21` ing Safety 167 Section 21 ing Safety 1 Emergencies and accidents occur suddenly and demand urgent action. They can often be prevented by careful planning and attention to detail. This section discusses safeguards to prevent and reduce the frequency and severity of sailboat emergencies and accidents. Stay Calm 2 In any emergency, remain calm. Panic only makes things worse. The skipper and crew must know exactly what to look for, where to look for it, and what to do. Knowing what others have done in similar situations helps. Lessons Learned 3 To prevent accidents and emergencies afloat, study and apply the lessons learned from the experiences of other sailors. 4 Knowledge. Learn about sailing by crewing before taking command. In addition to this course, complete the CPS or USPS Seamanship, Piloting, and Advanced Piloting courses. Add Weather, Cruise Planning, Marine Electrical Systems, and Engine Maintenance. Take CPR and first aid courses. Attend a Safety at Sea Seminar. As a minimum, family members should take the USPS Partner in Command course. Learn how to sail the boat in all conditions and how to operate and maintain the equipment aboard. Practice emergency procedures including man overboard drills. 5 Equipment. Outfit the boat with equipment suited for the planned level and area(s) of sailing. Areas of consideration should include electrical, electronics, clothing, food, safety equipment, navigation, galley, maintenance, hardware, tools, and spare parts. 6 Maintenance and Housekeeping. Maintain the boat in Bristol fashion with frequent inspections and prompt repair and/or replacement of faulty equipment. Stow equipment and gear securely when not in use. Give flares, flammable fluid systems, battery cables, and other fire hazards special attention. Keep fire extinguishers charged. Check fuel and propane systems for leakage, turnbuckles for security, topping lifts for security, steering system cables for proper tension and fraying, engine cooling systems for adequate discharge flow, and, when anchoring, for dragging after the anchor is set. At sea, check bilges every hour. Replace frayed line and any wire with broken strands. Tape the turnbuckles over the cotter pin ends. 7 Collision Avoidance. Keep a sharp all-around lookout at all times. Know and apply the Steering and ing Rules. When entering crowded harbors in large boats, lower sails at the harbor entrance and motor in. Stay clear of moorings and other floating obstacles. Under sail, don t pinch, lose speed and go into irons in an effort to squeeze by a moored boat. Always know your location and stay away from lee shores and shoals. 8 Weather. Respect the weather. Don t sail in thunderstorms. Monitor the weather frequently on VHF radio. 9 Falling Overboard. Don t fall overboard! On board, use one hand for the boat, the other for yourself to hang on. Wear a life jacket. At night or in heavy weather, wear a harness and, on deck, hook up to a jack line. Wear boat shoes. Don t step on sails or lines spread on the deck. Beware of having an arm or leg caught in a loop of line. Stay off the foredeck. Stay out of the path of the boom. Stay away from flogging jib or genoa clews. Be cautious in sailing single-handed, short-handed, in threatening weather, or under any conditions where help is not readily available.
168 21 ing Safety 10 Line Handling. Do not let fingers be drawn into a block, winch, or cleat by a loaded line. Snub heavily loaded lines around a winch or cleat. When releasing a loaded line, grab the line several feet from the fitting. Always tie secure stopper knots in bitter ends. Always use care in installing and using winches to prevent overlapping turns. Avoid putting a hand on a traveler in the path of a traveler car. 11 Fending Off. Do not put an arm or a leg between a heavy boat and a dock or another boat in an effort to fend off. Use fenders. Snub docking lines with a turn around a post or cleat. 12 Brief the Crew. In preparing to sail, brief the crew on the things they need to know: the location, function, and operation of the safety equipment as well as any equipment they will use, exactly what their jobs are, and how to proceed if the skipper is incapacitated. First-aid Kit 13 The boat should be equipped with a first-aid kit appropriate for the size of the crew and for the type of sailing. A daysailer s medical kit can be minimal, but an off-shore sailor needs a more complete kit. Trauma: wounds, fractures, sprains, bruises, spinal injuries, and head injuries, are all potential problems. Other, more common, include seasickness, sunburn, skin rashes, infections, and dental emergencies. Remember that any medical problems occurring on land can also occur on the water. 14 Few sailors take the time to stock a proper medical kit. Many carry a half-empty first-aid kit, and the few items remaining are frequently unusable. When was the last time you checked yours? Is it a rusty metal box containing soggy bandages and open tubes of antiseptic ointment oozing over the bottom? First-aid kits must be appropriate for marine use and designed to withstand this harsh environment. Check their contents frequently, at least at the beginning of each season, and replace items as required. Illness 15 Illness requires action by the skipper or crew. Give seasickness special consideration. There are several over-the-counter remedies available (for example, Dramamine and Bonine) that are effective in preventing sea seasickness. Pressure bands which apply pressure to a particular place on the wrist have proven effective in helping prevent motion sickness. Ensure that