A lot of people hesitate about making a will. It means facing up to something you'd really rather not think about. It's a bit like that with the CG66 safety identification scheme.
Every boat owner - it applies to everything from jet skis and kayaks to superyachts - is encouraged to fill in a form for the Coastguard to keep on file, to help pinpoint their craft in the event of a search and rescue type emergency.
We'd all prefer to think that it couldn't possibly happen to us. But of course, it could. The fact is that going to sea is inherently dangerous, and that frisson of risk actually adds to the excitement and challenge of sailing offshore.
Of course, we all do everything we can to minimise the risk. We spend lots of money on safety equipment we hope - in fact more or less assume - that we will never have to use. And we hope that we are sufficiently skilful to stay out of trouble.
But even while hoping never to call on their services, most yachtsmen are generous supporters of the RNLI, perhaps regarding Offshore membership as a sort of insurance: pay up and you'll never need to call on their services. Even so, there's comfort in knowing that, should the need ever arise, they are out there.
The same is true of the CG66. We assume we're never going to need the rescue helicopter to know our hull colour and sail number. But maybe providing the information is the best insurance that they will never actually need it.
There are people who hate filling in forms, who regard the CG66 as unnecessary bureaucracy, if not actually part of the “big brother State.” But it does say quite clearly on the bottom of the form: “This information will be used for search and rescue only.” So there are no grounds for database phobia.
My feeling is that in the unlikely event that you will ever need to call on SAR, it is only wise to have provided them in advance with all the information they need to help them do the job as efficiently as possible. It could increase your chances of survival.
So if you haven't done it already, why not go to the MCA website, click on Coastguard, and take it from there? You can either download the form, fill it in the old fashioned way and post it, or register and fill it in online.
This is the best way, because you can update it easily if you later add more relevant equipment to your boat, an Epirb or radar, for example. You also have the chance to upload a picture of your boat, which is obviously a sensible idea.
I have just updated our CG66 for the season. I did it online, but first I printed off the form and filled it in as a sort of draft, checking that I had all the necessary information (call sign, MMSI number, liferaft serial number etc etc) to hand.
If you're going to submit a picture, have it edited in advance: they say they want 300 by 450 pixels, up to 100 Kb, but in fact I had to make mine rather smaller than that before it was accepted.
But altogether, it only took a few minutes. And now I can forget all about it. I can return to believing that it will never happen to us, but with added confidence that even if it does, the lifeboat and helicopter crew will at least know what they are looking for!
For more information visit www.mcga.gov.uk
