Sailing Safety Guides
Leaving Harbor Check
Leaving Harbor Passage Safety Check
The safest time to fix many problems is before the lines are let go.
A departure check should not become paperwork for its own sake. It should catch the simple things that become hard, wet or dangerous after leaving harbor.
First Principle
A checklist is a conversation with the boat
The point is not to make sailing complicated. The point is to ask the boat simple questions before the answer becomes expensive: is the engine ready, are the sails ready, are the batteries ready, are the hatches closed, can we call for help, and do we have a plan if the forecast is wrong?
A short honest check is better than a long checklist nobody uses.
Weather and route
- Check wind, gusts, waves, current, tide, visibility and thunder risk.
- Look at the weather after arrival time, not only departure time.
- Check whether night, fatigue or a lee shore will arrive before the boat does.
- Choose bail-out harbors or safe waiting areas before leaving.
- Decide what forecast change would make you turn back.
Crew and watch
- Brief lifejackets, harnesses, jacklines and clipping-on rules.
- Show how to call Mayday and Pan-Pan.
- Agree watch system, rest plan, food and water.
- Check seasickness plan before the first person is sick.
- Make sure at least one other person can slow or stop the boat.
Engine, fuel and cooling
The engine may be needed for harbor exit, charging, collision avoidance, bad weather recovery or an emergency. Do not discover the simple faults after you need it.
- Fuel level checked for the expected heel and sea state, not only flat-water tank reading.
- Fuel valve open and correct tank selected.
- Oil, coolant if fitted, belt and leaks checked.
- Raw-water seacock open and cooling water visible after start.
- Start battery healthy.
- Anchor ready before tight water if engine reliability is uncertain.
Sails and deck
- Reefing lines run correctly.
- Furling gear checked before wind builds.
- Storm jib, trysail or smaller sail reachable if the passage may need it.
- Preventer, spare lines and knife ready for downwind work.
- Jacklines rigged early, not after the deck is already unsafe.
- Loose gear secured.
Below deck
- Hatches, lockers, washboards and portlights checked.
- Seacocks in the intended position.
- Gas off when not in use and gas alarm tested.
- Heavy items secured.
- Easy food and drink prepared before bad weather.
- Headlamps, spare batteries and first aid kit reachable.
Electricity, pumps and communication
- House battery state checked.
- Charging plan understood: alternator, solar, inverter/charger or generator.
- Bilge pumps tested and manual pump handle found.
- Navigation lights tested if darkness is possible.
- VHF, handheld VHF, PLB/EPIRB, phone and charging cables ready.
- AIS, plotter, compass and paper backup checked for the trip.
The most important equipment is the equipment that still works after the first problem.
Before night
If night sailing is possible, prepare for it while there is light.
- Reef early if stronger wind is possible.
- Clear deck and cockpit.
- Prepare headlamps with red light if available.
- Set VHF volume correctly for the area.
- Prepare warm clothes before people are cold.
Arrival plan
A safe departure includes a safe arrival plan.
- Check harbor approach, lights, depth, current and hazards.
- Know the waiting area if arrival becomes unsafe.
- Do not force a night entrance because the schedule says so.
- Prepare lines and fenders before the entrance.
Brief the second person
A departure check is stronger when at least one other person knows the basics. This is not about making everyone an expert. It is about avoiding a boat where only the skipper can find or operate the critical things.
- Show the VHF, distress button, radio card and boat position display.
- Show engine stop/start, fuel shutoff, raw-water seacock and anchor release.
- Show lifejackets, first aid, fire extinguishers, bilge pumps, grab bag and emergency tiller.
- Explain the simple plan if the skipper becomes sick, hurt or falls overboard.
The last question before leaving
Ask this plainly: if the engine stops, the wind increases, someone gets sick, or we arrive after dark, are we still comfortable leaving now?
If the answer is "not really", the boat may be telling you the truth before the weather does.
How this connects to SailingKSF
A departure check connects to almost every safety guide. It is also a natural place for a Passage Companion checklist: where things are, what has been checked, and what still needs attention before leaving.
Turn Back Or Wait Heavy Weather Readiness Passage Companion
Related DSC and AIS check
If this article makes you rely on DSC, MMSI, AIS, CPA/TCPA or AIS MOB, open the separate DSC and AIS check in a new page and verify the setup before passage.
Open DSC And AIS Check
Read More
Good sources for going deeper
- NOAA National Weather Service boating safety - Weather-focused boating safety resources and links to marine forecasts, useful when deciding whether to leave, reef, wait or turn back.
- RNLI yacht sailing and motorboating safety - Practical safety advice from a rescue organization, useful for thinking about lifejackets, calling early, preparation and what rescuers need from you.
- World Sailing Offshore Special Regulations - Offshore racing rules, but also a useful structured benchmark for yacht safety equipment, storm preparation, emergency steering, liferafts and training.
- Sjøfartsdirektoratet: fritidsbåt - Official Norwegian Maritime Authority starting point for recreational-boat rules and safety information in Norway.
Leave with margin
A good departure is not only getting out of the harbor. It is leaving with a boat and crew that can handle the first problem.
Approved Comments
I spotted a request for Back-up celestial navigation tools on NavList. Here is the basic most compact minimum kit for Sun only celestial:
1. Casio CA-53W calculator watch set to UTC. Battery life 7+ years.
2. Shaum's Outline Math Handbook Formula Tables- 10' natural sin cos trig table page 234 and 235. (2 pages)
3. Pub 249 table 3 arc to time (1 page)
4. Pub 249 table 4 Sun long term almanac Dec and GHA (1 page)
5. Davis MK 3 plastic sextant
Formulae CN : Inv Sin Hc = Sin L Sin d +/- CosL Cos D Cos t Inv Sin Z = Cos d Sin t / Cos Hc
Cost: Sextant $50 Ebay pre-owned, Casio $25 new, Tables free on line PDF copies.