Lesson routePre-Departure Checks0/8 read
Lesson 1 of 8
Pre-Departure Checks
What you will learn
Build a trip-specific departure decision from observed evidence, named controls, briefing and explicit recheck or no-go triggers.
A checklist is useful only when every important item has an observed state, an owner and a consequence. ‘Checked’ without evidence can hide the exact fault that matters after departure.
Start with the actual trip: boat, people, route, weather, tide or current, daylight, local restrictions and available safe options. Then inspect the systems and equipment that those conditions make critical. A short sheltered run and a night passage do not create the same evidence need, even though both need a competent helm, a seaworthy boat and an honest plan.
Use five questions for every critical item: what state was observed, how it was verified, who owns the control, what the crew or passenger must know, and what change forces a pause or no-go. This converts a memory list into a departure decision that another person can understand and challenge.
Departure readiness is temporary. A worsening forecast, changed passenger, missing equipment, weak battery, uncertain fuel reading, failed kill-cord test or abnormal engine indication reopens the relevant check. Do not let the effort already spent launching become a reason to accept an unresolved state.
Departure evidence board
Turn a check into a controlled departure state
Compare six constructed cases through the same chain: observe the state, verify it, name the owner, brief the people and set the change that reopens or stops the plan.
Kill cord test fails
At the start of the session, pulling the fitted kill cord does not stop the engine.
- 1Observed state
- 2Verification route
- 3Control owner
- 4Brief and confirm
- 5Recheck / no-go trigger
- Observed state
- A functional test has produced direct evidence that the protective control did not perform its engine-stop function.
- Verification route
- Keep the boat secure and use the engine manufacturer's approved information or competent technical help; appearance alone cannot close the failed test.
- Control owner
- The responsible helm or operator owns the unresolved defect and the decision not to create an engine-running departure state.
- Brief and confirm
- Tell everyone involved that the engine-stop protection has failed and that no driver change or departure will occur while it remains unresolved.
- Recheck / no-go trigger
- No-go until a suitable repair or replacement is completed and the approved functional check succeeds; inspect and retest after any relevant change.
Constructed revision cases only. The board cannot inspect a real boat, diagnose a defect, assess a person or approve departure.
Worked example
A 6 m open powerboat is ready to leave for a familiar two-hour trip. The gauge appears to show fuel, the kill cord is attached, and two first-time passengers are aboard, so the helm says the checks are complete.
- 1Replace impressions with evidence: verify the usable fuel for the plan plus a context-appropriate reserve, test the kill cord, inspect the expected engine and steering states, and confirm communications and safety equipment.
- 2Match people to the conditions: check personal flotation fit, assign suitable seating and handholds, explain movement and propeller danger, and identify who can stop the engine and call for help where practical.
- 3Name unresolved states: a gauge without a credible quantity, an untested kill cord or an unbriefed passenger remains open rather than becoming a tick.
- 4Set the departure boundary: close each material gap, change the plan, delay, use a competent source or do not depart.
Sense check: If the record cannot say what was seen, who owns it and what would stop departure, it is still a list of intentions rather than readiness evidence.
| Evidence layer | Question | Unsafe shortcut |
|---|---|---|
| Observe | What is the actual state now? | Mark checked from memory |
| Verify | What test, reading or inspection supports it? | Treat presence as serviceability |
| Control | Who acts, and what closes the gap? | Assume the helm will remember everything |
| Recheck | What change reopens this decision? | Treat departure as permanent approval |
Build the departure evidence line
The weather remains acceptable, but a different passenger joins and the planned return moves into darkness.
1. Change
Name the new passenger and night-return demands.
2. Reopen
Recheck loading, seating, personal flotation, lights, pilotage, communication and emergency continuity.
3. Brief
Give the new passenger the relevant instructions and confirm understanding.
4. Decide
Close the gaps, change the plan or do not depart.
Sense check: A changed trip needs changed evidence even when the boat has not moved.
Common mistake or limitation
- Using one generic checklist for every boat, person, route and condition.
- Treating equipment presence as proof of fit, condition, serviceability or suitability.
- Letting launch effort, timetable pressure or familiarity close an unresolved safety state.
Recap
- Start from the actual boat, people, trip and conditions.
- Observe, verify, assign, brief and define the recheck trigger.
- A material unknown remains open until resolved by a competent source or a safer plan.
- Departure readiness is temporary and must be reopened after relevant change.
Optional quick check
Section 1 of 8
The boat was checked yesterday, but today a new passenger joins and the return will be after dark. What is the strongest response?
