RationalebehindtheGreenBookv4.1
Kim Klaka
27 April 2016
Overall
The Green Book is broadly based on the Blue Book (BB) 2013-2016 and submissions made for the
2017-2020 BB. It has been possible to make many simplifications by noting:
•
The BB has to cater for small and large yachts, in a large range of conditions from sheltered
waters to ocean crossings , whereas the Green Book only has to deal with cruising yachts
and either Coastal or Ocean sailing.
•
The BB is prescriptive so has to detail very precisely what is acceptable, whereas the Green
Book can be less precise because alternatives are permitted.
•
The BB has many clauses which prevent racers cutting safety corners in order to improve
boat speed, whereas this threat to safety is not a concern for the Green Book user.
Conversely the Green Book has to be more versatile in order to allow for:
•
A myriad of designs e.g. schooners, junk rig, motor sailers
•
A large number of older vessels – perhaps 1/3 of the fleet was built before 1985.
•
Availability of additional equipment that can be used for safety e.g. twin engines, generators,
watermakers, semi-inflated dinghies.
•
The prevalence of shorthanded sailing – often just 2 crew and sometimes only one. This can
change safety priorities ( e.g. increased emphasis on MoB prevention compared with
recovery)
There is also the much-debated issue that cruising yachts avoid extreme weather by using 7 day
forecasts obtained at sea and they do not have the racing incentive to remain at sea in such
conditions.
The Green Book also calls on the safety recommendation of the ARC Atlantic Rally – indeed the
Ocean category encompasses all the ARC mandatory requirements, and exceeds their
recommendations in almost every category. It is important to note that the ARC approach to safety is
rather different. They place a stronger emphasis on qualifying passages and inspections, with
correspondingly less emphasis on equipment lists. They are able to do this largely because they are
dealing with specific cruises, as distinct from the Green Book which is intended to provide guidance
for cruising sailors at all times.
The Sequence of the Green Book has been made much more logical. The BB appears to have been
amended over the years without review of how the amendments relate to one another . For example ,
the Green Book collects all the training requirements into one area (Section 2) , whereas the BB has a
heading Training (Section 6) , that does not include all the listed training requirements.
The Blue Book has 7 categories of safety whereas the Green Book has just two categories – Coastal
and Ocean. Green Book Coastal category is approximately BB Cat 3, but is Cat 2 for several items.
Green Book Ocean category is approximately BB Cat 1. Green Book Ocean generally exceeds ARC
Atlantic recommendations.
As a consequence of these changes the Green Book is approximately 33 pages long, compared with
over 100 pages for the Blue Book.
1. SCOPE, RESPONSIBILITY AND DEFINITIONS
1.1. SCOPE
This is quite different from the Blue Book because it is intended for a very different application.
1.2. APPLICABILTY
The 7 categories of the Blue Book are simplified to just 2 – Coastal and Ocean. These are essentially
the only two types of cruising being addressed. We are not concerned with sheltered waters sailing or
high latitude cruising.
1.3. OWNER’S RESPONSIBILITY
This is roughly the same as the Blue Book. The Phrase Person in Charge is used instead of skipper,
because skipper apparently has no formal definition.
1.4. DEFINITIONS
Simplified where possible.
1.5. ABBREVIATIONS
2. TRAINING AND EXPERIENCE
Training requirements in the Blue Book are all over the place. They are collected here in the Green
Book.
2.1. FIRST AID
Coastal follows Cat 2(4.07.6).
2.2. RADIO OPERATION
Coastal follows Cat 3(BB 3.25.9)
2.3. SAFETY TRAINING
As per BB Cat 1 (to reflect smaller crew numbers)
2.4. CHECKLIST
This is not in the BB. It is important that crew know where stuff is, “seek and find” has been proven
effective e.g. in the CS Learning Night sessions.
2.5. CREW OVERBOARD
I thought this was in the Blue Book but I can’t find it.
