South End Out of Cove Swims

Responsibilities & Checklist

Swimmers' Responsibilities, Out of Cove Swims:

All bay swimming is inherently dangerous and swimmers swim at their own risk. Every member has signed a waiver of liability, releasing the club and fellow members of liability for injury and loss caused by negligence.
Use common sense. If you think a swim may be too difficult for your ability, don't attempt the swim. If a swim is un-piloted or if weather conditions are unsafe, don't participate in the out of cove swim.
Swimmers should know about the tides. If in question, ask. Don't swim against a strong tide or a questionable tide.
Swimmers must cooperate with the pilots. If they ask you to change your course, do so as soon as possible.
If a pilot asks that you stop swimming and get into a boat, do so immediately, no questions. If this rule is broken, that swimmer will be prohibited from future swims.
Wear a yellow swim cap so pilots can see you.
If you feel most comfortable wearing fins and/or a wetsuit, use them.
If you are participating in a swim that does not end at the SERC beach, bring warm clothes to wear for the boat ride back to the club.
If you are extending a swim, (i.e. finishing with a cove), let one or more of the pilots know your plan.
A swimmer must start with the group. Under no circumstances should a swimmer enter the water after a swim has started, or enter the water at a different location.
Swimming outside Aquatic Park without a pilot escort in a kayak, boat, or zodiac is discouraged, The dangers of open water swimming are greater in areas where bay currents can carry you further and where motorized boats are operating. If you swim around the breakwater (outside/inside, etc.), be careful to avoid boats by staying close to the breakwater. If you swim to Fort Mason stay close to Muni Pier and past Little Alcatraz. Don't cross boat traffic channel, don't swim into open water, and look out for boats! Wear a yellow cap and swim with others.
Try to buddy swim, it's a great comfort to swim with another swimmer.
If you see a swimmer having a problem (hypothermia, tired) advise a pilot immediately.
Never swim if you have recently consumed alcohol.
Use glow sticks for early morning or evening swims in the dark.
If you encounter a park guide or security officer who asks that you not jump or swim into a particular location, don't swim there.
If you are a swimmer that always swims, take a turn piloting or assisting a pilot. You will see the swim and course from a pilot's perspective and also become a better swimmer.
If you want to do a individual swim using a zodiac/inflatable, you must have permission from the swim commissioner. There is a minimum rental fee of $25.00, and an hourly fee. Use of the club boats for individual swims is generally limited to training swims.

Pilots' Responsibilities and Guidelines (revised 1/18/07)

You are required by law to render assistance (that can be safely provided) to anyone in danger, and to offer assistance to the Coast Guard. (Failure to do so could result in fine/imprisonment.)

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Safety

Safety is solely the operator's responsibility.

Take a boating safety course.
Neglecting any precaution in the safe operation of a boat, including it's equipment, is a violation of California boating law and of Coast Guard regulations.

"The General Rule of Responsibility"
In the event of a collision, both parties are considered at fault by the Coast Guard (That is, no boat has the right of way 'through' another boat!)

The new Coast Guard/Homeland Security/police forces are not sympathetic: by law you must carry:

a life vest for each person (check each one to see it's in good condition)
a horn or a whistle
lights: (needed by law dusk to dawn, or in foggy conditions)

Get in the habit of always taking a compass (or GPS) with you. Bay fog can drop down in a few minutes. The unexpected always happens, on our Bay, and it's cheap insurance.

Rowboats and inflatable boats will each carry a "throwable flotation device" (the 'seat cushion'). They can be deployed immediately, until other measures can be taken.

Remember the man-overboard flag.

Remember blankets (And a thermos of hot water/carbohydrate drink is also a good idea) for the swimmers.

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Sound Signals (horn/whistle)

Emergency (Danger) Signal is FIVE (-or-more) 1-second blasts in series:

There is danger in what you intend to do;
I do not agree with your intended maneuver;
I am in doubt as to your intentions.