Lesson 2 of 8
Verify Engine, Steering, Fuel, and Communications
What you will learn
Turn engine, control, fuel and communication checks into observed evidence with a defined response to abnormal or uncertain states.
A gauge, alarm panel or radio carried aboard is not enough. Critical systems need a credible state, an appropriate functional check and a response that does not depend on diagnosing a live fault from memory.
Before starting, use the boat and manufacturer information to inspect what is accessible and appropriate: leaks, hoses or belts, fuel system, oil or coolant where applicable, propeller area, steering and controls. After starting, confirm the expected cooling-water flow or tell-tale for the installation and monitor alarms. The exact procedure remains boat- and engine-specific.
Fuel evidence must support the intended route plus a sensible reserve for the real boat and plan. A dashboard gauge can be one input, but its accuracy, tank arrangement, load, sea state, speed, delay and diversion all affect the decision. This module deliberately does not prescribe a universal percentage or diagnose a sender.
Communication equipment should suit the area and passage, be powered and usable by the people assigned to it. A phone or radio merely carried aboard is not a complete plan; coverage, licensing or operator requirements, battery independence, position information and the person who will call still matter.
Worked example
After starting an outboard, the expected cooling tell-tale is absent. The fuel gauge also flickers between one-quarter and one-half, while the planned route leaves few easy landing options.
- 1Keep the boat secure and do not proceed as though the two indications are normal.
- 2Stop and investigate the cooling state using the engine's approved procedure or competent help; do not increase power to ‘clear’ an unknown problem.
- 3Establish usable fuel through a credible boat-specific method and recalculate the plan plus reserve; a flickering gauge is not a quantity.
- 4Resolve both material gaps, shorten or change the plan, or do not depart.
Sense check: Two independent unknowns do not become one acceptable risk because the destination is close on the chart.
| System | Evidence before departure | Pause trigger |
|---|---|---|
| Engine/cooling | Expected inspection, start and indication for that installation | Leak, missing expected flow, alarm or abnormal behaviour |
| Steering/controls | Appropriate range and response check | Restriction, unexpected play or uncertain response |
| Fuel | Credible usable quantity for plan plus reserve | Unreliable reading or insufficient margin |
| Communications | Suitable, powered, usable method and assigned person | Unusable, unpowered or unsuitable coverage |
Write evidence and response together
The console lights up, but the learner has not tested steering movement, expected cooling indication or the call method.
1. Inspect
Use the approved boat-specific pre-start checks.
2. Function
Confirm the expected control, cooling and communication response.
3. Quantify
Establish fuel for the plan plus a context-appropriate reserve.
4. Boundary
Record the abnormal state that prevents departure.
Sense check: Powered-on is a state; it is not proof that the system can perform the required task.
Common mistake or limitation
- Treating a dashboard gauge as an exact fuel calculation without considering reliability or the trip.
- Increasing engine speed when the expected cooling indication is absent or an overheat alarm is active.
- Carrying a phone or VHF without checking power, coverage, licensing, position information or who can use it.
Recap
- Inspect and function-check critical systems using the real boat's instructions.
- Fuel must support the plan plus a sensible, context-specific reserve.
- Abnormal engine or cooling evidence stays unresolved until competent investigation closes it.
- Communications need suitable equipment, power, capability and an assigned user.
Optional quick check
Section 2 of 8
The fuel gauge is unreliable and the expected cooling tell-tale is absent after start. What should the departure record say?
Lesson 3 of 8
Lifejackets, Stowage, and the Propeller Zone
What you will learn
Check personal flotation, seating, handholds, stowage and propeller controls as one connected occupant-safety system.
Safety equipment protects only when it is suitable, fitted and usable. Occupant position, loose gear and a live propeller can defeat an otherwise tidy departure checklist.
Select personal flotation for the activity, person and conditions, then check fit and condition in line with the manufacturer and current guidance. A device in a locker or in the wrong size is not equivalent to a correctly fitted device. Lifejackets and buoyancy aids also have different capabilities: a suitable, correctly fitted and maintained lifejacket may help turn an unconscious wearer face-up, while a buoyancy aid is not designed to do so.
Secure loose fuel tanks, bags, anchors, lines and equipment before speed. Gear can become a projectile, block movement, foul a control or go overboard. Keep access to emergency equipment deliberate rather than burying it beneath everyday stowage.
