Clipping on
There is a safety lanyard on board for everybody and if the conditions require lifejackets offshore then we need to think about clipping on as well (if it’s dark then you clip on whenever you are on deck, period).

Clothing
Rain or cold will not stop Barda from racing so please make sure you have appropriate kit. If you pitch up on a cold and wet day with gum boots and a old anorak then you’ll be left behind. This is a fast boat with a low freeboard and no shelter from the huge amounts of water that can get thrown down the deck in a blow. Even the helm gets soaked.

Keeping as warm and as dry as you can is a safety matter and we don’t want to repeat the experience of having a crew member getting dangerously close to hypothermia on the rail without anybody noticing.

If you are unsure about what to wear ask Steve or anybody else on the regular crew for advice before you get anywhere near the boat.

Cocks
Steady girls! Barda has four sea cocks which need to be checked before we leave the pontoon. These are valves controlling openings in the hull below the waterline and if ignored they could sink us. If you notice any leaks, even if it is just a drip, let Steve know.

Toilet cocks leading in and out are behind the throne and unless the heads are to be used these two valves should always be closed.

The sink drain cock can be found in the cupboard under the sink and is opened when you want to use the sink. When at sea or left on her mooring this cock should generally be kept shut (twist clockwise to close, anti clockwise to open).

Engine cooling uses sea water which is drawn in through an opening just to port of the engine in a little cubby full of pipes. You lift the lid and reach in to find the valve handle (if the handle is in line with the pipe then it is open, if it is at 90 degrees to the pipe then it’s closed). In order to prevent catastrophic engine damage through over-heating this cock must be opened before the engine is started and closed when we moor (there is a small flood risk associated with this cock being left open whilst we are out racing, but in my opinion it is better to have the engine ready to be started at a moments notice if we have a emergency situation).

Incidentally if you notice that the engine is running and there’s no water burbling out with the exhaust then pipe up and tell me straight away as the pump impellor may have failed and the engine could be over-heating.

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