BC Sailing Safety at Sea

sas_headerimage Offshore Personal Survival Course

 The BC Sailing Offshore Personal Survival Course is for experienced sailors who are participating in distance and offshore races and passages. The course includes classroom and practical sessions. Topics covered include safety equipment, storm sails, weather forecasts, heavy weather, man overboard, emergency signals and communications. Practical sessions include inflating and using lifejackets and life rafts in a pool environment. Participants who successfully complete the course will receive a CYA-ISAF Approved Offshore Personal Survival Course certificate, valid for five years.

Registration

* note - these links will take you to the West Vancouver Yacht Club online registration system.

Online registration: 

Click Here to register for Class 8 - March 31-April 1, 2012

Background

Sailors around the world take Safety at Sea training to prepare themselves and their boats for distance and offshore sailing. Safety at Sea programs are offered in many countries, including Australia, France, New Zealand, the UK and the USA. Some sailing race organizers recommend or require Safety at Sea training for participating crews. The International Sailing Federation (ISAF) specifies personal survival training requirements in section 6 of the Offshore Special Regulations, and outlines a course in Appendix G of those regulations.

In British Columbia, the Southern Straits Race, Swiftsure Race and Van Isle 360 Race recommend Safety at Sea training, and the Vic-Maui Race requires it.

Course Syllabus

Download the Course Syllabus

Times & Locations

Day 1: 8:00 am – 5:00 pm
Day 2: 7:00 am - 3:00 pm 

West Vancouver Yacht Club
(host club; course facilities may be in West or North Vancouver)

5854 Marine Drive
West Vancouver, BC
Canada V7W 2S2

WVYC Location Map

Organization and Instructors

The BC Sailing Offshore Personal Survival Course is offered by BC Sailing through local yacht clubs.  The course was developed by the Safety at Sea Working Group, comprised of representatives of four distance races and their organizing authorities: 

Southern Straits Yacht Race • West Vancouver Yacht Club
Vic-Maui International Yacht Race • Royal Vancouver Yacht Club
Swiftsure International Yacht Race • Royal Victoria Yacht Club
Van Isle 360 International Yacht Race • Van Isle Marine Productions

BC Sailing Offshore Personal Survival Course instructors are approved by BC Sailing and the Canadian Yachting Association.

Student Requirements and Advance Information

Fitness:

  • The Offshore Personal Survival Training Course includes classroom and practical sessions. Practical sessions include in-the-pool training with life rafts and lifejackets.
  • Participants will enter the water in wet weather gear, swim with and without lifejackets, inflate, right and board life rafts, and assist other participants in the water.
  • The training is physically demanding and may be stressful.
  • It is the responsibility of participants to be fit for the training. Participants who have any doubt about their ability to participate safety should consult their doctor and obtain medical approval in advance of the course.

Liability waiver and personal information consent forms:

  • Participants will be required to sign a liability waiver - release agreement prior to participation.
    Click Here to preview the release agreement. 
  • Participants will be requested to sign a personal information consent form.
    CYA-ISAF Approved Offshore Personal Survival Course certificates will be issued to participants who successfully complete the course. For the benefit of participants and for the convenience of race organizers, BC Sailing and/or CYA will maintain a publicly-searchable database listing participant names, certificate numbers and certificate expiry dates.

Advance material:

  • Advance material will be delivered to the mailing address you provide during online registration.
  • Participants are expected to review any advance material prior to the start of the course.

Clothing and personal safety equipment:

  • For sessions other than the in-the-water session, casual clothing is suitable.
  • For the in-the-water session, participants are required to have a full set of wet weather gear including footwear, a functional lifejacket or PFD, and a re-arm kit (if using an inflatable PFD). A change of clothing, a towel and a bag for wet gear are also recommended. 
  • Rinse-down and change facilities are provided at the in-the-water session. 

Refreshments and meals:

  • Light refreshments and lunch will be provided for day one.
  • Participants are advised to bring their own bag lunch for day two. 

Price & Registration
The Offshore Personal Survival Course is $275.00, plus taxes, in Canadian funds.

  • Price includes advance material, course participation, refreshments and lunch on day one, and upon successful completion, a CYA-ISAF Approved Offshore Personal Survival Course certificate.
  • Registration is available only through the online registration system.
  • Payment is made by a major credit card at the time of registration.
  • Registrations are non-refundable.
  • Transfers may be permitted under circumstances acceptable to the organizers; transfer requests should be made in writing not less than 14 days prior to the course start date.

* note - these links will take you to the West Vancouver Yacht Club online registration system.

Online registration: 

Click Here to register for Class 8 - March 31-April 1, 2012

Contacts
For more information, please contact:

BC Sailing
Kevin Black
phone: 604-333-3628
email: This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it

West Vancouver Yacht Club
Graeme Clendenan
phone: 604-921-7575 extension 231
email: This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it