Sailing: Learn to sail your own boat.

Want to learn to sail your own boat?

Gunter is a US Sailing Certified Keelboat instructor with a US coast gaurd Captains License. He would be very happy to join you onboard your boat to teach you what you need to know…

Please contact me on my cell to discuss your options. You can reach me at 631 258 1645.

Required Safety equipment: Before you go sailing you should ensure your boat has all the required equipment onboard. Please review the list below to ensure your boat is prepared for the sailing season:

LifeJackets: They have the required safety equipment on board including USCG approved PFD’s ( Life Jackets) if you choose to you may bring your own approved Type 3 pfd.  Persons over 14 years old are not required to wear a PFD at all times, but there must be one on-board for each person.

You should also bring:

  • Sailing clothes and a change of clothes each day
  • Close toed shoes or boating shoes.
  • Waterproof or foul weather gear- Jacket and pants if you have.
  • Lunch and Snacks  (we will be done at 2pm daily, and you can grab lunch at Olde Savannas restaurant once we have completed the days training.
  • Water bottle
  • sunscreen
  • sunglasses  and hat
  • notebook and pen
  • A waterproof case is recommended if you need to bring your electronics along.

I am  looking forward to sailing with you.  If you have any questions or concerns please feel free to contact me by phone or e-mail. I consider it my duty to facilitate your success in this course.  If there is anything that I can do that will help your performance or understanding, please do not hesitate to ask.

 

U.S. COAST GUARD MINIMUM REQUIREMENTS FOR RECREATIONAL BOATS
EQUIPMENT Boats less than 16ft/4.9m 16 to less than 26 ft/7.9m 26 to less than 40 ft/12.2m 40 to not more than 65 ft/19.8m
Personal Flotation
Devices
(PFDs)
One approved Type I, II, III or V (must be worn) PFD for each person on board or being towed on water skis, tubes, etc. One approved Type I, II or III PFD for each person on board or being towed on water skis, etc.; and one throwable Type IV device. ( A type V PFD may be used in lieu of any wearable PFD if approved for the activity in which the boat is being used. A TYPE V HYBRID MUST be worn to be legal.)
Check state laws for PFD wearing requirements for children and for certain water craft and sports. Federal Regulations mandate that states without child life jacket laws require that youths under 13 wear an approved PFD whenever a recreational boat is underway, unless below decks or in a closed cabin. States with existing regulations are not required to alter their status. Make sure you check your state regulations before getting underway with children onboard.
Bell, Whistle

 

Every vessel less than 65.6 ft. (20 meters) in length must carry an efficient sound producing device. On Federally controlled waters, every vessel 65.6 ft. (20 meters) or larger in length must carry a whistle and a bell. They must be audible for 1 nautical mile.
Visual Distress Signals
(Coastal Waters, the Great Lakes &
U.S. owned boats on the high seas)
Required to carry approved visual distress signals for night-time use. Must carry approved visual distress signals for both daytime and night-time use.
Fire Extinguisher
(Must be Coast Guard approved)
One B-I type approved hand portable fire extinguisher. (Not required on outboard motorboats less than 26 ft in length if the construction of the motorboat is such that it does not permit the entrapment of explosive or flammable gases or vapors, and if fuel tanks are not permanently installed.) Two B-I type OR one B-II type approved portable fire extinguishers. Three B-I type OR one B-I type PLUS one B-II type approved portable fire extinguishers.
When a fixed fire extinguishing system is installed in machinery spaces it will replace one B-I portable fire extinguisher.
Ventilation
(Boats built
on or after
8/1/80)
At least two ventilation ducts capable of efficiently ventilating every closed compartment that contains a gasoline engine and/or tank, except those having permanently installed tanks that vent outside of the boat and which contain no unprotected electrical devices. Engine compartments containing a gasoline engine with a cranking motor are additionally required to contain power operated exhaust blowers that can be controlled from the instrument panel.
Ventilation
(Boats built
before
8/1/80)
At least two ventilation ducts fitted with cowls (or their equivalent) for the purpose of efficiently and properly ventilating the bilges of every closed engine and fuel tank compartment using gasoline as fuel or other fuels having a flashpoint of 110 degrees or less. Applies to boats constructed or decked over after April 25, 1940.
Back-fire Flame Arrestor One approved device on each carburetor of all gasoline engines installed after April 25, 1940, except outboard motors.
Note: Some states have requirements in addition to the federal requirements. Check your state’s boating laws for additional requirements.
Item 1 – Display of Numbers:

The boat’s registration number must be permanently attached to each side of the forward half of the boat They must be plain, vertical, block characters, not less than three (3) inches high, and in a color contrasting with the background. A space or hyphen must separate the letters from the numbers. Place State tax sticker according to State policy.

(e.g. FL 1234 AB or FL-1234-AB)

Item 2 – Registration / Documentation:

Registration or Documentation papers must be on board and available. Documentation numbers must be permanently marked on a visible part of the interior structure. The documented boat’s name and hailing port must be displayed on the exterior hull in letters not less than 4 inches in height. To be documented a boat must be 5 net tons or greater.

