I remember one of the Christmas presents I received on the eve of my first Sydney-Hobart yacht race in 1987. It was a small, black Maglite torch, with a lanyard attached – my personal light to be used when working on deck at night. It was also very useful down below at change of watch when searching for my sheepskin hat or sailing gloves or other ‘missing’ piece of clothing or equipment. It meant that I did not have to switch lights on to find my way around, disturbing other crew members in the process.
After the recent loss of two crew members from the yacht, Shockwave, at Flinders Islet, the Cruising Yacht Club of Australia (CYCA) set up an internal inquiry. The fourth of the six recommendations made by the Board of the CYCA recognised the importance of providing illumination below decks, stating that it “may be achieved by providing each crew member with a small portable torch for use in the event of complete electrical failure on the yacht or any other emergencies”.
Lucky for me that Jim had years earlier provided me with this safeguard.
Read our full report on the Board’s recommendations in our Newsletter Archive.
