Safety Equipment

[floydraser]

So now could be a good time for this question: What suggestions does the team have for safety (and other) equipment?

With the prospect that I may actually get a chance to take the Denham Owl away from it's mooring for the first time I would like to make sure there's enough of the correct safety equipment on board.

From memory there is already 5 self-inflating life jackets, a couple of bank stakes (but nothing to knock 'em in with yet!), not enough mooring rope, a first aid kit, a new horn and I've ordered one of these: https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/Emergency-Boat-Ladder-134-cm-5-Steps-Yacht-Foldable-Safety-Boarding-EMLAD5/273010791893?ssPageName=STRK%3AMEBIDX%3AIT&_trksid=p2060353.m2749.l2649

There are two anchors in the locker but no mud weight. I plan to use the MM Tracker app on my phone to check the speed.

How much rope would you need on a 37 footer and how many fenders? Everyone seems to have more than me!

And anything else I may have missed?

Thanks in anticipation.

PS. Adnams Broadside & Copperhouse Gin, Laphroaig Quarter Cask and an ice making fridge already on board.

[Vaughan]

Your boat is not a hire boat and was built before the EC regulations were in force, so I guess it is up to the BSS and your insurance company. It would be well worth having a good read of what your policy says.

[grendel]

on the lifejackets there should be a date on the self inflate mechanism, now I am not saying it wont work if its out of date, but it would be better if it has a current date on them.

[JanetAnne]

You have a ladder to help wayward crew back on board but a life ring/belt to chuck at them when they involuntarily leave the ship is a good idea. 

[JanetAnne]

Ropes by the way and this is only my preference. 4 mooring ropes plus two more for use as spring lines, doubles or whatever else. That gives you a fixed rope both ends both port and starboard plus the flexability of the other two. 

The mooring ropes need to be a foot shorter than the distance from your front cleat to the propellor. That way, if one of the front lines escapes overboard (and you'll never see it from the helm) it can't get itself wrapped round the prop.

You'll also need a mudweight rope.... tied to the boat! Yep, there are many mudweights down there still because the other end of the rope was not attached! Lol

 

 

[Smoggy]

Have you got the broads map for mmtracker? I can share if needed, it's old but the water is in the right place.

[JennyMorgan]

I would, if she were mine, carry 6 'sausage' fend-offs with landyards at both ends & two large round ones to go under the forward flare. Go for black or blue, white shows every mark. I would go for four 30ft mooring lines, once again blue or black. I know that there are those that will disagree but I would have neither loops nor back-splices on the mooring lines, such things can and do jam when you want to pull them through a mooring ring. Also if you use a loop to fasten the line to your boat then it makes it impossible to cast off from the boat in the event of towing or being caught on a falling tide. Bowlines and round turns and two half-hitches is the answer. You might need to cast off when there is a load on your lines. As for auto life-jackets, I'd rather have a modern, closed cell foam job, they work when you need them to and they suffer neglect far better that auto. I would also carry a mobile phone, UHF is handy but not that necessary. I would also carry one long and one short boathook. Manual pump and a bucket can be very handy! A 30kg mudweight, two can be handy. Four rhond anchors can also be usefull, some folk also carry a mallet to bash them in but in a lifetime I have never needed a mallet, darn things only chew up the metal which can then cut your hands. A bucket with a rope on it is useful when you are cleaning the decks, as is a deck-scrub. A whistle is always handy, even if you never use it.  I also carry a 'fisherman's' anchor, ideal for lobbing into the reeds if you need to lay alongside in emergency. A spare tin and bottle opener is good as is a spare of water. You won't be the first person to forget to top up the water-tank and having none to drink on a hot day can be horrible. I also carry spare cloths just in case I need a change of should I fall in. 

[floydraser]

56 minutes ago, grendel said:

on the lifejackets there should be a date on the self inflate mechanism, now I am not saying it wont work if its out of date, but it would be better if it has a current date on them.

Thank you, valid point. They have been checked over by a qualified person and deemed useful, apart from the one which has been activated. I didn't know about the dates but I'll have a look myself anyway.

[floydraser]

57 minutes ago, JanetAnne said:

You have a ladder to help wayward crew back on board but a life ring/belt to chuck at them when they involuntarily leave the ship is a good idea. 

Thank you, I forgot that bit! An ancient red & white ring came with the boat but my qualified person (best mate of one of my Sons who is a qualified captain but no Broads experience) told me to get a modern, orange jobby which I have. I restored the old one with a lick of paint to retain the character of the boat so there's two on board.

[floydraser]

36 minutes ago, Smoggy said:

Have you got the broads map for mmtracker? I can share if needed, it's old but the water is in the right place.