your crew and passengers know of these. When possible, avoid prolonged exposure to wind and sea conditions that produce discomfort. One person leaning over the rail may cause others to become ill. Take preventive action to keep everyone comfortable and healthy. Boat Emergencies 16 Prevention is the most effective means of dealing with boat emergencies. The old cliché, an ounce of prevention is worth a pound of cure, is most appropriate. The following procedures augment the material presented in the CPS and USPS Seamanship Course Manual: a) It is essential that the spars and rigging get a thorough annual inspection. Particular attention is required for all rigging fittings; examine them with a magnifying glass. Using a dye penetrant helps to reveal hairline cracks. Any rigging wire displaying meat hooks (broken strands) should be replaced immediately. Lubricate turnbuckles and clevis pins with a heavy waterproof grease to decrease wear and permit easy removal. Laminated wooden spars are varnished rather than painted so that developing problems can be seen. Cotter rings are safer to use than cotter pins because there are no projecting ends to cause injury or tear sails or clothing. b) Inspect all wiring. An electrical failure is usually one of the first problems during heavy weather. Wiring should be well secured, covered with waterproof insulation, installed high out of the bilge, and protected with circuit breakers. c) Make sure the exhaust systems are not leaking. Jacketed pipes and the muffler systems are prone to failure because of salt water corrosion and galvanic action. Salt water can flood the boat and ruin the engine. Carbon monoxide leaks from the exhaust system claim lives each year. Install carbon monoxide detectors which are specifically designed for the marine environment. d) When sailing, make hourly checks on the bilges. Record the number of strokes on the manual bilge pump hourly; any increase requires evaluation.
21` ing Safety 169 e) Many sailors play what-if games as they sail. Knowing what to do can prevent a real emergency. (1) What if a sheet breaks? Use a spare sheet or an anchor line. (2) What if the steering cable breaks? Use a large pipe wrench until the emergency tiller is installed. (3) What if a shroud or stay breaks? A spare halyard or the jib or spinnaker halyard can be used for the headstay or a shroud. A topping lift can replace the backstay or shroud. Boat First Aid 17 Break-downs at sea are a part of sailing. Being able to make emergency repairs to proceed to port without help is important. This capability can be termed boat first aid. Every boat requires tools, equipment, and spare parts to treat boat damage or failures. When assembling this emergency kit, go over your boat carefully, listing parts that either require periodic replacement or are likely to fail, and can be replaced. 18 Try to imagine what emergencies may occur; then visualize what will be required for repairs. What can be used to jury rig? How can the boat be steered without a rudder? How can help be summoned if the antenna is lost? All the necessary tools and parts to make repairs should be on the boat. 19 The spare parts and tools carried depend upon the size of the boat and type of sailing in addition to the considerations above. The kit for the daysailer may include a few cotter pins, a spare shackle, and some tape, while the stores for a world cruiser will include spares for virtually everything on board, including at least one piece of rigging equal in size to the largest one in use. Knowledge and planning contribute to a safer and more efficient boat, and make sailing more fun. Man Overboard 20 Falling overboard can be a very serious problem. Typically, with small boats it may not cause a critical problem because they are easy to sail and highly maneuverable. Any fall is also unlikely to cause injury. A small boat is also likely to be sailing in sheltered waters during daylight hours with other boats around. The topsides are low so crawling back into the boat may not be a difficult problem. Falling overboard from a cruising boat in open water is a different matter. It may be dark. A large boat is much less maneuverable. There is probably a sea running. There may be no other boats around. Those left on board may have little experience, particularly with something like this. The topsides are high, so that recovery is difficult. By far the best remedy is prevention. Take precautions not to fall overboard. Don't let it happen to you. 21 Extensive studies and testing by the Seattle ing Foundation, the U.S. ing Association Safety-at-Sea Committee, and the Naval Academy ing Squadron have resulted in adoption of the quickstop maneuver and the use of the Lifesling for recovering a man overboard. This procedure as well as information on a broad range of safety procedures and equipment is presented in a video tape entitled Safety at Sea that is available through squadron educational officers. Learning and practicing the man overboard recovery procedure under controlled conditions is highly recommended. Six phases of the rescue procedure have been identified. When a person falls overboard: a) Shout, point, and throw flotation. b) Slow the boat. c) Watch and circle the victim. d) Make contact. e) Stop the boat. f) Bring the victim aboard. 22 Each is explained below. 23 Shout, Point and Throw Flotation. When someone falls overboard, immediately shout man overboard. Throw flotation toward the victim: buoyant cushions, life rings etc. With help aboard, have someone act as spotter to watch continuously and point to the victim.
