William,

Here are a few samples that could be helpful.

SAMPLE #1

https://www.soundingsonline.com/voices/lifelines-checklist

SAMPLE #2

1 Before leaving marina / moving vessel

Anchor chain/line • Chain & line. Chafe ?

Anchor winch • Does it work/ handle available ?

Cockpit drain • Is it clogged ?

Compass light • Check it at night

Engine belts • Tight ? Worn ? Aligned ?

Engines • Inspection for leaks etc Spares

EPIRB • In date?

Fire extinguishers • In date / Charged

Flashlights • Do they work ? Spare batteries

Handheld instruments • Batteries good? Do they work?

Hatches • Do they close 100%. Handles, knobs etc

Instruments • Turn them on to check ?

Lifelines • Visual inspection for breaks etc

Lights • Interior, exterior & Nav lights. Spare bulbs.

Lockers • Make sure they lock shut.

Man-over-board gear • Check quick release and condition

Navigation lights • Easy to check at night

Outboard engine • You have spares ? Does it work ?

Ports • Do they close 100%. Handles, knobs etc

Radios • Batteries ? Do they work? Licenses ?

Safety equipment • Valid date ? Ready for use ?

Stanchions • Are they solid ?

Toilets • In good working order ? Holding tank OK ?

Clean Propeller • Dive and check

2 Before long ocean passage

Cockpit drain • Is it clogged ?

Compass light • Check it at night

Engine mounts • Visual inspection. Are they secure ?

EPIRB • In date?

Expiry dates • Ship papers/radio licences etc.

Fire extinguishers • In date / charged

Flashlights • Do they work ? Spare batteries.

Gas bottles • Rusty? Are they secure? Change hose ?

Odour?

Gas locker • Is vent hole plugged?

Handheld instruments • Batteries good ? Do they work?

Lifelines • Visual inspection for breaks etc

Liferaft • In date? Secure ? Accessible ?

Lights • Interior, exterior & Nav lights. Spare bulbs.

Man-over-board gear • Check quick release and condition

Navigation lights • Easy to check at night

Rigging • Visual inspection from top to bottom.

Roller furlers • Rinse, grease, visual inspection.

Free running ?

Safety equipment • Valid date ? Ready for use ?

Sails • Stitching. Chafe

Ship's papers - Visas • Complete

Stanchions • Are they solid ?

Wind vane • Check it out before you need it

3 Daily

Gas leak • Is there any odour near/under the stove/

pipes?

4 Weekly

Bilges • Is there water/ fuel present ?

Fuel leaks • Fuel in the bilge/ around the tanks ?

Underwater leaks • If salt water in bilges check all fittings

5 Monthly

Batteries • Acid level ? Clean terminals ?

Deck leaks • Check chainplates/hatches/ports etc. ?

Electrics • Run everything to make sure it works.

Spare fuses.

Engines • Inspection for leaks etc Spares

Fire extinguishers • Positions, mounting, in date ?

Flashlights • Do they work? Spare batteries ?

Gas locker • Is vent hole plugged?

Pumps • Do they work? Handles for manual pumps

Toilets • In good working order ? Holding tank OK ?

Seacock • Open / Close / Check movement

SAMPLE #3

ON DECK

• Anchors are shackled and seized to rode, and there is some means of securing them to bow-roller / deck-chocks (or below deck) once you leave confined waters
• Bitter end of anchor rode is secured to boat below decks
• Chain hawsepipe is as watertight as possible

• Deck storage cans for water and fuel are well-lashed
• Deck-mounted dinghy is tightly lashed
• Outboard motor is securely stowed on pushpit, in deck locker or elsewhere on deck where fuel cannot leak into boat
• Outboard fuel securely stowed on deck or in a sealed deck locker

• Rubber gaskets on hatches and opening ports are sound
• Hatches and ports shut and dogged, hatch-covers fitted as appropriate
• Deck-filler caps for fuel and water properly done-up and o-rings in good condition
• Cockpit drains are clear and draining freely
• Washboards are sound and handy (ready to fit when needed)

