For sailing events organised by Natuurlijk Varen

Version 16 october 2024

Contents

1. Own responsibility
2. Mandatory equipment for your boat
3. Crew and safety
4. Sailing

1. Own responsibility

Participation in the Dorestad raid (or other events organized by Natuurlijk Varen) is always entirely at your own risk. Natuurlijk Varen can never be held liable in this respect. Please also see the Terms and Conditions published on the website:

Terms and Conditions

Skippers are responsible for crew and their boat. The participants must have sufficient sailing/boating skills, also on larger and/or more exposed inland waterways.

Naturally, your boat must be properly equipped for the trip. Certain requirements apply to a raid boat with regard to:

• Being able to complete a long trip of 25 km in 6 sailing hours with your boat, in principle in all conditions.
• Secondary propulsion by muscle power. The boat must be able to be propelled under muscle power at a reasonable speed (the guideline is 4 km/h in calm weather).
• An easy-to-lower mast to pass under low bridges.
• Draft (retrievable centerboard or daggerboard).
• Buoyancy (mandatory).
• Etc.

If you are not sure whether your boat is suitable for participation, please contact Natuurlijk Varen beforehand as to avoid problems during the raid!

The Dorestad raid is organized without rescue boats. There are usually a few boats with an outboard, but these may be far ahead or much behind you!

Phone calls are often difficult in rough circumstances. Most of us have the mobile phone in a waterproof container and may not always be able to respond to a call quickly.

Kindly note that the trip can also take place in weather conditions in which you would not normally head out. The events organised are challenges that can bring you a lot of satisfaction (and good stories!), but please remain aware of the possible limitations of crew and boat.

1. Mandatory equipment for your boat

• Buoyancy. Sufficient buoyancy is mandatory and necessary to be able to right and empty a capsized boat during an event. Use buoyancy bags if your boat does not have (sufficient) built-in buoyancy tanks. Fix such bags securely in the boat with multiple straps to prevent them from loosening if you capsize. It is of course important that the top of the centreboard/daggerboard trunk remains above water when the boat is full of water.

• Centerboard or dagger board. If your boat has been fitted with a centerboard or dagger board, please make sure that the board cannot disappear into the trunk when the boat turtles (i.e. becomes fully inverted with the mast pointing down). In a boat equipped with a centerboard it might be an idea to attach a piece of rope through a hole drilled in the bottom of the centerboard so that you can pull the centerboard out of the case once the boat has turned turtle. With a dagger board, a piece of elastic band that pulls the dagger board forward may hold the dagger board in its position in the trunk. Be aware that without the board protruding from the underside of the boat, the boat will be much harder to right. A hollow watertight mast will help to prevent the boat going turtle.

• Bucket. Make sure you have a sturdy bucket that is secured to the boat so that you can easily empty the boat. Provide a second means as to bail out the boat (hand bailer, second bucket, pump, etc.). It is useful to place the bucket on the back of the boat so that you can put it overboard using it as a brake if necessary.

• Anchor. An important safety device, especially on larger and/or running water. Keep the anchor (if reasonably possible) ready for use, i.e. with the anchor line firmly attached to the boat. Only fix the anchor to the mast if the mast is firmly attached to the boat and cannot be pulled out. Make sure that the anchor line is readily coiled (a Velcro strap keeps it neatly together and can be released in one movement). You do not want any kinks and twists in the anchor line in stressful situations! Of course, all parts making up your anchoring set-up (anchor, line and/or chain) must be complimentary to each other.

• Secondary propulsion: oars, paddles, sculling oar and push pole. We love sailing, but not always there is wind or the canal may be too narrow. You must therefore provide for secondary propulsion for the boat, obviously powered by your own muscles (after all, this is an event organized by Natuurlijk Varen!).

For most boats this will mean one or more pairs of oars. For sailing canoes a kayak (double bladed) paddle and a single bladed paddle.

For sailing/rowing boats it is also very useful to have one or two paddles on board. For example, it is much easier to enter a lock under paddle power than with oars and if you break or lose an oar, you can still continue, albeit at a slower pace. A paddle is also quicker to deploy than the oars.

Make sure that paddles and/or oars are attached to the boat (especially in stronger winds), so that you do not lose them if you capsize. Of course it is useful if they can be quickly released.

Larger and heavier boats may benefit from a push pole and a sculling notch can also provide good service.

• Tow line. Make sure you have a (floating) tow line on board that is at least 15-20 meters long. A bright colour is recommended here.

• Reefs. You need to be able to reef in order to deal with different weather conditions. Make sure the boat is well prepared for this. With a lot of wind and waves it is not convenient if the reefing installation still has to be put in order on the water.

• Shackles and securing the rudder. Shackles rattle loose at the most inconvenient moments. Therefore, secure all shackles that do not need to be opened regularly with a tie-wrap. A good alternative is to use Dyneema soft shackles. Also ensure that your rudder and tiller are secured.

• Boat fenders. Carry a sufficient number of fenders onboard (at least 2, but preferably 1 or 2 more).

