What happens if something goes wrong on charter? It’s something that you should be thinking about. Sailing involves a few risks, both onboard and in the water around the vessel. You should consider the risks and have a plan in case of accident.
For medical first aid problems, your charter vessel will come equipped with a medical kit. It’s generally simple stuff to deal with cuts and grazes. Sunburn is obviously worth watching for, and you will need to properly equip for that. Also, remain hydrated as that can cause you a problem if not managed.
During the boat brief your charter company will have shown you simple ‘fix it’ steps that you can deal with yourself, such as clearing a blocked sea strainer which may be causing a problem with running the generator. For other issues that come up they will despatch a high speed chase boat to find you and hopefully fix the problem where you are. Bigger issues may require you to return to base.
For medical emergencies that go beyond the capability of the first aid kit, or the skill of people in your crew there is VISAR. This is a remarkable organization set up on the lines of the RNLI in the UK. Volunteer based and funded by donations and grants this organization was created in the early 1990s and since then have carried out over 1600 rescue missions. Most BVI charter companies include a nominal donation to VISAR as part of the cost of the charter.
VISAR maintains 2 bases, one on Tortola at the entrance to Road Reef Marina and the other on Virgin Gorda in the Yacht Harbor, and the team remain on call 24 hours a day, 7 days a week. You can reach them by dialing 767 on a local phone or on +1 284-499-0911. They are typically on site to locations in the Sir Francis Drake channel within 20-30 mins.
Start the trip off well with a proper safety brief. Make sure your crew know the locations of safety equipment and how to use it. Make sure everyone knows how to contact VISAR and the charter base and, also, how to use Channel 16 on the VHF radio. These tools are there for your safety and time spent thinking through things that can go wrong will be time well invested if they actually do!
With all that said, the charter is there to be enjoyed. Contact me by leaving a comment for details of how to charter ARTEMIS and I look forward to seeing you on the water.