What? I don't need to do no stinkin safety briefing.

[CaptRonn]

Making a passenger aware of risk and using a waiver to avert a lawsuit are two totally seperate issues.

No waiver and no briefing will get a person out of a gross negligence claim.

 

[trflgrl]

Yep, every time, even with people who have been aboard before, and many of the same topics others have mentioned. When FM is on board with me, we do all or most of the "work." When FM isn't, some adult guests may become crew; there's a hierarchy based on previous boating experience and direct experience with FM and me.

Order of priority in an emergency: save people first, save other people's boats/property next, save my boat last
Fire extinguisher briefing
Life jacket briefing
Asking about swim/float skills (and telling them mine, which are limited)
Keep appendages inside the boat unless instructed/except in emergency. If needed, use the flat of hands with steady pressure against the other object to redirect our boat (physics 101: Ms. Mytych would be proud!)
3 point touch (a la rock climbing) when moving from the cockpit to the bow (or boat to boat in a raft up)
To please quiet immediately when asked, as we pilot with our eyes AND ears, and everyone must be able to hear instructions when needed
To hold one end if asked to toss a line to a person on a dock or another boat
"Have you used a marine or RV toilet before? This one might be a little different." I, too, have a laminated reminder on the door, and most guests do ask for help at least the first time, and sometimes on subsequent visits, too.
Kids come out of the water/into the boat if other vessels are rafting

I'll be adding a couple of things after reading others' responses.

 

[Ken Wolkens]

We cover the basics but as for the head, I tell them it's broken and show them a 5 gallon pail.

 

[Gofirstclass]

Ken, do you position the bucket in the middle of the cockpit to encourage them to "hold it" until you're back to shore?

 

[FastMarkA]

I don't have a choreographed spiel like the airlines per se, but I always make sure everybody knows:

• Life jacket and fire extinguisher location
• Tell me if they cannot swim
• Boat plumbing is sensitive/if I have to stick my hand down the flush valve, it doesn't bode well for a repeat invite
  
• How to use boat plumbing
  
• If somebody falls off, don't take your eyes off of them and start screaming to get my attention

 

[JVM225]

We cover the basics but as for the head, I tell them it's broken and show them a 5 gallon pail.

The old “bucket and chuck it” method...........

 

[FootballFan]

We cover the basics but as for the head, I tell them it's broken and show them a 5 gallon pail.

We were on a charter in Maine a few years back. Second or third day, head quit (blown fuse on electric head). Was talking to the contact at the charter company as he was telling where to find fuses and where to replace.

This is a person who we know very well. Laughing while on the phone - he suggested I tell Deb that "he was bringing us a 5 gallon bucket to use for the next several days. Not to worry, where we were it would be fine to dump overboard during times we were far enough off the coast"....

Those that have met my better half will understand - the joke didn't go over well... but I still bring it up at times...

Mark

 

[fr8dog]

The Admiral is a former Flight Attendant. Her briefings cover all the important items and are a bit comical at the same time. Everyone enjoys the airline theme to them.

 

[SloBurn]

Being on a lake, I just do the life jacket, fire extinguisher, head procedure, and keep your fingers inside the boat talk. I don't think a waiver that was signed without the consultation of an attorney would hold up in court, unless negligence was a determining factor.

 

[Ken Wolkens]

Ken, do you position the bucket in the middle of the cockpit to encourage them to "hold it" until you're back to shore?

Yep and sometimes I place a beach towel next to it so the modest ones can cover. Just kidding.

We are however very strict when it comes to the use of the head since our very first outing resulted in me spending 1/2 a day getting it unplugged afterward. Since then children are required to be attended by their parent and everyone hears the saying, "Nothing in the toilet unless you've swallowed it first."

 

[trflgrl]

The Admiral is a former Flight Attendant. Her briefings cover all the important items and are a bit comical at the same time. Everyone enjoys the airline theme to them.

I have two close friends that are what I call voluptuous. When either is aboard, I get to say, "In the unexpected event of an evacuation, grab so-and-so's boobs and paddle, paddle, paddle 'til you reach the shore. I'll be right behind you with the wine."

 

[NorCal Boater]

Every time we have guests on board, whether they've been on board before or not, I do a safety briefing. It's relatively basic and takes only a few minutes, but I ALWAYS do it.

Here are the main points of my briefing:
1. Here is where the life jackets are stored.
2. Here are some of the locations where fire extinguishers are kept.
3. Please do not try to help with any docking maneuvers. Tina and I can handle it. We do it all the time.
4. Here's how the head works. (Note: In this part of the briefing I get kind of down and dirty and address not putting feminine products in the toilet, not using big wads of paper to wipe, etc.)

Some of the women who haven't heard my briefing before blush and seem a bit surprised that I would address such personal stuff, but when I tell them that these kinds of products will definitely plug the head and we'll know who did it because it will be all plugged up.

5. I tell them not to go outside the transom door nor up on the side walkways because if they fall overboard we probably won't notice it until the end of the cruise. Only Tina and I are allowed through the transom door or on the side walkways.

I explain a bit of the layout of the boat, where the radio is and DO NOT USE IT UNLESS WE'RE SINKING!!! The VHF is not a toy and I don't want them blathering on the radio about how pretty a certain boat is.

I tell them our main concern is safety of everyone on board and the second concern is for them to have a great time while on board.

For you other skippers, do you do a safety briefing when you have guests on board? What do you cover?

Mike, I pretty much used the same speech keeping it light but serious....if that makes sense. The only thing I did different is the last rule was.... "Lastly, if you were in the Navy, don't touch anything! It usually gets a good laugh.

Shawn

 

[Steve195]

........... and I define emergency so they aren't hitting the distress button for a broken fingernail..

Reminds me of the time we had another couple onboard and the woman was a true Diva. Within 2 minutes of leaving the dock, she asked if I could slow down because the wind was messing up her hair.

Then she broke a fingernail and asked if there were any nail salons on the water that we could stop at!

Needless to say, they've never received a second invitation to come aboard!