The hands-on training day will be conducted at Roger William University in Bristol, Rhode Island, from 7:30AM until 5:00PM and includes continental breakfast, lunch, and a textbook.

This course is to prepare you for survival offshore in demanding situations and emergencies. As with any training, you get proportionally to what you put into it. What you learn in this course may save your life and the lives of others in an emergency. We encourage you to give the course the effort and time it deserves. If you are interested in the Newport Bermuda Race or any other major offshore event, make sure you and your crew have the required training, as a certain percentage will be required to have up-to-date International Offshore Safety at Sea certificates.

Online Training Prerequisite

Before attending the hands-on training day, students MUST complete US Sailing’s Offshore Safety at Sea online training course and provide their certificate of completion. The online course is purchased and accessed through US Sailing’s online learning portal FirstTack. It is not included in the registration fee for the hands-on training day.

  • The requirement for most people is the Offshore Safety at Sea course covering 15 core topics. The online course must be completed at least three days before the hands-on training, and no more than 365 days in advance.
  • Participants RENEWING an International Offshore SAS (World Sailing) certificate dated less than seven years before the hands-on training day do not need to repeat the online course. You may check the date of your last certificate at US Sailing’s SAS Attendance Lookup.

The online course covers a broad range of material in depth. We are confident you will find the course valuable. There is an examination after each of the topics. When you arrive for the hands-on training day, you will also receive a hard copy textbook that condenses the material from the online course.

You must successfully complete your required online training at least 3 days before your hands-on training. If you are not in the US Sailing database as having completed the online training, you cannot attend the hands-on training day. No exceptions.

Hands-On Training Day

The hands-on training is one full day from 7:30AM to 5:00PM. Firefighting and emergency signaling (flares) will be outside, and in-the-water exercises will take place at the pool. You will be walking between buildings for various sessions and for lunch.

Major topics to be covered during the hands-on training are:

Lessons Learned & Updates: This session will cover lessons learned from recent incidents and updates on important safety requirements and communications items.

Damage Control and Leak/Flood Training: This session is divided into two segments – one covering typical damage control techniques and equipment and the other using our unique leak trainer to provide hands-on experience handling leaks and using pumps in a piece of an actual sailboat hull.

Firefighting: This session is conducted by professional marine firefighters. It teaches fire prevention, types of marine fires, and firefighting. You will practice extinguishing a fire.

Emergency Signaling (Flares): This session shows the difference between various grades of flares and demonstrates commonly available types of flares. Our venue on Mt. Hope Bay is unique and allows students to use SOLAS handheld and rocket parachute flares.

Emergency and Safety Equipment: This session will include a display of common emergency and safety equipment, particularly personal equipment. We will discuss the use, pros and cons of this equipment and emphasize the latest trends and equipment. In most courses, Landfall Navigation and Life Raft Survival and Equipment (LRSE) will have representatives present throughout the day to answer your questions.

PFDs, Water Survival, and Life Rafts: This session will start with reviewing the proper wearing of your PFD and tether. You will then enter the pool with your foul weather gear and PFD to experience the inflation and use of your PFD. Our staff will guide you in the pool in practicing cold water individual and group survival techniques. You will learn the best ways to stay afloat, work as a team, and fight hypothermia. You will practice righting, boarding, and working as a crew in a life raft.

Bring your inflatable personal flotation device (PFD) and tether:

An inflatable offshore PFD is required equipment for the course. Please bring the same PFD you use offshore. It’s important to train with the equipment that you will rely on at sea so that you are completely familiar with its operation and fit. This is far better than deploying a PFD offshore that has been sitting unused or untested for years.

If your PFD is not available or you have not yet purchased an appropriate PFD, we have a limited supply of PFDs available to loan. Please bring $40 cash (no credit cards) to the hands-on course to cover the cost of the rearming kit for the loaner PFD.

YES, we really do mean an inflatable PFD, NOT a rigid device (Type I inherently buoyant) or something you would wear in a dinghy or paddleboard. The PFD should be for offshore sailing – i.e., have an integral harness, 33lb/150 newton buoyancy, etc. WE ARE SERIOUS. The PFD is one of the most vital pieces of personal safety equipment. We don’t cut corners. Neither should you. Bring a PFD that you would bet your life on – you just may have to someday.

