RYA Day Skipper Safety at Sea — Questions and Answers
Question 1: What is the correct procedure for sending a 'Mayday' distress call on VHF radio?
- Say 'Mayday' once and give your name
- Say 'MAYDAY' three times, followed by 'THIS IS' and your vessel name three times, then give position, nature of distress, and number of persons on board (Correct answer)
- Call the coastguard on channel 16 and ask for help
- Send a text message to the RNLI
Correct answer: Say 'MAYDAY' three times, followed by 'THIS IS' and your vessel name three times, then give position, nature of distress, and number of persons on board
The correct Mayday procedure is: 'MAYDAY MAYDAY MAYDAY, THIS IS [vessel name x3], MAYDAY [vessel name], MY POSITION IS [position], [nature of distress], [assistance required], [number of POB], [any other useful information], OVER.'
Question 2: What does the 'SOLAS' convention stand for?
- Safety Of Life At Sea (Correct answer)
- Standards Of Lifesaving And Sailing
- System Of Lighthouse And Signals
- Society Of Licensed And Safe
Correct answer: Safety Of Life At Sea
SOLAS stands for Safety Of Life At Sea. It is the most important international treaty concerning the safety of merchant ships, originally enacted after the Titanic disaster.
Question 3: What is the purpose of a 'kill cord' (engine cut-off device) on a motorboat?
- To prevent theft
- To cut the engine automatically if the helmsperson falls overboard or away from the helm (Correct answer)
- To improve fuel efficiency
- To control boat speed
Correct answer: To cut the engine automatically if the helmsperson falls overboard or away from the helm
A kill cord attaches the helmsperson to the engine's emergency cut-off switch. If they fall overboard or are thrown from the helm, the cord pulls out and stops the engine immediately.
Question 4: In a man overboard situation under sail, what is the recommended initial action?
- Drop all sails immediately
- Shout 'MAN OVERBOARD', throw a lifebuoy, assign a spotter, press MOB on GPS, and begin the recovery manoeuvre (Correct answer)
- Call the coastguard before doing anything else
- Continue sailing until you can turn around
Correct answer: Shout 'MAN OVERBOARD', throw a lifebuoy, assign a spotter, press MOB on GPS, and begin the recovery manoeuvre
Immediate actions are: shout the alarm, deploy a lifebuoy or danbuoy, assign someone to point at the casualty continuously, press MOB on GPS, and begin the appropriate recovery manoeuvre.
Question 5: How many pyrotechnic flares are typically recommended for a yacht sailing in coastal waters?
- None — flares are obsolete
- A minimum pack including red hand flares, red parachute rockets, and orange smoke signals (Correct answer)
- One white flare only
- Flares are only for commercial vessels
Correct answer: A minimum pack including red hand flares, red parachute rockets, and orange smoke signals
For coastal sailing, the minimum recommended pack includes red parachute rockets (for long-range alerting), red hand-held flares (for close-range signalling), and orange smoke signals (for daytime use).
Question 6: What is the primary purpose of a 'liferaft' on a cruising yacht?
- To provide extra sleeping space
- To provide a means of survival if the yacht must be abandoned, keeping crew out of the water (Correct answer)
- To carry extra stores
- To act as a tender for going ashore
Correct answer: To provide a means of survival if the yacht must be abandoned, keeping crew out of the water
A liferaft is emergency equipment designed to keep the crew alive if the yacht must be abandoned. It provides shelter from the elements and keeps people out of the cold water.
RYA Day Skipper Safety at Sea
What is the correct procedure for sending a 'Mayday' distress call on VHF radio?