Security at sea

Golden rules for safe sailing and survival at sea

Every single one can save your life...they are not sorted by any priority !

If you think there is one rule missing and you want to add it...just send a mail to Sailors-forum@telering.at

Read a collection of distress stories...and the lessons learned from them

Basic precautions to avoid a distress situation:

- Even when you have a great weather forecast...check it regularly.

- Always sail away from bad weather.

- Always have enough space to a leeward coast. Especially in bad weather.

- Check all locally used VHF channels regularly.

- Do not trust binders or fittings,...they can break earlier than you think.

- The liferaft has to be stowed in an easily accessible place where it cannot be damaged by an average or disaster.

- Store the lifejackets in a place on deck where you can reach them in case of fire or water in the saloon or cabins.

- Always have a panic bag ready. It has to contain all necessary things you want to have with you when you have to leave the ship.

- - Money, Credit Cards

- - Passports

- - Documents

- - GPS

- - WalkieTalkie

- - Lamp

- - EPIRB

- - Knife

- - Distress Signals, (Red Rockets / Orange fog)

- - Sea boots

- - WATER, FOOD

- - Spare batteries for GPS, lamp and VHF

- - Compass, Sea charts

- - First Aid kit

- Have a panic box to swim with, (containing money, documents, flight tickets) inside the panic box which you would take to the liferaft (tools, VHF, GPS...).

- Check (taste) the emergency provisioning before you need it.

- Have always correct and sufficient sea charts on board.

- Make sure your deck is visible in case of an SAR action. A white deck is NOT visible. If you do not want to colour your deck in orange.....Have an organge cover foil ready.

- Always know exactly where you are, and control the distance to the coast.

- Even good and recent charts can be wrong.

- Never approach dangerous waters while having bad visibility.

- Check always if your observations meet the (navigational) expectations.

- Manage the speed of your boat precisely in heavy weather. Too fast is as dangerous as too slow.

- Be aware that the judgement of tide (stream) is very unaccurate and can foul your navigation.

- Do not take for granted that all your distress signals (rockets etc.) do work.

- Never sail a shortcut through dangerous waters.

- Never forget to switch off the electric systems and to disconnect the batteries from the board-net when you do not need them.

- Be aware that a 2,5 inch (62mm) seacock (sea connection) lets 180l of water inside the boat in 2,5 minutes. That is the performance of a large membran pump.

- When anchoring in a small bay always have your bow directed to the open sea.

- Always note an "escape" heading before going to sleep at an enclosed anchorage. It will help you find your way out in the night.

- Coralls can easily cut an anchor chain.

- Always stay away from big ships as long as your boat is floating. There are strong currents and twisting winds around a big hull.

- Be aware that thousands of sea containers are floating around at the seas. Mostly beneath the surface. Be prepared when you hit one.

- Have an emergency plan ready. Every memeber of the crew has to have a clear vision of his duties in a distress situation. Who is taking care of the pumps ? Who operating the VHF ? Who is navigating ?

- Always switch of the gas directly at the bottle.

- Check gas sensors regularly.

- Check if the gas box is leak proof.

- Check if the gas drains are free.

- Do not use gas lamps inside the ship.

Basic precautions to be armed for a distress situation:

- A storm sail (fock, jib) should be in orange colour to make you visible for SAR teams.

- Check if the EPIRB is registered correctly and working.

- Have enough saw blades for metall with you.

- Have a strong electric torch with you.

- Have a club hammer and a jemmy on board.

- In heavy weather everybody on board has to wear a knife. A capsizing or overturning boat can quickly bring you in a position where you are caught between ropes . Only a knife can help freeing you.

- Have hot drinks and food READY when heavy weather is approaching.

- Wear the lifejackets in time.

- The blocking and plugging of bilge pumps is one of the main reasons for the sinking of a ship. The water inside the hull washes all kind of dirt,waste and debris to the pump. Make sure that filters are in place and you know how to clean them.

- It is very difficult to swim wearing an automatic life jacket. (because it alway turns you on the back)

- Do not wait too long with the sending of an emergency call.

- You should be able to operate the VHF from on deck. Have a long microphone cable ready.

- Have at least one fire extinguisher on deck.

- When being dragged, the line (hawser) has to be at least as long as the distance between two wave peaks.

- Connect the hawser to your anchor and let the chain out. This will act as a shock absober.

- When being towed, use a drogue (drift anchor) to avoid overrunning the hawser.

- Make sure you have enough and fitting bungs with you.

- Have the VHF MAYDAY procedure at hand, including your ships name in the phonetic alphabet.

When the boat is leaking and sinking:

- If you have to leave your ship, do it rather near the main ship routes than in lonely waters. So if you are drifting away from a crowdy route...leave the ship quick.

- The lifejacket has to be secured with a belt between the legs.

- Do not forget to eat and drink in difficult situations. Small portions on a regular basis.

- Make sure that the liferaft is balanced. A raft for 6 people is instabil with only 2 people on board. Have balast with you if necessary.

- When in distress...Always keep some rocket signals as a "last reserve".

- After having launched a red rocket, ignite a hand torch to give the SAR people your position.

- Close all the seacocks (sea connections) immediatly when the boat is leaking !!!

- When you recognize that there is water in the ship...TASTE THE WATER...IF IT IS SALTY OR BRACKISH....SEARCH THE LEAK FIRST ! You have to find it before it is below the water level....