A very sensible list of safety equipment to be carried on board a boat waspublished by the Offshore Racing Council (ORC) in its 1994/5 Special Regulations Governing Offshore Racing. The list is extensive, but because it is comprehensive, it is given opposite.

Medical

The health of the crew is the skipper's responsibility and he or she should see that the food is nourishing and sufficient, that the boat is kept clean and that the crew practise basic hygiene. A good medical kit must be carried.

There is an excellent book (published by HMSO for the British Merchant Navy) called The Ship Captain's Medical Guide. It is written for a ship that does not carry a doctor and includes a recommended list of medical supplies. Most doctors will supply prescriptions for antibiotics when the purpose has been explained. Two other books to recommend are The International Medical for Ships, published by the World Health Organisation, and First Aid at Sea, by Douglas Justins and Colin Berry (Adlard Coles Nautical, London).

Safety on deck

Prevention is always better than cure. Everyone on board should know their way about the deck, and know what everything is for. A good way of training is to take the boat out night sailing so that the crew get to know instinctively where everything is and what to avoid. Train the crew to squat whenever the boat lurches - it lowers the centre of gravity and makes toppling overside less likely.

In rough weather, make sure that all the crew wear their life-jackets and safety harnesses when on deck, and that they clip their harness to a strong point. A good attitude on board is that crew should wear their lifejackets at night, when told to and when they want to. If the crew have to go out from the cockpit, they should clip the harness to a wire jackstay that runs all the way from right forward to the cockpit for this purpose.

Man overboard

If someone falls overside, immediately throw a life-buoy into the water and summon the whole crew on deck. The aim is to get back and pick them up as quickly as possible, so post a look-out to keep an eye on the casualty, and the rest of the crew should assist with turning the boat around. It is worthwhile putting the boat straight in the wind, as this stops you close to the casualty, then start the engine and motor back. On one occasion in the Southern Ocean, we lost a man overside, and we ran on more than a mile before we could get the spinnaker down. Because of the large swell, the only way we could locate him when we turned round was by heading for the sea birds that were circling him. We got him back, after about 20 minutes, by which time he was unable to assist himself because of the cold.

In the upper latitudes, there is a real danger of hypothermia, so it is vital to warm the person as quickly as possible. Strip off their wet clothing and towel them dry, then put them in a warm sleeping bag. The heat is retained better if the sleeping bag can be put into a large plastic bag. If the person is very cold, it may be necessary for someone else to strip and climb into the bag with the casualty and warm them with their own body.

If the casualty is conscious, feed them hot soup or tea. Remember that it can be a nerve-shattering experience and that they may need time to get over the shock. Do not give them alcohol.

Abandoning the boat

When, as a last resort, it becomes necessary to leave the boat, set off the EPIRB, and, if possible, send out a digital selective distress call on the appropriate frequency or by satellite communications. Inflate the life-raft and pull it alongside. Put one or two of the crew on board, and, if there is time, pass over as much food, water and clothing as possible, plus the EPIRB and SART. If the boat's dinghy is available, tie it to the life-raft, as it will give extra space and also help create a larger target for rescuers. Only leave the boat if there is absolutely no alternative. Life-rafts are small and not particularly robust, and it is always preferable to keep the boat afloat if humanly possible.

The usual reason for abandoning a boat is that it has been holed. One method of improving its survivability is to fit it with water-tight bulkheads so that its volume is roughly divided into three. The Marine and Coastguard Agency insists on water- tight sub-division on yachts that take paying crew, which means that if the boat is holed the chances are that it will lose only a proportion of its buoyancy and there will still be dry, safe shelter for the crew. From the comparative safety of one of the 'safe' parts of the boat, a plan can probably be made to fix the leak.

When it is necessary to abandon the boat, having got as much food and useful equipment aboard the life-raft as possible, cut the painter and get clear. Then take stock of what you have, and post a look-out.

Ration supplies from the start. The best way to do this is to avoid food for the first day, as the stomach shrinks and the body's demand for food falls. Ration water to about a quarter of a litre a day and issue it in sips. On no account should sea water be drunk, but it can be used for washing and cooling in hot weather. Humans can last for amazingly long periods without food, but they do need water. Any rain should be trapped and saved. The canopy of the life-raft can be used for this purpose, as could the dinghy, if it has been taken along. Do not eat raw fish unless there is a plentiful water supply, as they are very rich in protein and ruin the liver unless the surplus can be washed out of the system. As a general rule, one volume of protein will require two volumes of water. Where water is plentiful, fish should be hunted. Most pelagic fish are edible, and quite often they will swim around a boat or dinghy out of curiosity. Inedible fish are found close to land or on reefs.

Keep movement to a minimum to conserve energy and, in cold weather, hold on to urine as long as possible to retain its heat. In hot, sunny weather, try to keep everyone in the shade. Find some mental stimulus in order to maintain morale, and remember that the crew will be looking to the skipper to set an example, so remain positive. Humans have survived for well over three months on a life-raft, but only because they had a strong will to live and were able to improvise. My book, Seamanship (Hodder and Stoughton), may prove useful further reading.