SOS Signal is three 1-second blasts + three longer blasts + three 1-second blasts.

Meeting or crossing (no answer required)

One 1-second blast: "I am altering my course to starboard side (I'll pass you on my port side)".
Two 1-second blasts: "I am altering my course to port side (I'll pass you on my starboard side)".

(They're not telling you to 'get out of the way'!)

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Radio Emergency Calls on Channel 16

Channel 16 is the distress and safety (and hailing) frequency. The Coast Guard monitors Ch16 continuously. (It records Ch16 and Ch14.) Every vessel with a marine band radio must monitor Ch16 when underway (Alternatively, in San Francisco Bay, monitoring Vessel Traffic Ch14 is permissible.) and be prepared to assist in an emergency:

Mayday: spoken three times: reserved for situations involving risk of life and/or grave and immediate danger.
- It has priority over all other forms of traffic.
- If you hear a Mayday, listen and do not transmit.
- Determine if you are in a position to assist. If not, maintain radio silence.

Pan-Pan ("pahn-pahn"; spoken three times) announces an emergency when the safety of a boat and/or persons is in jeopardy, but not in imminent peril.
- Keep radio silence if you cannot assist.

Securite ("say-cur-i-tay"; spoken three times) signals information regarding navigation safety. The Coast Guard encourages all mariners to transmit safety messages when they spot a hazard to navigation (floating log, buoy off-station; and that "marine event": swimmers in the water). In San Francisco Bay, contacting Vessel Traffic on Ch 14 is perhaps the best first choice for communicating "Securite" warnings to the Coast Guard.

Silence ("see-lonce") spoken by the Coast Guard three times to keep routine traffic off an emergency frequency.

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Program into Your Cell Phone:

Medical Emergency: 415-558-3268. If you can quickly reach the shore, and can give a precise address.
(Before an event, locate possible landing sites along your planned route, and determine streets/landmarks to guide in an EMT vehicle.
Coast Guard Emergency: 415-556-2103. Plan on their reaching you in 20 minutes.
CG non-emergency: 415-399-3451
Vessel Traffic: 415-556-2760
SF Police Dept, Marine Division: 415-850-7440

Taking a cell phone also allows you to contact the Coast Guard or Vessel Traffic without a radio upon encountering an emergency, or a "hazard to navigation". You'll need a waterproof sack (or good insurance) for the phone.

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Rowboats and Kayaks:

Form a perimeter around the swimmers; ensure all swimmers have pilot boats nearby. Position boats next to the first and the last swimmers, to mark the swim perimeter for oncoming traffic. Keep swimmers grouped.
CHOP can start up in 15 minutes: the swimmers become invisible to our boats, and to oncoming traffic. Each of you keeping track of all swimmers during the swim is incalculably important. Swimmers themselves lose sight of their goal, the shoreline, and lose their direction.
Stay well away from the swimmers, preferably downwind: you can be blown into a swimmer in a couple of seconds while you?re distracted (watching other swimmers, or using the radio, or watching boats). (Inflatable pilots: put the transmission into idle if you have to look away: e.g. down into the boat. Stay away, downwind.)
With an individual swimmer, stay on swimmer's breathing side, in their sight: when they get tired and cold, they start feeling alone and frightened; they can get irrational and paranoid. A swimmer feels safer seeing you.

Observe swimmer(s) for signs of hypothermia: has swimmer's style fallen apart; their swimming become erratic; suddenly the swimmer can't keep direction? Ask the swimmer questions: "What is your Name?", "Where are you?", Where are you swimming to?" Medical emergency technician questions: "Person/Place/Time?"

Talk to your cold swimmer, calmly and cheerfully.

Pulling swimmers:
- Rowboats: lean on the side of the boat to bring the gunwale down to water level; balance the boat as swimmer crawls over the side.
- Inflatables: ask the swimmer to kick flat in the water, so you are pulling the swimmer in sideways, not lifting up (against gravity). You can call another boat over for its pilot to get into your inflatable to help. For a firm grasp, to pull a swimmer out, a life vest can be put under the swimmer's arms.

