Record attendance at CCA Seminar equates to increased interest in Safety-at-Sea Training
by Jan Harley 6 Mar 2018 04:48 PST
Safety at Sea Seminar - Mariners' Museum Program © The Mariners Museum
The Cruising Club of America (CCA), one of the principal organizers of the biennial 635-mile Newport Bermuda Race, has announced that its upcoming Safety At Sea Seminar has reached the maximum number of sailors it can train during the hands-on sessions scheduled for March 10-11, 2018, in Newport, Rhode Island. While the one-day Classroom Seminar on Saturday, March 10, remains open, the high level of interest in hands-on training coincides with trends the organization identified late in 2017 during a research project that included a poll and focus groups.
The most significant trend, based on input from ocean racers and offshore sailors nationwide, is an increased interest in hands-on safety seminars. Another trend identified by the CCA study is the increased interest from non-racers in safety training opportunities being offered by organizations ranging from yacht clubs to regional sailing groups.
Major races regularly review and revise safety requirements after each race. For the 51st running of the iconic Newport Bermuda Race, scheduled for June 15, 2018, two members of the crew of each boat entered must have hands-on safety training, a requirement that would be satisfied by attending the Newport seminar. The CCA has been able to refer interested sailors to other upcoming seminars such as those offered by the Storm Trysail Club and the United States Naval Academy.
"The CCA has been working tirelessly to make sure sailors have access to adequate safety training," said Ernie Godshalk, Chairman of the organization's Safety & Seamanship Committee. "To that end we have also helped local organizers to schedule Safety For Cruising Couples Seminars, have provided scholarships for 15 young sailors to attend our recent symposium on weather, and we are working on the logistics of scheduling another Safety At Sea Seminar in the Newport area later this spring."
More information on safety topics may be found at cruisingclub.org/safety-sea