Our friends at the Cruising Club of America (CCA) are offering their popular International Offshore Safety at Sea with Hands-On Training Course. Taught by experienced, lifelong sailors, the course is designed to prepare sailors of all types and abilities for survival offshore in demanding situations and emergencies.
© Mark Lenci/cruisingclub.org
The course has two parts. Part 1 comprises US Sailing’s Online Offshore Safety at Sea Course, which covers heavy weather, offshore communications, medical matters, MOB prevention & recovery, crew preparation & training, essentials of damage control, personal safety equipment, and more. The online training course provides an excellent level of knowledge and is the starting point for the second part of the course. Part 2 is a full day of practical training from 8 am to 5 pm. Major topics to be covered include:
Lessons Learned & Updates: This segment includes information gleaned from recent incidents, and update on important safety requirements and communications items.
Damage Control: This segment covers typical damage control techniques and equipment.
Fire Prevention and Firefighting: Participants will actually extinguish a fire with an extinguisher.
Emergency Signaling (Flares): Participants will ignite various emergency signaling pyrotechnics.
Emergency and Safety Equipment: This session will have a display of common emergency and safety equipment, particularly personal equipment. Instructors will discuss the use, pros, and cons of this equipment and emphasize the latest trends and equipment.
PFDs, Water Survival & Life Rafts: This session starts with reviewing the proper wearing of PFDs and tethers. Participants then enter the pool with foul weather gear and PFD to experience inflation and use. The CCA staff will guide participants in practicing cold water individual and group survival techniques, including the best ways to stay afloat, work as a team, and fight hypothermia. Participants will practice righting, boarding, and working as a crew in a life raft
These sessions will be held at the Richard L. Bready Mount Hope Sailing and Education Center at Roger Williams University in Bristol, RI. Participants can select Saturday, January 12 or Saturday, March 16. Participants completing this course will receive certification that they have completed a US Sailing sanctioned Offshore Safety at Sea course with hands-on training, which complies with World Sailing’s Offshore Personal Survival Course guidelines. For more information and to register, visit sas.cruisingclub.org/courses/sas.
