Section 6: Emergency Procedures
6A: PROTECT YOUR LIVES FIRST...
Put on life jackets
Contact the Coast Guard with an emergency "MAYDAY" call.
If adrift, prepare to anchor to keep the boat from drifting into danger.
If the boat is really sinking, consider "beaching it" if necessary.
Launch the dinghy and prepare to board if necessary. Take a handheld VHF radio, if
available. Be sure to wear life jackets!
6B: ...THEN, WORRY ABOUT THE BOAT!
In a true emergency, you certainly are authorized to call for immediate commercial
assistance as minimally required to assure the safety of you and the boat.
It is not an emergency, however, if neither you nor the boat are at risk.
6C: IF YOU THINK IT MAY NOT BE AN EMERGENCY:
If you have any concern about your long-term safety, contact the Coast Guard, either
normally or using an urgent "PAN" call. Tell them that you are calling to advise them about
your situation, so they can keep in touch.
Be sure that the status and safety of the boat and crew is someone's responsibility while
you sort out the boat's problem. For example, delegate your mate to keep a watch for
hazards, or to operate the boat on course slowly while you deal with the difficulty.
Here is a checklist for solving the problem:
(A) Isolate it;
(B) Get the manuals;
(C) Get parts;
(D) If necessary, call vendors for help.
Over the years, most problems with boats are caused by misuse! Holding tanks
overflow because they aren't checked; heads clog because foreign matter (especially facial
tissues and tampons) are put in them; engines fail because they run out of fuel, then must be
"purged" to re-start. Use the boat carefully, and you'll avoid these problems.
Almost all problems that are not operator-caused, i.e., that are boat deficiencies, are
caused by pumps that fail, hoses and belts that break, and seawater strainers that get clogged.
Generally, these problems are annoyances, and usually they are inconvenient, but they still
can happen. Try to stay calm, collected, and be a professional by dealing with the problem in
a businesslike, calm way. It will make everyone's day a better one!
(Continued on next page)
Section 6: EMERGENCY PROCEDURES 6.1
