Previous – Daysail Leader Guidance – Planning
On the Day
Summary of this guidance – two sides of A4 for laminating
Pre-Sail Assessment: Boats & Crew
The leader should assess the fleet’s readiness, competence, and suitability for the expected conditions.
- Boat Assignments: Know who is sailing with whom and in which boats.
- Reefing Ability: Confirm which boats are rigged for reefing afloatand the skipper/crew competencyto execute it.
- Experience & Suitability: Assess participating boat crews have sufficient sailing experiencefor the planned sail.
- Outboard Buddying: Identify which boats have outboards and competent operators. Pair boats without an outboard with one that does.
- Health & Contacts: Ensure Skippers are aware of any health issues for both themselves and their crew and are confident in their joint ability to handle their boat autonomously, should the need arise, throughout the planned cruise. Collect confidential health information from skippers and ensure you have emergency contact details for every participant.
- Final Review: Reassess the suitability of all boats, crews, and the anticipated conditions and suggest changes to crews and / or changes to the planned cruise to suit crews and any changing conditions.
Once participants are assembled at the rendezvous point, the Daysail Leader will need to start assessing the onsite conditions, including weather conditions, boats and the participating members. This is the first step of the dynamic risk assessment necessary throughout the event. The dynamic risk assessment should build on the considerations made at the planning phase. Any adjustments to the plan can be made at this point. The Daysail Leader will need to do this as well as making their own boat & personal preparations for sailing, so will need to allow time to do both.
Briefing & On-Water Management
The Briefing
- Location: Find a spot where everyone can see the chart and hear you clearly.
- Materials: Have the tide table, chart of the sail, and the plan visible.
- Delivery:
- Show the start, destination, rendezvous points, refuge locations, and expected hazards.
- Confirm skippers understand the plan.
- Fleet Best Practice:
- Sail as a fleet. Maintain discipline; it is not a race. Turn back if you get ahead.
- If a boat is in distress, sail to them if safe to do so, and stand byto assist.
- If a skipper intends to leave the fleet, they must inform the daysail leader.
- Personal Gear: Remind everyone about water, food, suncream, and appropriate clothing.
- VHF Protocol (If Applicable):Agree on call signs and the monitoring channels(VTS/Harbour Control). Use Channel 16 to initiate emergency communication.
On arrival – briefing. Ensure all skippers and crews are adequately briefed before launch and that they understand your instructions regarding rendezvous points and fleet discipline. Re- check the crewing arrangements and make sure all participants are happy.
Things you will need
Tide times (high & low water) for the launch point and goal (they will be different)
Weather forecast for the day (gathered from a variety of sources)
Tide tables and charts for the area to be sailed in
List of participants
Private and confidential briefing from the skipper of each boat on the health and fitness of the skipper and the crew.
Considerations
Have you planned your briefing before starting it?
Who are the weakest sailors in the group?
How many experienced sailors are there in the group?
How to spread the experience around as many boats as possible (and keep everyone happy)
All club boats require someone with a minimum qualification of RYA Seamanship Skills (or better) as helm in charge
Likely sea conditions (now and later) (wind over tide etc)
Likely weather conditions (now and later)
Tidal conditions and strength
Difficulty of planned activity
Are you familiar with the departure point and goal (and the waters in between)?
Have you got a backup (escape) plan (this will be constantly changing as the day progresses)
Has everyone got suitable clothing / food for the conditions?
Sunscreen and water for drinking in every boat?
Observations before sailing
Are all boats capable of being reefed afloat?
Does the skipper and their crew know how to reef afloat?
Are the boats rigged correctly including bungs and hatches?
Is the required safety gear in the boats (smoke flares, Anchor, towing warps etc.)
Maintain good group control throughout the day (don’t let it lapse as you near your destination or home)
Managing risk through appropriate equipment
Has there been briefed, identified means of communicating with each other while afloat ie.
Sails flapping, VHF Radio usage, reasonable adjustments for those impaired of sight or hearing.
Who in the fleet has licensed and working VHF radio? What VHF comms and comms frequencies will be used?
Key Points for briefing
Hypothermia (clothing, immersion post capsize) and effects of wind-chill and spray
Dehydration drink plenty during the day (if you are thirsty it too late)
Sunscreen. Recommend that everyone wear it (you can get burned on a cloudy day at sea)
Does everyone know where the planned destination is and likely bolt holes in case of a change of plan
Use charts and tide tables during the briefing showing the tidal flow and departure point and goals
Show the weather forecast for the day
Confirm everyone’s understanding of the briefing (especially the beginners)
Rules for sailing in close company
Ensure everyone has provided their contact details, and that medical concerns have been confidentially briefed.
