Safety Boat Handbook
TSC Guide to Safety Boat Duties
Admin
Your duty starts 1 hour before race start in order for you to complete the relevant RIB checks and pull the ribs out onto the hard standing at the top of the slipway.
Overview
The aim of this handbook is to provide an aide memoire for experienced RIB Helms, an update on equipment and procedure changes and a useful guide for the less experienced.
The first part of the document deals with equipment and general issues to do with boat usage and operation.
It includes Health and Safety issues and equipment damage risks and precautionary measures to prevent an occurrence.
In future, more serious issues that arise will also be publicised as safety boat helm updates and disseminated by email.
The second part deals with operational procedures specific to RIB Helms/Crew.Essential Consideration for RIB Helms and Crew
To helm a Club RIB, helms must be:
- competent to a level at least equivalent to RYA PB2 or be under direct instruction of a qualified RYA PBI.
- registered as an approved helm by the Club.
- be a Club member. Non-members invalidate the club insurance.
- Be familiar with at least the basics of VHF Radio Communications, though having an SRC certificate is not required due to use of leisure channel M1
RIB Crews must be:
- Club Members. Non-members invalidate the club insurance
- Physically capable of performing the duty
- Preferably have participated in at least one of the Club's Safety Boat Trainings
RIB Helms & Crew should be familiar with the contents of the attached handbook.
All helms are reminded that it is their responsibility to check their boats against the Safety Boat Checklist to ensure that they are fully prepared and ready for service before launching and when taking over from another helm.
Radio communication should be established with the OOD before launching.
RIB Helms work under the direction of the OOD, who should be kept informed about what you are doing during racing events.
Large race marks have the potential to be blown out of RIBs at high speed, they should be tied down before leaving the jetty/slipway.
Be aware of local hazards such as the reservoir wall.
The tendency for people in the water to use the RIB steering wheel to assist themselves into the boat should be resisted, as it can damage the steering mechanism and result in the hydraulic oil leaking and is an unsafe practice. Casualties should therefore, whereever practical by lifted onto the boat from the port side.
Before engaging reverse gear, ensure that there is plenty of time for the revs to drop.
Ensure that the engine is raised when entering shallow water.
On completion of the duty, report any faults as necessary via the forum completion & the Safety Boat Checklist.
The RIB is to be:
- Refuelled
- Washed down, including the launch trolley and wheels. In particular morse control unit / console should be sprayed with a fine spray rather than direct jet.
- Radio Switched Off
- Antenna Lowered
- All safety equipment to be removed from lockers, laid out on the sponson with the lids removed to anable to dry and help with the following duty's checklist.
Registered Power Boat Instructors are encouraged to allow crew to drive for some of a duty, if and when it is appropriate. This is one of the few feasible methods of enabling someone to gain the experience on the path to becoming a skilled RIB Helm.
Please note that any Health and Safety incidents should be reported to the OOD who will inform the Club Health and Safety Coordinator by way of an Incident Report Form.
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Last updated 23:05 on 23 April 2024