If you are taking people out on your boat, it’s critical to give them a safety briefing. The details of the briefing will vary depending on where you are. And how long you expect to be away. It will also vary by how many of the boat’s regular crew are aboard. And also by how much boating knowledge the guests have.
The important goals of the safety briefing are:
- Keep guests from being injured
- Let guests know what to do in case of an emergency
The list below contains the items for a basic safety briefing. It’s a fine line to walk between covering what needs to be covered, and overwhelming guests with so much information that they don’t remember any of it.
What to Include in a Safety Briefing
For overnight trips, you probably also want to have a further “systems” briefing. The longer someone will be aboard, the more systems you’ll want to cover. You may also want to cover additional safety items such as dinghy use. Or what to do in case of water intrusion (location of plugs, bilge pumps, etc.). However, I suggest not trying to cover everything at once!
Critical Items to Note
- Captain is in charge, especially in an emergency. And who the alternate is if captain becomes incapacitated.
- Life jackets, tethers, and jacklines – location, fitting, how to use, policies on using.
- How to use the VHF in an emergency.
- Life raft – location and how to deploy.
- Ditch bag.
- EPIRB and personal locator beacons.
- Any other emergency communication devices.
- Location of “oh shit” First Aid supplies.
- Location of fire extinguishers and fire blankets.
- How to turn engine on/off.
- How to turn autopilot off.
- No lines in the water.
- MOB equipment and rescue procedure.
- Speak up if you see water on the floor or anything that seems “weird.”
- Tell captain immediately if you smell fuel or propane, or smell smoke.
- If hear a yell of “hang on” do so immediately.
- Do not try to use anything you are not familiar with. Ask for instructions, to avoid both damage and injuries.
- Speak up if something breaks
General Safety
- Stay on the boat.
- One hand for the boat.
- Sailboat: Watch for boom – what “ready about” “hard alee” and “jibe ho” mean and what to do.
- Sailboat: How winches work and how to avoid catching hand in one.
- Hatches remain shut unless captain says otherwise.
- Any places that cannot be walked on.
- Anything that cannot be held onto.
- How to get on and off the boat.
- Safely going up and down steps.
- Close lockers immediately anytime you are not actually getting in them.
- Anchoring/mooring/docking procedure and what each person should do.
- Don’t use propane until you’ve received instruction.
Medical
- Medical summary form and where to find it.
- Sun protection and hydration or hypothermia, as appropriate.
- Speak up if you are sick or injured.
Questions to Ask Your Guests
Of course, the best safety briefing involves listening as well as talking. Here are a few questions you might want to ask your guests before getting underway.
- Is there anything you’re afraid of on the boat (heeling, being out of sight of land, etc.)?
- Can you swim?
- Have you ever been on a boat similar to this before?
- Are you prone to seasickness? Did you take a preventative?
- Do you have any medical conditions that could be important to know about?
- Do you have any allergies – particularly food and insects?
It’s always fun to have family or friends aboard; taking a few minutes to make sure the trip is a safe one will ensure that everyone has great memories!
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Carolyn Shearlock has lived aboard full-time for 17 years, splitting her time between a Tayana 37 monohull and a Gemini 105 catamaran. She’s cruised over 14,000 miles, from Pacific Mexico and Central America to Florida and the Bahamas, gaining firsthand experience with the joys and challenges of life on the water.
Through The Boat Galley, Carolyn has helped thousands of people explore, prepare for, and enjoy life afloat. She shares her expertise as an instructor at Cruisers University, in leading boating publications, and through her bestselling book, The Boat Galley Cookbook. She is passionate about helping others embark on their liveaboard journey—making life on the water simpler, safer, and more enjoyable.
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