Safety at Sea training course

Karen and I attended the USSailing Safety at Sea one-day training course yesterday at Columbia Yacht Club (held in the rail deck, where it was freezing!).  Generally very good content and good presentations.  A few takeaways of many...  

• We sat next to a female minister from Chicago who, it turns out, purchased, refurbished, and is racing "Flagrante Delicto," the J/29 that Karen helped race in South Haven years ago.  Christened "Wahoo" now.  Small world syndrome!
• A glamorous sailing-themed Chivas Regal ad set the stage about crew overboard. 
• Interesting video testing the GaleForce drogue that is capable of steering a sailboat (very well, actually) if the rudder is disabled or lost.  I placed an order for a similar, highly-rated, but much less expensive drogue to have on board.
• Great presentation by the commander of the U.S. Coast Guard station at Calumet Harbor.  We should feel fortunate that the coast guard is committed to our safety when we get in trouble anywhere in U.S. waters.  Check out the iPhone/Android app United States Coast Guard for supporting information, to file a float plan, request services, etc.
• Extremely useful meteorology information introduced by Matt Gallagher, offering a lot of resources at www.wxchicago.com.  
• More extremely useful information presented about medical emergencies at sea.  One tip to maintain privacy of medical information but have it available when needed - write down your individual pertinent medical information like allergies, conditions, prescriptions and place it in a sealed envelope to be stored on board in one location and returned at the end of the (medically uneventful) voyage.  We should do this.
• Interesting demos of PFDs, tethers, DSC distress calls, flares, whistles, spot lights, liferaft.