The mother of success and safety

They say that Preparation is the mother of success. For the Stockholm Archipelago Raid sailors that is clearly the case. Sometimes the difference between 5 points on a leg, or even finishing the leg, is only about making the right preparations and bringing the right equipment on board, planning the navigation in advance etc.

But preparations is also about security and making sure that you prepare for the worst. Most accidents is about boats flipping over in strong winds or hitting a rock trying to make a time saving short-cut some where. That happens even to the top teams and in almost every case the team can help itself and continue the race right away or the next leg.

Sailor with severe knee injury being airlifted by Rescue Helicopter during the F18 Raid Worlds 2017.

However, occasionally there are injuries or accidents when the teams need assistance. A number of security boats can be called upon, but it requires the right equipment onboard and on all sailors, like a charged mobile phone, a VHF and a flare. It has happened more than once that sailors try to call the Safety Organisation only to find their phone is out of battery because they used it for navigation and the VHF is dead since it wasn’t as water proof as it should have been.

Make sure to come well prepared and don’t take safety precautions lightly.  With all gear in order you can enjoy the sailing and just have fun in a safe way in the wilderness of the remote parts of the Stockholm Archipelago.

See updated Notice of Race and Safety equipment check list for all details.