etiring from the MAIB (Marine Accident Investigation Branch) has allowed me to reflect on developments in marine safety over the past few decades, particularly in the sailing sector, which is where I have the most experience. It began when I was plonked into my father’s leaky National 12, aged two, wearing a contrivance of a lifejacket that would never qualify for a CE marking today. When I joined the MAIB back in 1995, the organisation was half the size it is now. Paper charts were still the norm and AIS (Automatic Identification System) was still some way off. People often ask me whether I worry about going out sailing when I’ve been working for so long in an environment that highlights the dangers of what can happen when afloat. The key, of course, is to manage the risks in the same way as you do when you’re driving a car or crossing the road. It’s always healthy, for example, to have an underlying sense of vigilance about the risk of falling over the side, because,
