STATEMENT - Safety and Responsibility Protocols
ISORA held its AGM on Saturday 2nd November 2024.
In opening the meeting Stephen Tudor tendered his resignation from the role of Honorary Secretary of ISORA. A role that he thoroughly enjoyed since 2010.
In that time a small team of dedicated volunteers worked tirelessly to promote offshore racing in the Irish Sea. The fleets grow, and by the introduction of technologies ISORA kept ahead of the game in providing fair and competitive racing.
In recent years, and more so in 2024, the sailing calendar has become even more congested with competitors making last minute decisions to compete. Crew exhaustion being the most quoted reason not to sail. This crowded calendar has resulted in reluctance to see races postponed or cancelled.
We have carefully read the ‘Marine Casualty Investigation Board’s’ (MCIB) report into a marine casualty involving the sailing yacht Jelly Baby in Cork Harbour in October 2021.
The report findings concludes that the Organising Authority can’t delegate all responsibilities to the Skippers (the Risk Statement) and it does place a higher duty of care on the Race Management Committee than what was appreciated previously. Although, some, including ISORA Officers, argued that this duty of care was always there.
We believe that the obligation to keep crews safe was always taken seriously and was always considered before all ISORA races. We always assessed the ability of the fleet to cope with the conditions expected in the race. This assessment of risk always considered the abilities of the least experienced boat, and crew, in the fleet.
It is now, however, very clear that in the event of an incident, or accident, during an ISORA race the crew would be scrutinised. The skipper would, of course, be held responsible for the safety of the crew and boat, the Race Management Committee would be challenged for putting the fleet in a position of danger, the Organising Authority would be questioned on its involvement and its role in ensuring compliance with World Sailing Offshore Rules, and the Governing Bodies would be responsible if all guidelines and rules were not followed by the affiliated body. Everybody is in the firing line!
In August this year this assessment of risk resulted in a race being postponed. The risk was clear and undeniable, and most accepted the decision without hesitation.
We are not prepared to be placed in a position of unreasonable risk. But more than that, we do not want to carry the burden of guilt for the rest of our lives on the loss of a friend, competitor or sailor.
The Hon Sec stressed to those attending the AGM that the role of race management in organising offshore racing has changed. We are responsible.
Chairman requested that the Hon Sec resignation is withdrawn subject to a thorough review of all safety and responsibility protocols. The resignation was withdrawn on this basis.
We are reaching out to our governing body for guidance, and for protocols.
The ISORA officers require clear guidance and a workable format for managing and the mitigating the risk. This will involve a significant amount of effort from all parties involved, and we are prepared to contribute positively to this work.
The work involved include, but by no way limited to, the following:
- Reinforcing the ‘Risk Statement’
- Strengthening our ‘Race Risk Assessment’,
- ‘Protocols’ on when races should not be run,
- Ensuring compliance with World Sailing Offshore Guidance.
As a starting point we urge all skippers to consider using the Skipper Briefing Template which has been on the ISORA web site for many seasons.
We do wish to see the continuance of Offshore Racing in the Irish Sea, but this must be in a safe and sustainable manner, and for this to succeed we must all play our part.
Stephen Tudor MRICS FNAEA MARLA
Hon Sec ISORA
