Safety Is Second: Sailing Leadership, Teamwork & Risk
A seminar with John Schafer of the Ministry of Sailing
Description
Gear and checklists matter, but the best-equipped boat still depends on the people aboard. In this seminar, offshore racer and safety specialist John Schafer shares the ideas behind his book Safety Is Second: Sailing Leadership, Teamwork & Risk Assessments Come First, and shows why leadership, teamwork, and honest risk assessment are the foundation of safety on the water.
Drawing on real sailing experience, John will look at how crews are built, how they function under pressure, and what happens when a team isn’t ready. Whether you race, cruise, instruct, or skipper a boat with friends, you’ll leave with practical ideas you can use on your next sail.
You will learn:
- Why and how leaders must prioritize safety
- How to create and manage a team
- The difference between a crew overboard boat-handling drill and a proper team recovery of a person in the water
- How disagreement within a team affects its response in a crisis
- Why crew readiness matters, and how to build it
Who Should Attend
Sailors of all kinds, including skippers, crew, racers, cruisers, and anyone who leads others on the water. No experience with leadership training is needed.
About the Speaker
John Schafer is the founder of the Ministry of Sailing, a safety and training organization, and the author of Safety Is Second. He is a vessel safety inspector for ocean racing, a US Sailing International Offshore Certification moderator, and a Coast Guard-licensed captain with more than 30 years of sailing and tens of thousands of offshore racing and delivery miles.
Details:
The class will be held in the Liberty Room, on the 3rd floor of the brick building along Key Highway. You'll receive an email on the day of the class with building entry instructions.
If the course is full, please add yourself to the waitlist - we will contact you if a spot opens up!
Please review our FAQ page for additional information, including details on our cancellation policy, and let us know if you have any questions (email info@downtownsailing.org).
Full payment is required to reserve your spot for this course.
