Lifeboat service seeking sailors’ help in safety survey

The Royal National Lifeboat Institution (RNLI) has appealed to recreational sailors to assist in new research exploring attitudes towards risk and safety.

Incident data recorded by the RNLI shows that Irish lifeboat crews have rescued over 620 sailors in the last five years

The research, supported by the Irish Sailing Association, will examine what motivates sailors, how often they go to sea, their experience and training, awareness of potential hazards and use of safety procedures and equipment.

The results will influence “tailored and relevant safety messages” issued by the RNLI for the sailing community.

An online questionnaire will run for five weeks until April 30th, and will be supplemented by interviews with individual yacht sailors and yachting organisations.

This will be run by a social research company, Substance Research, which will also host focus groups in selected locations.

The questionnaire, which takes about 15 minutes to complete, is on www.rnliyachtingIreland.substance.coop.