Some Wise Ways to Safety Proof Your Vessel

Brian Fagan, the Santa Santa Barbara resident who has written an excellent cruising guide to the Channel Islands, has expressed some wise and prudent thoughts about “safety proofing” your vessel against the ever-present possibility of “man overboard.”

Fagan refers to the drowning of a crewman last August in a Santa Barbara to King Harbor sailboat race. The crewman slipped when handling a spinnaker and fell overboard soon after dark in moderate weather. He was never found.

Fagan said that incident caused him to buy a safety harness and a light, along with a holster-type inflatable life ring/lights, developed by Survival Technologies of Florida.

“If I hook on religiously, my chances of going overboard are lessened considerably. And if I do wash overboard, at least I have a light and life ring immediately at hand on my belt,” he said in “Waterfront” magazine.

He is training himself to think of these safety devices as the equivalent to a seat belt in an automobile--something to put on (and hook on) every time the wind blows up or it grows dark.

Fagan deals with the problem that I think concerns all sailors. It’s guests aboard, many of whom have little or no knowledge of the vagaries of the sea, how an unexpected wave, for instance, can tumble one overboard. One hand for the boat, one for yourself, is always good, time-honored advice to a guest, who wants to move about the deck. In other words, always hold on to something--a handrail, a shroud or the lifelines.

Fagan has gone several steps further. He shows guests where the life preservers are stowed, and how to put them on. He even rigs wire jackstay lines from the aft cleats along the side deck to the bow cleats. His guests must wear safety harnesses and clip them to the lines when going forward. He also checked out his life ring and overboard light and put a new flag on the transpac pole.

Tragedy can strike, even in balmy weather, and Fagan is prepared for it. He urges others to do likewise.

Sailing Notes

Orange County supervisors have approved in principle charges by harbor patrols for services at sea, such as towing, jump starting and bilge pumping. Fees for the services will be set by the county’s Environmental Management Agency.

The William Berger Series, sponsored by the Del Rey Yacht Club of Marina del Rey, will begin Jan. 3. This is the first of four races over various courses, the last one May 30-31 from Marina del Rey to Catalina Island and back. The races are open to all yacht clubs affiliated with the Southern California Yachting Assn. or the U.S. Yacht Racing Union. For further information, call DRYC, (213) 823-4664.

The City of Newport Beach has applied to the Coast Guard for approval of location and plans to construct a temporary, relocatable bicycle pedestrian bridge over Newport Island Channel. The proposed bridge would be located immediately easterly of the Newport Boulevard bridge. It will provide the same navigational clearances as the present bridge.

Newport Bay Channel lighted buoys 10 and 12 will be discontinued and replaced with new navigational aids, each having two triangular day marks and a flashing red light every 2.5 seconds. This operation is scheduled to be be completed Dec. 31, according to the Coast Guard.

Terry Tjaden of West Covina has been appointed boat show manager for the Southern California Marine Assn. He will manage the association’s four annual boat shows.

The Regional Council of the National Coalition for Marine Conservation, Pacific Region, has boosted its kelp bass studies and hatchery program funds from $9,000 to $330,000 for cooperative studies of kelp bass enhancement and kelp restoration.