Preparing A Support Boat

 Jon Charlton and Andy Turner provide some guidance on support-boat duties

Aim to arrive at least one hour before the start time, for club racing this would normally be at 9.30am. Wear sailing gear when operating support boats (wet or dry suit, sailing boots—waders not allowed), buoyancy aid (compulsory), sailing gloves and hat (according to the conditions). Introduce yourself to the officer of the day (OOD) and to your fellow support boat crew member. Let the OOD know how experienced you are at operating a support boat and any training you may have had. The OOD has responsibility for ensuring safety cover is adequate. If you are unsure of operating a support boat, the OOD will find a more experienced person to go with you. Each safety boat must be crewed by two people.

The OOD should have unlocked the left hand container—this contains two support boats both with four-stroke engines that take neat petrol. If necessary, top up the fuel tank from the correct green can. Put the bung into the transom of the support boat. Get a radio, Gerber knife and bolt cutter from the OOD (in the race box). Make sure you have two engine kill cords, one to be worn by each crew member, and bolt cutters (for cutting wire shrouds in emergency). Launch the support boat and tie it alongside the pontoon.

To start a support boat from cold:

. open the vent on top of the fuel tank;

. pump the siphon (the black bulbous tubing) to charge the engine with fuel;

. lower the engine fully into the water. Select low revs and pull the choke out;

. fit the kill cord to the kill switch. Pull the starter cord to start the engine;

. run the engine at low revs for a few minutes to warm the engine up. Push the choke in as soon as possible;

. check that there is water jetting from the coolant pipe at the rear of the engine. If

there is not turn off and investigate (a thin piece of wire may clear a minor blockage, otherwise report to OOD).

Leave the pontoon slowly and get the feel of the boat and to make sure everything is running correctly. Try full throttle for 20 seconds or so. Check radio contact with the race box on channel seven. Familiarize yourself with the water and weather conditions. Make sure all the racing marks are in their correct normal positions. Alert the OOD if a racing mark is missing or has drifted. Ask the OOD by radio if he/she wants any marks moved or an inflatable or start-line distance mark putting out.

The support boat should be afloat and crewed the whole time sailors are on the water. Position the support boat about 50 metres upwind of the start. Keep clear of boats that are racing. As the race progresses support boats should be positioned so as to see all boats on the water. Pay particular attention to gybe marks.