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Courtesty of "Skipper Rich"
Rich Lagrand,
Flotilla Commander
US Coast Guard Auxiliary
District 11(sr) , Division 2, Flotilla 9
One of the unique “challenges” of
9-man racing is finding good quality escort boats with safety
conscious and experienced skippers. Because we often do not know the
skippers we recruit, nor their experience level both as a
recreational boater and as a canoe escort, it’s important that we
be aware of certain safety rules that we should always follow –
Always remembering the three Ps in
every situation:
Ponder
Personal Preservation
You should always keep in mind that
skippers have a lot going on, particularly in the early part of the
race when the participants and other escort boats are all in close
proximity to each other. In addition to looking out for YOU, they
have to navigate safely with all that traffic. To summarize the
skipper’s work load, consider that he or she must be doing the
following throughout the event:
Navigating safely in a high
density environment consisting of:
- Other escort vessels (including
those that are not necessarily very aware)
Other participating canoes
People in the water
Spectator vessels
Keeping track of your canoe and
maneuvering the boat so that it is being supportive of your team,
without interfering with other teams (waking, blocking, or hitting).
Making sure that all passengers on
the boat are conducting themselves in a safe manner
Taken singly, none of these elements
would be overly taxing on an experienced skipper. But combine these
elements, with sea state, passenger and equipment loading that
affects boat handling, experience as an escort, fatigue, and your
skipper has a LOT going on between the ears.
Escorting racing outriggers is one of
the most challenging activities a recreational boater can undertake.
You can help lighten that load and
protect yourself from injury by following a few simple rules.
SAFETY:
The SKIPPER is in charge of the
boat and persons thereon at all times. Follow all directions given
by the skipper completely and willingly.
One of the most
frequent complaints I hear from skippers is that some teams will
press them to operate their vessels in an unsafe manner, at times
getting quite upset when the skipper refuses to do so.
The skipper is always in
charge of the vessel and persons on board. By maritime law and
tradition, the skipper is solely and wholly responsible for the
safe conduct of his vessel, the safety of persons on board, and
compliance with navigation rules.
The skipper is the most
experienced person operating that particular vessel. He/she is
familiar with its capabilities and handling in a variety of
situations.
Just as skippers generally aren’t
familiar with the nuances of paddlers, paddlers are not generally
familiar with the nuances of being a good skipper.
-
Boat Handling/Seamanship
Boat capability
Navigation rules
Weather and sea state
Because of these facts, it’s
important that the skippers and paddlers work together as a team,
where the steersman or coach is in charge of the canoe, giving
guidance to the skipper, and respecting the skipper’s knowledge
and skill in operating his/her vessel safely and appropriately.
Help the Skipper by watching
and reporting what is going on around you
The workload that the skipper is
dealing with is tremendous. You can best help the skipper by
observing the other vessels, watching for people in the water,
watching the effect of your boat’s wake on the other canoes, and
advising the Skipper of these factors and potential problems
(collision, waking, etc.) accordingly.
It is not uncommon for the
Skipper’s view to be blocked in areas, either due to the design
of the vessel or by people’s bodies.
“Non-skid” isn’t –
DON’T TRUST IT!
Most boats have a diamond pattern
cut into the decks. This is known alternatively as either
“non-skid” or “anti-skid”. DON’T TRUST IT. While
non-skid generally improves traction, it can still be very
slippery, especially with bare feet. “Slicker than whale snot”
is probably a more accurate description. Numerous injuries, from
minor to severe (up to and including death), occur each year as the
result of someone slipping on the boat, or slipping while boarding
or leaving the boat. The more common resulting injuries are:
- Scrapes & bruises
- Lacerations
- Sprains
- Fractures
When you slip while boarding or
leaving the boat, it is very easy to hit a part of the boat,
including the propeller.
Avoid standing while the boat
is moving, particularly when the boat is moving at high speed.
A small boat moving at high speed
will experience bumps and jolts that can easily throw you off
balance, causing a fall on potential serious injury.
