Safety-at-Sea Committee Meeting
Friday, October 22, 2004
1200 - 1500 Hours
Portland, OR

 Minutes

CALL TO ORDER

• Bruce Eissner called to order, acting as Presiding chair for this meeting.

EDUCATIONAL

• Interactive Safety Training for SAS Seminars – Rich Jepsen, Training Chair.

Rich Jepsen from training committee introduced Safety training: how do we make sure people get adequately trained, tested, and most efficiently educated.  Hands on training is key, but there is also interactive learning.  Currently US SAILING certification is not accepted worldwide (Australia) because the current training regimen doesn't meet all ISAF requirements.  Where we fall short:

1. We don't do enough practical hands on sessions.

2. Actual fire fighting

3. CPR training

4. No flare demos

5. No MOB recovery practice

Our course training should be upgraded.  Dan Nowlan gave a presentation showing how one could deliver a web based seminar; using a WebEx/Live Meeting technology which allows for a presentation to be visible to the participants and also allow them to interact with the presenter and ask questions/give feedback.  These presentations can either be piped over the Internet live, and/or recorded for review at any time.    The offshore office is working on an arrangement to get the technology in place.  These seminars will be supplemental material for people to learn that can't be covered in the 8 hour courses, allowing the course content to focus more on hands on training.  There can be a test afterwards, and results can be tracked.

Content for the seminars needs to be developed.  Cost: for example, about a two hour instruction on communication would cost roughly $15k to develop.  Currently there is no business plan to recover costs.  We would need 10 (to 12) modules (communications is complicated, so the others would be less).  There is the possibility to license this to other countries.

The committee thinks this is a good medium for training.  Next step will be to develop the business plan (in conjunction with training committee).

• Inshore Safety Program Status – Dr. Thomas Hubbell, no report.
• Web – Glenn McCarthy by Report.
• Hanson Rescue Medal: Dan Doyle to continue efforts to summarize lessons learned from Hanson awards.  All Hanson's currently under review have passed.

STUDIES

• Crew Overboard Trials in August 2005 - Chuck Hawley by Report.

  Sheila will help coordinate keel boat MOB methods with Jo Mogle (keelboat training); and Chuck Hawley for Modern Sailing Academy training next year.

  MOB towing: Bruce, Chuck to visit towing under harnesses and crotch strap use.

STANDARDS

• ISAF, ISO, etc. updates - Dr. Bruce Eissner.
• ISAF Special Regulations Review.

* Lifesling submission primarily impacts the (Seattle) Sailing Foundation and West Marine, both of which have no objections.  The submission is acceptable as is to the USSA SASC.

* Lifelines: No objection to update on vinyl coating.

* Extending 6.01 Safety Training to Category 2:  Make it a recommendation, with a timing component.

• US SAILING Compliance Standard for all levels of SR 6.01.
• Soft Wood Plug usage -

  Gene McCarthy reported on soft plug usage.  When used, they really work.  They are hard to remove when they swell.  He needed to haul out and drill his out.  They work well for a temporary/permanent fix.  If planning repairs and need a temporary fix, a different device would be better.

NEW BUSINESS

• Jim Muldoon talked about US SAILING taking a leadership role in the Natl Safe Boating council (no impact to budget or staff).  He would like participation in this from members, would like to send invites to people who can impact this.  Dan Nowlan to send out invites.  There was also a suggestion that we consider renaming the committee to something that doesn’t suggest our mission is solely for blue water sailing.  This might allow US Sailing access to more grant money.

• Bill Lee will be taking over as Offshore Chairman.  Welcome Bill.

ADJOURNMENT 13:57

Attendees: Bruce Eissner; Dan Van Heeckeren: Matt Pedersen; Dan Nowlan; Gene McCarthy; Sheila McCurdy; Dan Doyle; Bill Munster; Peter Millard
 

To October 22, 2004 Agenda

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