All members of the club over 18 are required to complete occasional Patrol Boat duties to cover racing or other events. Dispension to complete alternative duties can be given if necessary (for example, because of disability), but this is discouraged except in extreme circumstances. Below are some details useful for folk asked to do a Patrol Boat duty.
Our full Patrol Boat Policy can be found here.
The Patrol Boat is stored in the boathouse next to the club. The key is stored on a wooden sailing boat keyring; please ask the Officer of the Day (OD) or a committee member for this. Once the lock is removed, the right hand door needs opening before the left, and the opposite order engaged on closure. Refitting the lock needs a little skill, so do ask someone the first time you do it. There is a hole through two pieces of metal where the doors come together, but it is hidden up above the handles behind the wooden facia. You need to get a feel for this before looping the lock over it and pushing the bolt through the hole.
Details of how to check the boat before taking it out can be found on the club video, here:
https://youtu.be/nPH0d6T7hts?si=dVTVDNFXJOIawzVz
The checks are:
Check the fuel can in the compartment at the front of the boat is at least half full and the air release on the cap open.
Check the black-levered bung is in place in the compartment at the back of the boat.
Check the engine can be lifted down and put back up (leave up for launching).
When on the water, check the kill cable is attached to the operator.
If you need more petrol in the boat, please talk to a member of the Committee, who will have access to the key for the petrol box at the back of the club.
In the event that the boat breaks down, or runs out of fuel, there is an paddle. The best method is to go to the front of the boat and use it in a sideways figure of eight motion to pull yourself along. Let the Officer of the Day or event organiser know by radio.
More usually, the kill switch has come loose and replacing it will allow you to restart the boat. Before restarting the boat at any point, make sure the wheel is centred (if possible), look to check for people and obstacles in the water, and start the boat slowly. If you start the boat suddenly on a turn, especially if stood, you risk going overboard.
Please do not take under 18s in the boat with you unless authorised by a member of the committee. It is not appropriate to take children on a Patrol Boat duty for a race. Other passengers are allowed, but only where they are sensible, helpful, and do not compromise your ability to do the duty.
This is for the record. If you haven’t launched the boat before, you should find an experienced club member (for example the Officer of the Day) to manage the process.
The boat should be moved with the engine up. Members should not attempt to move the boat with less than three people involved. Anyone else should be warned to stay well away from the area between the boathouse and the slipway, and anyone on the water moved away from the area. Members moving the boat should be aware that when taking it out from the boathouse, it is extremely heavy and can get away from one person or knock over those at its stern (the boat’s back). The correct way to move it is for it to be manouvered to the position when two additional helpers can grab the trailer elements cupping the midship, or the ropes on the side, and for all three to gently roll it down the hill to the slipway.
The boat should be manoeuvred carefully down the slipway, with no one at its stern lest someone slip and the boat lose control. The slipway is extremely slippery so a great deal of care must be taken. Move the boat to the waters’ edge, and untie the boat painter (rope) from the trailer front. Make sure someone has the trolley painter and someone (usually the person controlling the trolley) has the boat painter. Push the boat and trolley into the water until the boat floats off the trolley. It helps if the person controlling the trolley has wet gear on to do this. Pull the trolley up the slipway and leave it at the end of the middle boat bays. Click the boat into the post to the side of the slipway, and prepare to launch.
Again, if you are not experienced in the process, use the radio or shouting to the shore to find someone who is able to help the first time. You will need people on shore to engage anyhow.
The process for removing the boat from the water to the boathouse is basically the reverse of launching it, with some minor differences. Again, you’ll need at least three people. The trailer should be submerged on the slipway and the boat moved onto it, either under slight power with the engine raised almost out of the water, or from shore using the painter. Once the boat is floated onto the trailer, tie the boat painter around the front trailer handle and pull the boat up the slipway with at least three people, utilising the trailer handle, and painter, and the ropes around the front of the boat. Once the non-slippery part of the slipway is reached, it can be helpful if people go to the stern of the boat and push, but care should be taken if the pulling people lose control.
Getting the boat into the boathouse can be tricky, so do ask advice, but basically if you aim for the middle of the club window nearest to the boatyard, and swing the boat in as you get to the concrete, you should do it.
