.
The
decision to abandon ship is usually very difficult. In some
instances, people have perished in their life raft while their
abandoned vessel managed to stay afloat. Other cases indicate
that people waited too long to successfully get clear of a
floundering boat.
Once
the decision is made:
- Put
on all available waterproof clothing, including gloves,
headgear, and life jacket.
- Collect
survival
kit.
- Note
present position.
- Send
out MAYDAY message.
- Launch
life raft attached to ship.
- Launch
dinghy attached to life raft.
- Try
to enter life raft directly from the boat (if impossible,
use minimal swimming effort to get on board).
- Don't
forget the EPIRB (emergency position indicator radio
beacon).
- Get
a safe distance from the sinking vessel.
- Collect
all available flotsam. The most unlikely articles can be
adapted for use under survival conditions.
- Keep
warm by huddling bodies together. Keep dry, especially
your feet.
- Stream
a sea anchor.
- Arrange
lookout watches.
- Use
flares only on skipper's orders when there is a real
chance of them being seen.
- Arrange
for collecting rainwater. Ration water to maximum one-half
quart per person per day, issued in small increments. Do
not drink seawater or urine. If water is in short supply,
eat only sweets from survival rations.
Act
Like a Captain
As
a seamanship instructor, I teach my students that being a good
captain involves a certain amount of acting. In emergency
situations, the crew of a vessel looks to their leader in an
almost unconscious way to determine their own level of
anxiety. If the captain projects a calm and confident
attitude, the crew will be reassured and since an anxious crew
means poor judgment and performance, a captain should do all
he or she can to keep the crew calm. The idea here is not to
lie to your crew, and certainly not to fake a fearless, macho
manner, going down with the ship is a pretty dumb plan. The
idea is that, by maintaining a calm, deliberate attitude in
the face of a dire situation, you can help your crew remain
effective and perhaps help save lives. If you need to fake
that attitude to some degree, so be it.
Emergency
Communications
When
trouble strikes, there are many ways to communicate your
distress and seek help. Use your VHF or single-sideband radio
and follow the procedures for distress.
There
are three levels of priority communications: distress, urgent,
and safety, identified by MAYDAY, PAN-PAN, and SECURITE.
Understand the differences by reviewing the tip on radio
procedures.
Panicked
radio communications can confuse a rescue effort. Learn the
proper procedures. Try to stay calm.
Use
the acceptable distress
signals as outlined in the Navigation Rules. Flares are
fast and effective -- red for distress.
Related
Articles:
Be
Prepared with an Abandon Ship Bag by Doug Ritter
Marine
Radio Procedures
Distress
Signals by Chief Warrant Officer
Jim Krzenski Commanding Officer, U.S.C.G. Station Fort Pierce,
FL
Graphic
Chart of Distress Signals |
