Means Of Propulsion

Yachts should have:

· a deep reef in the main which will reduce the luff to 60% of full hoist or a storm

trysail.

· a storm jib.

· an isolated battery whose sole purpose is to start the engine or means of hand

cranking the engine.

Anchors

Anchors and chain should be at least as heavy as those recommended by the RYA in

 A yacht should carry:

· at least TWO anchors of appropriate weight for bower and kedge.

· adequate chain or chain & warp for the waters in which it is sailing.

· anchor fittings which include:

· a fairlead at the stem capable of being closed over the anchor chain (or

warp).

· a strong point on the foredeck - a mooring cleat, samson post or anchor

winch - securely fitted to the structure of the hull.

Bailing & Bilge pumping

Bailing equipment should be chosen with the strength of the crew in mind.

· A small hand bailer.

· Buckets (2) of between 9 litres (1.2 galls) and 14 litres (3 galls) fitted with a lanyard

and a strongly secured handle.

· Hand bilge pumps (2) (or one electric, one hand) discharging overboard and capable

of being operated with all hatches closed.

· All through-hull fittings should be capable of being closed and attached softwood

plugs.

Detection Equipment

· Radar reflector, properly mounted.

· Fixed navigation lights with masthead tri-colour (for sailing only).

· Foghorn (and spare cartridge).

· Powerful torch (preferably waterproof).

· Anchor light.

· Daytime signals

· motoring cone (for motor-sailing).

· anchor ball.

Pyrotechnics

The minimum set of flares should be in date (3 years) and should meet the

requirements of SOLAS. Pyrotechnics should be stored in a waterproof container and

must be easily accessible. Instant-access collision avoidance flares are often carried in

the hatchway.

· Hand held red flares 4 off

· Hand held orange smoke signals 2 off

· Red parachute rockets 2 off

· Hand held white (collision) flares 4 off

Fire fighting equipment

The following recommendations are made by the RYA in C8/98.

· Fire blanket (BS 6575) placed for use in the galley.

· A minimum of two (2) and preferably three (3) multi-purpose fire extinguishers

(5A/34B - Foam or dry powder, for example) or two 5A/34B and one larger

13A/113B on bigger boats.

Personal safety equipment

The following items should be available for every person on board:

· Warm clothing, oilskins, seaboots and hat.

· A lifejacket of 150 Newtons buoyancy (BS EN 396), fitted with crotch straps.

· Light attached to lifejacket.

· Safety harness to EN1095 (BS4474 for children).

General emergency equipment

· An emergency grab-bag containing food, navigation aids and medical supplies.

· An inflatable liferaft, either designed or adapted for use as such.

· Horse-shoe lifebelts with drogue, fitted with self igniting lights (2).

· Buoyant heaving line at least 30m in length.

· Boarding ladder.

· Dan buoy (NOT attached to yacht).

Radio

· Receiver capable of receiving shipping forecasts on LW (198khz) and from local

radio stations.

· A marine band VHF radio telephone capable of transmitting 25w.

· Emergency aerial for the VHF R/T.

Navigational equipment

Increasingly, integrated electronic equipment is reducing the apparent necessity for

basic navigation gear. However, complete power failure in the most adverse weather

conditions (fog) must be assumed when equipping a yacht for any form of passage,

however short. The following should be carried as a matter of course. Other boats

must not be relied on to provide assistance.

· Charts (corrected to latest Notices to Mariners) covering the intended cruising area

and all adjacent coasts where stress of weather might force the yacht to go.

· Tide tables and pilots covering the same areas.

· Fixed steering compass, capable of being lit at night.

· Hand bearing compass (at least one).

· Surface suitable for use as nav. table, with plotting instruments and dividers.

· Echo sounder and/or leadline.

· Distance Log.

· Binoculars (at least one pair).

· Radio navigation system (GPS).

· Barometer.

· Accurate Clock.

First Aid & Medical

A first aid kit should be carried, containing:

· Dressings, bandages and lotions (a suitable list is given in RYA publication C8/98).

· Drugs (a suitable list is given in RYA publication C8/98).

Manuals, from Red Cross or St. John Ambulance for instance. Additional information

about medical care overseas (E111 form, from Post Offices), vaccinations etc. are

available from GP’s and the Health Travel Line (0800 555 777).

General Equipment

· Emergency tiller on wheel steered yachts.

· Towing warp (12/14 mm, at least 30m in length) or anchor warp.

· Mooring warps and fenders.

· Tender - rigid or inflatable.

· Tool kits for: Engine, Electrics, Sails, General.

· Spares for engine, electrics, sails and bosun’s bag (shackles, blocks, winch springs,

clevis pins, split pins, assorted nuts & bolts etc.)

· Emergency water supply, isolated from main tank.

· Emergency hull repair materials.

Publications

General

Skippers are recommended to purchase the RYA booklets: C8/98, G2/90, G22/99.

In order to meet the legal requirements of SOLAS V, yachts must carry an illustrated

document showing life-saving signals and must be able to prove that passages have

been planned (a Log Book). The Coastguard (MCA) produce a free leaflet for the

former, a scanned version of which may be downloaded from their site.

SOLAS (Safety Of Life At Sea)

SOLAS, for yachts, is essentially a re-statement of the obvious, but with a few

irrational twists which could, in a worst case scenario, create problems for a skipper.

These include a requirement to carry certain forms eg the Life Saving Signals and

Logbook.