Sailing is great fun. As with most fun things, it can also be very dangerous when not done safely. The following information is by no means exhaustive, but it should help to prepare you for a safe trip aboard S/V Festina Lente or other boats.
Background
I like to be adventurous and to test my limits. I am simultaneously fairly timid and prone to anxiety. What enables me to reconcile these two seemingly opposed qualities is a focus on safety.
Be prepared for me to be more demanding with regard to safety precautions than you may feel is warranted – I have been nicknamed “Safety Darryl” by one of my neighbors for good reason. I feel a responsibility to insist as skipper that rules related to safety be strictly followed and without exception. I am always willing to discuss the motivation behind safety rules and to accept feedback, but the rules are not up for debate while aboard Festina Lente.
Rules
- Life vests must be worn by all passengers and crew at all times when in the cockpit or on the deck of the boat while the boat is under way. The only place on the boat that someone is permitted not to wear a life vest is below decks. If you need to remove your life vest in order to change garments, etc, please do so below decks.
- Alcohol is permitted for passengers. Crew may not drink while on shift or on call. When at anchor or moored, crew may imbibe alcohol responsibly.
- The US Coast Guard has jurisdiction over the waters Festina Lente sails in and can and will board the vessel. Federally-prohibited substances are therefore not allowed at any time.
- No running on the boat.
- Never jump off the boat while it is in motion without clearly communicating this and getting agreement from the helms-person. This includes jumping onto the dock to assist with tying up the boat. In most cases, it is not necessary to leave the boat in order to dock, and doing so can be risky.
- If the person currently in command of Festina Lente or the skipper uses the phrase “I need you to…”, whatever follows should be considered an order and compliance is expected.
- If you do not know how to operate a piece of equipment and have been asked to use that equipment or are interested in learning about it, please ask. Make no assumptions, and never operate a piece of equipment without knowing how. Serious injury could occur.
Safety Equipment
Festina Lente is equipped with many safety features and devices. If you have not had a chance to familiarize yourself with the location and proper operation of this equipment, please ask for an orientation during the pre-departure safety talk.
Available safety equipment includes:
- A fire extinguisher in the cockpit table locker
- A fire extinguisher below the galley sink
- A fire extinguisher in the forward wet locker
- A throwable floatation device, which will be in the cockpit any time the vessel is under way. An additional throwable can be found in the aft-most lazarette
- Life vests / PFDs for all passengers and crew. Please be sure the a vest fits properly. This is especially important for children, as sizes have more variation.
- A first aid kit including pain relievers and over-the-counter sea sickness medication
- Visual distress signals
- An air horn for sound signalling
- Flares located in the aft cabin in an orange ammo can below the berth and beside the engine compartment
- Ships Marine VHF Radio at the navigation table
- Handheld Marine VHF Radio with registered MMSI, DSC, GPS, and automated SOS located on the foremost starboard shelf
- EPIRB mounted above Handheld VHF – foremost starboard shelf
- Dinghy with outboard motor
This page is a work in progress to be completed before any passengers are invited aboard.