Essential safety fundamentals for catamaran sailors

[@JoyriderTV]

PART 2 coming next Tuesday!

[@JPBondage]

First and foremost risk of sailing is ... getting hooked by this great sport, by the sea, by the wind, by the challenge to be a little bit better than the day before you went sailing. Great stuff again, Jospeh. Stay save you and your team!

[@JoyriderTV]

Well said! Thanks!

[@loyalschreiber410]

Good stuff, very comprehensive and thorough. Important information that should be periodically reviewed even by seasoned sailors because it's too easy to become complacent.

[@JoyriderTV]

Glad it was helpful! It was helpful for me writing it as well.

[@pilotmark2861]

I built an EZ Righter. Used a quick release and shroud extender to further use the hull weight to assist in righting then reconnect the shroud .

[@JoyriderTV]

Nice. Did you do something to stop the mast base from jumping out?

[@pilotmark2861]

@@JoyriderTVa wire pigtail can help assure that it doesn’t separate. Actually the EZ Righter system extends the upper shroud just enough to give the upper hull a few degrees just enough to take advantage of its weight to assist you in righting

[@jentjeb2370]

As a single handed sailor on a catamaran I am always hooked to the boat: I used to have a dog leash for a 70 kg dog from a point a little behind the mast foot to my harness. It has the advantage of winding itself up. But after a few of them gave up: I now have a 2 meter line from my harness to the main sheet/ traveler sheet (they are connected). Both are not ideal but much better than losing the boat (I have experienced that once)

[@JoyriderTV]

Thanks for that. Having not tried any kind of tether, it's good to hear what your experience was.

[@mrgustavoperez]

Hi Joe, I’m a “novice” hobie cat sailor but I’m a well seasoned seaman. I always take tools and accessories with me so that I can deal with most situations. I always take a phone and a VhF radio out to sea. If going far offshore I would also have some drinking water. Safety gear should include pfd, whistle and maybe a signaling devise like a small torch if sailing near evening dawn.

[@JoyriderTV]

Thanks for that. Part 2 which will be more focussed on equipment will be next Tuesday. Cheers

[@glenjoss2006]

Very helpful. Essential viewing for both veterans and beginners. Thank you, Joe!

[@JoyriderTV]

your are very welcome!

[@alexlutz2221]

One safety thing I do is I always have a collapsible paddle onboard so if the wind dies to the point where there's no way to keep moving or if something happens to the sails or mast I can still get the boat back to shore. This was very helpful when my rudder broke and I couldn't use it to move anymore.

[@JoyriderTV]

Yes, that's a very good plan!

[@alistairclyne9362]

Excellent video Joseph! As a single handed (Unicorn) sailor, the key safety item for me is the mast float. Long story short ... I know of someone with an A Class cat who capsized very quickly in a squall and wasn't able to detach the trapeze wire before he went over. The boat turned turtle and he got caught under the trampoline. By the time the safety boat got to him he was unconscious and required CPR. He was lucky though, and made a full recovery. However, his cat turning turtle could have been avoided with a mast float ... so it's an essential piece of kit in my book. Looking forward to Part 2 ... keep the videos coming!

[@JoyriderTV]

Very lucky end to a very bad situation. Part 2 should be next Tuesday. Cheers

[@Blacksheep1B]

All of this is very important. I failed to understand the complication of not having a good understanding of the tides. On the way back in, I had to get past a bridge, the current was ripping through, I couldn’t beat the current, too light of a wind. What was to be a relaxing cruise turned out to be a hard but, wonderful learning experience. I fought against the tide and seemed like it was going to be a big win! Then it was time to tack, the current stole back any gain. I of course, was stubborn and gave it my all. No dice. Fortunately for me, I did have a safety buddy, mine was tow boat US.

[@JoyriderTV]

Handy to have someone there to offer assistance!

