Welcome Aboard Safety Briefing Checklist

Items to review with new guests crew prior to departure from dock or mooring:

Don’t bring cardboard on board!  We don’t want bugs.

Coastal / Day Sailing

  • Location and use of PFDs
  • Location and use of Fire Extinguishers / Fire Procedure / Escape Hatch Forward
  • Location of Life Raft and Flare Kits
  • Location of First Aid Kit
  • Review of any Medical Issues
  • Use of Marine Toilet
  • Use of Domestic Resources (Stove / Gas Detector , Refrigerator, Water System, Shower)
  • Use of VHF Radio / Depth Sounder / Radar (including Electrical Panel)
  • Starting Main Engine / Battery Switches / Gear Shift – Throttle
  • Use of the Bilge Pumps
  • Safety Precautions to Observe While Underway
    • Moving about the deck
    • Lines under load
    • Winch operation
    • Procedure for tacking / jibing
    • Procedures for night / heavy weather sailing (use of jack lines, harness, lanyards)
  • Crew-Overboard Procedure
    • Prevention
    • Shout MOB
    • Floatation into water
    • Set location on GPS
    • Call for help
    • Stop boat
    • Recovery with Life Sling
    • Actions by MOB
  • Keeping Watch / Look-out
  • Stations / Procedure for Getting Underway & Docking
  • Dinghy Operations

Voyage (overnight +)

“Day Sailing” briefing (see above) plus:

  • Demonstrate use of VHF DISTRESS button
  • Review emergency radio procedures (Mayday / Pan / Securite Calls)
  • Review emergency procedures for fire and flooding
  • Review location and use of EPIRB, flares, and other emergency gear
  • Review deployment of life raft / location of ditch bag
  • Review operation of running / deck lights
  • Review how to check fuel and water levels
  • Review operation of autopilot
  • Review use of stove / oven
  • Review frig / freezer system operation
  • Discuss log keeping requirements
  • Review use of chart plotter / AIS information

Off-shore Voyage (>500nm)

“Voyage” briefing (see above) plus:

  • Practice MOB procedures
  • Distribute and inspect life jackets and harnesses / strobes (have each crew member test their pfd and strobe)
  • Review drogue deployment
  • Review of watch schedule
  • Each crew member to read “Red Book” (procedures / standing orders / etc)
  • Review emergency rudder set up

Departure Daysail Checklist

Ready

  • general briefing for any new crew.
  • check for dry bilges.
  • daily engine check
    • fuel level.
    • oil level.
    • belt tension.
    • raw water strainer.
  • check head is working and holding-tank through-hull valve closed.
  • open raw water thru-hulls for engine and head.
  • verify propane system is off including burners and solenoid.
  • secure dinghy, outboard, and boarding ladder.
  • secure lifelines.
  • stow everything make sure knife is easily accessible.
  • ensure battery switch is in all on position.
  • lights off (day) or on (night).
  • instrument and radio breakers on.
  • turn on VHF and check.
  • check weather.
  • air horn accessible from cockpit.
  • file sail plan with shore.
  • enter data in log. Reset digital log.

Set

  • open sail cover and ready halyard / reef lines.
  • ready sheets with stopper knots.
  • ready winch handles
  • open and close all clutches to make sure they operate freely.
  • brief crew on sail plan and cast off procedures.
  • start motor.
  • ensure coolant is spitting from exhaust.
  • hatches and portholes closed and dogged.
  • drawers and compartments closed and latched.
  • ready boat hook.
  • test thrust.
  • if docked, untie docklines, snag lines under horns of dock cleats to hold boat in slip.
  • ensure fairway is clear.

Go

  • engage engine, throttle up gently, ease into fairway.
  • stow fenders and dock lines.
  • verify crew trained in MOB procedures.

Returning Daysail Checklist

Arriving

  • Holding tank through-hull valve closed.
  • Drawers and compartments closed and latched.
  • Galley secure, all burners off, solenoid off.
  • Docking / mooring lines made ready.
  • Notify marina of intensions.

Shut down

  • Lines and sheets coiled, halyard tied off.
  • Mainsail covered.
  • Jib furler secured.
  • Bilge empty.
  • Hatches and ports closed and dogged.
  • Propane tank closed
  • All items stowed including cockpit cushions and KEY.
  • Anchor secured, if applicable.
  • Unnecessary power off, cabin lights off.
  • Breakers off.
  • Batteries switched to house only.
  • Cover instruments, cockpit table, and wheels.
  • Carry-aboard items retrieved.
  • Dinghy secured if applicable.
  • Trash can emptied.
  • Companionway and all hatches closed and locked.
  • Float plan cancelled.

