Is sailing safe?

There are many interesting and exciting ways to spend free time, but for quite some time, water sports have been particularly popular, becoming a true passion for a significant number of people, and sometimes even a way of life. Depending on one's habits and preferences, one can choose from various water sports, from riding fast and agile jet skis to motorboats and even sailing boats and ocean yachts. Let's take a closer look at sailing and see if it is safe.

What should you know about the dangers of sailing?

For centuries, sailing was considered an activity associated with extreme risk. However, this was largely due to the shipbuilding solutions, the range of available materials and technologies at the time, as well as threats from pirates or the lack of knowledge about meteorology. Modern yachting has little in common with the past, apart from upholding its noble traditions. Today's vessels are designed to maintain sufficient buoyancy even in the face of various damages. They are equipped with excellent and precise navigation equipment and radio communication that allows for calling for help. There are also safety-enhancing solutions available, from automatically deploying life rafts to automatically functioning life jackets. One should not forget about fire extinguishing systems and widespread radar systems.

What are the most serious threats?

Excellent equipment allows for reducing the risk associated with yachting, but it cannot eliminate it. The most important cause of problems during sailing is errors made by the crew, often caused by a lack of sufficient training or irresponsible behaviors related to, for example, the use of alcohol or other intoxicants. Another challenge can be the increasing traffic on inland and sea waters. It is worth remembering that the number of accidents occurring on yachts is relatively small.