2.6. EMERGENCY STEERING
As per Blue Book 4.14.2.
2.7. REGULAR PRACTICE
Scattered around the BB (4.26.1, 5.05.3 etc), collected together in Green Book
2.8. EXPERIENCE
This has been reduced from BB 2.04 because there are often only 2 crew total on a cruising boat and
it is impossible for them both to have always done an equivalent passage before – they would never
be able to do a new passage. Instead it identifies any shortfall in experience so that suitable guidance
can be offered.
3. STRUCTURE, STABILITY, AND FIXED EQUIPMENT
BB simplified as we are not interested in age dates, boats that capsize easily, trailable boats etc.
3.1. HEAVY ITEMS
More detailed than BB 2.03.2. Loose books and floorboards are known to cause serious injuries
during capsize e.g. Yachting Monthly Crash Test Boat series. This is an example of where the BB has
inappropriate safety priorities – it requires the boat name to be on floorboards so that the boat can be
identified if sunk, but it lacks emphasis on keeping the floorboard from escaping and causing injury.
3.2. STRENGTH OF BUILD, BALLAST AND RIG
As per BB 3.01, simpler without trailables etc.
3.3. WATERTIGHT INTEGRITY OF HULL
As per BB 3.02
3.4. HULL CONSTRUCTION STANDARDS
The guiding principle is to use ISO 12215 Cat B (Cat A for Ocean cruising), However, many yachts do
not have the required documentation so other standards must be allowed, and a common sense
clause included for yachts that have proven their seaworthiness.
BB has no construction standard for Cat 3, only Cat 1 and 2.
3.5. STABILITY
The BB makes a complete dog’s breakfast of this. The Green Book uses ISO 12217-2 Cat B for
coastal (equivalent to BB Cat 3) and Cat A for Ocean cruising (equivalent to BB Cat 2).
As with hull strength standards, a common sense clause has to be applied where boats have proven
seaworthiness.
3.6. HATCHES & COMPANIONWAYS
Simplified version of BB 3.07.2. Requirement of downflooding analysis has been removed – few
cruising yachts have this and in so many cases the analysis is based on false assumptions as to
watertightness.
Many yachts built for the European market have hatches forward of Bmax that open inwards. They
are banned in the BB. This is dealt with in the Green Book by following the EU regulations.
3.7. COCKPITS
Need for better sealing of cockpit lockers is evident from e.g. YM Crash Test Boat and 2013
Geraldton return race.
The max cockpit volumes of BB 3.08.6 have been removed. There is great difficulty in defining “the
lowest coaming” ( e.g. for an open transom) used in the BB calculation, and the constraint should be
on minimum drain size rather than cockpit volume.
A definition has been included, of minimum size for a cockpit to require drains. This allows for deck
recesses e.g. shallow lockers to be not self-draining. It is the same as ISO 11812, with the
assumption that Beam = Length/3 and Freeboard = Length/9
Drain sizes are a simplified version of the BB.
A required draining time for anchor lockers has been added, based on ISO 11812, but simplified.
There have been several instances of lockers not draining, causing the boat to be bow down and
hence behave erratically.
3.8. SEACOCKS AND PLUGS
As per BB, but with additional clause requiring them to be fitted above heeled waterline. There have
been several instances of flooding from through-hulls above the static waterline. The choice 10 deg
heel is not evidence-based, it is just considered reasonable.
Plugs as per BB 3.09.1b with addition of spare plugs , to grab for when tied plugs are missing or don’t
fit.
(BB 3.10 sheet winches deleted; only racing yachts would need that clause.)
3.9. SPARS and RIGGING
3.9.1 is as per BB 3.22.1, applied only to main mast.
3.9.2 and 3.9.3 are additions which should be included to the BB. :
•
The minimum boom height helps address one of the most common causes of injury and
death on a yacht and
•
lightning strikes can lead to injury, sinking, fire and stranding.
3.9.4 Mast step as per BB 3.11 plus applied to deck stepped masts too.
3.10.