[@bryancotton7279]

Good video as always! I can attest to two things from personal experience: 1) Soft spots can lead to a hull failure and 2) a totally flooded H16 hull will not sink - but it will be heavy and will sit very low in the water. I'll be replacing my standing rigging and halyards this winter I think.

[@JoyriderTV]

Good plan!

[@mateuszsp8ebc691]

One time I have quite nasty malfunction on Nacra 6.0 I sailed with my friend. The fork which keeps the main halyard on the top of the mast, broke during sailing, so the main started to fall down. Unfortunately we won't be able to hoist the sail completely upwards and keep it there by tying the rope to the deck or mast base or something. We were downwind in relation to the port we sailed from, and even having the mainsail few dozen centimeters lower I wasn't able to sail upwind. We have no VHF, no phone and it was late autumn with very few people on the water and after the water rescue team ended the season and closed theirs post. It was quite sketchy as the boat was somehow sailing but for the spectator not familiar with cats it wasn't looking that we have a problem. Thankfully the wind changed to more fair for us and I was able to go back to the port, but anyway... It is more safe to have somebody on a shore and a means to communicate with them or with coast guard / rescue team

[@JoyriderTV]

Close one. I think these days, if you're going out without safety boat, taking a phone is the easiest fix to so many issues.

[@Erik_077]

Great video even though im a experienced laser sailor I think this will help a lot of new people who are interested in the sport

[@JoyriderTV]

Thanks.

[@kiaranlomas1949]

Enjoyed the video. Keen for a discussion/review on helmets.

[@JoyriderTV]

That will be one for the Q+A on Friday. Maybe i'll see you there.

[@angelaranovich2192]

excelente video, gracias Joe!.....saludos desde Jalisco, Mexico

[@JoyriderTV]

Thanks, I'm glad that it is helpful

[@davidbradshaw7658]

In British Columbia, Canada ocean waters we have logging booms transporting logs around and sometimes a log breaks out of the boom! Cruising at night is not safe. We must watch out for them in the daytime as they are very hard to see.

[@JoyriderTV]

crikey, that certainly adds a big element.

[@pilotmark2861]

Yes,safety wire pigtail

[@JoyriderTV]

Nice. I'll have to test that system.

[@jonahthescientist1120]

Great advice. Thanks !!

[@JoyriderTV]

Glad it was helpful!

[@chipbuck8219]

And thank you!

[@JoyriderTV]

You're welcome!

[@jn8979]

Another great video. Genius. What safety equipment do you carry? I carry water, whistle, mirror, iPhone, sailing knife, some spare shackles, small ties and ropes, paddle, duct tape. Duct tape is good for repairs and in a pinch wound care in emergency. Hypothermia is main threat where I sail and Bingo for me is when I think I cannot do an hour in water with capsized/turtled boat + rescue time. :-)

[@jn8979]

And a Leatherman tool..

[@JoyriderTV]

We're very lucky here that we've always got safety boats out. Even so, I always carry: Knife Whistle Shackles, clevis pins and rings Spare rope

[@andrew390]

Inflatable cats are very popular ... can anyone suggest safety ideas for puncture / tear while on the water?

[@JoyriderTV]

Hmmm. I think on the water would be a serious issue not able to repair without getting to land.

[@nikkisperry8594]

i sail in an area with lots of seals witch happen to be a favorite dinner for sharks so when i see one i to leave the area, keep in mind that not all sharks are dangerous but there has been great white sitings near me so i am quite carful.

[@JoyriderTV]

Sounds like a good plan. Stay safe out there!

[@dumbcat]

floating semi-submerged logs if you live near a wooded area can wreck your boat. logs can be enormous and travel quite far

[@JoyriderTV]

Wow, yes, that could seriously ruin your day!

[@DidierDeschrijver]

Hi Joseph, you mentioned using a safety line in the video. Where should I attach this line (on the boat and on myself) an how long should that line be? Do you have any recomendation on that?

