FREE tips from the Safe Skipper App for iPhone/iPad/Android:
Getting a tow for your sail or power boat
- Plan how to secure a tow rope to your boat. The tow rope must be attached to strong deck fittings
- As a rescue boat approaches, warn them of any debris or loose lines in the water
- If you are being rescued by a lifeboat, follow their instructions – they are experienced in rescue techniques
- If necessary back the tow rope with other ropes to lead to other cleats and strong points on deck
- Avoid using knots or loops that cannot be released under load
- Protect the rope from chafing using plastic tube, rags or fenders
- When being towed in a small boat, you will need to keep the weight well aft to keep the bow up
- If the boat is down by the bows you may need to be towed from astern
- The towed boat should always steer to follow the towing boat unless the steering has been disabled
- The use of a drogue to aid towing can be used
Essential yacht tender safety for skippers and crew
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.
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.
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.
Medical Emergency at Sea
Understanding your boat’s compass
How a propeller works
Have a look around any boatyard and you will notice quite a variety of propellers – some have two blades, some have three and others have four or more. While most propellers are completely rigid some have blades that fold.
First aid at sea – four common emergencies
In this blog we look at what to do in the event of a crew member choking, drowning, or suffering from hypothermia or fatigue. Knowing how to cope with them could well save a life, while not knowing could result in an avoidable tragedy.
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.
Jester Challenge 2022 – Sailing single handed from Plymouth UK to the Azores: Part 5 – Boat Management
Jester Challenge – A modern experiment in old-fashioned self-reliance, self sufficiency, and personal responsibility. This is the fifth 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.
Boat ownership – some fundamentals
Owning a boat is a big commitment that should bring no end of satisfaction, but the costs of maintaining and keeping a boat are significant and should never be underestimated.
Pleasure craft safety equipment recommendations
ColRegs when sailing single handed
Essential Knots: Figure of eight
A simple guide to understanding tides when passage planning
How to Avoid Collisions At Sea With The ColRegs
Boat maintenance log
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.
Cleaning & polishing gelcoat 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.
Jester Challenge 2022 – Sailing single handed from Plymouth UK to the Azores: Part 4 – Navigation
Jester Challenge – A modern experiment in old-fashioned self-reliance, self sufficiency, and personal responsibility. This is the fourth 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.
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.
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.
Understanding marine sealants & adhesives
Galvanic and electrolytic corrosion
Galvanic corrosion is an electrochemical reaction between two or more different metals, in the presence of an electrolyte (note salt water is a good electrolyte).