The Safety at Sea Committee of the Sailing Foundation is dedicated to promoting safe boating throughout both the commercial and pleasure boating industry through seminars and research into the development of products that enhance boating safety.
Safety At Sea Seminars
Timed to coincide with the biannual Vic Maui and Pacific Cup sailboat races, the Sailing Foundation conducts a two-day seminar on safe boating practices and safety equipment.
The seminars, designed and conducted by sailors, all experts in their fields, provide novice and experienced mariners with information and skills required to prepare for sailing offshore, boat preparation, handling heavy weather, recommended safety equipment, and emergencies at sea.
The two-day, US Sailing-sanctioned event is open to all cruising and racing skippers, crews and their families, recreational power boaters, as well as commercial fishermen. The program, endorsed by Cruising World and Sailing World Magazines and sponsored by West Marine and Landfall Navigation, has evolved from the highly successful program developed by the Sailing Foundation and the U.S. Naval Academy at Annapolis, Maryland. It incorporates the latest techniques and information available.
Lecture topics include: first aid, rescue at sea, heavy weather seamanship, weather forecasting, damage control and repair, communications equipment, navigation, and personal safety equipment.
Saturday’s certified program is designed to meet the US Sailing requirements for Safety at Sea training for offshore racers in US events. The Sunday session includes hands-on training with in-the-water demonstrations, key survival tactics, man-overboard recoveries, flare procedures and helicopter evacuation. The session is accompanied by in-depth discussions and provides a logical preparation step for those sailors seriously preparing for independent, self-sufficient offshore sailing – both racing and cruising.
