Select Page

What are the main dangers a vessel may face at sea and what should skippers do to reduce the risk of these happening?

  1. Collisions with other vessels

container ship 2 miles

The Collision Regulations apply to “all vessels upon the high seas and in all waters connected therewith navigable by seagoing vessels” as stated in The International Regulations for Preventing Collisions at Sea. Everyone in charge of a vessel should know the rules of the road like the back of their hand and if you haven’t been at sea for a while it would be wise to read up on these before going afloat. Pay particular attention in Section 1 of the IRPCS to Rules 5 and 6 which deal with keeping a look out and maintaining a safe speed; Rule 9 which covers navigating in narrow channels. Section 2 covers the conduct of vessels in sight of one another, give way priorities and action to be taken – all of this is essential to know. For those sailing at night or in restricted visibility, all relevant rules are laid out in Section 3.

Check rigging sail boat

  1. Failure of key equipment

There are plenty of examples of sailing yachts that have overcome significant difficulties such as broken masts and rudders, yet have reached harbour using their own resources. However, equipment failure also has the potential to be incredibly demoralising and has caused a good number of crews to loose confidence in their vessel, leading to unnecessary abandonments.

The first step to avoiding equipment failure is to do daily checks of the engine, rig, and other equipment. This procedure will identify many imminent failures in advance and will also help you to get to know your boat better and improve your understanding of its various systems.

If you do encounter gear failure there are a couple of key questions that will guide your next steps:

  • Is it an item that offers convenience such as ease of handling, and therefore isn’t absolutely essential, or is it one that’s vital to the operation of the boat?
  • If the latter, can the broken item be readily substituted or replaced?

It is worth noting the large number of sailing yachts that are rescued by lifeboat following engine failure. The lack of a working engine often seems to cause skipper and crew to lose more confidence in the vessel than is logical. As well as the basic daily checks skippers should make sure the engine is serviced up to date and in good order. Skippers should also know how to carry out basic repairs including diagnosing starting problems, changing fuel filters, bleeding air out of the fuel system and replacing the water pump impeller. A short marine engine maintenance course is a worthwhile investment of time and money.

rough weather sailing

3 Severe weather

While severe weather can put a vessel in danger, most rescues at sea are carried out in more benign conditions. Even so, rough seas and strong winds can uncover existing deficiencies in the boat. The loads in the rig, for instance, reach a maximum when the boat is fully powered up – often in no more than a force 3 when sailing to windward.

On a rough day any debris that might otherwise reside on the bottom of the fuel tank will get stirred up and is likely to block fuel filters.  In addition, fatigue, sea sickness and cold can all play a much larger part in the equation than on a fine day.

What constitutes bad weather will vary considerably depending on your experience, the design of your boat and the equipment carried. Those with lots of experience of sailing in a Force 7 and even occasional gales will clearly cope more easily than a crew that has never previously encountered more than a Force 5. Similarly, a boat with a well cut heavy weather and storm sails will be able to make ground to windward and away from a lee shore long after one that relies on an old and stretched deeply reefed roller genoa in such conditions.

boat fire

4 Fire

Almost everything a modern boat is made of is highly combustible, so the prospect of a fire on board is one of the most frightening incidents that can happen at sea. A decent-sized fire extinguisher can be extremely effective, providing it’s used promptly, as is a fire blanket for cooking fires.

However, this is another instance in which prevention is the route to peace of mind. That means having first-rate gas system that’s properly maintained, including periodic replacement of flexible pipes and regulators. It also means that petrol for outboard engines should be stowed on deck, so the vapour from any spillages can escape, rather than stowing the fuel in a cockpit locker, where it may leak into the bilge.

It’s equally important to keep the electrical system well maintained, with the batteries firmly secured in place – a short circuit in a 12V system is capable of starting an electrical fire.

broaching

5 Sinking

Fortunately, this is a rare occurrence with modern yachts and is usually the result of external factors such as grounding, hitting debris such as a container, or collision with another vessel. However, there have also been a small number of instances in which skin fittings have succumbed to extensive electrolytic action, or the speed log transducer has been damaged.

