Tamesis Club

Club Launch Duty

Dress for the day according to the weather but particularly in the winter
remember that it will be colder in the launch than you expect. Waterproofs and
sweaters will be needed and a hat is essential. In the summer it will be hotter
and there will be a greater exposure to the sun than there might have been on
shore. Bring your own life jacket or buoyancy aid. You may find it useful to
bring a pair of old gardening gloves to protect you hands when laying and
recovering marks.
Preparing the Club Launch. Collect the long ladder and the boat hook from
the Secretarys hut. The ladder is essential to allow people to get out of the
water. !he starting instructions for the launch are clearly written and attached to
the starting key" which is normally kept in the #ffice in the box of starting hut
e$uipment. You also need to collect a walkie%talkie%radio" learn how to use it
and discuss its use with the ##&.
'. #nce on board the launch the first job is to pump the bilge. !he handle is
under the stern deck tucked behind the pump outlet pipe. (eep pumping until
the pumps suck no more. )heck for leaks. *or example if the bilge is $uite full
but there has been no rain all week then the stern gland might be leaking. If
you pump the bilge dry and then check it before you leave the boat and find
there is more water in the boat then report it.
+. If necessary" fill the boats fuel tank from the jerry can in the boatshed
marked diesel. &ouble check that it really is diesel before you pour it. You can
tell by sniffing it , petrol has a very different smell. It is best to keep the tank
fairly full to prevent condensation inside the tank" which could lead to water
getting into the engine and causing it to run erratically or to stop.
-. )heck that there are the correct lines on board. !here should be a
bowline and two stern lines each properly secured to a samson post. )heck
them $uickly for weak spots to ensure you dont have a breakage while towing.
.. Secure the boarding ladder on board to a gunwhale. !here is an anchor in
the bow locker" secured to the launch for use to hold the boat stationery for
observing the race" or in an emergency against a strong stream.
/. !here should be a silver thermal blanket0 in a small packet" in the bows. If
not look in the 1on Sailing Secs office. !his is to be used to cover a person who
is wet and suffering from hypothermia.
'
2. Before you cast off make sure the radio is switched on and is in a position
where you will hear it if you are called.
While driving the launch
While motoring up or down the river" keep to the right hand side unless
you are manoeuvring to lay a mark or assist a dinghy. You must keep a good
lookout for river traffic and be cautious about avoiding a collision at any time.
3emember there is a special moment of risk when leaving or returning to
the mooring" where many canoes or rowing craft often travel close to the bank
at good speeds.
Who does what in the launch?
!he person in charge of the launch for the day" can decide who will drive it
at any one time but assuming there are two people on board" as" ideally" there
should be" then the driver should never leave the controls until the launch is
safely moored again. If for whatever reason there is only one person in the
launch 4note that two people are essential for rescue duty see below5 he%she
should never leave the controls unless the launch is stationary and out of gear
4for example while laying a mark5. !he engine control lever is in neutral when it
is hori6ontal.
Laying Marks and the role of the fficer of the Day !D"
!he ##& is in charge of choosing the course. Your job is simply to drive
the launch and lay the marks where he tells you.
7oad the marks into the front of the launch by putting the mark in first and
piling the chain from the mark end leaving the anchor on top of the chain. (eep
the different marks" anchors and chains well separated in the boat to avoid
tangles.
When the ##& indicates the spot for a mark" approach it going slowly
upstream. 8o a little way above the appointed spot and lower the anchor and
chain over the side of the launch by hand" avoiding damage to the gunwhale of
the launch. !his is when you will be glad of an old pair of gloves. 9ut the mark
in the water but hold on to the mark. !ake the launch very slowly downstream
until you feel the anchor bite and then release the buoy untangling the flag as
you do so. !he anchor is now :set and even in the strong streams of winter it
should not drag.
#ecovering a Mark
When recovering marks at the end of racing" bring the launch up slowly to
the windward side of the mark. 7ift the mark into the boat over the gunwhale"
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taking care not to damage the mark or the boat. (eep the launch off the chain
line so that the chain doesnt scratch the side of the boat. ;ever allow the boat
to go forward of the chain line to avoid any chance of the chain fouling the
propeller. You can bring the boat to the either side of the mark if necessary< the
point of being to windward of it is that if there is any strength in the wind it will
blow the launch towards the mark rather than away from it which might make it
impossible to grab it without going round again=
#escue Duty one boat or two >
You need two boats out if it is very rough" or if the course is set above the
island" upstream of the club. !he ##& will make that decision" but if you do
have two rescue boats out" each of the two boats will need two crew. If there are
insufficient crew volunteers for the launches the ##& must cancel the racing.
!he second rescue boat is much smaller" and has a petrol0driven outboard
engine. It is kept in the boatshed and has to be launched down the ramp from
its trolley. !his is heavy work and generally needs three people.
$ou are on duty as a rescue boat as soon as the first dinghy
launches.
#escue %oat Manning. !here must always be two people in the launch while it
is on rescue boat duty. 9ut the ladder in the water with the supports against the
boat side" so that people in the water can climb in to the boat.
Wet unconscious people are e&tre'ely heavy and difficult to get out of
the water and children cannot do this. It may even be necessary for rescue
boat crew to get into the water to help" so correct clothing is important.
(eeping watch. )MP#T*+T. You must place the launch at all times in a
position where you can watch over all the boats which are racing. If a short
course has been set close to the clubhouse there may be no need to take the
launch out until somebody needs help" as you will be able to see the whole
course from the bank. ,owever you have a duty to keep watch all the ti'e
until the last boat is ashore.