Prevent propeller contact through lookout, engine control and clear passenger rules. Check the area before starting, stop the engine where a person in the water could contact the propeller, explain the hazard, and use proper seating and handholds. A prop guard does not replace these primary controls.
Worked example
A child has borrowed an oversized buoyancy aid, a spare fuel tank is loose beside the throttle, and a passenger plans to board from the water while the engine idles.
- 1Stop and prevent engine operation while the person is in the propeller zone.
- 2Replace or correctly fit personal flotation suitable for the person and activity; do not rely on growth room or a loose fit.
- 3Secure the tank and other gear away from controls and movement routes while keeping emergency equipment accessible.
- 4Brief the boarding sequence and restart boundary before anyone moves.
Sense check: Three visible conditions need three controls; a single ‘safety equipment aboard’ tick closes none of them.
| State | Evidence | Control |
|---|---|---|
| Personal flotation | Correct type, size, fit and condition | Fit to the person and follow manufacturer guidance |
| Loose gear | Nothing can move, foul or block | Secure and keep emergency access clear |
| Person near propeller | Engine cannot create propeller danger | Stop and prevent inadvertent restart |
| Occupant underway | Suitable seat and handholds | Brief movement, warnings and speed changes |
Inspect the occupant system
The equipment list is complete, but the people and stowage have not been checked in place.
1. Fit
Check each person's flotation device and required features.
2. Place
Assign suitable seating and handholds for the conditions.
3. Secure
Stow gear away from controls, movement and emergency access.
4. Protect
Set the engine-stop rule for the propeller zone.
Sense check: The system is ready only when equipment, people and boat state work together.
Common mistake or limitation
- Counting personal flotation devices without checking type, fit, condition or the person who will wear each one.
- Securing gear where it blocks a control, handhold, escape path or emergency equipment.
- Treating neutral, a kill cord or a prop guard as permission to leave the engine running beside a person in the water.
Recap
- Personal flotation must be appropriate, correctly fitted and in good condition.
- Secure gear before speed and keep controls and emergency access clear.
- Use engine control and prevention of inadvertent start to protect the propeller zone.
- Seating, handholds and warnings are part of the safety system.
Optional quick check
Section 3 of 8
A passenger is climbing aboard from the water near the outboard. Which control comes first?
Lesson 4 of 8
Kill Cord Discipline
What you will learn
Verify that a fitted kill cord can stop the engine, attach it correctly to the driver and protect every start, run and handover state.
A kill cord is an engine-stop control, not a red lanyard to display. It must work, remain attached to the current driver and transfer only with the engine stopped.
The RYA describes the fitted kill cord as a quick-release at the console and a clip secured around the powerboat driver's knee or thigh, clipped back onto itself. It must not foul the steering, throttle or controls. It is worn by the driver whenever the engine is running.
Test it at the start of each day or session by confirming that operating it cuts the engine. Inspect wear, rust, brittleness and reduced elasticity, protect it from the elements, keep a suitable spare aboard and do not extend the manufacturer's cord. A lanyard can be present yet unable to perform its function.
If the driver leaves the command position or another driver takes over, turn the engine off first. Restart only after the new driver has secured the kill cord. This preserves one clear owner of engine-stop protection instead of creating a gap between drivers.
Worked example
The first driver wears the kill cord. A second driver takes the wheel while the boat is moving slowly, planning to swap the cord once settled at the controls.
- 1Do not create an engine-running interval in which the driver and kill cord owner differ.
- 2Bring the transfer into a controlled state and turn the engine off.
- 3Confirm the incoming driver, transfer and secure the cord without fouling controls, then make the verbal control handover.
- 4Restart only after the new driver owns the controls, lookout and kill-cord protection.
Sense check: At every engine-running moment, one named driver should own both the controls and the attached functioning kill cord.
| State | Required evidence | Unsafe shortcut |
|---|---|---|
| Before use | Condition and successful functional test | Assume yesterday's test still controls today |
| Engine running | Cord attached correctly to current driver | Clip to clothing, console or boat |
| Driver change | Engine off before transfer | Swap while the engine runs |
| Replacement | Suitable strengthened cord and spare | Extend the manufacturer's cord |
Name the protected states
The boat starts with the cord fitted, but the driver needs to move away from the controls to handle a line.
1. Stop
Turn the engine off before leaving the command position.
2. Assign
Name the person who will own the controls next.
3. Attach
Secure the functioning cord to that driver without fouling controls.
4. Restart
Restart only when the ownership and lookout are clear.
