Circular No. 1/2007

Date: 2 May 2007

To: All HKSF Teaching Centres/Members

Measures for Enhancing Safety in Sailing

As a result of the recent Coroner’s Court recommendations, Marine Department and Leisure & Cultural Department have instituted the post of Water Sports Safety Ambassador to promote water sports safety. HKSF are joining this safety initiative, in the interest of the general public, by regularly checking the standard of instructors and their instructing in the revised HKSF Dinghy Scheme. As a first step Senior Instructors will be revalidated at the end of their current certificate validity by attending a Senior Instructor Revalidation Course to ensure they are up to date with safety issues in modern sailing dinghies and can teach the public how to sail these dinghies properly. Moreover, as a second stage of this initiative, Instructors will, in the future, be required to attend a similar Instructor Revalidation Course if they wish to revalidate their certificate when it expires. The HKSF will publish a notice on its website to notify the Instructors when the course is available.

As a consequence, all Instructors (both Senior Instructors and Instructors) will need to demonstrate they are capable of handling rescues afloat from different crafts. The first step in this is the Safety Boat Handling Course, Instructors for revalidation will now need both Marine Department Licenses to handle a safety boat and HKSF Safety Boat Endorsement.

We understand that there has been concerns among the Instructors that there will not be sufficient courses organize to meet the demand. These concerns are unnecessary. The HKSF will monitor the demand for the courses closely and will organize further courses as and when necessary. Moreover, by the expression of interest in writing to the HKSF, Instructors will be able to help the Federation make proper planning for future courses.

Cora Chen

Secretary General