IT COULDN'T TO US
.We are all good swimmers. Even strong swimmers weaken and tire quickly in rough, cold sea conditions. .We only sail a few miles offshore. For non-swimmers, children and older crew members, a few miles offshore is as far as the other side of the ocean. . I only venture out where there are boats around us. A marina is the only place where boats are always nearby to assist in the event of an emergency. .I have a
Marine vhf radio. Most fatal accidents at sea happen to boats that do have a radio. .I carry an inflatable
boat dinghy. Without a ballast system, heavy seas will turn a dinghy upside down like a toy, while the
liferaft "sticks" to the sea thanks to its ballast pockets. Besides, a dinghy is not designed for rescue and survival : it carries no water or survival equipment, and has no bright canopy for protection and visibility... .Our boat is quite new. So was the Titanic ! There are more shipwrecks than most people believe ; the press reports some of them, but a vast majority are never mentioned. . We have enough
lifejackets for everyone aboard. After one hour in 10 °C waters, a lifejacket cannot prevent exhaustion or unconsciousness. With 1 metre or higher waves, it is very difficult to see someone floating in the water from a relatively short distance.
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8.Statistically, the chances of a serious
accident are very slim. Yes, but when it comes to human lives, the slimmest chance is one too many... .I am a very experienced boater. No doubt, but have you ever faced the suddenness of a marine emergency ? Have you ever had to abandon ship in an emergency with all the panic and chaos that goes with it ? You are in charge of your boat, and in charge of your crew ; it is your responsibility to anticipate the worst in order to be able to bring them home alive...
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10 .I never leave without checking the
Philip Plisson ©
weather forecast. Good, that's a basic safety measure ; but forecasts can occasionally be wrong : the Fastnet tragedy of 1979 will remain in our memories for a long time...
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