Thank you, I have a full set of maps. They're all old like a lot of things round here!

[floydraser]

24 minutes ago, JennyMorgan said:

I would, if she were mine, carry 6 'sausage' fend-offs with landyards at both ends & two large round ones to go under the forward flare. Go for black or blue, white shows every mark. I would go for four 30ft mooring lines, once again blue or black. I know that there are those that will disagree but I would have neither loops nor back-splices on the mooring lines, such things can and do jam when you want to pull them through a mooring ring. Also if you use a loop to fasten the line to your boat then it makes it impossible to cast off from the boat in the event of towing or being caught on a falling tide. Bowlines and round turns and two half-hitches is the answer. You might need to cast off when there is a load on your lines. As for auto life-jackets, I'd rather have a modern, closed cell foam job, they work when you need them to and they suffer neglect far better that auto. I would also carry a mobile phone, UHF is handy but not that necessary. I would also carry one long and one short boathook. Manual pump and a bucket can be very handy! A 30kg mudweight, two can be handy. Four rhond anchors can also be usefull, some folk also carry a mallet to bash them in but in a lifetime I have never needed a mallet, darn things only chew up the metal which can then cut your hands. A bucket with a rope on it is useful when you are cleaning the decks, as is a deck-scrub. A whistle is always handy, even if you never use it.  I also carry a 'fisherman's' anchor, ideal for lobbing into the reeds if you need to lay alongside in emergency. A spare tin and bottle opener is good as is a spare of water. You won't be the first person to forget to top up the water-tank and having none to drink on a hot day can be horrible. I also carry spare cloths just in case I need a change of should I fall in. 

Thank you Peter, I'll take that all on board. 

[MauriceMynah]

I am designing a self-righting floatation device for litre spirit bottles. I'll let you know when I've cracked it. 

[Smoggy]

If you are having any problems with mmtracker someone has started developing it again, I have the latest apk and it's cured a lot of problems, let me know if you want it.

[marshman]

30 kg mudweights may be an issue!! Something to do with above the legal manual handling level I believe - might be a maximum of 22kg available generally

Everyone has their favourite rope merchants but I have always done a lot with

https://www.ropeservicesuk.com/ - - used them for years and for some big stuff including whole reels

Check their oddments bin  - often cheap ends in that bit!  Ordinary polyester rope sufficient - dont need fancy stuff like braided etc.

I would use 18mm for your main mooring ropes and perhaps 16mm for the springs - I would not have them too short (in all the years boating, I have never left one over the side - thats tempting fate! ) When I last bought mooring rope, I split it into differing lengths and whipped the ends with differing whipping to differentiate. I think I bought 55m and split it into 3 -10,15,and 20m lengths - they will do that if you ask them I would have 2 springs minimum 15m each. If you have not got a rope windless for your mudweight, that needs to be big enough to get hold of - probably might  just grip 18mm but 20mm might be better! Dont forget the Broads are never that deep but 20m minimum for that. Dont use white - black or blue with the latter my favourite

A word of warning about your ladder - it must drop down right below the water level, by at least 4 /5 feet or you will never get your foot on the bottom rung. It is incredibly difficult to climb out on those with wet clothes etc and if you have a bathing platform exit via that is a better idea.Never underestimate the difficulty of getting out of the water and climbing up a high freeboard - often better I think to swim to the bank!

Dont however necessarily listen to me - other brands and rope sizes available elsewhere!!!!!

[ZimbiIV]

Get aweigh  app for your  phone or tablet.

Great info on it.

paul

[MauriceMynah]

Marshman and I tend to have reservations about MMtracker.

[Wussername]

All sound advice. And one constantly learns from others and their experiences. I have seen accidents on the Broads, thankfully no fatalities, but close, very close. 

I have seen injuries that have ruined holidays, injuries that have changed people's lives. Injuries that could have been avoided If only they had followed the basic rules which most helm and crew follow. Regrettably not all.

However I know a man, a tiler aptly named, who only allows those who are qualified to join his crew. If not, they are given instruction before they cast off. 

It would be of interest, of benefit, to us all if this man of experience would be willing, to give us an insight to his knowledge and experience. Perhaps in the fullness of time he would give it a shot!

Andrew

[grendel]

2 minutes ago, Wussername said:

However I know a man, a tiler aptly named, who only allows those who are qualified to join his crew. If not, they are given instruction before they cast off. 

everyone is given instruction before they cast off, irrespective of experience if it is the person i am thinking you refer to, also what to do under certain circumstances, in man overboard situations , fire and any other forseeable circumstance.

