SEA SAFETY NEWS

28th July 2010

Yacht/Boat Fuel Check

Boat Fuel Check

In the past 48 Hours the RNLI Kinghorn Lifeboat on the Forth have attended 2 separate incidents, where yachts have ran out of Diesel. 

Can you please remember that you should check Fuel level before taking on a passage,  especially with the Anstruther Muster coming up this weekend.  

Near empty tanks can cause AIR locks in system in rough seas, causing engines to fail, its good practice to keep you Diesel tanks filled, even in winter as this prevents condensation forming/water in the tanks and stops you using “GUNK” in the tank.

Fortunately the Yachts involved contacted the Coastguard early enough to make the  incidents “Minor”.

If any you want to discuss Sea Safety with a RNLI Sea Safety Advisor, let me know I will either do it myself or pass on to local advisor.  

Tel:   01333 388 186 or 07017  037 607

Reference Sites:

RNLI Kinghorn Lifeboat - http://www.kinghorn.org.uk

11th July 2010

CG66 - Small Craft Safety Scheme

Last Night (10th July) a Tender was found off Methil, belonging to one of the boats in the Harbour.  This had Broken free from a Mooring overnight.

The Yacht that it belonged to was not a club member, but Forth Coastguard called the Club just incase we knew who it was.

This lead to some uncertianly about the safety of the Yacht, since the boat had no passage plan filed and was not Registered on the CG66 scheme.

Almost 1 Hour later, and various phone calls we managed to contact the owner, mean while the coastguard was dealing with another incident of Stonehaven and precious resources were tided up finding out if this boat was safe.

So please if you have not done so Register your boat on the CG66 Scheme link below, and always place a passage plan or tell the Coastguard your attentions.

CG66  - The Voluntary Safety Identification Scheme  - You can register online [here]

This will enable the coastguard to contact you if your boat is found adrift for any reason, and act accordingly if needed.

For more a free confidential chat about  Boat Safety , please contact myself  as an RNLI SEA Safety Advisor, I can arrange to meet you at your boat or down your club and give you advice.

Elie & Earlsfery Sailing Club - RNLI Sea Safety Day

Sun, Sand, Sea Safety & Sailing

Saturday the 22nd saw the RNLI Sea Safety Team, down at Elie & Earlsferry Sailing Club, where the team inspected over 40 Life jackets  with over 70 people attending, including 3 visiting Yachts from Aberdour Boat Club, and a flying visit from “The Reaper”  Fishing Boat.

We had a steady follow of people of Members and visitors from Aberdour Boat, St Andrews, Kinghorn and Largo Bay Sailing Clubs, with Sea Anglers from Kirkcaldy and Wemyss.

The Team identified a few potential serious defects, and corrected them or advised, these checks might not save Lifeboat call outs, but they will definitely save lives if needing rescued.

All this happened, on the one of Hottest days this year, where the Harbour was busy and temperatures around 25-27c.

The Theme of the day was “Life Jackets: Useless unless Worn”. Thanks to the RNLI Sea Safety Officers, Linda Robertson (Broughty Ferry Lifeboat Station), and Keith Walledge & Scott Roberts (Queensferry Lifeboat Station) who provided excellent Life Saving Advice to all attendees.

Next Weekend: Elie & Earlsferry Sailing Club will be holding their second race of the season “Yow Trimmle” on the Saturday 29th (2pm start) and on Sunday the 30th is the Club OPEN Day - sail2walk   with Try Boating & Coastal Walking, in conjunction with Celebration of Fife 2010 and RYA Scotland,  more information can found on clubs website http://www.eesc.org.uk .

RNLI SEA SAFETY
ROAD SHOW

ELIE & EARLSFERRY SAILING CLUB
ELIE HARBOUR

SAT. 22nd MAY 2010
11AM – 4PM

LIFEJACKET CLINIC & SAFETY ADVICE

On 22nd May we have organised the RNLI Road show to visit Elie Harbour, this is open to everybody to come along too, and we will be providing light refreshments in the clubhouse.

As a part of this RNLI Sea Safety Road Show there will be a Lifejacket Clinic, so bring along your lifejackets and have one of the sea safety team inspect them, and show you how to perform routine checks on your lifejacket.  It is surprising how many people do not regularly check their Lifejackets or miss an important safety recall from manufacturers.

We can also give advice on the “optional extras”, like lights, crotch straps & spray hoods - and should you have 150N or 275N lifejacket?

This the first time the RNLI Sea Safety Road Show has been in Fife for a few years, so please circulate this to your members and take the opportunity to get access to FREE safety advice and FREE lifejacket checks, and see the latest safety devices on display and friendly chat with one of the Sea Safety Volunteers & enjoy the hospitality of Elie & Earlsferry Sailing Club.

We have Sea Safety Advisors from Oban, Broughty Ferry and Queensferry Lifeboat Stations who will be there on hand to advise

Colin Topping, (SRC/VHF Instructor) from St Andrews Sailing Club will be in the club and doing a series of presentations on Emergency VHF usage and will answer any of you radio question.  He will aso have demo kit available so you can practice on.

The Elie Branch of the RNLI Fundrasing will be there too providing a selection of RNLI products.

More information will publish onced confirmed.

Bring your lifejackets for a free check.
More info:  www.sea-safety.org.uk or
Tel:   01333 388 186 or 07017  037 607

Port Edgar - Sea Safety Day

Last weekend (Sat 24th April - 2010 ) the RNLI Sea Safety Team held a Lifejacket Clinic at Port Edgar Marina as part of the Sea Safety Day.

In the 4 hours there was steady stream of people with Life jackets to check, we checked around 40 -50 lifejackets.
The most common faults found were:.

• Expired Firing Mechanisms.
• Faulty Life Jacket crotch straps, (buckle threaded wrong way)
• Rusty Life Jacket CO2 Canisters, causing the lifejacket to discolour and potentially weaken life jacket material.
• Over 70% of all Life Jackets Checked, had some issues with them.

Elie & Earlsferry Sailing Club will be hosting the RNLI Sea Safety Road Show, at Elie Harbour on the Saturday 22nd of May , 11am – 4pm, this will include another Life Jacket Clinic, so if you never made last weekend, I suggest you bring along your life jackets to Elie and have us inspect them, and show you how to perform basic checks on your life jackets yourself.

The Club will be providing Light Refreshments, and they will be other Sea Safety events happening inside club house, including FREE VHF Refresher Courses.