Key takeaways
- ✓Check service and expiry dates first: life-raft, EPIRB/PLB battery and registration, flares, fire extinguishers and lifejacket gas cylinders.
- ✓An EPIRB must be registered to the boat — an unregistered beacon slows down a rescue.
- ✓Jackstays, harnesses and tethers are standard for any night passage or offshore leg.
- ✓World Sailing’s Offshore Special Regulations are a useful benchmark even when you are not racing.
The checklist
| Item | What to check |
|---|---|
| Life-raft | Capacity for everyone on board, service date in date, secured so it can be launched quickly |
| EPIRB (and crew PLBs) | Battery and hydrostatic release in date, registered to this boat and its current owner |
| Lifejackets | One per person with crotch straps and light; gas cylinder and auto-firing head checked |
| Jackstays, harnesses, tethers | Jackstays rigged from cockpit to bow; one harness and tether per crew |
| Fire | Extinguishers serviced, fire blanket by the galley, engine-room extinguisher if fitted |
| Flares / distress signals | In date and stored dry; electronic distress light if carried |
| First aid | A kit suited to the passage length, plus seasickness medication |
| Navigation and comms | VHF/DSC with MMSI programmed, AIS working, navigation lights, paper charts or a backup plotter |
| Man overboard | Lifebuoy with light and drogue, throwing line, recovery plan |
| Bilge and steering | Manual bilge pump works, emergency tiller fits |
Register the beacons
Every 406 MHz EPIRB and PLB should be registered with the national authority of the country it is coded for. The registration links the beacon to the boat, the owner and emergency contacts — rescue centres use it the moment the beacon goes off. Update it when the boat changes owner.
Use the Offshore Special Regulations as a benchmark
World Sailing publishes the Offshore Special Regulations for offshore racing. They group requirements by how far offshore a race goes. Many delivery skippers use them as a reference for what “properly equipped” means on a passage of the same type.
Tell the skipper what is on board
Send the skipper a list with dates before they travel. If something is missing, agree who supplies it — some delivery skippers bring their own PLB, lifejacket and harness, but the boat’s life-raft and EPIRB are the owner’s job.
Maritime Delivery’s boat folder reminds owners 30 and 7 days before a life-raft service, EPIRB battery or flares expire.
Frequently asked questions
Does a yacht need a life-raft for a delivery?+
For any offshore passage a professional skipper will expect one, sized for everyone on board and serviced. Rules depend on the flag and the use of the boat, but insurers and delivery skippers often require it anyway.
Do I need to register an EPIRB?+
Yes. A 406 MHz EPIRB should be registered with the authority of the country it is coded for, and the details kept up to date. An unregistered beacon still alerts rescue services but they lose time finding out who and what they are looking for.
What are the World Sailing Offshore Special Regulations?+
Safety rules for offshore races, covering the boat’s structure, safety equipment, personal equipment and training. They are a widely used reference for equipping a yacht for open-water passages.
Sources
- World Sailing — Offshore Special Regulations
- Cospas-Sarsat — international satellite search and rescue system
- RNLI — sea safety advice
- IMO — Maritime safety
- NOAA Ocean Prediction Center
- Prepare your yacht for delivery (Maritime Delivery guide)
- Insurance for a yacht delivery (Maritime Delivery guide)
- Marine radio licences SRC, LRC, ROC, GOC (Maritime Delivery guide)
Put it to work