Safetics Guide: The Sailor’s Safety Checklist

The Safetics Guide is a maritime safety guide designed to help sailors prepare for their voyage, adopt the right safety habits and react effectively in unexpected situations at sea. Inspired by the checklists used in aviation, it brings together, in a compact and practical format, the main information needed for the safety of a boat and its crew.

Designed for both sailing yachts and motorboats, the Safetics Guide is suitable for beginners and experienced sailors, boat owners and crew members, as well as people who have obtained their boating licence or are preparing for coastal or offshore sailing. Its waterproof, tear-resistant and particularly compact format makes it easy to keep on board and consult in a marine environment. The guide contains 60 pages organized into six main sections: On Land, At Sea, Memo, Emergency, Distress and Rescue, supplemented by a maritime glossary, abbreviations, conversion tables and the international alphabet.

A maritime safety guide based on the checklist principle

At sea, many incidents can be mitigated through careful preparation. Checking the boat before departure, knowing the safety equipment, monitoring the weather, preparing communication systems and knowing how to respond to a breakdown or emergency are all essential elements of prevention.

The principle behind the Safetics Guide is to turn these good practices into simple procedures that can be consulted easily. The sailor can therefore use the guide before departure, during navigation or whenever an unusual situation occurs.

This approach is particularly useful for crews made up of several people. A checklist helps share safety procedures and prevents all safety knowledge from resting solely with the skipper.

The guide can help sailors check:

• boat preparation before departure;

• safety equipment;

• essential items to inspect before going to sea;

• fundamental navigation rules;

• maritime buoyage;

• emergency procedures;

• distress procedures;

• rescue procedures;

• appropriate action in a man-overboard situation;

• essential maritime terms and abbreviations.

A guide suitable for sailing yachts and motorboats

Safetics was designed as a universal onboard safety guide, suitable for both sailing yachts and motorboats. It therefore covers very different situations: a day trip close to the coast, a cruise lasting several days, solo sailing, crewed sailing or offshore passages.

For example, a sailing yacht navigating off Brittany can use the safety procedures before a passage between Saint-Malo and Brest or during a voyage towards Lorient and La Rochelle. On a motorboat, the same principles can be applied during a cruise between Marseille, Toulon and Corsica.

The guide is also relevant for crew members who do not sail regularly. In an emergency, having simple and structured information available can make it easier to understand what needs to be done.

The six main sections of the Safetics Guide

The guide is structured so that the required information can be found quickly.

The six main sections are:

• On Land: preparation and checks before departure;

• At Sea: good practices and essential navigation rules;

• Memo: practical information that should remain readily accessible;

• Emergency: procedures to know when an incident occurs;

• Distress: what to do when assistance is required;

• Rescue: information relating to rescue situations.

The guide also includes a maritime glossary, abbreviations, conversion tables and the international alphabet. This organization is designed to avoid lengthy searches through a large reference book when information is needed quickly.

Preparing a voyage with a safety checklist

One of the simplest ways to use Safetics is to consult the guide before leaving the harbour.

Before a coastal trip departing from Cherbourg, Le Havre, Saint-Malo, Brest, La Rochelle or Lorient, the skipper can carry out a general inspection of the boat and its safety equipment. This preparation is particularly important when weather conditions are likely to change rapidly.

In the Mediterranean, the same principles apply before leaving Marseille, Toulon, Nice, Ajaccio, Bastia or Bonifacio. A seemingly straightforward passage can be affected by a change in wind, deteriorating weather, engine failure or a medical problem on board.

The checklist turns preparation into a sequence of concrete actions rather than relying solely on memory.

Responding to emergency situations

One of the main advantages of a nautical safety guide is that it allows sailors to consult a procedure quickly when an unexpected event occurs.

Depending on the circumstances, sailors may face:

• a man-overboard situation;

• flooding or water ingress;

• grounding;

• engine failure;

• failure of GPS or electronic equipment;

• fire;

• major equipment failure;

• a situation requiring outside assistance;

• a distress situation.

In such circumstances, stress can reduce the ability to remember or correctly apply a procedure. A checklist-based presentation provides a methodical framework that helps reduce omissions and encourages an organized response.

The Safetics Guide is therefore designed as a prevention and decision-support tool, rather than as a theoretical navigation textbook.

Maritime buoyage, COLREGs and navigation rules

Safety also depends on knowledge of fundamental navigation rules. Safetics includes information relating to maritime buoyage and the COLREGs, the International Regulations for Preventing Collisions at Sea.

These concepts are essential when sailing in areas used by commercial vessels and ferries. They are particularly important in the English Channel, for example off Cherbourg, Le Havre or Calais, but also in the approaches to major ports such as Marseille, Barcelona, Genoa and Valletta.

The guide therefore provides a practical reference for quickly checking essential rules, particularly when several vessels are operating in a busy navigation area.

A tool that complements nautical documentation

The Safetics Guide does not serve the same purpose as a nautical chart, pilot book or hydrographic publication. It forms part of a coherent set of documents required to prepare for a voyage.

Nautical charts from Shom, Admiralty, NV Charts and other hydrographic services provide essential cartographic information for navigation, including depths, hazards, buoyage, lights, landmarks and other nautical information.

A pilot book provides additional information about coastlines, ports, channels, anchorages and local conditions.

Safetics addresses a different question: how should the boat and crew be prepared, and how should they react when an incident occurs?

This complementarity is particularly important during cruises lasting several days or offshore passages.

