Poor seamanship

There have been at least three boating accidents over the past few days.

Many serious yachtsmen looked at these accidents with a mixture of dismay and, also, with some sighs of relief.

Finally, many thought, the poor seamanship of the few is reaching the eyes and ears of the media and getting aired for everyone's safety.

Too many incidents at sea highlight lack of safety precautions that far too many forget all too easily once they set off.

One boat was reported to have capsized without warning, apparently because of the turbulence in the wake created by a larger vessel.

This is an all too common occurrence by a few of our egoistic Sunday sailors who do not think of the effect of their wake on other vessels (and their crews) who are sharing the seas with them. It is lucky for the eight persons on the small capsized boat that they were in sight of a civil protection patrol boat and were picked up immediately.

Many in the sailing confraternity regularly suffer from this sort of antic by the larger, faster motor cruisers who literally fly past leaving a very turbulent wake behind them that can have very serious consequences even for a larger boat.

I have seen people being tossed around inside yachts and banging their heads badly or suffering contusions in their arms as a result of such an incident. All because the 'few' wish to show off their latest toy in the belief that they are distant members of the Schumacher family.

I am not surprised that the unfortunate family of the 13-footer who had the unexpected swim had gruffly refused to speak to reporters when back on dry land. I have often been forced to utter similar deprecations when in a similar situation on my yacht. "Standby to roll" is a call my family learned quickly to respond to.

There was then the case of an explosion. I do not intend to go into the merits of the case at all, but I would like to highlight the danger that fuel, gas and electrics - or a combination - can be on a boat.

Petrol is a potentially dangerous fuel on a vessel. Its flashpoint - when it self ignites - is very low and even the slightest spark or a damp rag forgotten near or in an engine compartment can be the cause of a fuel explosion.

Extreme care should therefore be taken when handling all fuels on a boat and especially where it is stored.

Gas on board is another lethal commodity. The LPG used is heavier than air so if there is the slightest leak it will float down to the lowest part of the vessel, often lying there below the floorboards or in the bilges, unnoticed and odourless. Until it gets ignited by a spark.

Many serious yachtsmen are in the good habit of closing their gas from the cylinder before switching off the cooker ring. In this way, the gas remaining in the pipe leading to the inside of the yacht is burnt out and practically none remains to escape into the boat itself. And again, as a precaution, when emptying their boat's bilges, they tend to continue pumping for a few extra seconds to remove even the remains of any gas residue in the boat's bowels.

Electrical wiring on a boat, like anything else that is around you afloat, suffers greatly from wear and tear. They should be checked regularly because they can easily cause short circuits and these happen usually when the boat is unattended. Add to that the other components of the formula just mentioned and a family boat can easily be a floating Molotov cocktail.

No, I am not trying to scare anyone from going to sea. I am merely trying to make those who go boating, whether in a large or small boat, understand that this is a leisure pastime that should be enjoyed with caution.

Never go to sea without a deep knowledge of safety and of what one's action could do to another boat. And that last comment alone could easily open up a completely new chapter on the subject.

Let's all enjoy the seas... safely!