PULPITS, STANCHIONS, LIFELINES
BB 3.12 makes a dog’s breakfast of this. Green Book broadly follows BB with the following changes:
Rope can be used as long as it is as strong as wire, as per ARC Atlantic Rally requirements.
Recommend higher lifelines; BB height is more tripwire than lifeline, needs to be closer to an upright
person’s VCG.
Carbon fibre is allowed for supports because it is now proven to be safe.
No need for clause prohibiting inboard stanchions – that is a racing performance issue.
Solid bulwarks allowed as long as they don’t create a free-surface that compromises stability. (This is
a good example of BB being inappropriate for cruising yachts – it requires lifelines on top of full height
bulwarks!)
The requirement for lifelines to be taut is a vexed one. It makes them safer as a guiding wire but they
will break at a much lower transverse loading than a slack wire. i.e. the required breaking strength
should be a function of their tautness.
3.11.
TOE RAIL AND NON-SKID
As per BB 3.14.1 but the recommendation for higher, better shaped toe rail is made because the BB
min height is barely adequate and an inboard sloping edge makes them almost useless.
The clause also requires the toe rail to be fitted from the forward end of the cockpit to the foredeck,
whereas the BB only requires it forward of the mast. The BB takes account of the need for
comfortable hiking out over the rail, but does so at the expense of safety between the cockpit and the
mast. Hiking is not a consideration in cruising yachts.
3.12.
JACKSTAYS ANDTETHER CLIPPING POINTS
This combines BB 4.03.1 and 4.03.2 , as they have much in common. They are also moved to “ fixed
equipment” to emphasise they should be permanently fitted. Wording as per BB 4.03 except
recommend webbing over wire.
3.13.
HAND HOLDS
BB only addresses hand holds below deck (3.19), so is deficient.
3.14.
TOILET
As per BB 3.15 Cat 1 and 2, with advice re holding tanks (thus rectifying a BB deficiency).
3.15.
BUNKS
As per BB 3.16 with clarification of what the lee cloth should do.
3.16.
GALLEY
As per BB 3.17, clarified. The banning of fuel with flashpoint below 60 deg C has been removed
because methylated spirit is allowed, which has a flashpoint of 12 deg C.
3.17.
WATER TANKS AND DRINKING WATER
The requirement in BB 3.18.1 for two permanent water tanks is unnecessary, as it is effectively
covered by limiting the water lost through a leak.
The minimum water carried is changed from distance to time; distance is irrelevant to consumption.
The amount stipulated corresponds to BB Cat 1 and 2 for a daily run of 200 miles. Allowance is made
for watermakers – I am surprised the BB doesn’t have this.
3.18.
BILGE PUMPS
As per BB 3.20 Cat 3,.
Buckets moved to section 4 as they are portable equipment
3.19.
COMPASS
As per BB 3.21. Spare bulbs not needed if LED.
3.20.
NAVIGATION LIGHTS
As per BB 3.23. Emphasis on requiring steaming lights as well as masthead tricolour (both are
required under International law).
3.21.
ENGINE AND FUEL
As per BB 3.24 except:
•
Min speed for Coastal reduced by 11%.
•
Min fuel defined by distance not duration – 50nm for Coastal,
•
Battery requirement shifted to 3.22.
•
Flexible tanks are allowed.
3.22.
BATTERIES
As per BB 3.26 and 3.24.
3.23.
HULL IDENTIFICATION
As per BB 3.28 .except:
•
Sail number on deck not required
•
Multihull bridgedeck underside patches can be several small ones – not possible to apply big
patches smoothly to compound curves.
4. PORTABLE EQUIPMENT and SUPPLIES
4.1. FIT FOR PURPOSE
As per BB 2.03.1, slightly beefed up.
4.2. TOOLS AND SPARE PARTS
As per BB 4.15 but expanded to provide advice on types of tools.
