Boat Rules
Unfortunately, life needs rules. We set off to go to sea in order to avoid many of societies rules and expectations, only to find that the sea has its own rules and regulations. And then we put our own rules in place to keep our boats safe and happy places.
People who have not been on a sailing boat before will obviously be unaware of what is and isn't important on a boat. Some rules are put in place for the safety of the boat, that always comes first. Some rules are for the safety and comfort of all on board. Some rules might be put in place because I want things done in a particular way .... get over yourself & deal with it!
These are the basic rules on board Isosceles. Hopefully they can keep people safe and everyone happy ...
Rule 1: Don’t hit *insert name of nearest piece of land here* - this SHOULD be self-explanatory, do not let boat and land come into unplanned / unexpected contact. If the person steering is heading towards land, get them away from the wheel!
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| How NOT to park a boat. |
Rule 2: Living in a confined space and with other people is not always easy. It is difficult to find your own space, and at times you may not be allowed to do the things you want to do. It helps a lot if you can be patient, flexible, tolerant and helpful.
Rule 3: My rule of three …
1) If I ask you to do something, feel free to ask me about it, but please do what I asked.
2) If I ask loudly or firmly, please do what I asked quickly, THEN ask what it was about. It is usually urgent to keep the boat and/or people on the boat safe.
3) If I shout at you to do something DO IT QUICKLY. This will either be if you are in danger, the boat is in imminent danger, or I have messed up or forgotten something. In whatever case, please JUST DO IT! I'll happily talk to you about it afterwards.
Rule 4: One hand for the boat, one hand for you. If you are outside the cockpit when the boat is moving, DO NOT LET GO. If a job takes twice as long, but is done safely, it doesn’t matter.
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| Falling off a moving boat is no laughing matter. |
Rule 5: When at sea stay on the boat – if you fall off the side you may just get left where you fell. No kidding. If no one sees you when you fall off no one will know where to find you, one bit of water pretty much looks like all the rest. Wear a safety harness and clip on if you are alone on deck. Life jackets are optional, until the skipper says they aren’t.
Rule 6: Everyone helps. Either with cooking, cleaning, doing dishes, shopping, and hopefully even a bit of sailing. You may be a guest, but this is a working holiday, not a freebee!
Rule 7: Boats get their electricity from batteries. There is only 12V, just like a car. If you haven’t got a car charger for it, it isn’t going to work on the boat. But then, boating is about being in the moment, not the internet of life!
Rule 8: Conserve water. Every drop of water that is used on the boat has to be carried there by hand in water containers. I’m not saying don’t use or drink water, just don’t waste it or I’ll have you carrying two or three 25 litre containers to start filling the tanks again.
Rule 9: No cardboard on board. Ok, there is a bit of flexibility on this at the moment, but cardboard in tropical climates can hide cockroach eggs, and those little sods are damned difficult to get rid of if they take up residence on the boat, so this is a habit I am trying to get going onboard Isosceles. Also, if cardboard gets soggy & falls apart into the bottom of the boat it will block the emergency bilge pumps that may, one day, save the boat, mine and possibly even your life. Cardboard is a menace on a boat! If you buy something to take home and want to preserve its cardboard packaging wrap it in plastic BEFORE it comes on the boat.
Rule 10: Toilets on a boat are like nothing you have ever come across in a house – seriously, these things involve a workout after you’ve finished your business. Turn the switch one way, pump to fill the bowl with water, turn the switch the other and pump to empty the bowl, repeat, and keep repeating until the bowl is empty. Then pump about 15 to 20 more pumps of water through the bowl to make sure the pipes are emptied of all the waste too! The toilet is one of only two places where there are explicit instructions to be followed. Talking of which ….
Rule 11: If you are using the toilet, it doesn’t matter what you are doing or who you are, SIT DOWN. No exceptions. The boat is guaranteed to move when you least expect it. Any man suspected of standing to use the toilet will be on 3 times daily cleaning duty. If any woman is suspected of standing to use the toilet she'll be sold to medical science!
Rule 12: The boat comes first. If we look after the boat, the boat will look after us. The boat won’t sink itself, but people might sink it.
Rule 13: There's no rule 13. Yes I’m superstitious. I don’t care.
Rule 14: Tidy Up. Keep things put away if they are not being used or are attached to you. Imagine the scene, we had to take some urgent avoiding action as you were walking through the cabin. A mobile phone or other piece of hard plastic is now being thrown across the cabin straight at your head as you are scrabbling to find a hand hold in order to stay upright. If you are lucky the phone or game or what ever is smashed to pieces, if you are unlucky that has happened in the side of your head.
Rule 15: Keep smiling, everyone feels better if people are smiling.
Rule 16: At the end of a passage, whether it’s a day or a week, and once everything is tied down and settled …. relax, chill and break out the anchor beers (or whatever tipple you prefer!). Sailing is about relaxing and enjoying yourself & the world around you.
Rule 13: There's no rule 13. Yes I’m superstitious. I don’t care.
Rule 14: Tidy Up. Keep things put away if they are not being used or are attached to you. Imagine the scene, we had to take some urgent avoiding action as you were walking through the cabin. A mobile phone or other piece of hard plastic is now being thrown across the cabin straight at your head as you are scrabbling to find a hand hold in order to stay upright. If you are lucky the phone or game or what ever is smashed to pieces, if you are unlucky that has happened in the side of your head.
Rule 15: Keep smiling, everyone feels better if people are smiling.
Rule 16: At the end of a passage, whether it’s a day or a week, and once everything is tied down and settled …. relax, chill and break out the anchor beers (or whatever tipple you prefer!). Sailing is about relaxing and enjoying yourself & the world around you.