Sense check: The cord cannot protect a driver who is not wearing it, and the old driver cannot protect the new one by standing nearby.
Common mistake or limitation
- Treating a cord fitted to the console as sufficient when it is not secured to the driver.
- Testing only by looking at the lanyard rather than confirming engine cut-off.
- Transferring the cord while the engine continues running or extending it for convenience.
Recap
- Function-test the kill cord at the start of every day or session.
- Use the correct attachment to the current driver and keep it clear of controls.
- Inspect condition, protect it, keep a suitable spare and do not extend it.
- Stop the engine before leaving the command position or changing driver.
Optional quick check
Section 4 of 8
The next driver is at the wheel but the previous driver still wears the kill cord. What state closes the handover gap?
Lesson 5 of 8
Stop the Engine for Helm Handover
What you will learn
Conduct a deliberate helm handover that transfers engine-stop protection, control state, lookout and immediate hazards without ambiguity.
A handover is complete only when the outgoing and incoming drivers agree who has control and the protective systems belong to that person. Touching the wheel is not a transfer.
Choose a place and moment with margin before the handover. Stabilise the boat, maintain lookout and state the immediate traffic, route, speed, trim, hazards and control condition. The exact manoeuvring state depends on the boat and environment, but the transfer must not hide who is driving.
Turn the engine off before the kill cord moves to the new driver. Secure the cord correctly, confirm that the new driver has the controls and understands the immediate plan, then restart. Keep one clear verbal exchange such as ‘You have control’ and ‘I have control’ rather than relying on gesture or assumption.
A handover does not prove the incoming driver's competence for the craft or conditions. If capability, visibility, sea room or traffic is uncertain, retain or regain control, reduce the demand, seek recognised instruction or do not make the transfer.
Worked example
A passenger asks to take over while the boat approaches a busy harbour entrance. The outgoing driver begins explaining the throttle while still watching astern.
- 1Do not begin a training or handover task at the high-demand entrance; retain control and move to a suitable place with margin.
- 2State the boat and traffic picture, bring the transfer into a controlled state and stop the engine before moving the kill cord.
- 3Secure the cord to the new driver, identify controls and immediate limits, and confirm who owns lookout.
- 4Use the verbal control exchange, restart only when complete, and remain ready to retake control if the agreed boundary is crossed.
Sense check: If either person could answer ‘I thought you had it’, the handover was not complete.
| Transfer | Outgoing driver states | Incoming driver confirms |
|---|---|---|
| Boat | Speed, heading, trim and control state | Control locations and immediate limit |
| Environment | Traffic, hazards, route and sea room | Lookout and intended action |
| Protection | Engine off and cord ready | Cord secured correctly |
| Command | ‘You have control’ | ‘I have control’ |
Use a closed-loop handover
The next driver has helmed another boat but not this throttle and steering arrangement.
1. Place
Select a low-demand area with room and an escape option.
2. Picture
State controls, current state, hazards and intended limit.
3. Protect
Engine off; move and secure the kill cord to the incoming driver.
4. Close
Exchange and acknowledge control, then restart when safe.
Sense check: Experience on another boat cannot replace familiarisation with this boat's controls and response.
Common mistake or limitation
- Starting a handover in a high-workload or low-margin part of the trip.
- Moving the wheel and throttle without transferring lookout, hazards and kill-cord protection.
- Assuming prior boating experience proves competence on this craft and in these conditions.
Recap
- Choose time and sea room before a handover.
- State the boat, environment, plan and limits.
- Stop the engine before transferring and securing the kill cord.
- Close the transfer with an explicit control exchange and maintained lookout.
Optional quick check
Section 5 of 8
A capable-looking passenger asks to take over at a constrained harbour entrance. What is the strongest first decision?
Lesson 6 of 8
Crew and Passenger Briefing
What you will learn
Give a short, role-specific briefing that changes occupant behaviour and confirms the actions needed for normal operation and foreseeable emergencies.
A briefing is not a speech. It is a timely exchange that gives each person the few instructions they must understand, demonstrate or repeat for this boat and trip.
Cover personal flotation, seating, handholds, safe movement, propeller danger, changes of speed or direction, rough-water warnings and what to do if someone enters the water. Show the relevant equipment and controls rather than naming a locker or assuming previous experience transfers to this boat.
Separate passenger information from crew tasks. A passenger may need to remain seated, hold on, raise the alarm and follow a simple emergency instruction. A crew member assigned lines, lookout, anchor or communication needs role-specific information, equipment location and a clear time to act.