Safetics for coastal and offshore sailing

The guide can be used for many different types of navigation.

For coastal sailing in the Atlantic, it can accompany a cruise between La Rochelle, Royan, Arcachon, Saint-Jean-de-Luz or the ports of Brittany. In the Mediterranean, it can be used for passages between Marseille, Toulon, Saint-Tropez, Ajaccio, Palma de Mallorca or Barcelona.

For longer voyages, the same safety principles remain applicable when departing from the Canary Islands, crossing towards the Caribbean, sailing in the Caribbean Sea or undertaking an Atlantic crossing.

In these situations, nautical charts and publications remain essential, including those from Admiralty, Shom, NV Charts and the relevant hydrographic services. Safetics complements this documentation with an approach focused on crew safety and the management of emergency situations.

A format designed to stay on board

The format is an important feature of the Safetics Guide. It measures approximately 14.8 × 11.5 cm and weighs around 147 grams. Its PVC construction makes it waterproof and tear-resistant, with a design suited to the conditions encountered on board.

This resistance is particularly useful in an environment exposed to humidity, sea spray and repeated handling.

The guide can be kept in a strategic location on board so that it remains readily accessible: near the chart table, in the cockpit or with the safety equipment. In an emergency, accessibility of information is just as important as the information itself.

A guide for beginners and experienced sailors

Safetics is designed for a broad audience. It can be used by:

• new holders of a boating licence;

• beginner sailors;

• sailing yacht and motorboat owners;

• skippers and boatmasters;

• crew members;

• coastal cruisers;

• sailors preparing for offshore navigation;

• nautical schools and training organizations.

For beginners, the guide is a teaching aid that helps them gradually learn the main safety procedures. For experienced sailors, it serves more as an operational reference for quickly checking a procedure or regulatory point.

Designed and manufactured in France

The Safetics Guide is designed and manufactured in France. Its content was developed with the participation and recommendations of maritime professionals and safety organizations, including the French Maritime Affairs Directorate, the SNSM, the French Navy and the Maritime Gendarmerie.

This is particularly relevant for sailors operating within the French maritime regulatory framework.

The French edition incorporates information relating to Division 240, the French regulatory framework governing safety and equipment requirements for recreational vessels in the applicable circumstances. The regulations in force should nevertheless always be considered according to the type of vessel, navigation area and applicable requirements.

Conclusion

The Safetics Guide – The Sailor’s Checklist is a practical maritime safety tool designed to accompany skippers and crew members before, during and after a voyage. Its principle is simple: transform good safety practices into procedures that can be consulted easily.

Its compact, waterproof and tear-resistant format, six main sections and checklist-based approach make it a practical maritime safety reference particularly suited to recreational boating.

From coastal sailing in the English Channel, Atlantic or Mediterranean to offshore cruising and Atlantic crossings, Safetics provides a structured collection of information covering prevention, navigation rules, emergencies, distress and rescue.

Used alongside nautical charts from Shom, Admiralty, NV Charts and the hydrographic publications appropriate to the cruising area, it contributes to more comprehensive preparation of both the boat and its crew.

FAQ – Safetics Guide

What is the Safetics Guide?

Safetics is a maritime safety guide presented in the form of checklists inspired by aviation. It brings together, in 60 pages, practical information designed to improve preparation and safety when sailing aboard sailing yachts and motorboats.

Who is the Safetics Guide designed for?

It is designed for beginners and experienced sailors, skippers, crew members, boat owners and renters, as well as people who have obtained their boating licence.

Is the Safetics Guide suitable for sailing yachts and motorboats?

Yes. It was designed as a universal safety guide for recreational sailing yachts and motorboats.

What does the Safetics Guide contain?

It contains six main sections: On Land, At Sea, Memo, Emergency, Distress and Rescue. It also includes a maritime glossary, abbreviations, conversion tables and the international alphabet.

Is the Safetics Guide waterproof?

Yes. It is made from PVC and designed to be waterproof and tear-resistant, allowing it to withstand the conditions encountered on board a boat.

Is the Safetics Guide a regulatory document?

The French edition incorporates the regulatory information relevant to applicable coastal navigation and is updated in relation to Division 240. The regulations that apply nevertheless depend on the vessel and navigation area.

Is the Safetics Guide useful when preparing for a boating licence?

Yes. Its checklist-based educational approach makes it useful for reviewing essential safety procedures, navigation rules and practices to know before and during a voyage. Safetics is also used by boating schools and training organizations.

Does the Safetics Guide replace a nautical chart?

No. Safetics is a safety guide and operational reference. It does not replace nautical charts, hydrographic documents or the nautical publications required for navigation.

Can Safetics be used for offshore sailing?

Yes. The safety principles presented in the guide are also useful for offshore navigation. For an ocean crossing, however, they should be supplemented by specific preparation of the boat, crew, communications, safety equipment and nautical documentation.

What are the dimensions of the Safetics Guide?

The guide measures approximately 14.8 × 11.5 cm and weighs around 147 grams. Its pocket format makes it easy to keep on board and consult quickly.

Does the Safetics Guide need to be replaced every year?

The guide is not designed as an annual almanac. However, sailors should regularly check that their regulatory knowledge and onboard equipment remain compliant with the requirements applicable to their type of navigation.

Why use a safety checklist at sea?

A checklist helps structure the preparation of the boat and crew and reduces the risk of forgetting an essential step. It is particularly useful in situations where stress or an emergency can make it more difficult to remember procedures.