[@JoyriderTV]

I would say, attach it to the front beam - like the righting line - it should be probably about 6 m long - I'll do some testing

[@feedingravens]

Against sharks: dolphins hate sharks, they attack them. So look for a spot where dolphins are. Like Vassiliki Bay... 😉 Safety boat: the giant argument for WW, where else do you have 3 ribs and a watchtower?

[@JoyriderTV]

Yes, we're very lucky to be so safe here. I certainly feel a lot more vulnerable when sailing without.

[@feedingravens]

@@JoyriderTV The safety is one of the strongest arguments to go to WW for 25 years. Where else can you dare to to out single-handed on a Tiger in the crossshore? (and find out it works surprisingly well) WIthout help you are pretty effed when you capsize alone. And this "here I can try out the limit safely" brings you further than 10 years of having to play safe at home. (making a little advertising here... ;-)

[@fisherman7834]

Hey Joe. I hope all is well. Tomorrow I am going for my level 3 dinghy sailing assessment? What should I revise about most and could you please explain the Beaufort wind scale for me? Thanks

[@JoyriderTV]

Here is the general sylabus: I would focus on any areas that you are unsure of. There's a good article on wiki for the Beaufort scale - en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Beaufort_scale Section A  Practical o Rigging Section B RYA Level 3 Dinghy Sailing Syllabus Better Sailing  Understandshowtorigsetupandsailcontrolstopreparetheboataccordingto different weather conditions and sea states  Cancheckifaspinnakerisriggedcorrectly(iffitted) o Launching and Recovery  Canleaveandreturntoabeach,jettyormooring,includingwindwardandleeward shore in simple conditions o Revision of Sailing Techniques and Manoeuvres  Practiseandapplythefollowing:  Adjusting the centre board according to point of sailing  Correct sail trim for different points of sailing  Using crew weight to influence the correct trim and balance of boat  Choosing the best route to sail depending on conditions o Development of Sailing Techniques and Manoeuvres  Moreefficientsailingdevelopingamoreskilfultechnique  Useofdifferentclassesofboat  Understandsprincipleof‘drycapsize’andhowtoavoidcapsizeinversion  Useoftelltales  Leavingandreturningtoshoreortopontoonsunderdifferentconditions o Further Sailing Techniques and Manoeuvres  Canrecoveramanoverboard  Tasterelementsfromtheadvancedmodulesthatmaybeappropriatesuchas:  Has knowledge of basic spinnaker handling as crew or helm including hoist, drop  Can start and finish a simple race  Sailing Background o Sailing Theory and Background  Understandspointsofsailing  Understandsthefiveessentials  KnowsandcanapplythefollowingInternationalRulesforthePreventionofCollision at Sea (IRPCS):  Meeting other sailing vessels  Meeting power driven vessels  Following or crossing narrow channels  Action by stand-on vessel Section C  UnderstandsthesimplifiedISAFracingrules o Meteorology  UnderstandstheBeaufortWindScale  Knowssourcesofinformationonweatherfortheday  Hasanawarenessofchangingweatherconditions  Coastal o Navigation  Canuselocaltidetables  Basicchartorientation  Tidalheights-canreadaninternettidalcurveprediction  Understandstheeffectoftideandwinddirectiononsailingconditions

[@fisherman7834]

@@JoyriderTV thank you so much Joe. Have a wonderful day.

[@JoyriderTV]

@@fisherman7834 🤩

[@Erik_077]

in my opinion knots are better to describe the wind

[@Ntloroductios]

Are you in greece??

[@dansurf828]

Yes. Vassaliki not sure how to spell it.

[@JoyriderTV]

Vassiliki on Lefkada

[@smokinstang759]

👍👍👍

[@JoyriderTV]

👍

[@stijnvanstrijen9285]

😂

[@JoyriderTV]

💨🚀

[@MrRikko951]

a big carabiner from trapeze vest on the mainsheet / traveller line so if I fall off solo it will capsize . tried and tested. no extra safety line needed

[@JoyriderTV]

I'll try that - full testing video coming soon.