Confirm understanding. Ask the person to point to the engine stop, demonstrate the handhold or repeat the call sequence when the task matters. Adapt language, pace and delivery to the person; silence, a nod or a claim of prior experience is not evidence that the instruction was understood.
Worked example
Two first-time passengers receive a rapid list of equipment while the engine is already running. One cannot hear over the engine and the other does not know which handhold is safe.
- 1Return to a quiet, controlled state before departure and make the information short enough to use.
- 2Fit personal flotation, assign suitable seats and show each passenger their handhold and movement rule.
- 3Explain the engine and propeller boundary, warning signal, person-overboard response and how to alert the helm.
- 4Have each person demonstrate or repeat the critical actions; adapt any instruction that is not understood.
Sense check: If the person cannot show the handhold or say what to do after a warning, the briefing has been delivered but not confirmed.
| Person | Minimum useful briefing | Confirmation |
|---|---|---|
| Passenger | Flotation, seat, handhold, movement, warnings and emergency action | Point, demonstrate or repeat |
| Lookout | Sector, hazards, report words and when to interrupt | Identify a constructed target and report it |
| Lines/fenders | Equipment, position, sequence and pinch-zone limits | Talk through the next action |
| Communication helper | Equipment, position source, call trigger and limitations | Locate controls and rehearse the first call step |
Brief for the next decision
A passenger has previous boating experience but has never used this boat's seating, controls or communication equipment.
1. Ask
Find relevant experience, needs, concerns and prior injury without assuming capability.
2. Show
Demonstrate the boat-specific seat, handhold, equipment and engine-stop boundary.
3. Assign
Give only the role and actions this person can reasonably own.
4. Confirm
Use repeat-back or demonstration before relying on the instruction.
Sense check: Prior experience reduces neither the need for boat-specific information nor the need to confirm it.
Common mistake or limitation
- Delivering a long generic speech that does not name the next actions or the person's role.
- Assuming a nod, silence or prior experience proves understanding.
- Giving a passenger responsibility for a task they have not been shown, practiced or can reasonably perform.
Recap
- Brief before the person needs to act and refresh it when the task changes.
- Separate passenger behaviour from assigned crew duties.
- Show the actual equipment, position and control on this boat.
- Confirm understanding through a clear response or demonstration.
Optional quick check
Section 6 of 8
A passenger says they have been boating before but cannot identify the engine stop or safe handhold. What is the briefing state?
Lesson 7 of 8
Seat, Brace, Warn, and Slow
What you will learn
Connect passenger position, handholds, bracing, communication and speed to the changing impact risk of a planing powerboat.
A fitted lifejacket does not prevent impact injury. The helm must keep monitoring conditions, passenger stability and comfort, then warn, slow, reposition or change the plan before the margin disappears.
The RYA's current guidance highlights serious injuries associated with passenger position, unstable handholds, sideways seating and speed not adjusted to sea state. The forward third of some craft can experience greater impact, and people with previous musculoskeletal or health conditions may be at greater risk. Seating decisions must use the actual craft, conditions and person rather than a universal diagram.
Brief passengers to face forward where appropriate, use hands and feet to brace, and tell the helm if they are uncomfortable or want to slow down. Warn before waves, wash, turns or speed changes. The helm should keep one hand on the wheel and one on the throttle where applicable and reduce speed or alter the plan as conditions demand.
The 2025 Lundy Explorer report lessons show why sub-planing does not mean harmless: heavy impact and poor lateral support can still cause severe injury. Speed label alone cannot replace observation of boat motion, seating and passenger response.
Worked example
A passenger with a previous back injury is seated alone on a forward double jockey seat. The boat is below planing speed, but short waves are causing repeated heavy landings.
- 1Treat the actual impacts and passenger vulnerability as evidence; do not rely on the sub-planing label.
- 2Reduce speed and load, choose a safer heading or return to shelter as the situation permits.
- 3Reassess seating and stable handholds for the specific boat, moving the higher-risk passenger to a more suitable position where possible.
- 4Confirm comfort and communication, then continue only within a controlled state and Plan B.
Sense check: If the passenger cannot maintain stable posture or the hull is landing heavily, the current speed and plan are not controlled by calling them slow.
| Evidence | Helm response | Misleading reassurance |
|---|---|---|
| Heavy landing or loss of stable posture | Reduce demand and reassess | Below planing speed |
| Weak or unsuitable handhold | Change seating or plan | Passenger says they are fine |
| Prior injury or health concern | Adapt position and exposure | Lifejacket alone controls impact |
| Passenger asks to slow | Acknowledge and act | Destination timetable comes first |
Close the passenger feedback loop
Conditions build gradually and the aft-positioned helm cannot easily see every passenger's posture.