4.3. FIRE EXTINGUISHERS
As per BB 4.04 except :
•
some extinguishers can be inspected by owner and
•
recommendation added for dealing with enclosed engine space.
4.4. ANCHORS
As per BB 4.3 except:
•
Rode length of primary anchor slightly reduced to match current practice.
•
Rode length of secondary anchor upgraded to match primary anchor.
Additional guidance on anchor sizes given – simplified formula is one I developed, published by
Amateur Boat Builders Association December 2014 newsletter and Cruising Helmsman Magazine
July 2015. Downloadable version at http://www.fsc.com.au/sections/cruising/useful-stuff/
4.5. BUCKETS
4.6. FLASHLIGHTS
As per BB 4.06 Cat 2.
4.7. NAVIGATIONAL EQUIPMENT
All the navigation equipment has been collected under one heading.
Charts etc. as per BB 4.10 except:
•
All-electronic charts allowed if 3 separate systems.
•
Copy BB on board not required!
GPS as per BB 4.11 Cat 3 (i.e. only 1 GPS required for Coastal).
Depth Sounder as per BB plus:
•
Should be calibrated
•
Should be visible from helm
Barometer as per BB 3.27
Log (BB 4.13) not required for WA coastal sailing.( I haven’t needed mine for over 15 years).
4.8. COMMUNICATIONS
VHF requirements are nominally the same as BB 3.25. Radio specifications are not considered –
performance is what matters.Channels required are based on “Australian VHF Frequencies and
Usage.pdf”, source unknown but possibly obtained from Bill Burbidge (YWA Safety Committee Chair).
Channels listed are either safety or ship-ship.
VHF cockpit speaker is from ARC regs and Offshore Yellow Book.
Mobile phone added – most VMR callouts are now usually from mobiles.
VHF range is as per Offshore Yellow Book.
4.9. EMERGENCY STEERING
As per BB 4.14.2
4.10.
AUTOMATIC STEERING
This is important safety equipment for short-handed sailing.
4.11.
EMERGENCY GUIDES
As per BB 4.28, with “seek and find” checklist added. It is important that crew know where stuff is;
“seek and find” has been proven effective e.g. in the CS Learning Night sessions.
Clear written instructions should be available for emergencies (c/w fire evacuation notices in
buildings). The BB does not appear to require this.
4.12.
BOAT’S NAME
As per BB 4.16
4.13.
RETRO-REFLECTIVE TAPE
As per BB 4.17
4.14.
EPIRBS
As per BB 4.18
4.15.
LIFERAFTS, TENDERS and GRAB BAG
Higher requirement than BB Cat 3. Requires either a liferaft or seaworthy dinghy, with appropriate
gear for coastal rescue.
Deployment time of 60 sec is longer than BB Cat 2 –seems more realistic.
4.16.
FLARES
Coastal requirements are between BB 4.22 Cat 3 and 4.
Allowance has been made for red LED and aser flares to replace red hand flares. Flares are very
dangerous and we should be replacing them with safer, better technology ( EPIRBs, lasers, mobile
phones etc.). FVSR have not been called out to a legitimate distress by a flare for many years. Note
DoT do not require red hand flares offshore.
Gloves and goggles added as per ARC – flares are dangerous!
4.17.
LIFEBUOYS
Broadly as per BB 4.21 Cat 3. Except that it must be a lifesling, not a lifebuoy. This reflects current
practice.
4.18.
HEAVING LINE
As per BB 4.23
4.19.
SAILS AND SAIL NUMBERS
As per BB 4.01.1 but with clearer wording
4.20.
STORM AND HEAVY WEATHER SAILS
Similar to BB 4.24, though simplified and clarified, with some modifications:
Many modern production cruisers cannot fit effective inner forestays or trysail tracks, but have the
advantage of using engines to make headway in a gale. Greater choice is therefore offered of
weapons to select.
The requirement for a heavy weather jib to be independent of the furler groove has been removed – it
is overkill for coastal sailing as a partly furled headsail can work well in heavy weather if cut correctly.
