safety boat?

[PeterM]

A question for those in the know.....

I have been asked to be a safety boat at a charity event organised via my family that may involve people jumping in a marina and being 'rescued' by Newfoundland dogs....

Anyway do i need any special 'things' on the basis there is no pay and I'm carrying passengers etc.

When i see the local sailing club safety boats i know even my 4m rib is better equipped so I'm hoping I'll be ok....

Any suggestions welcome??

[RAD]

I should think you will be ok. Afterall, you are not being paid, you are not gaining from this.

As long as you kill your engine within 2 mtrs of someone in the water, you'll be fine.

[Poly]

Originally Posted by PeterM

A question for those in the know.....

I have been asked to be a safety boat at a charity event organised via my family that may involve people jumping in a marina and being 'rescued' by Newfoundland dogs....

Anyway do i need any special 'things' on the basis there is no pay and I'm carrying passengers etc.

When i see the local sailing club safety boats i know even my 4m rib is better equipped so I'm hoping I'll be ok....

Any suggestions welcome??

Peter - if you mean do you need to be approved / registered / certified / coded / licensed in any way then no - you are not gaining so you are exempt from the regs.

I've done safety cover for a couple of events recently as part of a large fleet of safety boats. Neither of these made any request that I carry any special equipment, neither did they check what I had on board. If you are the only boat it may be more important that you have the right gear. Since your role if required is presumably to pull people out the water, if required, and then quickly get them to shore your requirements are probably minimal. I don't know what you've got on board but the only things the average cruising ribber might not have and would be useful are: Throw line (can be easier/quicker in a tight space than manoeuvring the boat) and some way of getting/keeping a casualty warm while returning to shore - if it is in a marina this might just be a couple of big towels. I'd normally expect a safety boat to have a first aid kit on board - but actually you probably don't even need one for what you seem to be planning. A knife (in case someone should be entangled in a rope) but you probably carry one on board anyway - you might want it readily at hand.

I'm assuming you've "practised" getting an unconscious casualty aboard the shearwater. Actually the SR might be more appropriate?

[Steve_B]

What date is this taking place Pete, I may be able to offer boat/kit?

Steve

[Searider]

Peter,

I would suggest that at the least you equip your boat to the equivalent of RYA safety boat.

I don't have the reference here but iirc you need the following

First aid kit
Knife
Thermal Protective aid
Paddle
Compass
Tow rope
Fire extinguisher
Inshore flare pack
Spare kill cord
HH VHF.

I would imagine you've already got all of that on board in any case.

Duncan

[Poly]

Originally Posted by Searider

Peter,

I would suggest that at the least you equip your boat to the equivalent of RYA safety boat.

I don't have the reference here but iirc you need the following

First aid kit
Knife
Thermal Protective aid
Paddle
Compass
Tow rope
Fire extinguisher
Inshore flare pack
Spare kill cord
HH VHF.

I would imagine you've already got all of that on board in any case.

Duncan

Duncan, I'm sure he has that stuff on board too - but at what point in providing safety cover for "people jumping in a marina" is he likely to need a compass or flares

[PeterM]

Thanks for the replies . It would be the Avon I'd use - a bit less cumbersome in tight space, and a damn sight less thirsty over the course of several hours.

I do have everything you could ever want on the boat and would move a few bits like the throwline etc over from the bigger boat.

In terms of time/location its all a work in progress. It would be in aid of hearing dogs for the deaf - marina woudl be any that could accomodate really - maybe 2011....

[mara]

Hi Peter,just a cautionary word..check that the organisers Public Liability Insurance extends to you..if you mess up,or accidentally injure someone the litigation lawyers are very adept at making anyone performing a function with good intent look like an amatuer numpty,they will say that your duty of care was suspect or that you were negligent as you were not"qualified " ie RYA Safety Boat as a baseline...it may seem OTT BUT BEING PRUDENT CAN SAVE YOU A LOT OF HASSLE IN THE FUTURE! ATB Tony

[PeterM]

Originally Posted by mara

Hi Peter,just a cautionary word..check that the organisers Public Liability Insurance extends to you..if you mess up,or accidentally injure someone the litigation lawyers are very adept at making anyone performing a function with good intent look like an amatuer numpty,they will say that your duty of care was suspect or that you were negligent as you were not"qualified " ie RYA Safety Boat as a baseline...it may seem OTT BUT BEING PRUDENT CAN SAVE YOU A LOT OF HASSLE IN THE FUTURE! ATB Tony

Oh yes - they have done this before and liability was/is/could be my job again soon. I have horror stories I could tell.......

[Doug Stormforce]

The piece of kit you may find useful is a crew member to help recover people from the water

[neilda]

Ladders/steps?

[PeterM]

Second suitable crew will be arranged as I have dragged dead weight person over the side and ladder is on the boat as standard.

I am planning by the time this comes around to have done commercial endorsed APB - so should be able to demonstrate a degree of competance by then - just dont ask those that have been out with me if is deserved