The CCA is pleased to share our training materials and other resources with those who have taken our Safety at Sea hands-on training and the general sailing public interested in keeping up with safety at sea practices and equipment.
Life Jackets, Tethers, & MOB
Choosing and Wearing
- CCA Life Jacket Lessons Learned
- CCA Life Jacket Article Series (Chuck Hawley):
- (Video) PFD overview and consumer guide review (LRSE)
- (Video) Is your tether a death trap? (Side wall vs. flat plate, redundancy, and more) (John Schafer)
MAINTenance
- Inflatable Life Jacket Maintenance and Rearming (Chuck Hawley)
- (Video) How to Test a Mustang PFD (LRSE)
- (Video) How to Test a Spinlock PFD (LRSE)
AIS Beacons
- (Video) How to Install Your AIS in a Mustang PFD (LRSE)
- (Video) How to Reprogram Your AIS (LRSE)
- (Video) How to Test Your AIS (LRSE)
Man overboard
Fire
- USCG Fire Extinguisher Requirements for Recreational Vessels
- Boat Fire at a Marina Dock (Mark Lenci)
Flood Training
Damage Control
Course resources
- Boat Preparation for Offshore Racing (Rives Potts)
- S/V Chasseur Operating Instructions (Michael Keyworth)
- Offshore Tool Box (pdf version) (web version)
- Damage Control Matrix (Storm Trysail Club)
- Ditch Kit Recommendations (Storm Trysail Club)
Additional resources
- Safety Moment: New Safety Regulation Highlights Keel Security (Sally Honey)
- Remember to Check Your Keels and Rudders! (Sally Honey)
- A Guide to Steering Without a Rudder (Michael Keyworth)
- Abandon Ship Bag (Jim Woodward)
- Seamanship, Leadership, and Safety-at-Sea Handbook (Storm Trysail Club)
Emergency Signals/Communications
Course Resources
- Emergency Communication Devices (Brian Flowers, LRSE)
- Emergency Visual Signaling Devices (Flares) (CCA/NYYC)
- Layered Emergency Signaling Strategy (CCA)
Additional Resources
- CCA Coastal and Offshore Communications Guide
- Big Brother is NOT Watching You: When Comms Go Bad (Michael Moradzadeh)
- DSC Radio Check: Fast, Easy, and Automatic (Charles Starke)
- (Video) VHF DSC distress call demonstration (Mark Lenci)
Putting It All Together
Course Resources
- Handling Emergencies – The Captain’s Perspective (Mark Lenci)
- Lessons Learned from Magic Bus Sinking (Mark Lenci)
- Lessons Learned from Alliance Sinking (Mark Lenci)
- Closing Session slide deck (Mark Lenci)
- Skipper’s Pre-Departure Safety Briefing Checklist (CCA) (pdf version) (docx version)
Preparation Aids
- Newport Bermuda Race 2026 Safety Requirements for Monohulls
- Newport Bermuda Race 2026 Safety Requirements for Multihulls
Safety Review Reports
- Alliance Inquiry Report (US Sailing/BROC/CCA) (See also Alliance Standing Plans (Eric Irwin and Mary Martin))
- Gunga Din Inquiry Report (US Sailing/BROC/CCA)
- Solution Inquiry Report (US Sailing/BROC/CCA)
- Technical Report on the Sinkings of Gunga Din and Alliance (US Sailing/BROC/CCA)
- Safety Moment: 2024 Sydney-Hobart Incidents Review (Chuck Hawley)