PURPOSE

The purpose of the Patrol Boat Operation document is to ensure the Patrol boats are used safely and effectively.

SCOPE

This procedure covers the:

1. Coverage ratios and best practices
2. Equipment to be carried
3. Skipper and crew requirements
4. Use of the patrol boats.

PROCESS

Coverage Ratios and coverage best practices

Learn to sail classes - While WYC understands that there is no legislated “hard and fast” rule on coverage, we adhere to yachting NZ best practices and take into account our club environment and resources.

The following best practices should be applied:

Coverage - WYC Learn-To-Sail Classes

• For single handed sailing boats there should be no more than 6 sailing boats to one coach/rescue boat
• For double handed sailing boats there should be no more than 4 sailing boats or no more than 8 sailors to one coach/rescue boat
• Whenever practical, and at all times in rough conditions. The primary coach boat skipper will be assisted by at least one other capable person acting as a crewmember. See “Skippers and crewmembers” section  below for exceptions.
• NOTE: Decisions on coach/rescue boat coverage should be made with big picture safety of all participants in mind. If, in certain circumstances, two coaches in separate patrol boats (while another is sailing in sail boats with students) is deemed to provide a better level of overall safety, and conditions support this, WYC accepts that this may be a practical reality. Such decisions should only be made with the agreement of all coaches and patrol boat skippers and with all available information. Note: Local By-laws require a second person aboard  as a “spotter”whenever towing another vessel.

Coverage - WYC MAC teams coaching

• For double handed 420 sailing boats used in 420 teams racing coaching by competent sailors in appropriate conditions there should be no more than 6 sailing boats or no more than 12 sailors to one coach/rescue boat.
• Whenever practical, and at all times in rough conditions. The primary coach boat skipper will be assisted by at least one other capable person acting as a crewmember. See “Skippers and crewmembers” section  below for exceptions.
• NOTE: Decisions on coach/rescue boat coverage should be made with big picture safety of all participants in mind. If, in certain circumstances, two coaches in separate patrol boats (while another is sailing in sail boats with students) is deemed to provide a better level of overall safety, and conditions support this, WYC accepts that this may be a practical reality. Such decisions should only be made with the agreement of all coaches and patrol boat skippers and with all available information. Note: Local By-laws require a second person aboard  as a “spotter”whenever towing another vessel.

Coverage - WYC Club Racing

• For all dingy and non trailer yachts (these should be self sufficient) there should be no more than 8 sailing boats to one coach/rescue boat (YNZ safety officer recommendations were 10:1)

• A competent skipper will operate the patrol boat. The skipper will be assisted by at least one other capable person acting as a crewmember.

Equipment

1. The following equipment will be carried and/or worn:

2. Boat Captain is responsible for ensuring boats are equipped and maintained to the required standard.
3. Safety Officer will carry out periodic inspections of equipment.

Skippers and crewmembers

1. A competent skipper will operate the patrol boat. The skipper will be assisted by at least one other person acting as a crewmember. Exceptions to this are permitted - and include:

1. coaching
2. low speed manoeuvring and repositioning around jetty, ramp areas, beaches and so on
3. to the committee boat
4. performance testing before or after servicing
5. ferrying of boat crews to/from moored craft
6. when club sailing events are not in progress or when no club boats are on water requiring rescue support.

2. Skippers and crewmembers will be dressed appropriately for the conditions, including a buoyancy aid.
3. Skippers and crewmembers are expected to get in the water to help sailors in difficulty.
4. Skippers will be trained, assessed and monitored by the Boat Captain as per patrol boat assessment. Further development and/or re-assessment will be at the Boat Captain’s discretion.
5. Training and assessment will be conducted in a range of expected conditions.
6. A list of competent skippers (matched with the patrol boats they can operate) will be displayed in the control tower and kept up to date by the Safety Officer.

Use

1. For organised club events patrol boats must be on the water with engines warmed up before the first sailing boat leaves the beach, and only after the last sailing boat is safely at the beach does the last patrol boat leave the water.
2. Patrol boat skippers will follow Maritime NZ regulations, local by-laws, YNZ sailing and racing regulations, and all WYC policies and procedures relating to patrol boat use.
3. At the Race Officers discretion, a briefing will be held before all patrol boats depart on tasks and, if needed, a debriefing at the end of the on-water activities.
4. Patrol boats must be washed down after use - and any mechanical, hull, equipment or other problems reported and recorded.
5. Reports should, in first instance, go to Safety Officer or, in that person’s absence, to another Committee member. If this is not possible, reports should be written on the patrol boat logbook
6. Safety Officer is responsible for recording incidents or issues (DR 02 Maintenance log or F1 Incident report), initiating an action plan to resolve them, and ensuring they are resolved.

ON-WATER COMMUNICATIONS

VHF RADIOS

VHF Radio: 

              WYC operates on channel 17 and a radio check should be done with “Yacht Club Base” or RO with POBs - when transmitting hold radio out of wind – call person (or boat name) you want twice and your name (or boat name) once – use radio only when required. Ask ROs permission to leave the course for any reason. Ensure handhelds are returned on charge in the WYC tower.