• Lifeline connectors are in good condition and properly done up
• Lifelines/stanchions are strong enough to support a heavy crewmember’s weight
• Stanchions are secured with pins or bolts in their bases; bases are bolted securely through deck (not screwed)
• Sharp knife stowed close to cockpit for emergency rope-cutting

SAILS

• all sails inspected for rips, holes and broken stitching on seams
• batten ends securely fastened and in good condition
• sail slides in good condition (none worn, broken or sun-damaged)
• Roller headsails furl freely and top swivel is working properly
• Headsail hanks working freely
• Comprehensive sail repair kit on board, plus spare sailcloth and strong adhesive for major ‘instant’ repairs

REEFING

• Roller reefing lubricated and handle stowed in appropriate place
• Slab reefing lines working and chafe-free

SPARS

• No metal-fatigue, corrosion or chafe on load-bearing fittings such as mast crane and shroud tangs
• Spreaders are secure at inboard end and correctly angled
• Anti-chafe on spreader-ends to prevent damage to sails
• Wooden spars inspected for shakes or areas of softness around fittings

RIGGING

• Bosun’s chair is in good condition and stowed somewhere accessible in case of emergency
• Rigging wire is sound: no broken strands, particularly around terminal fittings
• Shackle-pins (aloft & on deck) firmly done up and seized
• All shackles, terminals, turning blocks and mast fittings inspected for fractures, wear and pitting
• Sheaves turn freely
• Split-pins/rings in all rigging screws or turnbuckles (aloft & on deck)
• Exposed split-pins are taped to prevent snagging of sheets, sails or passing legs
• Rig is correctly tensioned: mast is in column and leaning neither to port or starboard
• Chainplates inspected for cracks or corrosion
• Hacksaw plus spare blades on board (for emergency rigging removal), and bull-dog clips for a jury rig

STEERING

• Rudder has no excessive play
• Wheel steering: cables are properly tensioned, lubricated and protected from interference by gear stowed nearby.  Inspect for broken strands.
• Tiller is sound (no splits or cracks) and firmly secured to rudder stock
• Self-steering is correctly set up
• Emergency tiller has been tested and crew know how to find, rig and use it

HEAVY WEATHER GEAR

• Trysail and storm jib have been hoisted and checked for condition, sheeting angles, tack strops etc
• Rode, turning blocks and anti-chafe assembled and accessible for sea-anchor/drogue
• Storm boards accessible for windows and skylights

DOWN BELOW

• Seacocks are working freely; skin fittings in good condition
• All through-hulls have tapered softwood bungs attached by lanyard in case of skin-fitting failure
• Flexible piping is secured to through-hull fittings with double hose-clamps.  Hose clamps in good condition
• All siphon-breaks and breathers clear and working

• All movable items are stowed in lockers, fastened or lashed in place
• Fiddles are in ‘offshore’ position
• All drawers and locker doors have catches to prevent them flying open at sea
• Lee cloths/boards for bunks are strong and have adequate fastenings

ENGINE

• Overheat alarm/light is working
• Drip tray under engine is oil-free
• Fuel tanks are full
• Fuel sumps and filters checked for water and diesel fungus
• Oil is clean and topped up
• You have enough spare oil on board for at least one oil-change
• Cooling water through-hull and strainer are clear of blockages and growth
• Drive belts inspected for condition and correct tension
• Stern gland adjusted and lubricated

ENGINE RUNNING CHECKS

• Cooling water is pumping
• Throttle control and gear-shift are working correctly
• No excessive vibration
• Ammeter/voltmeter shows alternator is charging

POWER GENERATION

• You have sufficient means of generating power to run navigation lights, house lights, instruments and any other appliances you wish to use at sea
• Batteries are holding a charge
• Batteries are securely contained in boxes clear of bilge-water
• Battery terminals are clean, free of corrosion, and cables securely connected
• Electrolyte level correct in battery cells (if not, top up with distilled water)