170 21 ing Safety 24 Slow the Boat. ing with main and jib only, immediately head up and tack. Leave the jib cleated to slow the boat, Figure 21 1. 25 If flying a spinnaker, head up and ease the spinnaker pole almost to the forestay to ensure that the spinnaker will come down to leeward of the forestay. Take the spinnaker down. Shorthanded, head up until the spinnaker begins to come aback and reaches the spreader. Ease the halyard to drop the spinnaker on the deck inside the lifelines. Complete the tack under mainsail alone. Start the engine to go back upwind to a position just a boat length to leeward of the victim. 26 If a Lifesling system is hung on the stern pulpit with the polypropylene line attached to the boat, remove the Lifesling from its bag and throw it overboard, Figure 21 2. 27 Watch and Circle the Victim. If upwind of the victim, continue the turn to head downwind. The jib will be aback and hasten the turn. If help is available, the jib may now be roller furled or dropped on deck inside the lifelines still cleated. Otherwise, leave the jib up. Straighten out until abeam of the victim heading directly downwind; then jibe. Continue the turn around the victim to a position just a boat length to leeward of the victim. Figure 21 2 Lifesling 28 If the Lifesling is deployed, continue to circle the victim to draw the trailing line in toward the victim until contact is made. If a Lifesling is not used, throw a heaving line to the victim. Until the victim has a line, circle, staying clear, but close aboard, Figure 21 3. 29 Stop the Boat. When contact is made, the victim dons the Lifesling, if available. Turn the boat towards headto-wind with the victim on the windward side. Stop the boat. Shut down the engine. Pull the victim in, snug and high, head out of the water, against the windward side of the boat and secure the line. Wind 2. ContinueTurning Keep Headsail Backed 1. Come About 3. Jibe Man Overboard 4. Let Out Mainsail, Drop Headsail Figure 21 1 Quick-stop Maneuver
21` ing Safety 171 Wind 1 Lifesling 2 5 Line 3 strong swimmers in life jackets and in excellent physical condition. In a real life-threatening crisis, the difficulty is increased because people are tired, cold, exhausted, and frightened. Many new sailboats have integral swim platforms which may be used to assist in bringing the victim back aboard. 6 4 Man Overboard Figure 21 3 Recovery Using Lifesling 30 Bring the Victim Aboard. Drop the sails. With a full crew, lift the victim aboard. Shorthanded, winch the victim aboard. To lift aboard using a winch, connect a block and tackle (the boom vang tackle, for example) to the main halyard shackle and raise the main halyard until the shackle end is some ten feet above the deck. Secure the halyard. Connect the other end of the block and tackle to the Lifesling harness. Reeve the bitter end of the block and harness line through a turning block near the windward rail (the jib sheet block, for example) and then to a winch. Winch the victim up and over the life lines, Figure 21 4. These procedures have assumed that the victim is conscious, rational, and able to grab the sling or line. If the victim is unconscious, a person can go overboard with the sling on and be retrieved with the victim. 31 It is extremely difficult to get a person overboard out of the water and back aboard. This is true even with 32 Ladders generally work well only in calm conditions and when the person in the water is still in good shape. Their use by anyone weakened by cold or the exertion of swimming has proven ineffective and is actually regarded as dangerous in rough water, especially those mounted on the transom. Improvised hoisting slings using nets or sails to scoop up the victim have also proven very difficult to use. Halyard Tackle Block Man Overboard in Recovery Sling Figure 21 4 Lifting Tackle Winch
