Please select your home edition
Edition
Rooster 2025

Sea Survival seminar a success in Toronto

by Greg Nicoll on 25 Jun 2012
Eric Hill leading the review session after the in-water section of the program Greg Nicoll
Safety took a more aggressive stance at the Royal Canadian Yacht Club this past weekend. After the success of the 2010 Safety at Sea seminar where 300 sailors signed up for a one day introductory session under the guidance of the US Sailing Association, course organizers immediately saw the demand for a more hands-on course in the Great Lakes region. The course moderator was Halifax based Yachtmaster instructor Eric Hill who took 15 sailors on Saturday, followed by 11 more on Sunday through an in-depth course that included a visual presentation, flare training, a competency exam and an in-water participation exercise.

Hill, who by day is known as Captain Eric Hill, Maritime Helicopter Tactics, and Canadian Forces Maritime Warfare Centre, has a great deal of experience in marine rescue. Noy only a rescuer, Hill is the offshore training skipper for the Royal Canadian Navy and holds a commercial endorsement for sailing vessels to 200 t and is a qualified RYA/CYA radar, diesel, and commercial Yachtmaster instructor. As Canada’s only Yachtmaster Instructor, he is an endorsed ISAF Sea Survival instructor for offshore racing and is a qualified Advanced Medical First Responder.

In 2010, the Nova Scotia Yachting Association named him Male Sailor of the Year for outstanding contribution to the sport of sailing. In 2011, he participated in Transport Canada’s revision of safety requirements for pleasure craft used for commercial purposes.




Both days, the sessions moved at a quick pace, were very informative and were laced with many of Eric’s personal stories and anecdotes that demonstrated a clear understanding of the need to prepare well in advance for the unexpected that can happen at sea. The highlight of the day took place in the pool where the participants experienced the challenge of swimming lengths in foul weather gear and boots. Then, donning PFD’s (personal flotation devices), they practised safety manoeuvres first by themselves, then with team members. In his presentation, Eric emphasized that the last place you want to be was in a life raft, that said, he gave everybody the opportunity to see how to inflate a life raft, climb into the raft, assist others getting in the raft and how to right an overturned raft.




One interesting note was the number of couples taking the course. It was most encouraging to see both husband and wife working together to understand the needs and preparedness required for a lengthy passage in open waters.
Course organizer Carson Wood, also the Safety Officer for the Lake Ontario 300 Race, was very excited to see the direct instruction provided by Hill and active participation of all attendees. Carson also commented that all students who successfully completed this component of the course will be issued an ISAF Survival at Sea Certificate that can pre- qualify them for major international races such as the Newport Bermuda and the Sydney Hobart Race.




The Canadian Yachting Association (www.sailing.ca) has endorsed Halifax based Yachtmaster instructor Eric Hill to provide training that leads to CYA-ISAF certificates of competence in personal offshore safety and sea survival for crews involved in distance racing. This new and exciting course will elevate the skills of Canadian distance sailors and the performance of their yachts to levels of international seaworthiness recognized around the world. The course also provides value to cruisers or any sailor contemplating navigating open water with any degree of self-sufficiency.


To assist reaching sailors across the country, the new CYA-ISAF certificate of competence training has been developed over the past year into a mobile self-contained format available anywhere a suitable facility can be provided. The first CYA-ISAF certificate of competence training sessions have been held this Spring in BC, Nova Scotia and Newfoundland. To organise a course locally or to register for a course visit the training website at www.seasurvival.ca or through the CYA website at www.sailing.ca.

Selden 2020 - FOOTERMaritimo M600Lloyd Stevenson - AC INEOS 1456x180px BOTTOM

Related Articles

Gran Canaria Gloria Windsurf World Cup Day 8
Super Finals Saturday sees Daida Moreno produce buzzer beater The penultimate day of the 2025 Gran Canaria Gloria Windsurf World Cup saw final results gained in three categories; Women's, U21 Boy's and U18 Boy's and all three divisions required Super Finals to determine the eventual winners.
Posted on 12 Jul
International Moth Worlds at Lake Garda Day 5
A day to remember on Lake Garda with waves and strong gusts A day to remember on Lake Garda for the fifth and penultimate day of the 2025 Moth World Championship, hosted by Fraglia Vela Malcesine from 6 to 13 July.
Posted on 12 Jul
Jazz Turner Makes History in Project FEAR
Jazz credits Allen for providing cutting-edge sheeting systems, as well as expert advice Project FEAR, an extraordinary solo sailing voyage by Jazz Turner, has concluded successfully: she became the first disabled person – and specifically the first wheelchair user – to sail non-stop and unassisted around the UK and Ireland.
Posted on 12 Jul
18th Puig Vela Clàssica Barcelona overall
Some of the most celebrated gems of classic yachting in the waters off Barcelona The sails have now been lowered on the 18th edition of the Puig Vela Clàssica, which this week brought together some of the most celebrated gems of classic yachting in the waters off Barcelona.
Posted on 12 Jul
Dylan Fletcher previews Portsmouth
Fletcher says SailGP's Portsmouth debut offers the team the chance to 'right the wrongs'. With just a week to go until SailGP's return to Great Britain, we sit down with Emirates GBR driver Dylan Fletcher to discuss the opportunities and pressures of a home event.
Posted on 12 Jul
Long Beach Olympic Classes Regatta 2025 Preview
The fourth stop of the five series Sailing Grand Slam circuit Over 200 elite athletes from 42 nations have converged on Long Beach to test their skills on the same waters that will host sailing events during the LA2028 Olympic Games as they compete in the Long Beach Olympic Classes Regatta July 12-20
Posted on 12 Jul
Best Buddies from Germany win the AEGEAN 600 2025
The second wave of finishers benefit from last night's steadier breezes Behind the first wave of finishers yesterday morning, yesterday and last night's steadier breezes helped sweep in another wave of Monohull and Multihull finishers to the race finish at Cape Sounion.
Posted on 11 Jul
Conversation with Ben Willows: CEO RS Marine Group
Some people's passion for sailing runs so deep, it feels like it's woven into their DNA There are some people whose passion for sailing runs so deep, it feels like it's woven into their DNA. Ben Willows is one of those people.
Posted on 11 Jul
101st Bayview Mackinac Race starts on Saturday
A massive fleet of 183 monohulls and 9 multihulls will set off to race entire length of Lake Huron It is one day to go, and the fleet is assembled in Port Huron before the start of the 101st Bayview Mackinac Race, organized by the Bayview Yacht Club and presented by National Fleet Services.
Posted on 11 Jul
International Moth Worlds at Lake Garda Day 4
Balanger dominates qualifying, storm cuts Gold fleet racing short Day four of the 2025 Moth World Championship opened at dawn with another early start for the 137 athletes from 25 nations competing on Lake Garda.
Posted on 11 Jul