ISAF Guide to Offshore Personal Safety for Racing and Cruising

Guide to Personal Safety SW

Guide to Offshore Personal Safety for Racing and Cruising © SW

The ISAF Offshore Personal Safety Course came about as a result of the 1998 Sydney Hobart Race. The coroner’s report from that race asked for extra training to happen to the skippers and crews.

Following on from that a section in the Offshore Special Regs, section 6, actually asks for 30% of all of the crew who are going into category zero, one and two races to have undertaken training, that’s equivalent to the Fastnet Race, Transat and longer distance races.

The two day course includes theoretical and practical sessions.

ISAF Technical co-ordinator Henry Thorpe said, 'ISAF are fully committed to increasing safety at sea. This book is packed with valuable information and years of experience from both cruising and racing sailors alike. It offers reasoned recommended levels of safety equipment and training for oceanic and offshore sailing. ISAF see this as another step to increasing safety awareness alongside the ISAF Offshore Special Regulations.'

To purchase your copy of the ISAF Guide to Offshore Personal Safety for Racing and Cruising for £13 you can purchase it directly from ISAF by clicking here.

Yachting Australia Safety and Sea Survival Course Yachting Australia have run a training course for many years and have been running ISAF course since its introduction. The Yachting Australia website includes a list of sailors with valid certificates, course content, approved training centres etc.

Contact - Lyndal O'Keeffe - (02) 8424 7412 - Yachting Australia Training - Yachting Australia

Our sources tell us that the course is currently not available in New Zealand.

About The Author
Simon Jinks is a keen sailor and power-boater. He has spent all of his professional life involved in training on yachts and powerboats under 200GRT and maritime safety. Simon runs SeaRegs, providing marine training and technical resource for individuals, companies and national organisations. Previously, Simon ran the Royal Yachting Association's Training programme for yachting, motorboating and navigation managing a training programme with over 70,000 participants a year.

Simon has run Sea Survival Instructor Training courses for the RYA and is a senior trainer for most marine disciplines. He has represented UK and Europe on ISO committees for safety equipment and is heavily involved in vessel equipment codes of practice. Most of all he likes nothing better than messing about in boats with his friends and family.