Thirty-four degrees on the sundeck. Your guest was drinking until two, has had coffee and no water, and is now grey, quiet and sweating far more than the effort warrants. He waves you away and says he is fine. He is not fine, and this is the moment the job gets serious.
Red flags — stop the session and refer
Stop immediately, sit the guest down, and escalate to the person responsible for medical care onboard if you see:
- Chest pain, pressure or tightness — or pain into the jaw, neck or arm.
- Dizziness, fainting, or confusion.
- Breathlessness disproportionate to the effort.
- Palpitations or a very irregular pulse.
- A joint that gives way, or sudden severe pain with a snap or pop.
- Grey or clammy skin, nausea, or a guest who has simply "gone quiet".
You do not diagnose. You stop, stabilise, and get medical help. A guest who talks you out of stopping is still a guest who needs to stop.
The yacht medical response
Know these before you ever lead a session, not after:
- Who holds the medical qualification onboard — usually a senior officer with an advanced medical care certificate.
- Where the medical locker, oxygen and AED are, and how the AED is used.
- The emergency call procedure — how the bridge is alerted and how shoreside medical advice (telemedicine) is obtained.
- How a casualty is evacuated. Passageways and stairs on a yacht are a genuine obstacle.
Your own current first aid certificate is not optional.
Heat illness and hydration
| Signs | Action |
|---|---|
| Heavy sweating, cramps, fatigue, headache | Stop, shade, fluids, cool. This is heat exhaustion territory |
| Confusion, no sweating, very hot skin, collapse | Medical emergency. Cool aggressively and get help now |
Prevent it: train early or late, shade, airflow, frequent water breaks, shorter sessions, and cut the intensity in humidity. Guests routinely underestimate how much a Mediterranean afternoon takes out of them.
The alcohol reality
On charter, guests drink. Alcohol dehydrates, impairs balance and coordination, raises heart rate, and blunts judgement — including their judgement about whether they are fit to train.
- A guest who is still drunk, or heavily hungover, does not train. Say it kindly and firmly.
- If you suspect intoxication, the session does not happen. This is a safety decision, and the chief stew and captain will back you.
- Never be pressured into it. "Let us do this tomorrow when you will actually enjoy it" is your line, and it works.
Onboard Notes
- Water is on the mat before the guest is. Make it visible and offer it constantly.
- Any incident, however minor, is reported and written up. Same day, no exceptions.
- Trust the pattern, not the guest. "I am fine" is what people say immediately before they are not.
- Preparatory study only. Nothing here qualifies you to instruct. Leading guests requires an accredited qualification and professional indemnity insurance.