Oncoming Traffic:

If the oncoming boat is a fisherman/powerboat: if you are a chase inflatable, be courteous, don't use a horn unless there's no response to your approach. Try waving the man-overboard flag, or a life vest, to get their attention. Point to the swimmer(s) or point in the direction you wish the oncoming boat to turn (with the man-overboard flag, or gesture).

Remember, swimmers in the sun are not visible; swimmers in rough water are not visible.

If an oncoming boat doesn't respond to warnings, and is bearing directly at swimmer(s): What do you do?

Do nothing that could put yourself in danger.

Your becoming a victim would make the situation worse for us, and for Coast Guard rescue.

Don't assume oncoming boat traffic can see swimmer(s); they may see your boat and not see your swimmer(s). Point!
Some boaters Don't know English: use gestures. Returning fishermen can be zombie-like with fatigue, therefore, speak slowly, and:
- Don't assume.
- Be sure you're understood.
- Watch them until they're past.

Stay between the oncoming boat and your swimmer.

Watch for oncoming boat traffic: if you see an oncoming boat, notify the inflatable chase boats.

Watch especially carefully near the Hyde Street Pier, it's a fishing marina and a busy fuel station. Gas House Cove at Ft. Mason and the St Francis Yacht Club Marina are dangerous areas.

Inflatable: If you chase after a boat, first memorize your swimmer(s)' positions relative to the shore; their position will change while you?re gone, due to their swimming, and the tide current.

Swimmers must be counted at the jump, and counted at the finish; count them during the swim, especially in rough water. They will deviate from their courses.

Be ready to reposition swimmers.

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Radios:

Hailing procedure: say the name of the boat (or station: Vessel Traffic, Coast Guard) you are hailing, then the name of your boat, then "over".

Radio etiquette: Informal talk is forbidden on the marine channels.

Procedure Words:

Over: You have ended your transmission but expect a reply.
Out: You have completed your communication.
Copy: You have understood the transmission.
Roger: Acknowledges that the message was understood and agreed with.
Affirmative: Alternatively, say "Yes".
Negative: Alternatively, say "No".
Say again.
Wait: You must pause, but want the other station to continue to listen.
- Wait out: resuming
Break: marks a change in the message: for instance, in temporarily responding to another station.
Say, to Vessel Traffic, "San Francisco Pier 39", not "Pier 39" because Oakland has numbered berths, too.

Our swims use 68, 69, 71, and 72 as working channels.

Ch6 (ship-to-ship: used for safety-related communication) and Ch22a (Coast Guard communications with the public: severe-weather warnings, hazards to navigation, etc.) are not used for these purposes on San Francisco Bay, and needn't be monitored. Some channels are receive-only: all ten weather channels, Ch15 and Ch60.

Information overheard but not intended for you
cannot lawfully be used in any way.

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Inflatable Boats:

Before the Swim, check:

Inflatable is hard, if not, inflate to proper pressure. Remember to check the keel bladder.
Inflatable's bailer plug is in place.
Throttle friction ring is disengaged (the throttle free to return to idle speed).
Plastic bailer is in boat and tied down.

At the end of the swim:

Pull out the inflatable's bailer plug to drain the water.
Spray the inflatable with fresh water, especially the floors, and metal motor parts; dry.
Use the tank to flush the engines. Check that the cooling water is coming out of the engine.

(The 'muffs' don't work well, and can possibly damage the engine; if you use "muffs", don't run the engine above idle, and watch the entire time that the cooling water is coming out.)

Record the time-in-use in the Honda (inflatable) logbook.