Allocate someone to write article for the newsletter
Making a Dynamic Risk Assessment
Keep a good lookout for shipping
Always err on the side of caution and wait for shipping to pass
Keep an eye on the beginners, make sure they don’t get cold or too hot
Keep a good lookout for changes in the weather (upwind and downwind). The forecast is never perfect
Decide early and make your decision then stick to it (consult another experienced sailor, if not sure)
Don’t let other more experienced sailors bully you, YOU are in charge and your decision is final
If another more experienced sailor recommends you abandon or change the venue, consider this advice carefully and ask for their reasoning
The committee will always back up any sensible decision you make.
Having planned the cruise, the responsibility for each vessel passes from the Daysail Leader to the Skipper/Helm. The Skipper/Helm have sole responsibility for the vessel and their crew, and their participation in the event. There is a tacit agreement that the skipper will maintain fleet discipline, and if not, that they will inform the Daysail Leader of their plans for independent sailing.
On the Water
Dynamic Risk Assessment
This is a continuous process throughout the sail:
- Situational Awareness (External): Monitor weather, tides, large vessels, and other boat movements.
- Situational Awareness (Internal): Count the boats regularly. Check if boats are sailing well, if they are overpowered, and if crews are happy.
- Check-In: Communicate with each boat to understand their status.
- Adaptation: Consider if the plan needs to change. Share any changes with the other sailors immediately.
- First Rendezvous: Perform an internal-to-fleet VHF radio check on a working channel, or hail National Coastwatch on Channel 67. Assess weather conditions against the forecast and note any implications.
Managing risk through sailing as a group
Fleet discipline on the water.
Experience shows that it is very easy for boats to lose contact with each other. All boats should aim to sail in loose formation with the Daysail Leader, such that it is possible for the crew of any boat to read the sail number of the Leader’s boat, unless the Leader has authorised a wider separation. Other skippers in the fleet need to be made aware of the hazards of sailing away from the fleet. Rendezvous points. The Daysail Leader will nominate rendezvous points at which all boats will meet before launching. If the fleet is large, the Daysail Leader may sub-divide the fleet and appoint Deputy Daysail Leaders as necessary.
Safety Support
Should any boat capsize, or heave-to, or lie to with sails flapping, all other boats should converge towards it. Each boat skipper is responsible for maintaining the cohesion of the fleet as set out above; any skipper leaving the fleet must first inform the Daysail Leader, and in any case is entirely responsible for their safety and that of their crew. The Daysail Leader is advised to inform a shore party (if applicable) or the coastguard / National Coastwatch of the expected departure and return times immediately before and after an event as a safeguard if part or all the fleet becomes overdue and maybe in difficulty. If the latter, the coastguard MUST be informed on return.
Managing the fleet through Shipping Lanes
The Daysail Leader should show particular caution and avoid the trap of innocently leading the other craft into a hazardous situation. Always remember that distant shipping can approach quite rapidly – constant vigilance is essential.Sail in daylight. All craft should be ashore by sundown, unless the cruise is planned to operate at night, when every vessel must be suitably equipped.
Use of engines and towing.
Any required carriage or use of engines will have been considered as part of passage planning and must be reassessed on the day prior to departure. Consider whether engines need to be taken, and which boats will tow and who will be towed should this become necessary.
Prohibited zones.
Small craft must not impede the passage of any vessel that can navigate only within a narrow channel or fairway. For any large vessel, the Solent is a narrow channel. Large vessels have limited manoeuvrability, no brakes and often limited visibility. Special limitations are as follows:There is a difficult turn for large vessels entering or leaving Southampton Water between the Isle of Wight and Calshot Spit (between Gurnard, Prince Consort, Black Jack and Reach buoys). In this area, there is a moving prohibited zone around large vessels (over 150m long) which extends 1000m ahead and 100m each side of the vessel. This area may be policed by a launch with a blue flashing light.
• Portsmouth Harbour entrance has a boat channel exclusively for vessels under 20m long on the west side of the entrance. You should always use this channel. Use your engine if you have one.
Incident Management
- Internal Incident: If manageable by the fleet, manage the situation to ensure ongoing safety.
- External Assistance: If outside help is required, call the Coastguard via VHF Radio or 999 (mobile phone).