1. Signal
Agree how passengers report discomfort or request slower speed.
2. Warn
Give timely notice before waves, wash, turns and speed changes.
3. Observe
Use a suitable crew member or direct checks to monitor stability and response.
4. Adapt
Slow, reposition, change route or abort before impacts become routine.
Sense check: Communication is useful only when the helm can receive it and change the boat's state.
Common mistake or limitation
- Using planing or sub-planing as a complete measure of impact risk.
- Putting a vulnerable passenger forward without suitable support because that seat is available.
- Warning passengers without giving them a clear way to report discomfort or request a change.
Recap
- Impact risk depends on boat motion, seating, support, person and conditions.
- Use suitable seats and stable handholds; avoid unsupported forward positions at speed or in rougher water.
- Warn, listen and adjust speed or plan continuously.
- A slower label does not prove that the ride is safe or comfortable.
Optional quick check
Section 7 of 8
The boat is below planing speed, but a forward passenger cannot brace and the hull is landing heavily. What governs the response?
Lesson 8 of 8
Emergency Continuity and Departure Recheck
What you will learn
Protect the minimum actions needed if the helm is incapacitated and rerun the departure decision after any material change or failed check.
The skipper remains responsible for the plan, but the plan should not collapse into an uncontrolled engine and no call for help if that one person becomes incapacitated.
The MCA advises considering skipper incapacitation in light of the people aboard. Where practical, at least one suitable other person should know the boat-specific first actions: how to stop the engine, prevent propeller danger, identify position, use the chosen communication method and follow the prepared help-call route. This is emergency continuity, not proof that the person can navigate or command the boat.
Match the briefing to real capability. A passenger may only be able to stop the engine and make a call; a trained crew member may own more. Show the controls and equipment, rehearse the first step in a safe state and keep limitations explicit. Do not assign a distress, medical, navigation or recovery task that the person has not been prepared to perform.
Recheck readiness whenever a material state changes: people, route, weather, daylight, fuel, battery, equipment, engine indication, loading or local restriction. Record who owns the next action and what evidence closes it. If the gap remains material, change the plan or do not depart.
Worked example
The sole experienced helm feels unwell before departure. A willing passenger has been shown the phone but not the engine stop, current position source or help-call structure.
- 1Treat the helm's condition and single-point dependency as a changed departure state, not a briefing inconvenience.
- 2Do not represent the passenger as a substitute helm. Identify the minimum emergency actions they can learn and demonstrate safely.
- 3Reassess whether the intended trip still has competent control, communications and an acceptable Plan B.
- 4Delay, use a suitable additional person, reduce the plan or do not depart if the dependency remains material.
Sense check: Knowing where the phone is does not create engine control, a position report or competent command.
| Minimum continuity | Evidence | Boundary |
|---|---|---|
| Stop engine | Person locates and demonstrates the boat-specific control | Not proof of helming skill |
| Call for help | Person can use the chosen method and position source | Not a guarantee of coverage or rescue |
| Protect people | Person understands seating, propeller and immediate warning actions | Not a full emergency drill |
| Recheck plan | Changed state has an owner and closure evidence | No unresolved material dependency |
Remove the single point of failure
Only the helm knows the engine stop, VHF controls and exact route, while every passenger is new to the boat.
1. Name
Identify the minimum actions that cannot depend on the helm alone.
2. Choose
Select a suitable person and keep the assigned task within their capability.
3. Show
Use the real engine stop, communication method and position source in a safe state.
4. Decide
Reassess the trip if competent control or emergency continuity remains absent.
Sense check: The plan is more resilient when another suitable person can perform a few verified first actions—not when everyone receives an untested list.
Common mistake or limitation
- Assuming the most confident passenger can take command without boat-specific preparation or practical competence.
- Showing only a phone or radio without position, power, coverage, call trigger or the first words to use.
- Treating a changed helm, passenger, weather or equipment state as covered by the original checklist.
Recap
- Plan for helm incapacitation in proportion to the trip and people aboard.
- At least one suitable other person should know stop and help-call actions where practical.
- Emergency continuity does not certify navigation, command or recovery competence.
- A material change reopens readiness; unresolved gaps require a safer plan or no-go.
Optional quick check
Section 8 of 8