[Wussername]

The very man. You would be ill advised to sniff at his advice.

He tells good jokes as well!

[JanetAnne]

17 minutes ago, Wussername said:

 

He tells good jokes as well!

Ah. ... not the person I was thinking of then! 😀

[floydraser]

1 hour ago, marshman said:

30 kg mudweights may be an issue!! Something to do with above the legal manual handling level I believe - might be a maximum of 22kg available generally

Everyone has their favourite rope merchants but I have always done a lot with

https://www.ropeservicesuk.com/ - - used them for years and for some big stuff including whole reels

Check their oddments bin  - often cheap ends in that bit!  Ordinary polyester rope sufficient - dont need fancy stuff like braided etc.

I would use 18mm for your main mooring ropes and perhaps 16mm for the springs - I would not have them too short (in all the years boating, I have never left one over the side - thats tempting fate! ) When I last bought mooring rope, I split it into differing lengths and whipped the ends with differing whipping to differentiate. I think I bought 55m and split it into 3 -10,15,and 20m lengths - they will do that if you ask them I would have 2 springs minimum 15m each. If you have not got a rope windless for your mudweight, that needs to be big enough to get hold of - probably might  just grip 18mm but 20mm might be better! Dont forget the Broads are never that deep but 20m minimum for that. Dont use white - black or blue with the latter my favourite

A word of warning about your ladder - it must drop down right below the water level, by at least 4 /5 feet or you will never get your foot on the bottom rung. It is incredibly difficult to climb out on those with wet clothes etc and if you have a bathing platform exit via that is a better idea.Never underestimate the difficulty of getting out of the water and climbing up a high freeboard - often better I think to swim to the bank!

Dont however necessarily listen to me - other brands and rope sizes available elsewhere!!!!!

Thanks Marshy, good info there. The ladder is the longer version of the two and my thinking was that as there are uprights for the handrail all around the boat, the ladder could be slung from deck level to get maximum steps in the water. I was also thinking more of other poor devils in distress rather than myself. If I go over the side, those onboard will stand to inherit the boat so I won't have a chance! 

[floydraser]

1 hour ago, MauriceMynah said:

Marshman and I tend to have reservations about MMtracker.

I've always found the damn thing hard to set up in that it never wants to find the map directory but once sorted it tends to be ok for the life of the phone. Trouble is, I keep my phones for years and can never remember what I did to set it up!

I have also discovered that I was wrong to think the hardware of my HTC was as good as the more popular brands. I'm wondering if MMtracker will run on a new Huwaiwaiway (spellchecker can't cope) P40?

[floydraser]

1 hour ago, Wussername said:

All sound advice. And one constantly learns from others and their experiences. I have seen accidents on the Broads, thankfully no fatalities, but close, very close. 

I have seen injuries that have ruined holidays, injuries that have changed people's lives. Injuries that could have been avoided If only they had followed the basic rules which most helm and crew follow. Regrettably not all.

However I know a man, a tiler aptly named, who only allows those who are qualified to join his crew. If not, they are given instruction before they cast off. 

It would be of interest, of benefit, to us all if this man of experience would be willing, to give us an insight to his knowledge and experience. Perhaps in the fullness of time he would give it a shot!

Andrew

Thanks Andrew, there are some informative Youtube videos on the BA website which seem quite comprehensive although they could probably do with being updated. Good if people watch them.

I've seen a video of the owners of a small yacht were practising MOB drill in a swimming pool, where the person in the water tied a rope around their own, slim waist. Bikini clad young females seem to feature in a lot of yachting videos... Just saying.

 

[grendel]

after my submarine dinghy adventure at candle dyke last year, i can attest to the fact of just how difficult it is to haul yourself out, i was quite happy in the water, i was wearing a lifejacket (manual) and felt no need to activate it. i got to the side after giving up trying to drag the dinghy that was anchored to the bottom by its seagull outboard with me, i got to the bank, but that 18" up to dry ground was insurmountable. even with assistance from the shore. i had a choice to swim back to marthams slipway, or to attempt to get out at one of the slipways at the chalets, the one i chose was at water level, and with a bit of a scramble i managed to get out no worse for the experience.

without a good foothold to get out, you are not going to manage with just the strength of your arms, especially if you are like me on the chunkier side.

[JennyMorgan]

5 hours ago, marshman said:

30 kg mudweights may be an issue!! Something to do with above the legal manual handling level I believe - might be a maximum of 22kg available generally

If I can manage one then I am sure that any fit youngster can. Perhaps I should modify my advice to one heavy weight, just in case, and a more manageable 20kg one for the wimps!