Download our Sailing Booklet in PDF Format - Safety On The Water

Dressed for actionThe crew must stay dry and warm, whatever the weather. All crew members should have accessto suitable clothing, which is fully functional and will help protect against hypothermia.■ Base and mid layers should be fleece and fibre pile garments, which trap warm air andprovide quick drying comfort.■ The outer layer should preferably be dedicated sailinggear for foul weather use. Chest high trousers and jacketwith high collar, hood and storm cuffs will provide acomplete barrier against rain, spray and wind. Breathablefabrics, which transmit sweat to the outside, are likely toprovide the best performance. Bright colours and retroreflectivestrips are strongly recommended. Some jacketshave built in lifejackets and harness.■ Thermal headgear can play a major role in helping toconserve body heat.■ Sailing boots must have effective non-slip soles andshould pull on and off easily.■ Sailing gloves help protect against rope burn and otherpossible injuries and protect against the cold.2Personal floatation devices & harnesses3A yacht should have sufficient lifejackets andharnesses for all the crew. This means having suitablepersonal floatation devices and harnesses which willfit all shapes and sizes including children. It is theskipper’s responsibility to show the crew wherepersonal floatation devices and harnesses are stowed,how to don and secure them and when and how tooperate them.■ The skipper should identify harness attachment pointsfor moving around the yacht. They should be placedclose to the companionway, on either side of thecockpit, so the crew can clip on before coming on deck.Jackstays along the side decks provide a good solutionto moving fore and aft without having to unclip.6