The Salty Dawg Sailing Association has compiled some of the best offshore preparation and safety checklists available, plus a great article by Andrew Cross. All Salty Dawgs are encouraged to use these checklists in preparation for an offshore passage. Where items are not well understood, seek help from experienced sailors in the Rally fleet, Rally management, or local marine services resources. It can’t hurt to use all of these lists – there is some overlap, but there is no limit on good ideas.
First, here is an excellent article from Cruising Compass on recommended safety gear for the modern offshore sailing vessel by Andrew Cross.
OUTFITTING YOUR SAILBOAT FOR SAFETY AT SEA
by Andrew Cross
With the amount of gear and opinions available on what you should or should not have, fitting out a sailboat for blue water has never been more daunting. Couple that with the highly personal nature of the seamanship and safety decisions that need to be made, and getting a boat ready for offshore work can seem like a major obstacle to attaining the cruising dream. But it doesn’t have to be. When cruising sailors talk about fitting out their boats for adventures on the high seas, the focus usually seems to be on big ticket items or creature comforts: a new dinghy and outboard, rigging, refrigeration, self-steering, wind and solar, etc. But there are a handful of safety considerations to take into account when preparing your boat and crew for the rigors of ocean sailing.
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Suggested Checklists
Lance Gettler’s Offshore Sailing Pre-Passage Inspection Checklist, 28 pages (Kindle Book – read for free)