Austin Yacht Club (AYC) is partnering with Storm Trysail Club (STC) in offering US Sailing Sanctioned Hands-On Safety at Sea Training Seminar. This is a first-of-its-kind event to be offered in the Central Texas area.

The seminar will be a one full-day event conducted 7:45am - 6:30pm Saturday, 16 September at AYC on Lake Travis.

Building on the success of past seminars run by and in partnership with STC, this event will follow an interactive curriculum where participants will learn about damage control, fire distress rockets and flares, put out fires, set storm sails, and exercise water survival skills & use of life rafts, and perform a crew overboard (COB) rescue among other activities.

One of three safety at sea certifications can be earned by a combination of participation in the training seminar and completion of online course material:

• US Sailing Sanctioned Offshore Safety at Sea Course certificate by participating in the Hands-on Training Seminar and viewing the Storm Trysail’s Video Library @ https://stormtrysail.org/sas-resources/#Videos
  
  
• US Sailing Sanctioned International Offshore Safety at Sea Course with Hands-on Training certificate by completion of the US Sailing Safety at Sea: Offshore Online Course (Units 1-15) in advance and participating in the Hands-on Training Seminar
  
  
• World Sailing certificate refresh (taken within last 10 years) by completion of the US Sailing Safety at Sea: Offshore Upgrade Online Course (Units 11-15) in advance and participating in the Hands-on Training Seminar

Should you opt for a certification that includes a US Sailing Safety at Sea online course you will be issued a unique course code and information on how to access the online courses following completed registration and payment for the AYC Hands-On Safety at Sea seminar.

All hands-on seminar participants must review the following STC videos:

• Crew Overboard video with Gary Jobson @ https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LjQtQmX_1VM
  
  
• “Damage Control: Don’t Give up the Ship” Safety Seminar hosted by David Tunick @ https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=m8TP9ZR5S5Y&t=4s
  
  
• Shorthanded Sailing video hosted by NYYC and done in cooperation with CCA and Royal Bermuda YC @ https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=d2JkGnVs3pk&t=1s

You will achieve greatest benefit by paying close attention to the COB sections of the video and familiarizing yourself with the Safety at Sea Damage Control Grid.

The seminar culminates (ends) with a quiz testing your knowledge gained during the course of the training.

Summary of Seminar Curriculum

• On the water session with COB recovery, setting storm sails & emergency steering
• In-the-water session with PFD, life raft use and combating hypothermia
• Firefighting instruction, use of flares and pyrotechnics
• Emergency communications and Search & Rescue
• Damage Control

Seminar curriculum and skills practice are suitable for both keel boats and multi-hulls. Participation in the hands-on training seminar is open to both racers and cruisers. 

Hands-on Training Seminar and Certification Fees

All hands-on training seminar fees include breakfast pastries and coffee, lunch and afternoon snacks and refreshments.

Each participant needs to register seperately.

When registering for hands-on training seminar select only one of the following:

• $300.00 - US Sailing Sanctioned Offshore Safety at Sea Course certification
  
  
• $435.00 - US Sailing Sanctioned International Offshore Safety at Sea Course with Hands-on Training certification ($300.00 hands-on training seminar + additional fee of $135.00 for US Sailing Safety at Sea: Offshore Online Course (Units 1-15)
  
  
• $350.00 - US Sailing Sanctioned International Offshore Safety at Sea Course with Hands-on Training certificate “Upgrade” (aka World Sailing certificate refresh - $300.00 hands-on training seminar + additional fee of $50.00 for Offshore Online Course (Units 11-15)

Payment is due in FULL at the time of registration.  Credit cards are accepted. Spaces are limited so do not wait to register.

Once your registration payment has been processed, you will receive a registration confirmation e-mail from Austin Yacht Club.

For those opting to include US Sailing Safety at Sea online course content a separate e-mail will be sent that will include important information about course requirements and a link to the seminar site.

Questions can be directed to the Event Chair, Michael Moran

What to Bring

The seminar will be an all-day affair. You will be in the classroom, in the water and outdoors for the fire safety segment and on a boat practicing COB. Please be prepared for all these different environments.

We recommend you bring the following:

• Foul / cold weather sailing gear (foulies) for on-the-water activities (weather dependent)
  
  
• Inflatable PFD, spare CO2 cartridge (or a second offshore/dinghy style lifejacket) AND safety tether
  
  
• Spare set of clothes and old foul weather gear for the in-the-water session - this session involves entry into lake water with full foul weather gear (foulies) and inflatable PFD, and includes climbing into an inflatable life raft
  
  
• Reusable water bottle to maintain hydration

Make sure you have a towel and change of clothes along with primary foul weather gear for your other on-the-water activities.