Safety boat duty on an adult training night

So today’s post is about my second safety boat duty in three days at Swanage Sailing Club. I had decided when volunteering for safety duties that two after each other would help consolidate any new skills. Sunday had been very calm but I had learnt about the anchoring method for the racing marks in the bay.

Tonight a forecast suggesting he wind strengthening through the session and a mix of beginners and intermediates of the adults training. The session was a practice race as next Tuesday will see a cup race for Beginners, Intermediates and Ladies.

I had gone rough where some of the kit for Tuareg he safety boats is kept and tonight got to learn about the safety checklist for each safety rib. launching went well and I acted as mark loader for 2 of the 3 ribs from the beach. I was aired with Stuart whom I have spoken with previously hen he gave me some valuable advice after a kayak in the bay on vhf etiquette.

Tonight we had a mark to place in the bay on senior trainers instructions but twice had to delay as we attended capsizes amongst the boat fleet.

We later supported a Topper sailor who had been in a glancing collision with a Laser and had its boom detached. The sailor did a great job while I learnt out and steadied the boat of re rigging. We then took on the duty of taking a Laser which had been disabled through a broken tiller, back to the club. We started with a simple tow but after a while the dinghy capsized so we brought it alongside and placed the mast across our rib. I held onto the main sheet and the mast as Stjargon steered us back in.

On returning out to the bay I was out on helm and took us steadily back out to the race. No more capsizes, so we retrieved our mark and came back into the bay. I then learnt about the mooring sequence used by the club. Packing away required quite a few journeys up and down the beach and then recovering Swan 2 rib back into the boat park.

A great evening meal and then home and some Tour de France highlights.

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