Notes from Mike Barnard's talk on rescue techniques

Before You Start

Ensure that the rescue boat has all the gear - a box with rescue items (ideally including a first aid kit), ropes etc, a paddle or two, and an anchor. Ensure that there are two of you to crew it, and that you are both dressed to go in the water if necessary, and warmly wrapped up because rescue duty is colder than sailing.

Techniques for Rescuers

The main objective is to rescue people, not boats, and to get people out of the water as fast as possible.

If you see someone capsized or in other trouble, get over there at full speed. When you get near them, slow right down and check to see if the crew have their heads above the water and are safe. If all is well and they are just dealing with a normal capsize, keep at a safe distance and let them get on with it, keeping an eye on both this crew and others on the water. Your help invalidates their race so if they're quite happy, you just need to provide moral support.

If there's a problem, get them into the rescue boat - if matters are serious, forget the dinghy, it's insured and replaceable. Cold wet people may not listen to reason, so be assertive.

First Aid

Everyone should know the basics of first aid - if you don't, go and get trained. The main things are to maintain Airway, to maintain Breathing and to maintain Circulation - or as my first aid instructor told me, keep air going in, stop red stuff coming out and dial 999 for a large vehicle with a flashing light.

If you need to call an ambulance, the address details for the club are by the phone. Send one person to the road gate and one to the bottom of the steps to direct the crew when they arrive. Note that anyone who has been unconscious, however briefly, must go to hospital - both partial drowning and concussion can cause later collapse in someone who seemed fine earlier on.

There are wall-mounted and portable first aid kits in the committee room, plus stretchers and blankets. Please let the Rear Commodore House know if anything needs replacing.

Tips

1. To tie to a capsized dinghy, throw the line with the float; if it misses, you can tow the line to hook on to the boat, and then pull it off the lee shore or wherever it is stuck
2. To right a capsized dinghy (i.e. one on its side); go alongside with bows facing the same way, keeping clear of the crew, sails and ropes. Ask the crew to free sheets and loosen the kicker if possible to depower the dinghy, plus an asymmetric spinnaker must be stowed before righting. Turn the combination into wind.Get hold of the forestay and 'walk' your hands up it - this will bring the dinghy upright. For a boat such as a Laser, 'walk' up the mast instead. If the crew are on the cockpit side of the dinghy, take the rescue boat to the rear and get them to move backwards to the stern and get out that way.
3. To right an inverted dinghy, first check that the crew are above water and safe - if anyone is underneath, you must hurry! Put the boats bow to bow and face the combination into wind. Get the dinghy painter or tie a rope to the bow, and then gently move the rescue boat backwards in an arc. This will pull the dinghy bow round and it will slowly come to lie on its side; after which you can right it as above. If it is in shallow water, tow it carefully clear before trying this.
4. Rescue boats are surprisingly difficult to capsize if you keep them head to wind, so to bring someone on board, reduce the freeboard by leaning the boat towards them. Grab them by the buoyancy aid or under the arms, and lift them in facing you so that you don't aggravate any back or neck injuries. Lay them with head to the back of the boat (less bumpy) and head for shore with all possible speed.
5. To tow a dinghy - get the sails down if possible to steady it. Raise the centreboard and either steer with the tiller if someone is on board, or it will self-steer if unmanned. Alternatively you can tie the dinghy alongside at bow and stern and tow in this way. Anyone steering a dinghy under tow should aim for the back of the rescue boat.
6. Don't reverse a rescue boat into waves, you'll get waterlogged!
7. Dinghies must be towed from strong points, don't tie to fragile cleats.
8. Rescue boat crews should keep a look out at all times, you need your head on a swivel. In particular, watch for a flashing light on top of the clubhouse as that means they're trying to attract attention. In extremis, you'll hear lots of hoots.
9. Sailors can and must help those in trouble if needed - you can ask for redress for your race result.

Further reading in the RYA Safety Boat handbook.