I chartered with my wife last year and she had no sailing experience and very little boating experience. I taught her how to start up and operate the boat with the engine, how to release the sheets and main halyard, how to use the radio and a briefing on what to do if I went over. Her directions were to throw a flotation object in the water immediately, release the dinghy, start the engine (not put it in gear unless required), turn in to the wind and release the sheets and halyards. Theoretically, I would swim over to the dinghy, get in, start it up and come get her.

If for some reason I got knocked out when I went over I was dead. In that case she then would use the radio and call VISAR. Go home and call the life insurance company…