Trailers and marine · TM-23

Safety Boat Pre-Launch Check

A free printable safety boat check: hull or tubes, fuel and vent, engine and kill cord, lights, radio and rescue kit before launch, then the fuel left on return.

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One page. Choose your paper size — both versions are laid out identically, so neither one gets shrunk to fit.

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A4 45 kB US Letter 45 kB

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A4 72 kB US Letter 72 kB

The fillable versions have real form fields — open them in any PDF reader, type into them and save. Printing help.

What this sheet is for

Find a closed vent, a dead kill cord or a loose engine clamp before a rescue depends on it. The go or no-go is written down and signed.

Who it is for

Safety boat helms and crews, sailing and rowing clubs, activity centres and anyone running a club launch or RIB.

How to use it

Do the check at the start of every session, before the boat is needed.
Tick each line, or cross it and write the defect.
Pull the kill cord with the engine running to prove it stops it.
Decide go or no-go, sign it, and tell the duty officer.
On return, write the fuel left and any defects for the bosun.

What is on the sheet

One page, top to bottom:

Printed under the title: The helm's check on a club launch or RIB at the start of a session, then again when it comes back in: boat, fuel, engine, electrics and rescue kit, and a plain go or no-go.

Any cross means it does not go out. A boat that fails any check stays ashore until it is fixed or another boat takes the cover. No fuel quantities, battery readings or kit lists are printed as rules: what the boat carries and how much fuel is enough are set by your club or centre, and the engine's own checks are in its manual.

Write-on lines: Date · Boat · Helm · Crew · Radio channel · Activity covered · Area · Time out · Fuel at start

Also printed: BOAT · Hull or tubes: no damage, tubes firm · Drain bungs in, bilge dry · Painter, bow line and fenders aboard · Steering free from lock to lock · FUEL · Tank secured so it cannot slide · Tank vent open · Enough fuel, by your club's own rule · Fuel line on, primer bulb firm · No leaks and no smell of fuel · ENGINE · Clamps or bolts tight, safety line on · Starts cleanly · Cooling tell-tale flowing · Kill cord stops the engine when pulled · Spare kill cord aboard · Gears and throttle work smoothly · ELECTRICS AND RADIO · Battery secured, box closed · Navigation lights work, if needed · Radio check with shore done · Phone aboard in a waterproof case · RESCUE KIT · Knife where the helm can reach it · Throw line · Tow line · Paddle · First aid kit, contents checked · Spare buoyancy aids · Anchor and line · Bailer or pump · CREW · Helm and crew in buoyancy aids · Kill cord on the helm while running

Write-on lines: Go / no-go · Defects found before launch · Signed (helm) · Back in at · Fuel left · Flushed? Y / N · Defects to report on return · Signed

Questions

Why is no fuel quantity printed?

How much fuel is enough depends on the boat, the engine, the area and the session, and clubs set their own rule. The sheet asks you to check against yours and to write the fuel at the start and the end.

What should the rescue kit include?

Your club or centre sets it. The sheet lists common items to tick; cross out what you do not carry, add what you do, and check the rules where you are.