Participant Requirements (OPSC)


If advance material is provided, participants are expected to review the material before the start of the course.

For the Offshore course, we normally send advance material by postal mail timed to arrive one to two weeks before the course start date. You may not receive this material if you do not provide a complete postal mailing address during online registration, or if you do not register early enough for our postal mailing deadline.

Participants are required to bring their own sailing clothing and personal safety equipment suitable for use in an offshore or oceanic event or passage such as the Van Isle 360 or the Vic-Maui International Yacht Race.

Required clothing includes wet weather gear, warm layers, and non-marking boating footwear, all suitable for the conditions prevailing for the duration of the course.

You will be using this clothing and equipment during practical sessions, some of which are conducted outdoors and/or in-the-water typically at a swimming pool.

Required personal safety equipment includes a fully functional PFD, safety harness, safety tether, and personal COB (MOB) light. In most cases, the PFD will be inflatable and will have an integrated safety harness. Personal distress beacons such as PLBs or AIS MOB devices are not required for this course; if fitted, they should be disarmed or removed prior to training to prevent false alarms. After the course, participants will need a re-arm kit for their inflatable PFD.

All clothing and gear must be scrupulously clean and suitable for using in a public swimming pool; additionally, a change of clothing, a towel, and a bag suitable for carrying wet clothing and gear are essential.

If you do not already own all the required clothing and equipment, it is recommended that you consider borrowing any needed items from a friend rather than buying new items before the course. While we do not make recommendations on specific brands and models, you will learn more about important characteristics of personal safety equipment and this may influence your thinking on equipment selection.

Participants must be fit and capable of participating fully in the course, including the practical sessions. OPSC practical sessions include in-the-water training with bulky wet clothing, lifejackets, and life rafts. Participants will enter the water in wet weather gear; swim with and without lifejackets; inflate, board and re-right life rafts; and assist other participants. The training is physically and mentally demanding, requires the ability to swim with and without buoyancy aids, and may be stressful.

It is the responsibility of participants to be fit for the training. Participants who have any doubt about their ability to participate safely should consult their doctor and obtain medical approval in advance of the course.

If you have fitness or ability limitations or concerns, please advise us by email before registering so that we can have a discussion about whether they can be accommodated. As sailing events and passages are typically a team effort, our conscious bias is to make accommodations whenever it is safe and practical.

For more information, please contact us directly at sas@bcsailing.bc.ca.