Driving an Inflatable:

We regard it mandatory for inflatable's pilots and co-pilots to wear a life vest: if you get thrown out at speed, you can be knocked unconscious (at least become dissociated): a life vest should keep you face up (breathing) in the water.
Stop-engine lanyards should be used (attached to you); the throttle's friction ring should be off; the steering friction device set to your preference.
Check cooling water is coming out of the engine, and the oil light is on (green).
Practice steering from both sides of the boat (facing each way). In a tense situation you might mistakenly accelerate when you need to stop (say, to avoid a swimmer), only practice will make these motions automatic. (If you drive a motorcycle, you probably should steer only with the same motions as your own throttle!)
Our inflatables' bailers don't work very well (especially in rough water and they let water leak in). Pull the bailer's plug only when you're going fairly fast, and replace it when you're back at idle speed. Carry a plastic bailer in the inflatable.
Each inflatable has a throwable float on a 30-foot leash, for emergency use (it can also be used for towing).
Quick acceleration will pop the bow up in the air; let the boat itself crawl up on plane.
A quick stop will bring water over the transom.
Use a weight plate in the bow of the inflatable in rough weather.
Head into waves, diagonally, not head-on. Don't run from a large wave: if you do not succeed in outrunning it, it can turn your boat broadside to the wave and capsize it; or else, in the rush down from the crest, bury the bow in the trough, flooding and swamping your boat. If you are caught on the face of a large wave, stay perpendicular to the length of the wave ("square to the seas") to keep from yawing and losing steerage.

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Some Background:

A week or so before a swim, the chief pilot will check the Yacht Racing Association's (YRA) race calendar, and, if there's a conflict, phone that event's race director. (The morning of the swim, the chief pilot may take a cell phone out on the swim to keep contact with the YRA race director.) The Marine Police will be notified (by telephone). With the Gas House Cove swims, the Red & White and the Blue & Gold fleets will be notified the day before via email by the chief pilot. Possible landing sites along the planned route should be researched, and streets/landmarks identified, to guide in an EMT vehicle.
One hour before the jump on swims requiring permits, the swim's chief pilot will telephone Vessel Traffic to learn if there are any conflicts with commercial traffic, getting the vessel's name(s) and the name(s) of the "pilot aboard" in case we need to contact them via marine radio during the swim. This call also alerts the Coast Guard to put out a "Securite" warning on Ch16, informing boat traffic of our presence.
Before ("2 minutes") the jump, the chief pilot radios Vessel Traffic on Ch14 (Note, in areas where radio communications are not good -- by Candlestick Park, for example -- carry an alternate, reliable, means of communication: a cell phone.)
- he announces the swim; the number of swimmers;
- the jump place, and destination;
- the estimated completion time,
- and informs Vessel Traffic which channel we will use as our working channel. He notifies them as well that we will monitor Ch14;
- and he assures Traffic he will "check out" with them when the swim is over ("secured").
Vessel Traffic will then update chief pilot on any potential conflicts with ship traffic.
- During the swim, the chief pilot will monitor Ch14: all larger (private, military, and commercial) vessels must notify Vessel Traffic on 14 each time they move. (Note: the chief pilot carries two radios: one radio solely to monitor Ch14, and another set to our swim's "working" channel.)
- Those intending trips near our swim will be notified of our presence by Vessel Traffic.
- If there is a potential conflict, chief pilot can contact vessels on Ch13.

Channels to be used only by our chief pilot, or his delegate, during a swim:

Ch14: Vessel Traffic.
Ch13: "ship-to-ship": for navigation and piloting purposes only: contacting other vessels about meeting and passing situations. Channels 12, 13, 67, and 77 are limited by law (and radio design) to 1-watt transmit power: Ch13 has limited range. You may need to use Ch14 as contact channel, then request a move to, say, our own working channel.
Ch10 is for contacting commercial pilot vessels.
Ch12 is for Vessel Traffic transmissions with offshore vessels. No-one in the bay is allowed transmit on Ch12: it is offshore only. (However, on this channel, at 15 and 45 minutes after the hour, the Coast Guard names and gives the position, speed and direction of each vessel arriving/leaving the Pilot Station area twelve miles offshore.)

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For Fun:

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