Danger- The propeller of the launch can in.ure or even kill a person in the
water. $ou 'ust take great care to ensure that nobody is allowed to get
anywhere near it. $ou 'ust also take care not to get ropes around the
propeller or propeller shaft/ as these could stall the engine and i''obilise
the launch. *lways ensure the gear is put into neutral when you are close
to so'eone in the water.
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)'portant- )n the case of a head in.ury take the person to (ingston
,ospital i''ediately. Control the flow of blood with a pressure pad.
*ttitude- When you are helping a capsi6ed boat it is important to keep calm
and avoid unnecessary shouting. Seek to reassure those in the water but
recognise that the less skilled sailors and those new to the sport might be
experiencing some degree of shock and uncertainty at being immersed so
unexpectedly. ?lso" particularly in winter" when sailors rapidly get cold"
remember that the brain free6es first and some irrational decisions may be
made by them.
When you see a capsi6ed boat" go to it at once and immediately verify
that you can see all the crew and that they are uninjured. ?sk them whether
they need help. In benign conditions it is the skippers call to decide whether he
needs assistance.
3emember that as soon as you give the boat any help at all" they will have
to retire from the race. 1owever" that is of little conse$uence compared with
your overall duty to ensure they are safe. If they say they are #(" and that is
also your view" then continue to stand by them" provided there are no other
capsi6es to attend. If you do have to leave to attend another boat" do not do so
until you have told them you are leaving them and again asking them if they are
confident they will be #(. ?ll crew members must be on board their dinghy
4even if still not upright5 before you go.
)n Winter/ conditions may well be such that the first consideration will be to get
the crew out of the water and back to the club for a hot shower. !his may
involve abandoning the boat and you should do this if" in your view" any of the
crew needs urgent attention. 8et the victims to the club and then return to
recover the boat as soon as there are no other people in danger. @se the radio
to warn the ##& that injured or tired crew are being brought back to the club so
that first aid and other help can be ready.
#ighting a Capsi0ed %oat.
*irst recover the crew to the safety of the launch. !hen place the launch at
the top of the mast 4assuming it is hori6ontal5 and lift the mast slowly working
your way hand over hand down the mast to the shroud and then work down the
shroud until the boat is upright. Axcept with 7asers" it will be easier to right a
capsi6ed boat in strong winds if one of the crew can lower the mainsail first.
Bake sure that by gentle nudging or towing by the launch the capsi6ed boat is
pushed up head to wind.
@sing the power of the launch very gently" hold the dinghy head to wind
and get the crew back on board if they are fit" willing and able to do so. ?t the
.
first opportunity after the capsi6e the dinghy helmsman or crew should have
checked that all sheets are uncleated and that the kicking strap is released. If
there is a spinnaker it should be lowered as soon as possible in the recovery
process.
If the dinghy is totally inverted" again the safe recovery of the crew is the
first concern. ?fter they are in a safe place" the launch crew should lift on the
leeward side of the dinghy at the shroud base until the boat gradually begins to
roll up with the mast to leeward of the hull. !hey should work down the shroud
lifting all the time until the mast is hori6ontal. !hen proceed as in the above
paragraph.
It will be difficult to right a boat whose mast is stuck in the mud. !his will
need special care to prevent damage to the mast. @se the launch to gently
nudge the capsi6ed dinghy away from the direction in which its mast is pointing.
If this fails after a couple of attempts" take the wet" cold crew ashore and return
with more helpers and the second launch to recover their boat.
Towing 1 * boat with no crew aboard and full of water.
Bring the boat alongside the launch with fenders between them securing
the launchs bowline to the mast of the dinghy and a stern line to the transom of
the dinghy. !hese lines may have to be adjusted or more added according to
the conditions and the type of boat. 8o slowly.
Towing 1 * boat with crew aboard and full of water.
!ow with the recovered dinghy astern of the launch putting the launchs
stern line twice round the mast and into the hands of a crew member for $uick
release in an emergency. It is important to instruct the helmsman of the dinghy
to steer always towards the samson post of the launch on which the tow is
secured. #therwise the launch driver wont be able to steer properly.
Towing 1 with the launch going astern
!here can be cases" perhaps in recovering a heavy boat such as an
Aighteen *oot ;ational" where it is legitimate to tow the recovered boat with the
launch travelling astern. In this case pass the bow line of the launch twice
round the mast and give it to a crew member to hold for $uick release in an
emergency or on arrival at the dock. !here must be two crew members on
board" one to hold the towline and the other to steer.
!he helmsman of the recovered boat must steer directly for the bow of the
towing launch. !he helmsman of the launch" now motoring stern first" must
keep a good lookout astern and remember that the steering works in reverse
but he will find that he has very accurate control over direction. !his system is
best used at slow speeds over a short distance but is totally safe and
seaworthy.
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*pproaching the landing stage with a boat full of water
?pproach the landing point carefully and slowly and remember that a boat
full of water will have momentum and could be hard to stop. Cust before the
towed boat reaches the stage" instruct its crew to drop the tow line so that you
can get the launch out of everybodys way.
2o'e 'inor points
Aven in warm summer conditions wind blowing over wet clothing can have
a serious cooling effect on the body. @se the thermal blankets to wrap the
person in until you can get them ashore for a hot shower and hot drink. If you
want to warm a capsi6e victim do not give them alcohol. It will have an adverse
effect.
When you have finished for the day" tie up the tiller and lock the chain to
the boat.
*inally a copy of the 3Y? Safety Boat 1andbook is kept in the ##&S box
and is available to anyone to read.
&onald *orbes and 3ichard 1owells on behalf of !amesis )lub D Barch +EEF
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