Safety Boat News #01
Hi Folks
Welcome to the first edition of Safety Boat News!
What’s to tell
- There is a new engine ordered for Safety 10, a delivery date has not been given as COVID 19 is causing logistical problems in all areas of world industry. The old engine had failed and was beyond economical repair.
- We are in the process of replacing Safety 06 in its entirety. This has been approved by GC as part of our budgeted safety boat and engine replacement plan. We are currently at the quotes stage with potential suppliers and will advise progress in future updates.
- Slowly but surely there is an MLU going on (mid Life Upgrade)
- Nav Lights will be replaced with LED based Nav Lights like those on Safety 8 & 15. They are bomb-proof, I have never had an issue with light failure on those two boats.
- Bilge Pumps – we will be trialling a Whale Bilge pump on Safety 03, to see if it’s more reliable than the existing Rule pumps. Three bilges pumps have been replaced recently. In one bilge pump there was a whistle from a life Jacket wrapped around the impeller which burnt out the motor.
- Lastly, new cable (fully tinned) is being used to rewire the cables to the bilge pumps, with easy change connectors, this is all in an effort to improve bilge pump reliability.
- We have a number of rope boarding ladders available to use for duties, they are in the bottom of the radio cupboard in the sailing office.
- The weather has not been very nice through the spring, let’s hope better weather is coming.
The On-Going issues
In my recent Safety Boat inspections there are a lot of issues turning up that I thought we had buried long ago. I thought that a reminder may be timely and also impart the knowledge to some of our newer volunteers.
Please, when you have finished using a rib, can you check the following and leave the boats in the condition that makes it easy for the next volunteer to use the boat?
- Please make sure that the boat keys are returned to the club at the end of your duty.
- Do not set the engine tilt lock, its only use is when the boat is being transported on a trailer
- Leave the safety kill cord in place on the boat.
- Take all your litter and recyclables away when you have finished using the boat.
- Check the under-seat lockers and remove any rubbish.
- Moor the boat with the aft mooring line going through the first rung of the A frame to keep to line from rubbing on the tube.
- Wash down the control console with fresh water, including the radio mike, just play the water across the hand mike for some time in order to wash the salt out, the hose is on the pontoon.
- When you pick up a safety boat for your duty shake the radio mike to get rid of any residual water.
- Remember ‘OXO’ when mooring the boat to a cleat, wind the mooring rope once around the cleat then do the cross so that there is one cross only and then wind the remainder of the mooring line around the cleat, at the end give the line a tug so that it sets. I have seen ropes with 4 or more locking turns on the cross.
- Check for rubbish in the bilge pump pit at the rear of the boat and clear it out.
- If the anchor hatch will not close, especially on Safety 08 and 15, you need to take out all the mooring warp and place the anchor in the bottom of the anchor well., then place the warp around the anchor. This will allow the hatch to close easily. Applying too much force on the hatch lid may lead to a breakage, we’ve had to replace a few.
Don’t forget the information that we have available on the website, see Volunteering. Please scroll through to the bottom of the page!
Lastly, many thanks for your support to Club Racing by volunteering, it is very much appreciated. Please respect club property as if it is your own and report faults on the sign- out form so that we can progress the repair. There is much dedication behind the scenes to ensure that you have the correct working equipment to fulfil your club duty
Happy Sailing and enjoy your time on the water, Simon
