Annapolis Safety at Sea Seminars

Completing a certified Safety at Sea Seminar is a requirement for racing in many offshore events, but it is also a great way for coastal and offshore cruisers to get up-to-date on the latest in safety and will provide a solid foundation of knowledge on the subject before cutting the dock lines for any voyage. With that in mind, US Sailing has announced the dates for upcoming seminars in Annapolis, Maryland from March 28-29, 2015 and registration is now open.

For those seeking a US Sailing Safety at Sea certificate to comply with the Annapolis-Newport or other offshore race requirements, the one-day Saturday seminar is available and gets you a US Sailing Certificate good for 5 years. The event is an excellent tool for any sailor, though, as it provides a wealth of information on seamanship for both inshore and offshore passages. The contents of the seminar meet the ISAF Offshore Special Regulations and include the following topics: care and maintenance of safety equipment, storm sails, damage control and repair, heavy weather, seamanship, man overboard prevention and recovery, hypothermia, weather forecasting, life rafts, life jackets, and USCG SAR and communications. Unique to the Annapolis event are LIVE MOB recovery demonstrations and weather permitting, a demonstration of a live USCG helicopter air-lift. Speakers are industry specialists and have been selected by moderator Chuck Hawley to provide a maximum amount of information in this day-long session.

The two day seminar caters to both racing sailors and cruisers by offering a dual track curriculum during the advance training on day two. The contents of the two-day racing seminar meets the ISAF Offshore Special Regulations training for Offshore Personal Survival and incudes the following hands’on topics: life rafts, life jackets, fire training and USCG SAR and communications. The certificate earned is also issued through US Sailing and is valid for five years. The cruising seminar on day two offers comprehensive lectures in the morning on navigation and seamanship; wind, waves and ocean currents; cruise preparation; and ships, channels and right of way. The afternoon session offers an interactive option to talk to experts in small groups or hands-on practical training in the pool on liferafts, life jackets and dewatering.