Safety Boats

A safety boat is a vessel capable of providing assistance to the craft in use and of recovering an individual from the water. The following sections are primarily concerned with powered safety boat operations where unpowered craft are used the DO must determine what is appropriate for a given situation. 

Note that when undertaking RYA Training it is assumed that a Powered safety craft will be used as per industry best practice, where an unpowered craft is to be used for RYA training then the Chief instructor sailing should be consulted.

Crew: Minimum crew of a safety boat is 2 persons. The coxswain should be qualified to minimum RYA Power Level 2 , be covered by a Scout Activity Permit and have a working knowledge of standard procedures relevant to the activity for which safety cover is provided. At least one of the crew should be 1st Aid qualified.  Best practice is that safety boat coxswains be qualified to RYA Safety Boat standard. Dependant on conditions and activities, the Duty Officer may require this standard for safety boat helms.

Equipment: The vessel must be equipped in accordance with Appendix E – Centre Powerboat checklist.  A VHF or suitable alternative designated by the Duty Officer should be carried.

Deployment:

The Duty Officer has overall responsability for the operation of safety boats.

A vessel allocated to other duties is not a dedicated safety boat.

Safety boats and operation stations will be allocated by the Duty Officer and will remain on station unless detailed for other duties by the Duty Officer or unless dealing with an incident.  Where one or more incidents occur, final decisions on specific actions and priorities rest with the Coxswain.

A safety boat should be on the water when any sailing activity is being undertaken. This requirement may be waived by the Duty Officer for General Sailing Activities where:

• There is a craft capable of providing assistance afloat  or the activity is planned and authorised by the Centre Principal/Chief Instructor 

• The participants are covered by a Scout Association Activity Permit. 

Safety Boat Ratios: The following minimum ratios are to be observed. Duty Officers may choose to require a higher ratio. 

Dinghies (Tuition)

• Up to 6 dinghies – 1 safety boat

• 6 to 12 dinghies – 2 safety boats

• More than 13 dinghies – 3 + safety boats

Dinghies (Recreational as part of a learning program): Up to 12 dinghies per safety boat

Keelboats: Contact with suitable rescue craft.

Canoes/Kayaks: As designated by Duty Officer – however it is rare that powered safety boat will be suitable or appropriate.

Pulling vessels: As designated by Duty Officer

Actions on dealing with an incident

The primary references for techniques to be used are RYA Safety Boat manual & The Discovery Pulling Charge manual.

• When dealing with an incident the first and absolute priority must be the safety of persons rather than equipment.

• When a casualty is picked up, unless life is at risk, it is in general desirable to return the casualty to the Centre rather than to deal with any injury at the scene.

• When proceeding to and from any designated station, speed should be kept to a brisk walking pace unless dealing with an incident.

• It is the responsibility of the crew to work with the Instructors on the water but final decisions on safety must lie with the Coxswain of the safety boat.

• Buoyancy aids and suitable warm weatherproof clothing must be worn by all crew at all times – additionally the crew should be prepared to enter the water if required.

• The "killcord" must be attached to the helm at all times.

• When a person is being recovered from the water or is in proximity of the engine in the water, it is an absolute rule that the engine must be off and the craft stationary until the rescue is complete.

Entrapment in sailing boats

When covering sailing, safety boats should consider entrapment risk.

• Dinghy sailing is still a very safe sport with the statistical risk of getting stuck under the boat following a capsize extremely small;

• There are no clear patterns in the cause of incidents, which occurred in a wide range of conditions and boats;

• Neither the experience of the sailor nor the equipment used suggested a single dominant factor in the incidents recorded;

• The statistical risk to a dinghy sailor of becoming dangerously trapped is tiny, but sailors should be aware that these incidents can happen;

• Rescue can be difficult in the time available and staying calm contributes to the chance of escape;

• The most common cause of entrapment was 30% getting ropes tangled around the body or limbs, 30% getting caught on other control lines and straps and 30% involved some part of the trapeze harness;

• The most effective rescue of a trapped sailor is to right the boat as rapidly as possible;

• The best prevention is good housekeeping aboard, maintaining elastic and being aware of the problem.

RYA Advice can be found here:https://youtu.be/Qo1JMpkQ78A?si=pVzWspgmMwWz0u17 

2005 RYA survey can be found here: https://www.rya.org.uk/media/mssgp5nk/f4c_entrapments_research.pdf