• Mooring lines. Carry 4 of sufficient length in order to be able to moor the boat to the quay, other boats, in locks, etc.

To prevent damage to your own boat and other boats, please use both a front mooring line and a rear mooring line, as well as a fore spring and aft spring. If your boat is moored alongside 2 or more other boats, please set long lines from the third boat (counted from the shore) to the shore or accommodation ship.

• Foghorn. To attract attention or make your presence known in a fog.

• Spare supplies. Make sure you have some spare lines, extra shackles and blocks, tools, tape, epoxy, etc. to solve problems during a trip. If it doesn’t benefit you, perhaps it will another participant!

• Map. Always bring a map of the sailing area with you. Do not simply follow other participants, but be aware of the route to be sailed. A detour is not always pleasant!

1. Crew and Safety

• Buoyancy aids (Personal Flotation Device) / lifejackets. It is mandatory for every person on board to have a buoyancy aid (Personal Flotation Device) or life jacket on board!

Always wear it during rougher weather, in locks and/or when wearing a raincoat, rain pants and/or boots (the so-called two out of three rule  if you wear two or more of the three items mentioned, always wear the buoyancy aid or life jacket) .

A buoyancy aid gives you more freedom of movement: you can swim with it, right a boat and climb back on board.

A life jacket, especially inflatable ones, are very useful if you are unconscious in the water; the life jacket then turns you on your back, keeping your face above water. However, swimming, righting the boat and climbing back into the boat is a lot more difficult or even impossible.

When sailing small (open) boats, a buoyancy aid should generally be preferred due to the risk of capsizing. Make sure the buoyancy aid has a whistle allowing you to attract attention if necessary. Always wear the buoyancy aid or life jacket over your clothing!

• Capsizing. Your boat may also capsize and make sure that you are prepared for this. Know how to right your boat and practice this on a nice summer day. You will then find out in a timely manner and in controlled circumstances whether you and your boat are ready for this.

Make sure everything is tied securely to the boat so you do not lose things anything if a capsize would happen. Test if you can climb on board again easily. A swimming ladder, rope loop, rope ladder, or perhaps a little step on the rudder on larger boats may prove to be necessary. You do not want to find this out too late!

See also the experiences gained during the “Capsizing day”, organized in 2015 by participants of Natuurlijk Varen. A video of this event you can find here: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fb6CJ1nLKY0

– Footwear. Perhaps it goes without saying, but wear non-slip boat shoes to ensure good grip, even on a wet surface and on a clear-lacquered deck. Sailing boots are nice in bad weather.

• Rainwear. Always take rain pants and a raincoat with you. They also keep out cold winds and prevent you from cooling down quickly.

• Spare clothing. Always take extra dry clothes with you. Make sure they are kept in a waterproof container or bag, preferably in a separate plastic bag so that you can be sure they remain dry.

• First aid kit. Mandatory equipment for each boat.

• Emergency blanket (heat reflective space blanket). Make sure you have an emergency blanket on board for every crew member. An emergency blanket holds the heat and can help prevent hypothermia. They occupy very little space and are cheap. The first aid kit and emergency blanket should be stored in a waterproof container/bag.

• Food and (hot) drinks.

• Sailing knife. Always useful for stuck shackles, a knot that won’t loosen or to cut through a piece of rope.

1. Sailing

• Order and tidiness. Everything on board has a fixed place so that you can quickly find what you need.

• Lowering the mast. We regularly have to lower the mast for low fixed bridges. Make it as easy as possible for yourself and make sure that shackles and the like cannot fall overboard. A pelican hook for your forestay is very handy, but secure it with a ring or otherwise!

• Everything secured to the boat!! Watertight containers, oars, paddles, floor boards, bailers, clothing bags, etc., in short everything needs to be secured to the boat (if you accidentally capsize, you do not have time to save all the floating stuff!).

• Crew. Make your crew familiar with your boat. In principle, the crew also has to be able to sail the boat to a safe place in case the skipper is out of action.

• Tough? You can always be tough afterwards. Don’t be ashamed to find a safe place and ride out a shower/squall if it actually becomes too much (in others, be aware of peer pressure). It is okay to arrive at the destination a little later. A message to the organization would be useful.

• Eyes. You also need to have them in back of your head. Regularly look around for other boats and check for changes in the weather so that you are constantly aware of your surroundings.

• Good seamanship. Take other boats into account and give them space where necessary. Naturally, we try to assist each other when boats or crew are in danger. Always consider your own safety first however!

• Boating rules. You must comply with the boating rules applicable on the waters where we are sailing.

• Commercial shipping. Take particular account of commercial shipping and give it priority at all times. Stay out of the blind spot of an inland waterway barge and give it ample space. Do not make any maneuvers in short distance of such upcoming commercial vessel (short means a few hundred meters!). These commercial vessels usually go a lot faster than you think (16-20 km/hour on stagnant water) and they need a lot of space for maneuvering (they do not need to do that for you!).