EDUCATIONAL

1. Web Site Report.
2. US SAILING Safety at Sea School – Progress is being made in formulating an outline
   of the topics to be covered.

REGULATIONS

1. ISAF, ORC and ISO.

When the ORC and ISAF merger occurs, a safety committee is planned to be a new committee of ISAF, no changes are expected in regards to our the operation of the ORC Special Regulations book.

2. ORC SPECIAL REGULATIONS

The following proposed US SAILING Prescriptions were passed by the Safety at Sea Committee, Offshore Committee (10/19/01) and Board of Directors (10/20/01) for inclusion in the International Sailing Federation Special regulations Governing Offshore and Oceanic Racing for 2002-2003 including US SAILING Prescriptions book (all other US SAILING Prescriptions remain as is):

Liferaft recommendation to retain existing ORC Specifications for Categories 0-2 in the International Sailing Federation Special regulations Governing Offshore and Oceanic Racing for 2002-2003 including US SAILING Prescriptions book.

4.10 Removal of US SAILING Prescription (places chart, navigation tools, and light list back on board yachts in Category 4 races).

4.18 EPIRB's - Government is phasing out 121.5 Mhz and 204.3 Mhz monitoring. Change "US SAILING recommends the use of 406 MHz EPIRBS..." to, "US SAILING requires the use of 406MHz EPIRBS...". Applicable to Categories 0-2.

6.01 US SAILING prescribes that training under this Regulation shall take place in a program that is approved by US SAILING and that shall require a minimum of 8 hours. Competitors who are members of other National Governing Bodies may demonstrate that they have completed such training in accordance with the requirements of those organizations.

The following items were discussed:

3.11 Loose lower lifelines – Inspectors are continually finding lower lifeline wire diameter, smaller than the upper lifeline wire diameter. Through the data collected in the Hanson program we see failures of the lower lifelines with crews hiking hard, causing a significant number of crew to go overboard suddenly. Education efforts will be made through media outlets.

3.25 As a result of a protest recently in a transatlantic race, the discussion centered around the potential outside assistance and the importance of receiving weather information which is a safety concern. It is clear that the RRS do allow publicly available weathercasts (via cell/satellite/email etc.), unless the sailing instructions say otherwise.

3.XX Non-skid is the first defense in keeping people on board a boat. Organizations who create standards for construction of boats are silent on whether a boat should have non-skid or not. In addition, on outside radius’s like a cabin top, builders normally stop the non-skid 1" away from the corner. This particular spot causes a lot of sailors to lose their footing. More research is to be done in finding methods to measure the slip resistance of surfaces.

SLATE

1. Changes, Additions, Deletions to the Safety at Sea Committee.

Add David A. Kilponen davek@ardell-fl.com
Other changes forthcoming.

NEW BUSINESS

1. Proposal to change the wording of RRS 1.1.

Committee passed resolution to forward request to next Rules Committee meeting.

2. Liaise with Race Management Committee and Judges Committee, regarding RRS 1.1.

Committee passed resolution to forward request to next Race Management and Judges Committee meetings.

3. USMSA's new brochure, "What you should expect and Why" was handed out and is
   available to all race organizers that explain how to find the right certification servicing
   agent to re-certify liferafts. It would be appropriate to mail these with the Notice of
   Race.  Write Jim O’Connor or go to the USMSA website to request them.