Displaying items by tag: Marine safety

23rd August 2010

What to Do when Fire Breaks Out Onboard a Vessel?

Last week's news reports into the fatal accident in West Cork showed shocking images of a motorboat engulfed in smoke and flames.

The accident has been a reminder to all boat owners of the need to carry out regular fire drills and the need for regular maintenance checks on all electrical installations. It has led to a number of requests for advice from readers about what to do in the event of a fire onboard.

Here are a few items from the various publications taken from the Marine Safety Working Group's "Safety on the Water" website which might prove a useful start:

From the Motor boating Sea Safety Guidelines:

If you have a fire on board:

* Rig a sea anchor/drogue so that smoke and flames blow clear of the boat.
Rig it from stern or stem, whichever is appropriate.
* Do not enter any smoke filled space. Try not to breathe in any smoke, as it may be poisonous.
* Put on your lifejackets.
* Get everyone on deck and take all the fire extinguishers with you.
* Try to extinguish the fire where possible. Use a fire blanket to smother
small fires. When using a fire extinguisher, try to hold it upright.
* Fire requires oxygen. Reduce supply of air by sealing vents and hatches. If there is smoke coming from the engine compartment, only open the access hatch enough to insert the nozzle of the fire extinguisher.
* Notify the emergency services.
* Move both the crew and the liferaft as far as possible from the seat of the fire.
* Fitting a fire access port to the engine compartment offers the greatest safety."

From the Power boating Sea Safety Guidelines:

If you have a fire on board:

* Try not to breathe in smoke which may be poisonous.
* Try to extinguish the fire where possible.
* Fire requires oxygen. If there is smoke coming from the engine compartment, or from under the engine cover, only open the cover enough to insert the nozzle of the fire extinguisher.
* Get everyone away from the fire and ready to abandon the vessel, wearing
lifejackets or buoyancy aids.
* Notify the emergency services."

Published in Marine Warning

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Ireland & La Solitaire du Figaro

The Solitaire du Figaro, was originally called the course de l’Aurore until 1980, was created in 1970 by Jean-Louis Guillemard and Jean-Michel Barrault.

Half a decade later, the race has created some of France's top offshore sailors, and it celebrated its 50th anniversary with a new boat equipped with foils and almost 50 skippers Including novices, aficionados and six former winners.

The solo multi-stage offshore sailing race is one of the most cherished races in French sailing and one that has had Irish interest stretching back over 20 years due to the number of Irish stopovers, usually the only foreign leg of the French race.

What Irish ports have hosted The Solitaire du Figaro?

The race has previously called to Ireland to the following ports; Dingle, Kinsale, Crosshaven, Howth and Dun Laoghaire.

What Irish sailors have raced The Solitaire du Figaro?

So far there have been seven Irish skippers to participate in La Solitaire du Figaro.

In 1997, County Kerry's Damian Foxall first tackled the Figaro from Ireland. His win in the Rookie division in DHL gave him the budget to compete again the following year with Barlo Plastics where he won the final leg of the race from Gijon to Concarneau. That same year a second Irish sailor Marcus Hutchinson sailing Bergamotte completed the course in 26th place and third Rookie.

In 2000, Hutchinson of Howth Yacht Club completed the course again with IMPACT, again finishing in the twenties.

In 2006, Paul O’Riain became the third Irish skipper to complete the course.

In 2013, Royal Cork's David Kenefick raised the bar by becoming a top rookie sailor in the race.

In 2018, for the first time, Ireland had two Irish boats in the offshore race thanks to Tom Dolan and Joan Mulloy who joined the rookie ranks and kept the Irish tricolour flying high in France. Mulloy became the first Irish female to take on the race.

Tom Dolan in Smurfit Kappa competed for his third year in 2020 after a 25th place finish in 2019. Dolan sailed a remarkably consistent series in 2020 and took fifth overall, the best finish by a non-French skipper since 1997 when Switzerland’s Dominique Wavre finished runner up. Dolan wins the VIVI Trophy.

Dolan finished 10th on the first stage, 11th on the second and seventh into Saint Nazaire at the end of the third stage. Stage four was abandoned due to lack of wind.

Also in 2020, Dun Laoghaire’s Kenneth Rumball became the eleventh Irish sailor to sail the Figaro.

At A Glance – Figaro Race

It starts in June or July from a French port.
The race is split into four stages varying from year to year, from the length of the French coast and making up a total of around 1,500 to 2,000 nautical miles (1,700 to 2,300 mi; 2,800 to 3,700 km) on average.
Over the years the race has lasted between 10 and 13 days at sea.
The competitor is alone in the boat, participation is mixed.
Since 1990, all boats are of one design.