Modus Operandi

These rules and guidelines are aimed at ensuring that all participants on Enchantress during the Blue Water Rally and delivery legs have a safe and enjoyable trip. The trip will only be a success if all crew have enjoyed themselves as much as possible, have a real sense of accomplishment and have been fully involved. To maximise this we need to work as a team and to understand what our responsibilities to each other are.

The draft rules and guidelines we will follow to ensure our, and the boat's, safety and security are shown below. As appropriate, these will be reviewed as we go along

1. Boat & Crew Safety:

• No alcohol on coastal passages. Small glass of wine/beer daily if desired in settled weather on ocean passage.
• All crew must wear a lifejacket with lifelines and crotch straps in the following circumstances:
  • From dusk to dawn and any occasions where there is fog or low visibility, crew must be attached in both the cockpit and on deck.
  • Whenever the watch leader considers the conditions rough enough to warrant this.
  • Whenever they personally would be more comfortable with one on.
  • When they are on deck handling the spinnaker or genoa poles.
  • As soon as they feel seasick and they must be attached.
  • In rough weather crew must also use a second short life line to secure themselves whenever possible, e.g. when reefing in.
• No one goes forward to do deckwork unless someone else is up, awake, and in the cockpit.
• Helmsmen must try to avoid the boat crashing into heavy seas by sliding down large waves. This is of course not always possible, despite the skipper’s impatience.
• Wash boards must be in place and secured in heavy seas.
• All portholes and hatches must be closed on passage, unless specifically agreed by the skipper and everyone is aware that they must be closed at the slightest sign of increasing weather.
• All crew must make sure they are fully aware of the safety items on board and are familiar with their use, including the flares.
• All crew must be familiar with the man overboard procedures. The crash turn will be the normal arrangement for sailing into the wind. With a following wind and with the sails poled out, the process will have to be varied, but will normally involve reefing the sails and motoring back to the MOB.
• All crew must be familiar with the abandon ship routine.
• All crew must point out to the skipper any practices they considers unsafe, even if it is the skipper who is at fault.
• Use AIS & possibly radar at night, or during the daytime when meeting traffic or in busy traffic areas.
• Person on watch does a 180° visual check every 10 minutes. At night, or when drowsy, use a timer as an alarm.
• Put a reef in the mainsail before dark (Furl it in a bit).
• If it looks like lightning, put handheld GPS, VHF & Computer in the oven, and drop one of the copper lightning shields into the water off a lee shroud.
   

2. In the Galley

• Cooking of Lunch and Dinner will be carried out on a rotational basis, unless one of the crew is stricken by sea sickness.  Washing up will also be on a rotation basis and will be done by one of the crew who have not done the cooking.

• Sea water will be used for cooking wherever possible, e.g. with rice or potatoes.

• When the stove is on, someone is always in/near the galley keeping an eye on it.
• To turn off the stove, the gas shut-off switch is turned off first to allow gas to clear out from the pipes, and then when the flame has gone out the stove controls are turned off.
• When the stove is in use, ensure there is some ventilation.
  
   

3. Crew Responsibilities

• There will be a designated watch leader at all times, nominated by the skipper. The skipper will be the watch leader on his watch and also during the day hours unless he is sleeping. The other watch leaders will be rotated as appropriate.

• The responsibilities of the Watch Leader include ensuring that:

  • The boat and crew are safe at all times, including:

• Wearing of life jackets as defined above

• Reefing or taking down sails in good time where adverse conditions are expected -as soon as you think a reef may be needed it should be done

• Altering course if this may be safer

• Taking down the spinnaker/genoa poles if they may restrict reefing in expected squall conditions

• Making an all round watch at least every 10 minutes

• Taking appropriate and early action if other vessels are sighted

  • The off watch skipper or off watch team are alerted and if appropriate brought on deck where:

• The on watch team are uncertain of what action to take in a safety situation.

• A problem has occurred which affects the boat/crew safety, whether it is a problem with the boat or the crew.

• The on watch team do not feel confident in handling a sail/rigging change by themselves.

• In particularly adverse conditions, where more than 1/2 crew are required on deck.

• A difference in view is held between the watch leader and crew member regarding an important decision and a 3^rd opinion is required.

• An important and sustained change in direction is appropriate.

• There are signs of severe weather approaching.