Item 3 – Personal Flotation Devices (PFD):

Acceptable PFDs (also known as Life Jackets) must be U.S. Coast Guard approved, in good serviceable condition, and of suitable size for the each person on the boat. Children must have properly fitted PFDs designed for children. Wearable PFDs shall be “readily accessible.” Throwable devices shall be “immediately available.” PFDs shall NOT be stored in unopened plastic packaging. For Personal Watercraft riders, the PFD must be worn and indicate an impact rating. Boats 16 Feet or longer, must also have one Type IV.

Item 4 – Visual Distress Signals (VDS):

Recreational boats 16 feet and over used on coastal waters or the Great Lakes are required to carry a minimum of either 1) three day and three night pyrotechnic devices, 2) one day non-pyrotechnic device (flag) and one night non-pyrotechnic device (auto SOS light) or 3) a combination of 1) and 2). Recreational boats less than 16 feet on coastal waters or the Great Lakes need only carry night visual distress signals when operating from sunset to sunrise.

It is recommended, but not required, that boats operating on inland waters should have some means of making a suitable day and night distress signal. The number and type of signals is best judged by considering conditions under which the boat will be operating. Alternatives to pyrotechnic devices (flares) include:

Night Day
Strobe light Signal mirror
Flashlight Red or orange flags
Lantern Hand signals
Item 5 – Fire Extinguishers:

Fire extinguishers are required if one of the following conditions exists: (1) Inboard engine(s); (2) Closed compartments that store portable fuel tanks; (3) Double bottom hulls not completely sealed or not completely filled with flotation materials (4) Closed living space (5) Closed stowage compartments that contain flammable materials or (6) Permanently installed fuel tanks NOTE: Fire extinguishers must be readily accessible and verified as serviceable.

 

Minimum number of extinguishers required:

Boat Length No Fixed System W/Fixed System
Less than 26′ one B-1 none
26′ to less than 40′ two B-1 or one B-2 one B-1
40′ to 65′ three B-1 or

one B-1 & one B-2

two B-1 or

one B-2

Item 6 – Ventilation:

Boats with gasoline engines in closed compartments, built after 1 August 1980 must have a powered ventilation system. Those built prior to that date must have natural or powered ventilation.

Boats with closed fuel tank compartments built after 1 August 1978 must meet requirements by displaying a “certificate of compliance.” Boats built before that date must have either natural or powered ventilation in the fuel tank compartment.

Item 7 – Backfire Flame Control:

All gasoline powered inboard/outboard or inboard motor boats must be equipped with an approved backfire flame control device.

Item 8 – Sound Producing Devices / Bell:

To comply with Navigation Rules and for distress signaling purposes all boats must carry a sound producing device (whistle, horn, siren, etc.) capable of a 4-second blast audible for ½ mile. *Boats larger than 39.4 ft. are also required to have a bell (see Navigation Rules.)

*Under a recent change, a vessel 12 meters (39.4 ft) to less than 20 meters (65 ft) is no longer required to carry a bell on board.

The Coast Guard said: “The bottom-line, a bell is no longer required on a vessel less than 20 meters in length. That of course means a bell is not required for those same vessels for successful completion of a VSC.”

Item 9 – Navigation Lights:

All boats must be able to display navigation lights between sunset and sunrise and in conditions of reduced visibility. Boats 16 feet or more in length must have properly installed, working navigation lights and an all-around anchor light capable of being lit independently from the red/green/white “running” lights.

Item 10 – Pollution Placard:

Boats 26 feet and over with a machinery compartment must display an oily waste “pollution” placard.

Item 11 – MARPOL Trash Placard:

Boats 26 feet and over in length must display a “MARPOL” trash placard. Boats 40 feet and over must also display a written trash disposal plan.

Item 12 – Marine Sanitation Devices:

Any installed toilet must be a Coast Guard approved device. Overboard discharge outlets must be capable of being sealed.

Item 13 – Navigation Rules:

Boats 39.4 feet and over must have on board a current copy of the Navigation Rules.

Item 14 – State and/ or Local Requirements:

These requirements must be met before the “Vessel Safety Check” decal can be awarded. A boat must meet the requirements of the state in which it is being examined.

Item 15 – Overall Vessel condition:

As it applies to this Vessel. Including, but not limited to:

a. Deck free of hazards and clean bilge:

The boat must be free from fire hazards, in good overall condition, with bilges reasonably clean and visible hull structure generally sound. The use of automobile parts on boat engines is not acceptable. The engine horsepower must not exceed that shown on the capacity plate.

b. Safe Electrical and Fuel Systems:

The electrical system – Must be protected by fuses or manual reset circuit breakers. Switches and fuse panels must be protected from rain or water spray. Wiring must be in good condition, properly installed and with no exposed areas or deteriorated insulation. Batteries must be secured and terminals covered to prevent accidental arcing.. If installed, self-circling or kill switch mechanism must be in proper working order. All PWCs require an operating self circling or kill switch mechanism.

Fuel Systems – Portable fuel tanks (normally 7 gallon capacity or less) must be constructed of non-breakable material and free of corrosion and leaks. All vents must be capable of being closed. The tank must be secured and have a vapor-tight, leak-proof cap. Each permanent fuel tank must be properly ventilated.

c. Safe Galley and Heating Systems:

System and fuel tanks must be properly secured with no flammable materials nearby.

 

 

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