GALLEY

• Galley-strap securely fastened, and strong enough to take a heavy crewmember’s weight
• Stove has adequate fiddles to retain pans/kettle in rough seas
• Gas bottles properly stowed; gas alarm working
• Gas bottles, valves, piping and stove checked for condition
• Sufficient food and stove-fuel on board for anticipated passage-time plus safety margin
• All dry stores in waterproof packaging or containers
• Rough weather provisions (snacks, instant meals etc) easily accessible

WATER

• All water tanks topped-up and caps securely in place
• Tank plumbing checked for leaks
• Flexible water bladders protected against chafe
• Manual fresh water pump working
• Pressure water pump system turned OFF
• Toilets tested and free of leaks

FIRE

• Extinguishers are in good condition and mounted in places they can be accessed easily during an engine or galley fire
• Engine fuel shut-off valve located and tested
• Bucket stowed in cockpit or lazarette for use in engine-room fire or emergency bailing situation
• Fire blanket is easily accessible (not buried in a locker)

LEAK MANAGEMENT

• You have at least 2 bilge pumps on board, one of them manual
• Bilges and limber-holes are clear of debris (so will not block pumps)
• Manual bilge pump hose is fitted with a strainer
• Manual bilge pump is strongly mounted and working efficiently, with handle easy to access in emergency
• Electric bilge pump working (including float switch and panel light)
• Electric bilge pump switched to ‘AUTO’
• Bilges are dry (to allow monitoring of leaks underway)
• Rudder tube and gland checked for leaks
• All areas of bilge are accessible in case you need to inspect at sea
• Crew are aware that head valves must be closed immediately after use

NAVIGATION

• GPS is working and securely mounted
• GPS waypoints double-checked for co-ordinate accuracy and datum discrepancies
• Compass is correctly adjusted, with deviation card on board
• Nothing metal or magnetic (tools, aerosol cans, radio, cameras) stowed near compass
• Log, depth-sounder etc correctly calibrated and barometer set
• Sufficient chart coverage of planned and contingency routes, as well as pilotage information
• Plotting tools (pencils, dividers, parallel rules/protractor etc)
• Hand-bearing compass and binoculars are secure but accessible
• Relevant tide tables on board

NIGHT SAILING

• Compass light working
• Chart table light and galley light screened to avoid blinding watch-keepers
• Waterproof torches (with fresh batteries!) available for use on deck or in emergency

VISIBILITY

• Mast-head lights are working
• Navigation lights are working (fore and aft); and positioned so they cannot be obscured by sails
• Back-up navigation lights (battery) in case of electrical system failure
• Powerful torch or portable spotlight within reach of cockpit (to draw attention to your boat when a collision is possible)
• Fog horn is working
• Adequate radar reflectors in place

RADIO

• Radios functioning and signal checked
• all crew are familiar with distress procedure (and/or instructions are taped near radio)
• you have up-to-date frequencies and times for weather broadcasts

SAFETY

• A jack-line of adequate breaking strain is securely rigged between cockpit and foredeck both sides (for clipping harness tether onto)
• Deck is sufficiently non-skid, particularly the coachroof, foredeck and around the mast
• You have sufficient hand-holds along the side-decks (if not, rig temporary ones using rope or webbing)
• EPIRB tested, and batteries are in date
• Liferaft is in date, large enough for the number of crew, and stowed securely in an accessible position
• Liferaft tie-downs checked for sun-damage and chafe
• Sufficient harnesses, tethers and lifejackets for the number of crew: all in good condition and located for easy access underway
• Danbuoy, lifebuoys, upside-down lights etc firmly mounted and ready for deployment
• A good supply of flares (the necessary number in date) stowed in waterproof containers
• Waterproof ‘grab kit’ stowed for easy accessibility, containing useful items for liferaft or dinghy survival at sea
• All crew are familiar with your Man Overboard procedure

CREW WELFARE

• First aid kit: check adequate and waterproof
• Offshore medical kit is comprehensive, with drugs in date, and waterproof
• Do-it-yourself medical handbook onboard
• Seasick pills, sun-block and painkillers easily accessible
• Drinking water bottle handy to cockpit
• Sufficient warm clothing, bedding and foul weather gear for all crew
• Watch system and galley rota organised

SAMPLE #4