 

Re-arming your PFD: You will have an opportunity at registration to have your PFD examined by Landfall Navigation and LRSE to ensure it is properly armed before the pool exercises.

At the end of the training day, you’ll also have the opportunity to learn how to properly repack your PFD with guidance from the professionals at Landfall and LRSE. You should plan to do the final repacking at home once your PFD has been left out to dry completely. Our Training Resources page also contains links to videos demonstrating how to repack popular PFD models.

If you have a personal AIS/PLB beacon in your PFD, please remove it before coming to the course. We don’t want these devices going off in the pool.

Flying with a PFD? Yes, you are allowed to fly with a PFD. You will find information on how to do that here.

Bring a set of foul weather gear (jacket, pants, and boots/shoes), a change of clothes, and a towel. You will be going into the pool wearing a full set of clothes and foul weather gear. The purpose of this is to have a realistic training experience and to give you the confidence to handle the added weight of wet sailing gear.

If you have a set of old foul weather gear, we recommend bringing that rather than your newest gear. If you do not have a set of suitable foul weather gear, we have a limited supply of foul weather jackets and pants for loan. There is a fee of $10 for use of a set, paid by cash at the hands-on training day.

Showers are available, and we will provide a plastic bag for your wet clothing. We recommend that you bring a duffle bag for the wet gear.

Illness protocol: The health and safety of our participants and instructors are our top priority. We strictly adhere to the CDC’s guidelines for respiratory illness to minimize the spread of virus. We ask that if you have any symptom that includes headache, cough, running nose, temperature, fatigue or chills, to stay home and we will reschedule your course. If you arrive at our training site with any of these symptoms, we will not allow you to attend. This is consistent with our “culture of safety” and helps to protect all of us from illness, so please take this seriously.

Location: Roger Williams University, 1 Old Ferry Road, Bristol, RI, 02809.

Parking: There is a large amount of free parking available. We recommend parking in the lot by the swimming pool/athletic building if it is available. Signs will direct you depending on events at Roger Williams University. Our Registrar will share a map showing the locations of parking and relevant buildings the week before the course.

Check-in: The check-in table will be open from 0700–0745 at the Marine and Natural Sciences Building. We ask that you plan to arrive no later than 0730. Coffee and refreshments will be available. Come early to meet the staff, view the safety equipment on display, and receive your US Sailing textbook. You will also have the opportunity to have your PFD examined by Landfall and LRSE, so come early to avoid the rush. If you need to borrow a loaner PFD and/or foul weather gear, you will pick it up here. Please allow extra time for fitting the PFD and/or foul weather gear. Class will start promptly at 0800.

Coffee and Refreshments: Will be available upon arrival.

Lunch: There will be a break for lunch. Lunch is included in your course fee.

WiFi: Complimentary WiFi is available throughout the campus.

Typical schedule:

0700–0800 Check-in, PFD examination, pick up textbook, loaner gear

0800–0845 Introduction and Lessons Learned

0845–0930 Firefighting Classroom Session

0930–1115 Small Group Rotations 1 & 2 (Damage Control, Leak Trainer, Firefighting, Flares)

1115–1300 Pool session: PFDs, Water Survival, and Life Rafts

1300–1330 Lunch

1330–1530 Small Group Rotations 3 & 4 (Damage Control, Leak Trainer, Firefighting, Flares)

1530–1630 Demonstration of Safety Equipment (PLBs, AIS MOB device & navigation system)

1630–1700 Handling Emergencies at Sea and Training Your Crew

1700 Optional: PFD Servicing

Certification:

  • The curriculum and your moderator are certified by US Sailing.
  • Upon completion, you will receive a certificate by email that you have completed a US Sailing Sanctioned International Offshore Safety at Sea with Hands-on Training course that complies with World Sailing Offshore Special Regulations (OS) section 6.01.
  • Your certification can be checked online at US Sailing’s SAS Attendance Lookup.
  • The certificate is valid for five years.

Contact: For any questions, please email sasRegistrar@cruisingclub.org.

If you have registered for the hands-on training, you should expect to receive emails from the Registrar beginning approximately four weeks before your hands-on training day. Please check your spam filter if you are not receiving emails as your training day approaches.

Our staff are all volunteers, most have day jobs, and we all sail, so please allow an appropriate amount of time for our response. We look forward to seeing you there.