Rules on board

There are a limited number of rules:

• Keep your wits about you.  There are no second chances at sea.  If you're about to try something, and if you think it's a bit foolish, then don't try it.  If you need to do something on the foredeck or aft of the cockpit and think you need someone else to help or watch out while you do it, then call someone else up from below to do that.  There is no need for bravery or stupidity or whatever you want to call it.
• Look after yourself.  If you need to sleep, then sleep.  I will usually schedule watches so that everyone gets enough sleep but occasionally there are times when you can't sleep and are too tired to stay on watch -- in which case get someone else up.  Drink plenty of water, and eating regularly staves off sea sickness.
• At sea, nothing goes on the navigation desk that is not for the purpose of navigation.  Chocolate is a useful navigation aid and will be eaten by the navigator.

Having said that, a good well fitted out sea boat is a remarkably safe place to be if everyone does their job and looks out for themselves and each other.  There are many more aeroplanes at the bottom of the ocean than there are submarines in the sky.