VHF radios must be switched on and audible at all times when patrol boats are being used.                          

1. Emergency procedure (see Crisis Management Plan SMS 03)
2. Fuel: Fuel with correct fuel. Never leave shore unless tank is full (you never know how the day will go)
3. Bungs: Some boats do and some don’t have bungs so always check
4. Tube Inflation: Inflatables should be quite firm (most club ribs are underinflated)
5. Clothing: Inflatables are wet boats and yacht racing is sometimes held in rough conditions where you cannot just come in when you want, so make sure you have good wet weather gear on board even on calm days. Clothing should be appropriate for entering water at boat ramp if necessary.
6. Manning: Rescue boats would normally have two people aboard where as a coach boat may only have one.
7. Kill cord always use the kill cord on the boats that are fitted with them, they have a piece of 2mm spectra and a Velcro strap to go around your ankle to allow you to move around the boat
8. Stay out of commercial channels - Reduce speed - “take early and substantial action to keep well clear”.
9. Launching Boat: - Slipways – ramps (can be slippery) – don’t unhook boat from winch until boat is in water (can roll off trailer)
10. Retrieving Boat: If in waves be sure not to get between the boat and the trailer when hooking up.  When retrieving boat at boat ramp WYC recommends the ‘man handling’ of the boat onto the trailer if motoring on becomes difficult.
11. Laying Buoys: If laying start pin trail buoy out behind boat holding onto the anchor, when in position drop anchor into water – when laying other marks run anchor to the bottom rather than throw the whole lot over at once. Ensure crew are well clear of mooring line when dropping.
12. Retrieving Buoys: Approach buoy from leeward of the buoy - Retrieve buoy and motor slowly to windward to ease the weight on the warp – in deep water use anchor puller – ensure warp is well clear of prop
13. Assisting yachts in difficulty: In flat water you can approach from windward of the yacht to assist, in swells or waves approach from the leeward side of the yacht.
14. Boat full of water, Ask sailor to bail as you tow if full of water.
15. Sailor in Water: When pulling sailors from water use life jacket shoulders or lift sailor from the back under arms.
16. Yacht Capsized, manoeuvre into a position where you can spot the sailor without too much disruption to others still racing.
17. Towing, when towing loop the tow line around the mast base once with the sailor holding the tail. When towing lift the centreboard up a bit, don’t take them right out in case they capsize. Note: any boat with a broken rudder may need the centreboard fully up when towing.

Pull yacht in close to the rib when approaching shore (so not to hit other boats when turning

18. Sailors signed off: Radio sail number of boat you have in tow to yacht club or race committee

              Removing sailor from boat – in extreme conditions when a sailor is removed from their boat some sort of identification needs to be left attached to the boat (WYC uses orange or red danger tape)

19. First Aid: Where possible you should get an injured sailor to shore as quickly as possible.
20. Wash down. Club maintenance records & procedures.

21. Incident: Report any incident to the Safety Officer; incident forms are available from the Yacht club tower.

Class specific rescue procedure

        Optimist: If inflatable is big enough remove centreboard and slide onto pontoons, derig and if in front of the console tie it down.    

         all optimists should be fitted with their own painter (towline) – make yourself familiar with the mast clamps now mostly used on                             .        Optis – If removing the rig in waves hold one foot on the boat to stabilise then remove the rig in one go – most Optis now have .        a loop tied in their painter approx 1mtr in front of the bow to link the next boat onto.    

       Bic: If inflatable is big enough, remove centreboard and slide onto pontoons,

            If towing, bics should have tow line attached.

        Laser:If sailor is struggling to get boat up make sure they have released their kicker.  Bow fairleads are strong enough to tow         from.

        420: will have its own tow line – centreboard up – get sailor to steer.

        Righting a multihull  The boat is likely to be upside down rather than on its side. If upside down:

       First stand off some distance and check whether the sailor wants help or whether they can manage themselves. Position your     boat to windward If they want help, it is likely they will have their own rope to pull the boat upright.        

       This should be attached to the leeward hull; it should pass around the leeward hull, across the boat and travel out to the rescue

        boat.

        It may be necessary to extend the length of the righting rope with one from the rescue boat if they don’t have their own.

        It is best to attach the rope to the main beam just next to the leeward hull, passing it under the hull and around the outside.

        Have the sailor sit on the windward hull by the main beam.

      Motor slowly to windward.

      Ease off the power as the mast and sail comes to the surface and the boat is now on its side.

      The sailor may be able to stand on the hull in the water and pull the upper hull down to right the boat                                                                        

      If the sailor can’t manage it, continue to motor slowly to windward. It is important to bring the boat up into the wind

      If you try bringing it up with the wind it will merely capsize again.

        Don’t let the rescue boat get close to the catamaran as they are very fragile and a minor collision will put a hole in it.

        Then that hull will sink and you will have a much bigger problem trying to recover it.

     Trailer Yacht: only the bigger patrol boats will be able to tow a trailer yacht full of water after a capsize. Tow from the towing  

      eye on the bow of the boat.