Consideration given to in-mast and in-boom furling issues.
5. PERSONAL EQUIPMENT
5.1. FIT FOR PURPOSE
From BB 2.03.1
5.2. LIFEJACKETS
We should call them lifejackets because that’s what we wear for coastal and ocean cruising. AMSA
and state authorities have now changed their terminology accordingly – a welcome beacon of
bureaucratic sanity!
As per BB 5.01 except:
Spare lifejacket only required for Ocean category. There appears to be an overemphasis on lifejacket
requirements at the expense of harness requirements. The Green Book corrects this. Many cruising
yachts sail two handed, where MOB is a much more serious event than on a fully crewed yacht.
Hence the even greater need to stay on board.
5.3. SAFETY HARNESSES, LINES and TETHERS
As per BB 5.02 Cat 1 except:
•
3-point tethers stipulated
•
Separate short tethers not mentioned.
5.4. PERSONAL LIGHTS
As per BB 5.03
5.5. PERSONAL CLOTHING
As per BB 5.04
6. MEDICAL
6.1. GENERAL REQUIREMENTS
Much of the medical advice has been removed – this is not a medical guide, it is a set of safety
recommendations.
6.2. MEDICAL KITS
as per BB6.2 with wider range of books than BB.
Coastal kit a mix of Cat 2 and Cat 3 in parts.
OTHER
V-sheet deleted (BB 4.27). I don’t know where this originally came from; the letter V is not of itself an
International distress signal. Perhaps someone confused it with International Code Flag V (I require
assistance, but I am not in distress)? I am not aware of any other country requiring it, nor of any
instance where it has been used to advantage, or indeed used at all.
Drogues deleted (BB 4.25 and ARC). It was decided to remove this on the grounds that it is unwise to
make a recommendation about a piece of equipment about which there is such a divergence of
opinion. Those speaking against drogues include Skip Novak (see Yachting World seamanship
videos 2013/14), and the Pardeys urge extensive practice in rough weather if considering using one in
storms. Conversely there are plenty of speakers in favour of them (see Adlard Coles’ Heavy Weather
Sailing). It might be worth reinstating them as a recommendation for multihulls, where they appear to
have a stronger track record than on monohulls, the dangers of injury during deployment remain, but
the deck of a multihull is safer to work on.
APPENDICES
A EXTRA RECOMMENDATIONS FOR BLUE WATER (OCEAN)
CRUISING
This brings the Ocean category roughly up to Cat 1.
A1
TRAINING AND EXPERIENCE:
Radio training is a Cat 1 and 2 mix (BB 3.25.9) It acknowledges the reduced crew numbers and the
option of a satphone..
First aid training follows Cat 1 (4.07.6)
Experience has been reduced from BB 2.04 because there are often only 2 crew total on a cruising
boat and it is impossible for them both to have always done an equivalent passage before – they
would never be able to do a new passage. Instead it identifies any shortfall in experience so that
suitable guidance can be offered.
A2
HULL CONSTRUCTION
Equivalent to BB3.03.1 Cat 1, but with alternative assessments included.
A3
STABILITY
ISO 12217-2 Cat A (equiv to BB Cat 2) used for monohulls . BB Cat 1 requires Cat A plus a higher
STIX. However, until the ISO standard changes it seems inappropriate to add to a category already
stipulating they yacht has to withstand 7m significant wave height (= approx. 14m max height) and
wind force 10.
As with hull strength standards, a common sense clause has been applied for boats that have proven
seaworthiness.
Several members of the ISO standards committees believe the ISAF have acted inappropriately in
calling up ISO standards as racing regulations. They hold the view that the ISO standard was written
on the basis that negotiation would be required between a notified body and the builder/designer,
which is incompatible with a prescriptive approach to regulation.
A4
WATER TANKS AND DRINKING WATER
The requirement in BB 3.18.1 for two permanent water tanks is unnecessary, as it is effectively
covered by limiting the water lost through a leak.
