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How To Handle Boat Emergencies



We recently bought a sailing catamaran and we've taken the certification courses so we are still learning. I've been having some issues with fear when we're under way and I'm working on cleaning my Chakras. One of the exercises was to face my fears so I made a list of everything that could happen in emergencies and how to handle it.


While boating we should be prepared for the worst. Our boat is operational, covered by insurance, and is considered safe, but we can still experience disaster. How do I prepare for a boating emergency? Here are the top five boating emergency preparedness scenarios and how to handle each of them.


EMERGENCY ONE: FIRE

Just like a house, boats can catch fire at anytime. If we’re at sea, we have to get passengers off the vessel as soon as possible. Contact the coast guard using channel 16 and let them know the status. To prepare for a fire, we keep up-to-date extinguishers onboard and making sure at least one is instantly accessible. We inspected all of them and we have 6 that are all easily accesible. In addition, making sure the ventilation systems are being used properly. There are seevral ventilation areas in the galley, head and battery closet. In the event of a fire, we aim the extinguisher, pull the pin, and spray. If the boat catches fire while ashore, our primary goal should be to get everyone away from the scene.


EMERGENCY TWO: SINKING

Waves, bad weather, or an engine overload can lead to a sinking ship. We can prepare for this by having PLB or an EPIRB. We do not have these on board so I will look to purchase these. These personal locator beacons are incredibly useful and they’ll save us and guests in the event of an accident. We have prepared a ditch bag, also called an abandon ship bag, and have a log of its contents. If the boat begins sinking, we issue a distress call to the coast guard and grab our ditch bag, flare kit that is located beside the cabin door, and dinghy. If we cannot stop the boat from sinking, we get overboard as quickly as possible.


EMERGENCY THREE: MAN OVERBOARD

If one of us falls overboard, we’ll need to follow a specific protocol. Our boat has a throw-bag, that consists of about 70 feet of floating line. We should wear life preservers while onboard to and practice maneuvering a man overboard scenario on a regular basis. We toss a flotation device to the overboard passenger, we hit the GPS’s M.O.B (Man Overboard) button and don’t lose sight of them. The M.O.B. button locks there location and we contact the coast guard to give stayus update.


EMERGENCY FOUR: ON-DECK INJURIES

While our boat is safe, guests can still get injured or me since I'm the clutz. We can slip, fall, or get caught up in the lines. Because of this, it’s a good idea for us to invest in a first-aid course. I want to become knowledgeable about resuscitation, injury treatment, and injury prevention. Our first-aid kit is up to date at least.



We want to enjoy ourselves out on the water, but we need to be prepared for the worst. When we least expect it, disaster can strike just like in a house otr as car. If we give the proper attention to safety, we’ll be prepared to deal with most situations if they arrise.

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