My 2 Cents on Harbor 20 Safety at Sea
Roxanne Chan’s harrowing story about the sinking of her Harbor 20 made me stop and wonder: Could this happen to me? Unfortunately, I had to admit the answer was “absolutely yes.” So I started to poke around and learn how much I didn’t know about Harbor 20 safety, and here’s what I found…
Before you go sailing, here are some important things to check:
Have a life jacket handy for each person on your boat, and everyone knows where the jackets are. As Roxanne pointed out, a whistle or EPIRB attached to the jacket could be a lifesaver. (I also found that State law requires your boat to have a throwable float, ring or cushion handy, and requires that kids wear their life jackets. Check out http://www.dbw.ca.gov/pubs/LifeJackets/LifeJackets.pdf.)
Make sure your boat floats. As Roxanne said, it’ll sink like a rock without flotation. I found one way to add flotation at http://www.wdschock.com/boats/harbor20/h20_options_8_foam_flotation.php.
Along with Roxanne’s recommendation to have a paddle, flares and bailer on board, I’d add a long towline.
Roxanne suggested having Coast Guard, Harbor Patrol, Seatow and Vessel Assist phone numbers handy. Here are some of the numbers in case you want to add them to your cell phone:
- Coast Guard (310-833-1600)
- Harbor Dept. (949-723-1000)
- Vessel Assist (949-278-3207)
Here are some ways to check the weather, as Roxanne recommended:
- Google “newport beach marine weather” to see if you’ll have high waves or wind.
- See if the Harbor Dept. is flying red pennants that indicate a high wind warning.
- If the weather forecast is “windy below passes and canyons” or the wind is coming from the land, watch out for a Santa Ana wind that can blow hard and drive you away from the shore.
Roxanne’s story mentioned seamanship skills. Here are some ideas for controlling your boat in high winds and waves:
- Slow the boat by trailing lines astern, such as the tail of your mainsheet or docklines tied to cleats.
- Steer your boat diagonally to waves so it doesn’t roll or nosedive into a wave.
If you haven’t done person overboard drills, as Roxanne suggested, at least practice stopping your boat quickly, which helps you rescue someone who’s fallen overboard.
Here’s what I found on what to do if you get in trouble on the ocean:
First, stay with the boat (but make sure you can get free of it in case it sinks).
As Roxanne said, get your life jackets on.
Get help:
- Signal other boats nearby:
- Wave your arms.
- If you have a whistle or horn, sound it repeatedly.
- If you’re in danger and have a VHF radio, use channel 16 and say “Mayday” at least 3 times, identifying your boat and position. (See Roxanne’s story for details.)
- If you’re in danger and have a flare, light it.
- If you’re in danger, call 911, Harbor Dept. or Coast Guard. (See numbers above.)
Get to safety:
- Head to the nearest shelter you can reach by steering diagonally to the waves. (In high wind and waves, don’t sail directly downwind or sideways to the waves.)
Here are things I’ve been told about getting a tow:
- Tie the towline to the base of your mast with a bowline knot.
- Get a phone number for someone on the tow boat.
- If the towboat is going too fast, call and ask them to slow down.
- If the towline goes slack, steer slightly to one side to take up most of the slack.
Finally, check out these sites:
BYC Guide to Cruising in Newport Harbor
http://www.balboayachtclub.com/files/Complete%20Guide%20to%20Cruising%20Newport%20Harbor.pdf
Calif. Dept. of Boating and Waterways: ABCs of California Boating
http://www.dbw.ca.gov/Pubs/Abc/
OCC Sailing Class: Harbor 20
http://www.occsailing.com/sailing_classes/keelboat_classes/learn_to_sail_on_a_harbor_20
Safe Boating Courses