Passage Pre-Departure Checklist

On Deck

  • Rig — Inspect all running rigging for chafed lines, blocks running smoothly, cotter pins/rings in place
    •  Halyards
    • Sheets
    • Reefing lines
    • Lazy jacks
    • Spin pole lines
    • Inspect / grease winches
  • Mast — Go up mast to inspect
    • Sail track
    • Spreaders / spreader tips where shrouds attach
    • Tangs
    • Halyard sheaves (lubricate)
    • General corrosion / stress cracks
    • Wind instruments
    • VHF antenna
    • Mast head, steamer and spreader lights
    • Wire / swages
  • Check/lube fittings & track spin. pole
  • Stow main working anchor / secure windlass hawspipe
  • Inspect Lifelines
    • Fittings
    • Tension
    • Meat hooks
    • Tape gate clips
  • Sails
    • Reefing lines / blocks
    • Roller reefing
    • Main battens
    • Staysail (bent on?)
  • Grease roller furling bearings
  • Inspect harnesses and rig jacklines
  • Rig preventer
  • Test all navigation lights
  • Inspect / test MOB gear
    • Strobes
    • Life-sling
    • Life-sling light battery (replace if 1 year or more)
    • MOB pole
    • Heaving line
    • Block/tackle for Life-sling recovery
  • Lazarettes
    • Visual check of Life raft
    • Visual check of drogue
    • Check flare kits / flare inventory
    • Check spare anchor stowage
    • Organize / neaten-up general stowage
    • Check / fill gas bottles / inventory combustibles
  • Sight heavy weather gear for dodger windows / dorade boxes
  • Sight emergency hatch covers
  • Secure dorade boxes (if appropriate)
  • Check stowage of outboard engine
  • Check dinghy stowage on deck

Hull

  • Clean hull / prop (grease prop?)
  • Check hull zincs / prop zinc

Below Decks

  • Check fog signaling gear
  • Check EPIRB battery / registration
  • Check / Inventory Ditch kit
  • Check cabin lighting
  • Inspect fire extinguishers
  • Operate refrigeration units
  • Operate stove and test gas alert sensors
  • Check / distribute PFDs and harnesses (each crew member to perform manual test and repack their PFD and test strobe)
  • Check first aid kit / Rx inventory
  • Check tools inventory / stowage
  • Inventory damage control supplies / gear
  • Check spares inventory
    • Engines (filters, belts, parts)
    • Fuel system filters
    • Water system filter
    • Electrical
    • Rigging
    • Diesel filters
    • POL (engine oil sufficient for 3 changes, ATF, grease tubes)
  • Check battery tie-downs
  • Check sole lock-downs
  • Test all locker latches
  • Auto pilot
    • Check operation
    • Inspect hydraulic ram on quadrant (operation, lubrication, fluid level)
    • Check Autohelm
  • Steering Gear
    • Lube rudder bearings
    • Check tightness of steering cables
    • Check / lube cable sheeves
  • Secure chain locker
    • Chain rode stowed
    • Gear secured
  • Desalinator (operate)
  • Fill fuel and water tanks

Engine

  • Fuel system
    • Check fuel filters / separators (clean separators as necessary)
    • Check raw water strainers
  • Main engine
    • Raw water pump impeller
    • Oil change (if it is likely oil change will be needed during passage)
    • Coolant level / inventory spare coolant
    • Belts (tightness / wear)
    • Hoses / hose clamps
    • Check gear box oil level (change?)
    • Check shaft seal
    • Check prop zinc
    • Grease prop (as needed)

Batteries / Charging Systems

  • Check battery charge levels.

Communications / Navigation

  • VHF radio check
  • Radar / nav and sailing instruments check
  • Satalite / data / email check
  • Computer / e-charts
  • Paper chart inventory
  • Cruising guides / pilots
  • Weather reports / forecasts
  • Check courtesy flag inventory
  • Stationery supplies (pens, pencils, etc.)

Bilge / Under soles

  • Bilge pumps
    • Operate electric and manual pumps
    • Break out / test Edson pump
  • Thru-hulls (operate)
  • Check all hose clamps below waterline
  • Check wooden plugs at every thru-hull
  • Check tightness of transducers / speed-o paddle
  • Check stowage / security of stores and heavy gear below sole

Stores / supplies

  • Fuel (fill tanks)
  • Check POL consumables inventory (3 oil changes)
  • Check inventory of engine spares (belts, filters, hoses)
  • Water tanks (clean and full)
  • Propane (fill all bottles)
  • Check small batteries (AA/AAA) inventory
  • Provisioning (per crew size, voyage duration, etc.)

Ship’s Admin

  • Check / modify insurance cruising limits
  • Develop (file) float plan and notify EPIRB contacts of float plan details
  • Check EPIRB registration data (emergency contact details)
  • Review / revise standing orders / night orders
  • Develop / post watch schedule
  • Develop “Plan of Daily Routine” with radio skeds for nets, e-mail and fax reception
  • Crew check of personal papers (passports) / gear / clothing / meds
  • Review / record individual Rx meds (notify crew where info is kept)
  • Collect passports, check visas and prepare crew list
  • Menu plan
  • Crew briefings / training complete and noted in log
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