• There is an emergency call from another vessel.

• The sighting of land!!!

  • The most efficient sail arrangement is in place at all times and that the sails are trimmed efficiently.
  • The battery maintenance and other rules are complied with.
  • The boat position is recorded every hour and plotted on the chart every 4 hours and that the log is updated every 4 hours. The log will include the following details:

• Position and sailing direction

• Wind strength and direction and general weather conditions, including estimated wave height and direction

• Barometer reading

• Any sightings of other vessels

• Any incidents or items requiring maintenance

• Engine hours under propulsion and for battery charging

• Hours of use of the aqua generator or the solar panel

• Any general interest items likely to be used for the website log.

  • The off watch crew are wakened 15 minutes prior to their watch. If conditions allow this may be a good time to update the log.
  • The well being of him/herself and the crew are maintained.
  • Any issues or suggestions for improving how the boat is run are highlighted, whether this is for safety, efficiency or the enjoyment of the trip.

• The responsibilities of the crew include:

  • Assisting the watch leader to carry out his/her duties
  • Pointing out any issues with the way the boat is being run
  • Highlighting any safety issues, to the skipper if need be.
  • Complying with the safety and other rules.
  • Highlighting any issues or suggestions for improving how the boat is run, whether this is for safety, efficiency or the enjoyment of the trip.

• During the afternoon at least twice a week we will have a crew discussion on how things are working out. This must be an open discussion, taking the opportunity to raise any difficulties, with each other, how the plans are working out and any changes we would like made. The aim will be to reach agreement on any issues, but if this is not possible, then the skipper will decide what he feels is best for the boat; this will be used as a last resort.

4. Watches

• The normal watches with 4 crew on board will be 4 hours over night starting at 2100 and finishing at 1300 the next day. From 1300 to 2100 there will be a flexible arrangement to cater for domestic duties, boat maintenance and communal sessions for lunch and dinner. The make up of the watches will be rotated every 2-3 days, but will also take account of the weather conditions. As we cross over time zones we will adjust the boat clock to reflect this, the adjustment being made during the ‘day hours’.  Further detail to be discussed prior to setting off.

• If there are 3 crew on board the normal watches will be 3 hrs on 6 hrs off starting at 2000 and finishing at 1400 the next day. This will be amended during heavy weather.
  
   

  5. Water Usage

• Enchantress has 4 tanks totalling 750 Litres of water; these can be used separately in the following way:

  • Tanks 1 & 2 have 250 Litres each
  • Tanks 3 & 4 have 125 Litres each
  • Tank 1 & 3 are currently connected without a valve

• We will use the tanks in the following order, 1&3 then 2 then 4, with the rest closed off so that we can monitor our consumption. We will also carry 100 Litres of bottled water as the primary dinking water, but the tap water will be used for the kettle and cooking, where sea water is not suitable.

• We will also have a sea water pump in the galley. Sea water will be used for initial washing of dishes, cooking where suitable and initial personal washing and any washing of clothes. A 1 Gallon water container is available for carrying sea water to the heads. Use of fresh water will be governed by the following guidelines:

  • Everyone must be very careful to turn off taps after use as this can lead to significant wastage of a very scarce resource.
  • Only the manual pumps in the galley and heads will be used on long passages or when the availability of water is uncertain, the electric freshwater pump is not allowed at these times.
  • Extreme care need to be taken when cleaning teeth or washing as the sink plugs tend to jump out when under way losing the water in the sink.
  • After washing dishes in salt water, fresh water should be used for rinsing the dishes.
  • After personal washing some fresh water may also be used for rinsing. Ideally this should be used with a cloth to minimise the water needed.

  6. Battery Maintenance

• At all times when sailing electricity usage will be kept to a minimum. Once out at sea the only instruments to be used are the Chart Plotter/GPS/AIS, the VHF, the Navtex and the SSB. At night the tricolour will be used, it is LED and user very little power. The fridge/freezer are 240v so require the generator, shore power or inverter to work will not be used when under sail. The autopilot will not be used unless we have hit a problem or are motoring.

• The flexible solar panel should be deployed whenever possible during the day. The Aqua-generator will be deployed whenever there is sufficient wind to ensure the effect on boat speed is not too severe. The generator will only be used to top up the batteries as a last resort.