Visiting the Med, Scandinavia, or the UK? The legalities vary from region to region and even country to country. Read more
Articles are of general interest to the entire CCA membership, and are not particular to any specific station. Categories include Feature Articles, Safety Moments, White Papers and For Ocean Racers.
Submitted by Fleet Captain Ernie Godshalk
General
Flags are displayed properly or not at all.
Morning colors are made at 0800; evening colors at sunset; when in foreign waters, evening colors may be made according to local custom; evening colors are, subject to local custom, observed at 2100 hours if sunset is later.
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Both these incidents illustrate the fact that yacht safety equipment is useful only to the extent it can be accessed in difficult conditions, that it is in working order, and that the operator is thoroughly familiar with its operation. They also illustrate that guiding a rescue vessel into the vicinity of survivors in the water or in a life raft is not the end of the rescue problem. There remains the problem of visually spotting the victims among waves or swells, often… Read more
The Cruising Club of America has always been explicitly amateur. The test of one’s suitability for election is a robust blue-water resume with voyaging accomplishments for one’s pleasure and not for remuneration. The boundaries of professionalism have been debated for decades in the Club’s membership committees but one professional category has remained untouched, that of yacht designers. … Read more
Frequent travelers, or those listening to a particularly good podcast, frequently skip the safety briefing because “they’ve heard it all before 1,000 times” and find no value in it. Similarly, when sailing, we become immune to repetitive messages about safety because “we’ve heard it all before.” But there are instances when things ARE different, and we’re foolish if we don’t listen, and listen carefully. Read more
Circumnavigations, Antarctica, Women Sailors and more. Read it here Read more
The CCA Offshore Communications Committee has prepared an in-depth overview of offshore communications methods and considerations, from VHF to Starlink. Those planning an offshore voyage should consider reviewing this document.
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... There did seem to be some sort of moisture on the interior surfaces of the engine enclosure, but those surfaces led down to a gel-coat covered bilge pan, intended to keep any engine drips from going beyond the engine and messing up the rest of the bilge. Read more
If your boat is equipped with a Jefa rudder system, the design may be the type with a locking ring located above the top bearing to prevent the rudder from sliding out of the vessel. During 2022 and 2023, we discovered four boats equipped with a Jefa rudder system, where the step for pre-drilling the set screw locations had not been performed. Read more
“Safety Moments, presented at CCA Stations and Posts”
By Chuck Hawley, San Francisco Station, November 2023
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A fire at a marina in Maine destroyed one boat and damaged another. Loss or significant damage to several other boats was averted due to the unusually fast response of the local volunteer fire department. There are several important observations and lessons learned from this incident. Read more
The biggest issue with mid-sized batteries is charging. Think the battery on an E-bike, or even an electric outboard. These batteries are known sinners. The New York City Fire Department counts over 200 E-bike lithium fires per year, primarily when batteries are being charged. Read more