172 21 ing Safety 33 The lifting tackle may vary with the size of the boat and backup winch power available. To provide sufficient power for the smaller crew member, a four-part tackle with adequate length and a proper lead to a backup winch is recommended. A spare mainsheet or a spare boom vang system can serve this role well. The tackle must be high enough off the deck to permit the victim to clear the lifelines before the limit of the tackle system is reached. Attachment is to the main halyard on one end and to the loop made by the floating line into the D-rings of the sling. The working line from the block and tackle is led to a cockpit winch using fairleads and turning blocks as required. 34 There is no room for panic or lack of confidence. The procedure must be understood and practiced by all on board. Adherence to a set, practiced procedure helps prevent unfortunate decisions under pressure. Capsize 35 Nearly every small-boat sailor at some time or other has capsized his boat. While keel boats generally have the ability to right themselves when knocked down, a centerboard boat has no righting moment once it is knocked down. It will remain capsized unless it is rerighted. 36 After capsizing, count noses and be sure that everyone is wearing a life jacket. Gather the floating gear, ease the sheets, release the halyards, and take the sails down. In small daysailers, easing the sheets may permit the boat to be righted with the sails up. 37 Lower the centerboard. Maneuver the boat so the bow is head-to-wind. Stand on the centerboard while holding on to the gunwale. The boat will slowly come upright in the water, but it will be unwieldy and unstable because of the water in the hull. If the centerboard trunk is capped, or is above the level of the water, bail as much of the water out of the hull as possible. This will greatly improve the stability. 38 Steady the boat, and climb aboard over the transom. Many small boats have self-bailers in the bottom of the hull. Don t try to use these until the boat is moving fast enough to permit them to be effective. If the centerboard trunk is open, try to seal the opening with anything available that might work such as a rag, sponge, or clothing. 39 If the boat cannot be bailed out, remain with the boat and signal for assistance from shore or from passing boats, using standard methods. A signal may be made by slowly and repeatedly raising and lowering arms outstretched to each side. Wave a bright-colored jersey or jacket, or use the distress flag. Blow the boat s horn or a whistle. Any of these methods should help you attract the attention of passing boats or people ashore. Always stay with the boat don't try to swim to shore. 40 When help arrives ensure that the rescue boat s engine is not running before having anyone enter the water near the rescue boat. Place crew and gear aboard the rescuing boat. 41 Rig a tow line from the towing vessel and tie a bowline around the base of the mast or other secure attachment point. If the water is warm, someone should stay aboard the towed boat to steer and keep a small boat upright. Avoid damage by towing the vessel at a slow speed. Stranding 42 Upon running aground while on a sailboat, let the sheets run free so as not to be driven any harder aground unless running down wind with a full main. Calmly evaluate the situation. Are any of the crew injured? Is the hull holed? Is the boat taking on water? Is the tide rising or falling? Is it a mud bottom or a rocky bottom? Which direction offers the best path to deeper water? 43 If grounded forward and wind, current, or waves are making things worse, quickly get an anchor out to hold off the stern. Getting the anchor out will usually mean taking it in a dinghy, wading or swimming out with the anchor floating on a cushion or life preserver. If the wind or current is moderate, an anchor lowered or thrown from the deck may, temporarily, hold enough to keep the stern from swinging into danger. 44 When evaluating the situation in tidal waters, act quickly if the tide is falling to avoid being caught without enough water to keep the boat upright. This could damage the hull, rudder, or propeller should the boat settle or heel, especially on a rocky bottom. On a rising tide, a little patience may be all that is needed. In any event, check for hull damage and leakage and be prepared to control this by pumping and/or plugging the hole. Always have an anchor ready for immediate use while pulling free. Be sure the path is clear of obstacles and that control of the boat is maintained.
