Lesson 1 Boat Safety

1.0 Preparation

‘Jargon’ or specialised language has been developed over the years to refer to specific aspects of boating and provide clear and concise communication. You don’t need to know all of the terminology, but a working knowledge will prove useful.
REMEMBER:
Hull, transom, helm, beam

Parts of a boat

Two basic hull shapes
Hull shapes determine:
1. how it will handle
2. how fast
3. how steady
4. load capacity
5. how safe

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​1.3 The Hull

Open Ended

What is one thing the hull shape determines?

• deep, full-bodied hull
• good load-carrying capacity
• easily moved with modest power
• easy, comfortable motion.

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Displacement Hull

light boats with less load-carrying capacity
• sufficient power
• hull shaped to provide lift
• most are hard-chined with a relatively flat section to the hull
• capable of much higher speeds than displacement boats.

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Planing Hull

This hull shape has a hard chine but a deep V forward reducing to a shallow V or nearly flat section aft. These boats require very large engines to achieve planing. The deep V-section hulls cut through the water, giving a softer ride than boats with shallower hulls. They are primarily built for offshore performance as they ride well in a seaway and track well through waves. They require larger motors with corresponding increases in fuel costs.

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Semi-displacement hull

• Great stability

• more expensive

Catamaran Hull

Match

Match the following

Semi-displacement Hull

Planing Hull

Displacement Hull

Inflatable

Catamaran Hull

• Semi-displacement Hull

• Planing Hull

• Displacement Hull

• Inflatable

• Catamaran Hull

• fibreglass

• aluminium

• rigid inflatables

• steel

• timber

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1.4 Construction Materials

Each boat, depending on its design and intended use, will require different types of propulsion. Most boats use outboard engines and are less than 6 m in length. Larger keel boats and motor cruisers will have inboards or stern drive (inboard/outboard) motors.

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​Types of propulsion

Outboards come in a large range of sizes, numbers of cylinders and horsepower and can use different fuel types: • small electric trolling motors • petrol and oil mixture two-cycle engines • petrol-only four-cycle engines • diesel powered outboards • fuel and oil injected two-cycle engines.

Outboard

Stern drives are generally heavier than outboards. They consist of an engine mounted inboard and a drive unit attached low on the transom.

Stern inboards/outboars

On larger displacement boats, shaft-driven propellers and steering by rudder from tiller or wheel are the norm.

Inboards

All new recreational craft manufactured or imported into Queensland since September 2006 are required to show an Australian Builders Plate (ABP).
The plate provides essential safety information about the use and limitations of the boat including the maximum number of people allowed on board, engine rating and weight and buoyancy performance (see below for full details shown on the Australian Builders Plate).

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Australian Builders Plate

Seaworthiness includes:
• the suitability of the boat and its propulsion for the type of activities and area of operations
• the physical condition of the boat itself
• proper loading with adequate freeboard
• carrying required and other necessary safety equipment
• operating within the limitations and capabilities of the skipper and crew
• complying with all regulations, including displaying correct navigation lights at night.

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​Seaworthiness

All boats fitted with a motor or auxiliary engine of 3kW or more require registration when on the water in Queensland.

The boat will be allocated registration symbols. These must be clearly visible in plain characters in a contrasting colour to the hull of the boat. The size of the characters depends on the type of boat:
• boats capable of planing, for example speed boats and dinghies—minimum of 150 mm high on both sides
• for all other boats (excluding personal watercraft*)— minimum of 75 mm high on both sides or on the stern

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​Registration

Overloading is dangerous and one of the easiest ways to capsize your boat. The more weight in the boat, the lower the freeboard. Freeboard is the minimum vertical distance from the surface of the water to the gunwale. The gunwale is the upper edge of an open boat. Overloading compromises the safety of everyone on board and increases the chance of swamping or capsizing.

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1.10 Capacity Specification

Multiple Choice

Which of the following is NOT seaworthiness

• the suitability of the boat and its propulsion for the type of activities and area of operations

• The type of camping gear added to the boat LessonWeeWeek

• the physical condition of the boat itself

• carrying required and other necessary safety equipment