The sea is unpredictable and even if you’re in the calmest waters things can go wrong. You need to be on your toes and prepared. Your basic training will luckily see to that. Now most of the time things will be plain sailing, but you need to keep your wits about you at all times.
Accidents, injuries and deaths on board luxury yachts are more commonplace than people are made to believe, but it is not brought about through haphazard accidents alone. Long hours spent working without rest is also a safety concern, as often times accidents stem from not paying attention due to exhaustion. This is the flipside to the glamour that you see on board luxury yachts, but it is a reality that can occur to anyone, hence the basic safety training being so crucial.
STCW 2010 Training
The basic STCW training covers Marine Fire Fighting, Sea Survival, Elementary First Aid, Personal Safety and Social Responsibilities and Competence in Security Awareness. Although the course also gives you practical experience, situations at sea might be unpredictable.
Safety At Sea
The most important thing is to listen to your Captain and senior crew, especially if they’ve crewed that particular charter vessel previously. They’ll know the ins and outs of the slippery spots on the deck, the gnarly corners, the windlass snapback zone, potential rope trip-zone etc etc. You’ll also need to know your vessel inside out: moving around on or below deck – what you can walk on, what you can hold on to; what are potential deck hazards – tripping (footwear), hatches and boom; clipping on – jack stays, guard rails and skipper’s policy; lines & winches – basic hazards and use to name a few.
Report anything out of the ordinary to your senior, and wipe up any accidental spills before anyone can potentially slip and injure themselves.
It is important to use the systems and the checklists provided to you, but none of that can replace common sense. If you’re thinking of starting a career in yachting, speak to us about the basic training courses, including the STCW 2010 that is required for all yacht crew.