If due to the design of the
vessel it is necessary for you to stand, make sure you have a good
grip on a solid, strongly mounted object such as a handhold bar.
Even at slow speeds, a small boat
can be easily jolted or roll suddenly when hit by another boat’s
wake, causing you to fall and injure yourself.
Do NOT hold onto Bimini poles
(poles supporting the canvas shade cover)– These are not designed
to carry the weight of a person and will break, causing you to fall
and the Skipper to get quite upset about the damage to his/her
vessel.
Do NOT sit or stand on the bow
of a closed bow boat while it is moving
The front of a small vessel with
a closed bow is not designed for passengers. It is very easy to
bounce or slip off of this area, and subsequently be run over by
the boat. If you fall off, the Skipper will have little or no
reaction time to avoid hitting you.
Avoid moving around the vessel
unnecessarily
Small boats that make the best
escorts are sensitive to load distribution. Significant amounts of
weight shifting around while underway can cause the boat to become
unstable, making it difficult to control, and increasing the
potential for capsizing.
Likewise, when you board the
vessel, pay attention to how it is sitting in the water. Try to
distribute yourselves so that it is sitting level from side to
side. A small boat that is leaning too much to one side can be
easily capsized when a large enough swell or wake hits the high
side.
AVOID sitting or standing in
the bow of an open bow (bowrider) boat while it is moving
Although designed for seating
passengers, this area will experience the sharpest impacts when
running at high speed in open water. This can result in spinal
compression and other back injuries.
Standing in this area of course
presents the additional hazard of potentially being thrown
overboard and run over by the boat. You may also block the
skipper’s view of the water ahead.
Excessive weight in the front of
the boat can cause it to “plow” with potential for taking in
excess water, possibly sinking.
Excessive weight in the front of
the boat can also cause it to flip end-over-end (“pitch pole”)
throwing passengers out, resulting in injury and sinking of the
vessel.
Keep all hands and legs inside
the boat at all times except when boarding or de-boarding the vessel
and with the Skipper’s clearance.
While underway, hands, feet,
arms, and legs hanging over the side of the vessel can be “snagged”
by the water pulling you overboard or causing other injury.
While docking, limbs extending
over the sides of the boat can be crushed between the dock and the
boat.
Even when you think the Skipper
has brought the boat to the dock, ASK before reaching out or
attempting to board or leave the vessel. He/She may still be
maneuvering the vessel. Other situations that present this danger
may not be obvious to you, such as another vessel pulling along
side.
NEVER attempt to take control
of the boat without the Skippers permission
It happens! In the heat of
competition, an occasional paddler has been known to grab for the
throttle or helm of the escort boat. I’ve seen at least one
paddler nearly run over by someone doing this. Leave the driving
to the skipper unless you are specifically asked to take over.
Do not jump off the boat while
it is moving
While moving, a boat on open
water will roll and pitch more than when it is at rest. Trying to
jump off while the boat is moving can easily result in slipping and
striking part of the boat. Check with the Skipper to make sure it
is safe for you to get off the boat – This applies to changes AND
at the dock!
Don’t approach the boat from
the water while the engine is running unless you have the skipper’s
permission, and even then, be careful of the propeller(s)
Some propellers will continue to
turn when the engine is running even though the transmission is in
neutral
Even when not turning, props can
be sharp!
COURTESY
Remember – You are a guest,
act like one.
Even though your skipper is being
paid, you are still a guest. If you want him/her to support you in
the future, act like one.
Ask before boarding,
disembarking, or crossing over to another boat
Treat the boat with respect
Clean up after yourself, take
your trash & gear
Avoid foul language
Get organized before coming to
the boat
Get to the boat on time
Bring as little gear as
possible
Keep your gear together and
organized
Avoid large coolers
Wipe your feet
Never make derogatory comments
about the boat – Even if the skipper agrees with a negative
observation, it never feels good to have someone else make it.
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