Safety at Sea - a Lifestyle

Going to sea always has been and remains inherently dangerous. Sailing a complex square-rigger can be particularly dangerous unless an attitude of safety consciousness is developed by every member of the crew – including the trainees. For example, one must automatically make sure that doors are properly secured so that they will not swing out of control when the ship rolls or tacks and that portholes are properly dogged to prevent flooding. Particular attention must be paid to housekeeping: a tonic can left on deck can easily cause a bad fall if stepped on during a roll and a book not secured can easily become a missile hazard. What might be harmless horseplay ashore becomes potentially dangerous behavior at sea. In short, safety at sea is a way of life.

There are several safety rules that are particularly important on a sailing ship:

SAFETY IN DAILY LIFE ON BOARD

Some important regulations to avoid problems while sailing on Мир:

• No electric appliance with the effect of heating is allowed to be used unless you have the permission of the responsible officer
• Smoking is absolutely prohibited below decks. On deck it is only allowed around the deck houses behind the foremast. Always smoke on the lee-side of the wind. Never throw a cigarette overboard. There are green baskets on deck where you can dispose of your completely extinguished cigarettes.
• All garbage has to be deposited in a special room opposite the entering door of the men’s toilet (inside of the toilet). Absolutely NOTHING goes into the sea! All garbage will be burned in our incinerator; except glass and metal will be disposed of on shore.
• The toilets and pipes seem to be the most sensitive installations on board. Remember: NOTHING GOES INTO THE TOILET, THAT HAS NOT BEEN EATEN BEFORE! Don’t even put any soap inside, because the toilet-water is being cleaned and the soap would destroy the helpful bacteria.
• The good water on the ship is limited. Please use water economically, otherwise there will have to be restrictions.
• Entering the engine room is permitted only with permission.
• The quarters of the crew members, their mess rooms and living rooms (= “carpet area”) are absolutely off limits, unless you receive an invitation.
• Don’t manipulate any lever, switch or button without permission.
• Don’t use a flashlight on deck during the night.
• Don’t shout, cry or whistle. Noises could be dangerous in real cases of emergency, because orders will not be heard.
• Never open a porthole at sea without permission.
• Never step on ropes, because they are round and could roll.
• Never sit on the main rail or the bulwark, on bollards or the pin rail.
• "Common sense " is a sailor’s best protection. Even if you only THINK that something is not correct, inform your officer of the watch.
• Long fingernails don’t last long on a sailing ship. Please cut them short, before they break which may cause an inflammation.
• Personal things have to be stowed away, so that they can not cause any danger even with a rough sea.

SAFETY IN THE RIGGING:

• Never climb into the rigging without permission of the watch officer and the watch bosun.
• Lay aloft only on the weather side. If a ratline carries away or you lose your grip, the wind will blow you onto the shrouds instead of overboard.
• When laying aloft, you must hold on to the shrouds and not to the ratlines. The ratlines, which are of light line, occasionally carry away even with the best of preventative maintenance.
• Gear that can be dropped, possibly injuring someone, should not be brought aloft. Watches, ballpoint pens, lighters, knifes, hats, and the like must be left below. Gear (also photo cameras and handycams) that is brought aloft must be secured.
• Safety harnesses must be worn aloft at all times. Until aloft, the clip should be hooked into the belt so that it cannot foul. In going aloft, running rigging should never be used for support nor for hooking on with a safety belt since it may become slack. Standing rigging, jackstays, safety stays, and fixed pieces of gear should be used instead.
• The traditional rule of one hand for the ship and one hand for yourself still applies, even with safety belts. When working, both feet should be on the footropes or flemish horses.
• Unless instructed otherwise, no one is allowed to sit or stand on the yards.
• Inform the watch bosun and the bridge when you have safely returned from the rigging.
• As a rule you will always be accompanied by a member of the crew when aloft. What he or she says is valid, no matter how strange it sounds to you.
  

SAFETY DURING MANOEUVERS:

• Be careful during manoeuvers. The blocks on the sheet, if not controlled, may easily gyrate and hit someone on deck; hence the name widowblock.
• Don’t step into loops of ropes, because they might tighten around your leg – and pull you down or even hurt you badly.
• When working with lines, a sufficient number of people must be assigned according to wind conditions. Bad rope burns can easily occur if a line is undermanned, not to mention damage to the sails. Be especially careful with pulling halyards and downhauls – if you run with these ropes over the deck beware you may damage your hands when the movement comes to an immediate stop! The important command “brosili” in Russian language orders you to let the rope go immediately.
• It is particularly important to keep hands away from blocks when hauling and to stand clear of bights. Such lines often run so fast that one can be caught without warning in the block or bight.
• In all shipboard manoeuvers, and especially sailing manoeuvers, absolute silence must be maintained except for necessary commands and reports.

(after a worksheet  from Nicole Graf and Sergey Timoshkov)