Below are the skills needed for the Patrol Boat. Many of these are outlined in basic form in our training video (https://youtu.be/nPH0d6T7hts?si=dVTVDNFXJOIawzVz), but absolutely please ask for practical training if you have never used a power boat before, or feel you need it. We can arrange for you to get training at any point in the year by mutual arrangement. Please let us know after training if you still don’t feel confident using the boat and we will come up with an alternative, including potentially doubling up with someone or asking you if you would do alternative duties. We rely on people willing to take on the adventure of using the Patrol Boat and supporting the club, but we certainly don’t want people who don’t feel confident enough to be safe out on the water in it - we’re only here for fun, and there’s nothing that can’t be cancelled.
Please know:
How to check the craft before setting off and what to do in the event of mechanical issues (the checklist is on the console in front of the wheel).
How to start and stop the craft; launch and berth the craft.
How to steer and change the speed of the craft. Use it in reverse and be able to steer it in reverse. Experience of steering the craft slowly and at speed.
An appropriate distance to stay from those in the water and be able to recognise people in the water.
How to raise the alarm.
The hazards associated (below)
Hazards for the operator:
If you move away from the wheel, the boat will cut out automatically if you have the kill cord connected to yourself (see video). You should definitely have the kill switch connected to yourself. You don’t want the boat continuing either without you in control, or without you in it.
While it is ok to gently ground the boat in the area by the launching steps with the engine up, anywhere else, or leaving the engine down while grounding will cause it to come to a sudden stop when the sizable rocks are hit, with associated dangers to you and anyone else in it.
It is very unlikely you will fall out of the boat unless you are standing up and ground or accelerate sharply. Don’t stand and operate the boat. Should you fall out of the craft for some reason, the killcord should stop the engine, but avoid the engine area of the boat as you risk pulling off fuel lines etc. Instead, go to the side or front of the boat and try and reach up and grab the rope slung around the boat edges. You may be able to pull yourself up. If you can’t, swim to an area where you can be seen by others on the water and you’re not hidden by the boat and give the international swimmers’ signal for distress while calling if possible. This is to move one or both arms in a windscreen-wiper motion. If you cannot attract attention, you may have to swim to the side of the water. It is often further than it looks and even strong swimmers can struggle. Your buoyancy aid will make it harder to swim, but will keep you alive. If you struggle to keep the buoyancy aid in place, swim on your back holding your buoyancy aid across the chest and using your legs to kick. Otherwise, swim as if you were doing a breast stroke on your back.
The chief danger in the winter is hypothermia. You could potentially be on the water for an hour at a time; please make sure that you are well prepared. Do make use of the club flask; hot drinks are free for the Patrol Boat operator. Assume you will get wet (it is surprising how much rain and spray there can be, in addition to getting wet launching the boat). If you feel yourself getting cold, please talk to the OD who may suggest it is appropriate to come in for a bit (or longer), or get you additional gear. Racing is only for fun; we don’t want anyone getting hurt over it, so absolutely do say.
Hazards to others:
The Patrol Boat is much the most dangerous thing on the water after hyperthermia. It is extremely easy to crash into someone, and very problematic if you run them over. While the propeller has a guard, if they survive being hit by the boat it is still possible to do lethal damage to someone with the propeller. Your chief job, therefore, as a Patrol Boat operator is to look out for people in the water, and avoid them. If you need to approach a boat to check on them, go no nearer than their masts length (or 10m if that isn’t clear) and if you stop, turn off the engine and place the gear in neutral so you are ready to restart. It would be a very unusual event to go nearer to a boat, and would be done by drifting with the engine off. Always check for people in the water in the direction of travel when starting the boat.
Remember in all situations, “power gives way to sail” and try and stay out of the way of vessels with less control.