The minimum water carried is changed from distance to time; distance is irrelevant to consumption.
The amount stipulated corresponds to BB Cat 1 and 2 for a daily run of 200 miles. Allowance is made
for watermakers – I am surprised the BB doesn’t have this.
A5
BILGE PUMPS
As per BB 3.20 Cat 1 and 2
A6
ENGINE AND FUEL
As per BB 3.24 except min fuel defined by distance not duration – 200nm for Ocean.
A7
FLASHLIGHTS
Search light added as per ARC and Submission from YNSW-14 to 2017-20 BB review, instead of
extra flashlight of BB 4.06.
A8
FOGHORN
As per BB 4.08 plus recommendation not to use compressed air container – it runs out quickly.
A9
RADAR REFLECTOR
As per BB 4.09and ARC.
A10
NAVIGATION EQUIPMENT
As per BB 4.11.2 and 4.13.1 Cat 1. Paper charts don’t have to be carried as long as there is full
electronic redundancy – similar philosophy to commercial vessel regs.
A11
COMMUNICATIONS
This is a mix of BB 3.25 Cat 1 and ARC. BB requires HF and ARC requires email. The Green
Book requires email capabilty, it doesn’t care how you achieve it. . For an organised event it is
important for the organisers to be able to communicate fleet-wide rather than boat by boat. This is
not required for a yacht cruising on its own, though it is advantageous for the yacht to be able to
send a single email message out to all emergency contact addresses at once.
The HF v Satphone debate is summarised as follows
•
Both can be used for emailing
•
Both can be used for obtaining grib files
•
You can buy water resistant types of both HF and satphone but I have not found a water
proof version of either.
•
There have been claims of ocean “black spots” with some satphone systems. HF coverage
depends on atmospherics etc. but is never global
•
HF performance very dependent on quality of installation
•
HF is overall less reliable than satphone
•
HF more expensive to install but cheaper to run
•
HF unable to readily contact general shore support by voice (for ordering spare parts,
obtaining tech advice etc.)
•
HF appears to have slower data download, though some satphone setups/providers also
claimed to be slow.
•
The argument that HF broadcasts to “the world” instead of one receiver is diminished now
that ships and many coast stations no longer listen on HF, and a satphone with an email
distribution list can broadcast to multiple recipients. DSC on HF helps.
•
Satphones are portable - you can’t take an HF into a liferaft.
HF range of 200 nm is more than the Offshore Yellow book( 90nm) because yachts are going to be
further out to sea than in WA offshore racing series.
A12
AUTOMATIC STEERING
These are important safety equipment for short-handed sailing.
A13
LIFERAFTS AND TENDERS
Much simplified to allow for the many variants adopted on cruising yachts to address survival craft
needs..
Liferaft can be SOLAS, or ISO A (B is also allowed if not cruising in cold waters), or alternatives.
There is a case to be made for allowing a suitably designed and equipped inflatable dinghy used
regularly (familiarity = safety).
Stowage and launching requirements similar to BB, just much simplified. Lessons of Port Fairy report
applied. Deployment allows for hydrostatic release (as per ARC)
Recommend a crew member witnesses inspection (improves familiarity, and there have been
instances of shoddy inspections, mainly about 15 years ago)
Equipment list is based on BB Appendix A (USL liferafts). Probably needs reviewing.
A14
GRAB BAG CONTENTS
Grab bag on contents very similar to BB 4.20.2
A15
DINGHY
Added as per ARC (but who would go cruising without a dinghy?!)
A16
FLARES
Laser red flare options allowed.
Extra white flares beyond BB – as per ARC.
A17
LIFEBUOYS
This has been greatly simplified to requiring one lifesling, and one lifebuoy with dan buoy and drogue.
BB is rather confusing in its wording. Specs otherwise as per BB Cat 1 and 2.
