In our last issue, we covered some initial points about offshore safety in small boats. Part 2 covers more critical topics.

Remember, this article is NOT a general safety article. It discusses issues we found important or unique to small boats offshore, and how we made the decisions for Toy Boat 2. For additional background reading, check out some of the articles mentioned in our sidebar article.

If you have any additions or corrections, please feel free to email us, or post something on our discussion forums.  .

We've come to the conclusion that most accidents happen because of carelessness, not equipment failure.  Given that premise, careful trip preparation can help avoid problems. Most of the preparation should be focused on the boat and trailer. However, preparing your passengers is almost as important, and often overlooked..

This size Dayrunner is not too intrusive, and we carry it around every time we're on the boat. We ditched most of the original filler pages, and replaced them with pages of our own design. 

The log maintains notes on water conditions, tide/moon phases, estimated motor hours, fishing data, and maintenance notes. We also use it to hold checklists and emergency procedure (more below), fishing charts, temperature maps, and other reference documents (see below).

We've included example log pages in our Services section of the website, in both Microsoft Word and Adobe Acrobat format. The log pages are examples of what we do in Toy Boat 2, you will probably want to change them to match what you want to do on your boat.

Here's what our checklists cover:

• Pre-trip Checklist
  We run a series of safety checks on the boat before we go out, including battery water level and charge, nav lights, bilge pump and alarm, EPIRB self-test, trailer bearing grease levels, and the the radio. We schedule and keep track of long lead-time items like license and permit renewals, EPIRB service, or complicated repairs, and keep a list of things that can be done just before we leave, such as replacing expired flares, replenishing fishing supplies, etc. We also have an equipment list to make sure we take everything we need.
  
  Many of the things on the list are show-stoppers - if they don't get done, we can't go - so we want to make sure they're taken care of. The checklist puts these things onto one sheet of paper, where we can put due dates on them and tick them off as they are completed.
  
  
• Trip Day checklist
  At 3:00am, things are a blur, even after a couple of cups of coffee. We started using checklists to make sure we took care of a number of minor, but potentially disastrous-if-overlooked items like:
  
  • Leaving home: Inserting the shear pins in the removable trailer tongue, unblocking the trailer wheels, tilting the motor before we pull out of the driveway, hooking up the trailer lights
    
    
  • At launch: Putting in the drain plug, doing a radio check, turning off our headlights and locking the SUV before we leave
    
    
  • After the trip: Tilting the motor up before pulling off the ramp, lowering the outriggers and VHF antenna before driving off, and putting the bow tiedown strap on 
    

(Note: We're not too proud - or embarassed - to admit that we've done all of the above, plus more over the last 30 years.)

We've included example checklists in our Services section of the website, in both Microsoft Word and Adobe Acrobat format. These checklists are examples of what we do in Toy Boat 2, you will probably want to change them to match what you want to do on your boat.

Vessel Assist / Boat US used to allow you to file an on-line float plan with them. If you didn't show up at the recorded time, they would dispatch the Coast Guard. This service is no longer offered through the national organization, but some of their local franchises will accept float plans. See their website for current information  If you use these services, make sure you contact them quickly when you get back or if you are late, otherwise they'll call out the troops to look for you.

Your Significant Other probably knows better than that, and will be expecting you to be late, or in a bar somewhere having a drink...

We've included an example float plan in our Services section of the website, in both Microsoft Word and Adobe Acrobat format. This float plan is an example of what we do for Toy Boat 2, you will probably want to change it to match what you want to do on your boat.

• Know how to start the motor?
  
  
• Know how to navigate back to port?
  
  
• Know how to call for help on the radio?
  
  
• Know where the First Aid kit is?
  
  
• Know where the life jackets or flares are?

If the answer to any of these things is "No", then you need to do something to educate them. Don't assume that they know, even if you think they are experienced boaters. They may not even know what to ask.

On Toy Boat 2, we maintain a written section in the Captain's log with some brief operating instructions for the boat, motor, and radio, as well as the location of various pieces of emergency gear. A generic version is included in our Services section of the website, in Microsoft Word and Adobe Acrobat formats. You will need to edit it to match your requirements.

Every trip, we remind our passengers of the procedures in the Log, and run over where things are. This is especially important on Toy Boat 2, because things are constantly changing.

The same thing goes for cockpit procedures on fishing and landing fish . Every captain is a little different, and everybody gets a little crabby about where rods go, who sets the trolling pattern, where to place the bait net, and especially what to do with dangerous or green fish (among any of a number of other points). Again, if you're going to be demanding, make sure your passengers known what's expected of them, including getting out of the way if needed.

• Navigation light reference chart - Our home port of San Diego sees a lot of traffic, including all types of Naval vessels, research vessels, cruise ships, fishing vessels, and freighters. Can you remember the light configuration for a submarine?
  
  
• Calculator - A high-tech fuel flow meter and a GPS won't help you if you can't do the math. If Johnny is 48.3 miles from home, is travelling at 18.2 MPH, has 19.3 gallons of gas, and is burning 7.4 GPH, will he be able to get back home? There are lots of small, thin sunlight-powered calculators than you can tuck in the log book for these kinds of calculations.
  
  
• Fish and Game regulations for both California and Mexico - not a safety item, but obviously useful. We always get California regs and Mexican regs confused. Another reason for catch-and-release...
  
  
• California DFG Game Import form - California requires that you complete a Game Import form if returning with fish from Mexican waters, and either give it to a game warden, or mail it to them. We keep a couple of blank forms in the log book. A copy of the form is included in our Services section.
  
  
• Passport - Not required for exit or renentry into the US from Mexican waters, but it couldn't hurt, especially with current concerns over homeland security
  
  
• World record matrix - We're not record hunters, but we keep a printout in the log of local species and their world-record weights "just in case".