The decision to sail is made by the skipper and crew of each boat, who are solely responsible for the lives, safety and property of all aboard.     

Breakwater Irregulars offers the following information in the interest of promoting safety and cooperation during our races.  Neither this information nor the offering of assistance changes or diminishes in any way the responsibility of each skipper and crew.  Neither does the Race Committee’s decision on whether to embark and officiate.

Needs for assistance range from loss of propulsion to catastrophe.  Being there for each other is the law of the sea, it is Rule 1.1 of the RRS, and it is the right thing to do.  When a racer stops racing to offer necessary assistance, scoring will be modified with the aim of avoiding any detriment for doing so.    And, really, that shouldn’t matter.

Here are some related ideas, and we welcome suggested additions at info@breakwaters.org.

1. Take a “Safety at Sea” course, even if you limit your sailing to local waters.  If the next ten minutes are critical, you are just as alone on the Sound as you would be on the Atlantic.  If you cannot take a live course, try US Sailing’s on-line course for coastal sailing.  (The link should be updated in August 2024.)  Encourage your crew to do the same.  Well worth the $50 fee.  Chapter quizzes and final exam lead to 5-year certification.
2. Maintain CPR and First Aid certification.  The big reason is to equip you to save someone’s life.  A second reason is that Connecticut’s Good Samaritan law favors those who have current CPR certification under standards of the Red Cross or American Heart Association.  You may be able to take a free course; check lucky-mother.com and inaheartbeat.org.
3. Carry a first aid kit, make sure crew understands how to find/use it, and check its contents frequently.
4. Skipper, make sure your crew is as prepared as you are, because you may be the person who needs help.  (Don’t keep the boat’s only ignition key in your pocket.)
5. Carry aspirin.  Long-time BI member Dr. Gino Bottino once told us that chewing a few aspirins can* be the best first aid in response to heart attack symptoms, when more comprehensive aid is not available.  (*Ask the victim whether he/she can safely take aspirin, because it is dangerous under some circumstances.)
6. Know in advance how you or a crew member will call for help in the event of a medical emergency.  When our fleet is involved in an emergency situation, contact the signal boat. The RC volunteers then take charge of communications.  (If your radio has DSC-GPS capability, that may be another appropriate means of announcing your location and situation, so don’t hesitate to use it.)  We have a lot of experienced sailors in our fleet; let the RC manage communication, rather than having many good Samaritans pressing their micropone buttons all at once.  All fleet members should stand by to assist and, in general, minimize non-essential radio use and other potential interference.  The signal boat is the vessel to call, not because of specialized knowledge or equipment, but because it is our nearest fast vessel and is identified as our communication center. 
7. Either require life jackets all the time or require them under specified conditions.  No exceptions; no discretion.  If you use inflatables, check–at least annually–the inflatability (absence of leaks), the CO2 cartridge, and, for automatic inflators, the expiration date of the water sensor.  Attach a whistle and a strobe.
8. Update and familiarize crew with location and use of other rescue equipment, e.g., life sling.
9. Know–and make sure your crew knows–how to quickly mark a man overboard (“MOB”) location on your GPS.
10. Know–and make sure your crew knows–how to recover a conscious or unconscious person from the water.
11. MOB Drill.  Do it.  At the beginning of every season and when orienting new crew, talk through safety precautions and rescue procedures on your way to the race. 
12. Render assistance to anyone in danger/need.  It’s Rule 1.1 of the RRS because it is our most important rule.  Forget the race; give help.
13. Understand the differences among Mayday, Pan-Pan, and Securite.  Post a sample Mayday message in your cabin so that every crew member is capable of providing the necessary information.  It should go without saying, but always monitor Channel 16.
14. Keep your MMSI handy, because the Coast Guard may ask for it when trying to identify the source of a nearby DSC (digital selective calling) distress call.
15. Don’t hesitate to call for help.  Too many sailors wait until it’s too late.  You can always call off the rescue if the problem is resolved.
16. Salvage.  We are much less concerned about property than people, but, once everyone is safe, you will try to minimize property loss.  In addition to adequate hull insurance, consider subscribing for towing services with Boat/US or SeaTow.  Learn in advance about a tower’s salvage rights, which are complicated and often severe.  (Despite the association with reputable organizations, there are some horror stories on-line about some of these quasi-independent operators.) Having a subscription may not avoid a salvage claim if your need exceeds your coverage.  They say we should negotiate in advance, but some situations are non-negotiable.  That’s when the adequacy of your boat insurance becomes crucial.
17. USCGA Inspection.  This free service by local volunteers is invaluable.  For less experienced skippers, the reasons are obvious.  But, even for the oldest salts, it’s an annual exercise that makes you look at the age of your flares, the charge on your fire extinguishers and air horns, etc.  Watch for an announcement at your club or marina.