A18
STORM SAILS
Similar to BB 4.24, though simplified and clarified, with some modifications:
Many modern production cruisers cannot fit effective inner forestays or trysail tracks, but have the
advantage of using engines to make headway in a gale. Greater choice is therefore offered of
weapons to select.
Consideration given to in-mast and in-boom furling issues.
Specifications of storm sails similar to BB except:
•
Storm jib size reduced by 20% -.
•
Trysail sizes reduced by 10%
There are lots of reports that racing storm sails are too big, hardly any that they are too small. These
reductions also help account for greater windage of most cruising yachts.
A19
LIFEJACKETS
Include extra lifejackets as per BB 5.01.8.
A20
PERSONAL LOCATOR BEACONS ( PLBS)
Personal AISs are offered as an alternative to PLBs. The former alert all local stations to a MOB,
whereas the latter alert National RCC, who must then identify and alert local resources. Each has its
merits and drawbacks.
A21
MEDICAL KITS
BB 4.07.05 pro-rates the kit when more than 10 crew are carried. Green Book pro ratas when more
than 4 crew. This addresses longer ocean voyages on slower yachts.
Kit contents are based on BB Cat 1, with the following changes made as a consequence of WA
submissions on the proposed 2017-20 BB:
Oxycodeone suppositories deleted. They are seldom used and the melting temperature/environment
on a yacht is more likely to have an effect than on tablets. Better to increase quantities of oxycodone
tablets and retain injectable morphine as the non-oral route.
Nitrlingual spray replaced with tablets. Shelf life of tablets is better than spray and if the patient has
any side effects e.g. dizzy from low blood pressure, they can be spat out (tablets are placed under
tongue, not swallowed).
Fixomull tape added; it is good for general use covering abrasions and to fix dressings to the skin.
Number of sterile eye patches reduced from 5 t o1. Water can be used to wash out eyes. Generally
eyes are not patched any more unless a penetrating eye injury, in which case a hard eye cover would
be used. If a soft cover is required then gauze from the Wounds section can be used.
Augmentin Duo Forte added. It is a useful broad-spectrum antibiotic with fewer side effects than
ciprofloxacillin. However, it must be labelled “Not for penicillin allergic”.
Prochlorperazine 12.5 mg ampules or Ondansetron wafers 4mg (e.g. Zofran Zydis wafer) for motion
sickness.
Doctor’s recommendation: Prochlorperazine suppositories are either not being stocked or
manufactured. Change to injectable version gives non-oral anti-sickness medication.
Pharmacist and nurse’s recommendation: Ondnasetron wafers provide non-swallowing anti-sickness
medication (they are placed under the tongue) without need to inject.
Dr Helga Weaving (consultant in Emergency Medicine at Fiona Stanley Hospital, and experienced
offshore sailor) comments that Ondansetron is an anti-emetic designed for chemotherapy patients it
is, however, not as effective as prochlorperazine for motion sickness, but it may be a useful adjunct.
Antihistamine dose reduced from 25 mg to 10 mg. Many people are over-sedated on 25mg, and
others can always take two 10mg tablets if required. Added benefit of also being useful for seasickness.
Furthermore, the following additions to BB allow for cruising in remote areas, and ageing
demographic of cruisers compared with racers:
•
hot water bottle (sprains etc.)
•
defibrilator (huge increase in survival chances compared with CPR alone). Defibs can be
bought for under $2,000 and do not require specialist training.
•
Fixamull dressing
•
Nurofen as well as paracetamol (it is an anti-inflammatory as well as pain reliever)
•
Visit GP and dentist
A special tropical waters addendum has been added, based on experience of doctors in the Beyond
Bali rally.
B SPECIAL RECOMMENDATIONS FOR MULTIHULLS
The basic philosophy of the BB applied to multihulls is different to the Green Book because a racing
multihull is an entirely different type of yacht to a typical cruising multihull. Cruising multihulls are
heavier and slower and have a very much lower risk of capsize than a racing multihull.(It is not
unreasonable to compare capsize likelihood of a cruising catamaran with that of many 10-20 year old
production cruising monohulls. See Cruising Section website- (under useful information- multi v
monohull article) for further details
There are very few cruising trimarans around so less effort has been expended on their requirements.
