rough Waters: Tips for Handling Adverse Weather Conditions in a Sailboat
Navigating through rough waters in a sailboat requires skill, preparation, and a good understanding of both your vessel and the environment. Here are some tips for handling adverse weather conditions including Preparation, Techniques, Safety and much more..
Common marine electrical problems
Most problems with marine electrical systems arise from four possible sources, a lack of maintenance, a poor standard of initial installation, insufficient battery capacity, or ineffective charging systems.
Water ingress is a frequent issue – salt water can corrode contacts very quickly. If connections are not scrupulously clean – or are loose – resistance will be increased, resulting in progressively reduced power.
Navigation safety: a quick-reference mobile app to learn the ColRegs NavLights and Shapes
Narrowboating on the Kennet and Avon Canal
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.
Preparing for sailboat cruising
Preparing for a sailing trip entails a lot of planning. In this blog, we take a look at some of the many safety aspects that a skipper needs to consider before heading off on a cruise.
ColRegs Nav Lights & Shapes, Rules Of The Road and IALA Buoys Apps
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!
The Round The Island Race 2023
This year’s Round the Island Race turned out to be a really thrilling and competitive event. 1100 boats entered the race, which took place on Saturday 1st July. The race started from the world famous Royal Yacht Squadron line in Cowes UK, with the largest and fastest boats starting first, leaving the rest of us to wait our turn.
2023 Rolex Fastnet Race – Part 2
Simon Jollands took part in the 2023 Rolex Fastnet Race. This is the second of his articles on the race aboard Lancelot II, a Beneteau First 40.
Tips and advice for staying safe on a sailboat at sea
Here we focus on how to stay safe on a sailboat at sea. We cover key things to ensure you have on board before you set sail as well as covering the most common cause of incidents on sailboats and how to deal with them.
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.
Marine engine electrical system
The typical basic electrical system associated with a marine engine includes a dedicated engine starting battery, a starter motor, a charger in the form of an alternator, a solenoid and some engine sensors and instruments.
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.
ColRegs when sailing single handed
Hull inspection – the annual checks
Jester Challenge 2022 – Sailing single handed from Plymouth UK to the Azores: Getting to the Start
Jester Challenge – A modern experiment in old-fashioned self-reliance, self sufficiency, and personal responsibility. This is the start of a 10-part post where solo sailor, Bernie Branfield, shares his first hand account of his single-handed, 2022 Jester Challenge, from Plymouth, UK to the Azores, in his 26′ Invicta Mk2, Louisa.
2023 Rolex Fastnet Race
Safe Skipper’s Simon Jollands took part in the 2023 Rolex Fastnet Race – a classic offshore sailing event. This is the first of several articles on the race and focuses on the start.
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.
An explanation of the IALA maritime buoyage systems – IALA A and IALA B
Passage planning and pilotage
Tidal terms and definitions
Getting to grips with tidal terms and definitions can seem a little daunting, even to the most experienced sailors! Here we look at some of the key terms and definitions associated with the language of tides.
Crew Overboard Drill – Updated
How to trim a genoa sail
I recently had two new sails made by Sanders Sails, based in Lymington UK. The first to arrive was the new genoa and it took me a little while to get to know it and learn how to adjust it correctly. Here is an aide memoire for getting to know how to trim a genoa so that it will deliver the best performance.
Pre-start engine checks
According to the Royal National Lifeboat Institution (RNLI) almost one third of emergency call outs at sea are caused by mechanical failure. Many engine breakdowns are avoidable. The best way to avoid a breakdown is to carry out pre-start checks before heading out to sea.
Seasickness – how can you prevent it?
Boat Engine Safety Checks
Jester Challenge 2022 – Sailing single handed from Plymouth UK to the Azores: Part 2 – Weather
Jester Challenge – A modern experiment in old-fashioned self-reliance, self sufficiency, and personal responsibility. This is the second of a 10-part post where solo sailor, Bernie Branfield, shares his first hand account of his single-handed, 2022 Jester Challenge, from Plymouth, UK to the Azores, in his 26′ Invicta Mk2, Louisa.
Keel maintenance and repair – Part 1
Keels are designed to act as underwater foils that generate lift as the boat moves through the water, counteracting the leeward force of the wind and enabling the boat to sail closer to the wind. Keel maintenance and repair is essential for the performance of your boat.
ColRegs Nav Lights & Shapes, Rules Of The Road and IALA Buoys Apps
Preparing for sailboat cruising
Preparing for a sailing trip entails a lot of planning. In this blog, we take a look at some of the many safety aspects that a skipper needs to consider before heading off on a cruise.
Repairing a leaking hull-to-deck joint
Going aground – what to do if it happens to you
When a yacht runs aground, it can be a stressful situation, especially on a falling tide in an exposed position with a swell running. There are several steps you can take to address the situation in order to ensure the safety of your vessel and its occupants. Here are some tips should this happen to you.
Boat Security: Protecting your vessel from theft & vandalism
Boats are susceptible to theft and vandalism. Protecting your vessel from these risks requires a proactive approach to boat security. In this comprehensive guide, we’ll explore the various threats to boat security and provide practical strategies and technologies to safeguard your investment and enjoy peace of mind on the water.
Estimating your position at sea
Navigators use a combination of techniques to estimate their position at sea. The primary method used today is GPS (Global Positioning System), a network of 24 satellites that became fully operational in the 1990s and was originally restricted for use by the United States military.
A five day sailing cruise of the Solent, UK
Essential Knots: Figure of eight
Learn ColRegs: Traffic Separation Schemes
Safety at sea principles
Safety at sea is not as simple as just spending money adding shiny new emergency equipment such as liferafts, danbuoys, distress flares, EPIRBs and so on.
2026