In addition to pipework being double clipped to skin fittings, a tapered softwood plug of the correct size should be tied to the fitting to prevent it floating away and becoming lost should the boat become flooded. For the same reason, bilge pump handles should be secured by a lanyard.

When a yacht starts to fill with water it’s easy to get a false perspective – when the boat is heeled it takes surprisingly little before it starts to wash over the lee bunk in the saloon – and many boats have been abandoned prematurely for this reason. On the other hand, if you really do have a serious problem – and it’s clear the boat really is sinking rapidly– then you need to take action to raise the alarm and abandon ship immediately.

Finally, if a dangerous situation does arise, the first thing to do is to clearly assess what is going on and communicate this with the crew and if necessary radio the coastguard and alert them of your predicament. Then take positive steps to remedy the situation and be prepared to figure out viable solutions with crew members, the rescue services and other vessels in your vicinity.

 

Rudders and steering systems – Part 3

In the third of our three blog articles on rudders and steering systems, we look at how to replace rudder bearings and repair a water-saturated core.

Safety Equipment Checklist for Boats

Safety Equipment Checklist for Boats   Liferaft line attached The liferaft will not work unless the trigger line is...

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.

Rig check – how to prevent failure at sea

Regular rig checks prevent the risk of mast and rigging failure at sea. This includes regular rig inspections of the spars, ...

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.

Keeping boat records and doing checks

A boat’s records should provide information about maintenance schedules, when major work was done and when equipment was replaced or added to the boat. Without this information you are left guessing when things are likely to need replacing in the future and also what the costs are likely to be.

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.

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.

Understanding your mast and rigging

The rig of a sailing boat is put under huge stresses and strains so it is important for inspections of a yacht's spars and rigging to be...

Competent crew skills: arriving and leaving a berth

Skilled boat handling is needed when entering or leaving harbour. Crew tasks include preparing the mooring lines and fenders before docking and...

Boat engine basics

Boat engines come in all shapes and sizes and include inboards, outboards, petrol, diesel, electric and hybrid systems. Some engines are...

Fire prevention on boats

  Fire prevention on boats - common causes of fire: • Smoking below decks • Galley cookers • Build-up of butane or...

Winch Servicing

It is not essential to service the winches when a boat is ashore, but if time allows I prefer to do this maintenance job when the boat...

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.

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.

Marine diesel exhaust checks

You should inspect the exhaust system for corrosion damage regularly, especially around the injection bend. If you have noticed the engine exhaust smoking a lot during the sailing season this can also indicate a number of potential problems.

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.

Sailing into fog – being prepared and staying safe

Most skippers will sensibly delay their departure, if fog is forecast. However, if fog begins to form when you are at sea it is important to be prepared, and know what precautions to take, to help make your vessel detectable or visible in fog and keep the crew safe.

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.

Liferafts

Liferafts should be stowed where they are ready for immediate launching. All crew should know the location of the liferaft and know how to launch, inflate and board it. They should also know what equipment it contains.

Tidal heights and the rule of twelfths

For those skippers who need to make a quick calculation or don’t have access to specific tidal curves for their location, it is possible to make an approximation using a system called the Rule of Twelfths. This is a simple method used to estimate the height of tide at any given time during the tidal cycle. It is based on the idea that the rise and fall of the tide is not constant, but follows a predictable pattern than can be divided into twelve parts.

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.

How diesel engines work

The basic principle of a diesel engine is less complex than that of a petrol engine. No spark plug or ignition system is needed, making the basic diesel engine a comparatively straightforward system that results in fewer faults and has lower maintenance costs than a petrol engine.

Stern gear maintenance

The stern gear of a boat needs to be checked carefully when the boat is ashore as this is something that can only be done when it is out of the water. The same applies for any maintenance and repairs that may need doing, so it is best to check it all over as soon after an end of season lift out as possible.

Boat ownership

Owning a boat is a big commitment that should bring no end of satisfaction for the owner as well as the owner's family and friends. In...