B1
STABILITY
As per BB 3.05.1 Cat 1. No equivalent of BB 3.05.2 or 3.05.3 is given because they are essentially
specific ways of achieving 3.05.1 requirement (and are impractical solutions for many cruising
multihulls). This clause requires evidence that a flooded multihull retains adequate buoyancy and
stability. This in turn requires a detailed damaged stability analysis, a costly procedure applied to most
commercial vessels, but one which very few designers undertake for recreational vessels.
Stability and flooding are dealt with in clause 7.12 of ISO 12217-2. That ISO standard is not called up
in the Blue Book, but the BB flooded stability requirements are derived from it. However, clause 7.12
in the ISO standard is only applied to multihulls that are deemed “vulnerable to inversion” under the
standard. Many production catamarans are deemed not vulnerable to inversion under this standard,
yet Blue Book clause 3.05 still requires them to comply with the inverted buoyancy requirements. It
appears that YA have cherry-picked from the ISO standard without realising the implications of their
actions.
B2
EXITS
The BB is complicated and confusing. It fails to distinguish sufficiently between an exit, an escape
hatch, a deck hatch and a companionway. This problem is addressed in the Green Book. The
positioning of escape hatches has been made less stringent because capsize likelihood is lower than
on racing multis and it is almost impossible for many production cruising multihulls to be modified to
conform with the Blue Book 3.06.4. This very complicated clause in essence requires multihulls more
than 12m long to have an escape exit in each hull, which sits above the waterline when the yacht is
capsized. Many such vessels do not have this.
Multihulls less than 12m long and less than 10 years old are offered the alternative of having cutting
tools positioned ready to cut the hull at an appropriate place for escape. (I think there is a mistake in
the BB here, as it does not require any escape hatches for multihulls under 12m long for Cat 1, only
for Cat 2,3 and 4!).
As with the flooding and watertight subdivision issue above, escape exits are dealt with in clause
7.13 of ISO 12217-2. However, clause 7.12 in the ISO standard is only applied to multihulls that are
deemed “vulnerable to inversion” under the standard. Many production catamarans are deemed not
vulnerable to inversion under this standard, yet Blue Book clause 3.06 still requires them to comply
with the inverted means-of-escape requirements. This appears to be another example of YA cherrypicking from the ISO standard without realising the implications of their actions.
B3
PULPITS, STANCHIONS, LIFELINES
Similar to BB 3.12.4, slightly simplified wording.
B4
MULTIHULL NETS OR TRAMPOLINES
BB 3.13.1(e) requires that “<a net shall be:> individually tied at each tie point of the net and not
continuously connected to more than four attachment points per connecting line”. The problem with
multiple discrete lashings is the potential for uneven and excessive load. Unless the lashings are very
stretchy, or they are all made up at almost identical pre-tension, the load falls initially on just the one
or two lashings that have the highest pre-tension. This load can be very close to the breaking load of
an individual lashing. When it breaks, that same high load transfers to whichever lashing is now at the
highest tension. That one breaks, and so the load transfers etc. The end result is the lashings fail one
after the other very quickly, a bit like tearing along the perforations of a postage stamp. Green book
allows for both individual and semi-continuous lashings.
B5
TOE RAIL AND NON-SKID
As per BB 3.14.2
B6
BILGE PUMPS
As per BB 3.20.2
B7
HULL IDENTIFICATION
This has been simplified to allow smaller individual patches with the same overall patch area. It is
difficult to attach large patches to the compound curves of many under-bridgedeck areas. The type of
patch material has been specified.
B8
JACKSTAYS AND TETHER CLIPPING POINTS
As per BB 4.03.1c and BB 4.03.2d