Safety first
Safety tops most sailors’ list of priorities afloat, and there are plenty of products designed to keep you safe. It all depends on the sort of sailing you do. If you’re racing round the bay in a 49er, you’ll probably be alright with a personal flotation device and a good knife. Sports boats, coastal cruisers and bluewater sailors will all have different needs that balance weight, cost and capability.
Offshore sailing – whether racing or cruising - is clearly the most demanding in terms of safety gear.
Far from shore and from ready help, you need to be able to fix more problems yourself and be prepared to be your own search-and-rescue team.
What follows is a look at the key gear for each stage of the process – from avoiding catastrophe in the first place to raising the alarm or getting an MOB back on board.
The basics – lifejacket
If you only think about one item of safety gear, make sure it’s a lifejacket or buoyancy aid.
