Safety Equipment
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Always see that your yacht carries the right safety equipment for your sailing waters.

The minimum for inshore small craft use is a lifejacket for each crew member, one paddle, preferably two (if yacht is paddle-able), a bucket, a sharp knife, a proper anchor and a suitable length of line attached to the anchor and to the boat. If you are sailing without safety cover off the coast it is advisable to carry orange smoke flares. On most inland waters, you can probably dispense with the anchor and flares.

Until you gain confidence, don't sail alone where nobody can see you. On your AY Courses, you will be sailing in company of other sailors taking instruction and in the vacinity of a rescue boat. To get the same security after your course, join a sailing club.

Distress Signals or in Need of Assistance

There are 14 internationally recognized ways of signaling the fact that you are in distress and need assistance but only two have any practical relevance to the sailor.

The first is to stand where you can be seen and raise and lower your arms, outstretched to each side, slowly and repeatedly.

The second is to use a distress flare. The best for day light use are hand-held orange smoke flares. Small Yachts should carry two (2) minimum of these whenever you are yachting without safety cover in inshore waters.

Modern flares are almost waterproof, but they should still be kept dry whenever possible. On extended cruises in Off the Beach Yachts Don't stow them in a buoyancy tank, or you may be unable to reach them if needed. Flares have a shelf life of three years, after which they must be replaced.

Read the operating instructions before you go afloat, so that you will know what to do in an emergency. Don't point the flare at anybody (including yourself when you fire it, but hold it as high as you can and point it slightly downwind.

If you are not in distress, but merely want to attract attention, possibly for a tow when the wind has dropped, a whistle, wave or VHF call to passing boats will be enough. The signals for distress must never be used lightly, when the occasion does not warrant the consequences of their use.

If you see anybody else in trouble and cannot assist, dial 999 in the UK or your local emergency number and ask for the Coastguard or other emergency services available in your region. Tell the Coastguard where and when you saw something, the type of craft, number of crew and as much other information as possible.

Emergency Steering Arrangements

That leisurely afternoon sail down the Straits may soon turn problematic if the steering system fails or rudder snaps off and repairs cannot be properly carried out. Sailing Yachts normally carry emergency tillers that can be attached directly to the rudder shaft or by utilizing a spinnaker pole and U-bolting a small piece of prepared ply wood to one end try using it like a sweep oar over the transom. Rope guys may be needed to control the emergency steering over lengthy periods as the pressures exerted on the rudder may be humanly overpowering to the unwary.

Small Motor Yachts can try trailing heavy objects like anchors and chain from either side of the transom or by shifting crew weight from one side to another when underway thereby slightly inclining and  slowly steer the yacht in the favor of the required direction.