21` ing Safety 173 45 Keel sailboats draw less water when heeled. Send the crew to the low side to increase heel. Have a heavy crew member hang from the boom when it is swung out to the low side. Have another boat run by to create as large a wake as possible. When the wake reaches the grounded portion of the hull, it may be possible to back or push off. Kedging Off 46 If these methods haven t worked, and no help is available to pull the boat off, resort to kedging. This means setting an anchor in deeper water and pulling the boat toward it, either mechanically or by hand. The anchor may be floated out on life preservers, carried out by wading, or taken in a dinghy. If a dinghy is used, the rode should be in the dinghy, with the bitter end firmly made fast to a cleat on the stranded vessel, until the anchor is set. Then pay out the rode from the dinghy while moving out to set the anchor. See that the crew setting the anchor wears life preservers. 47 A line might be rigged from high up on the mast to an anchor set off the beam that is, from halyard to kedge line. Do not put too much strain on such a line, however, as it may damage the rigging or jam the block at the masthead. A spinnaker halyard is best for this purpose because of its swivel fitting. 48 Getting free from rock is best accomplished by lightening the boat and kedging straight astern. Do this slowly. Watch for leaks and be prepared to control them. 49 There is a much greater stress on a kedge line than on a line used to move a floating object. Therefore, it is important that the pull on the kedge line be taken up slowly. This is accomplished by leading the kedge line around a winch or block (A), and then to a winch (B), Figure 21 5. Should the kedge line part, the snap is much more likely to fly back toward winch A than toward the operator of winch B. Prepare for Unexpected 50 Always be prepared for the unexpected emergency. Before undergoing the mental stress or anxiety of a grounding, consider these procedures: a) Make sure that the anchor and rode can be placed up on deck quickly and that the rode is ready to pay out without tangling. b) Try passing an anchor and rode to someone in a dinghy alongside. c) Lower an anchor from a dinghy and row away, paying out the rode while rowing. Does the rode pay out smoothly? d) Try floating out an anchor on a buoyant cushion or life preservers, paying out the rode as the anchor is floated in the desired direction. Practice setting it and returning to the vessel. A Yes B B Yes A A No Summary 51 Emergencies occur suddenly. In an emergency, stay calm. Learn the boat. Buy proper equipment. Maintain it carefully. Don t fall overboard. Wear a life jacket. Know where you are. Keep a sharp lookout. Handle lines carefully. Don t fend off with arms and legs. Brief your crew. Maintain a first aid kit. Maintain a tools and spare parts kit. Practice emergency procedures. Learn the quick-stop maneuver and man overboard recovery procedure. Consider buying a Lifesling. Always stay with a capsized boat don't try to swim to shore. Calmly and fully evaluate the situation upon running aground before taking action. Figure 21 5 Kedging Off
174 21 ing Safety
21` ing Safety 175 Homework: Section 21: ing Safety Name 1. The prudent skipper should take which of the following? a) Dramamine. b) A first aid course. c) A ham radio course. d) An adult education class in cooking. 2. First-aid kits should be inspected and replenished: a) every three years. b) at the end of each season. c) frequently, but at least at the beginning of each season. d) only when required since checking is unnecessary unless supplies have been used. 3. The most effective means of avoiding boating emergencies is by: a) prevention. b) buying liability insurance. c) replacing circuit breakers with isolators. d) taking a course in maritime law. 4. A boat emergency kit will contain: a) power cords for electric shore power. b) a complete set of piston rings for the engine. c) an anchor winch. d) necessary tools and parts to make repairs for the size of the boat and type of sailing. 5. After shouting Man Overboard!, the first step to be performed in executing a shorthanded recovery using the Lifesling method is to: a) deploy the Lifesling. b) perform a quick stop immediately. c) signal for help by use of a flare. d) throw a cushion or horseshoe flotation device overboard. 6. In a shorthanded recovery, which of the following recovery techniques works best? a) Lift the victim out using brute force. b) Place a ladder over the side, amidships. c) Attach the main halyard to the Lifesling and winch the victim aboard. d) Lower the mainsail and use it as a sling to assist the victim out of the water. 7. If a man overboard is unconscious, the best recovery technique is: a) wait for help; a boat crew can t handle an unconscious person. b) have a strong swimmer enter the water and pull the victim to the side of the boat. c) put a person overboard wearing the Lifesling who can be retrieved with the victim. d) have a strong swimmer push the victim into the lowered mainsail, recover the victim using the main halyard.
176 21 ing Safety 8. In the event of a capsize, which do you do first? a) Count noses. b) Right the boat. c) Secure loose gear. d) Pass out the life jackets. 9. Your boat is swamped. You bail out some water and enter over: a) the bow. b) the side. c) the stern. d) the gunwale. 10. When kedging a stranded sailboat, one should: a) avoid the use of a winch. b) set the anchor off the bow. c) set the anchor from a dinghy. d) minimize strain on the kedge line.