Instructions for Patrol Boat volunteers on the day
If covering a race, please consult with the Officer of the Day (OD) as soon as you arrive, otherwise talk to whoever is organising the club event. They will check you are happy and confident in your skills. If you feel you can’t do the duty, the OD can find another member to cover the duty or can cancel the race. In addition, if you are not confident in your abilities in the boat or your abilities given the conditions, you have the right to withdraw at any point during the duty. The OD/organiser is then responsible for finding a more experienced volunteer, for example, from the sailors. We appreciate that it is difficult to do this when you have a group of more experienced sailors all ready for a race, but we encourage you to make decisions based on your assessment of your safety, not the needs of the group there for fun. Your safety is bound up with their safety, and if you don’t feel safe, neither should they. Anyone taking on Patrol Boat duty as a sailor gets their overall marks adjusted to account for it, so it isn’t an especially big ask. The club will always stand by a safety-oriented decision made by a Patrol Boat operator, and if you feel that the situation is pushing you otherwise, you may call the Commodore or Welfare Officer (numbers on the back of the handbook and on the club notice board) either immediately or afterwards.
The sailors or more experienced members of the club will help you launch and berth the boat, as well as help you sort out equipment if need be. Again, please talk to the OD or organiser.
Please:
Make sure you have a buoyancy aid on and done up properly. In anything other than late summer (and even then it is advised) you will need a wetsuit. Outside of British Summer Time it is a requirement. Please wear suitable light weight footwear that you can swim in or easily kick off. You may want to wear a set of glasses straps if you have expensive glasses.
Other things you may need: a jumper and/or waterproof. An umbrella if it is likely to rain. The club has a flask for the Patrol Boat - do take it, and a mug, if need be.
Make sure you have the radio with the floatation ring; that the other radio is with the OD or organiser; both radios should be on and turned to channel one. Make sure to do a radio check with the Officer of the Day.
Carry out checklist checks on boat before and when on the water as appropriate.
Confirm usability of killcord.
Confirm you can operate the latch for raising and lowering engine.
Confirm operation of the throttle and need to be in neutral for engine starter to operate
Make sure all ropes are inside the boat and not likely to get in the propeller.
Identify location for ladder and the purpose of the knotted rope opposite the ladder for people to pull themselves from the ladder into the boat. You do not need to deploy the ladder if you don’t feel confident in doing so - raising the alarm is enough; nevertheless, it is a significant trip hazard you need to be aware of.
You do not have responsibility to rescue people, only to identify if a person needs assistance and if so raise the alarm so that other sailors can come to the assistance of the person. The alarm signal is one long blast until attention is attracted. Therefore, you should motor over to anyone who capsizes, stand off at least a mast length away (so if a submerged mast comes up it doesn’t hit you, and likewise if the boat flips over and the mast comes down) and check the situation; on most occasions the sailor will right their dinghy and sail away unassisted. Where a mast length isn’t clear, use 10m.
If the sailor requests assistance you should sound the horn as above until other sailors who are racing come to help the person needing assistance. Do not try to assist the person with the engine running, as propellors do not mix with people and ropes! Stay in the area so that you are available if the sailor needs to be taken out of the water. If someone swims towards the Patrol Boat, switch off engine for safety. If you feel confident to do so, put the ladder and the rope over the side of the boat to allow them to climb in. The paddle can be used to move the boat if necessary.
Races normally last for 50 minutes, and you go out 10 minutes before the race starts. Watch the race from one side, not in the middle, so that you only have to look in one direction and are at less risk of getting in the way of competitors.
On Tuesdays: please be there at least 30 minutes before the start of the race.
There is one race. When the last competitor finishes and docks, the launch trolley will be positioned on the slipway and you drive the boat slowly onto the trolley, keeping the engine down for best control.
Then follow instructions from people on shore and return radio.
On Sundays: please be there for 10am.
There are usually two races, with a refreshment break between. When the last competitor finishes the first race, bring the boat to the shore by the steps, remembering to switch off/ lift the engine so that it does not hit the ground. Then clip the boat to the loop on the seat plinth and go into the clubhouse for your free drink(s).
After the second race, when the racers have left the water the launch trolley will be positioned on the slipway and you drive the boat slowly onto the trolley, keeping the engine down for best control.
Then follow instruction from people on shore and return radio.
There is a Throwing rope and a Towing rope in the boat. These are there for a second person to use if necessary, not for the Patrol Boat Operator to use on their own.
Our thanks for doing this important duty; if you are covering the racing, our thanks: the sailors put in a lot of unseen effort into managing the club, and it is nice for us to be able to support and repay them in this way. If covering another club event, you are absolutely the lifeblood of the club, and it would be impossible to run the club without people like you stepping up and supporting it. Many thanks.