Survival Craft

Did you ever wonder what you might do if you ended up in a survival craft? It's something to think about. The good news is that today's equipment anticipates your every need. However, there are some things that you should be aware of. Let's talk about some of them.

To begin with, there are several scenarios under which you may end up in a survival craft. A recreational boater that is often offshore fishing, sailing, diving, or otherwise out of the sight of land, is likely to have an inflatable life raft onboard. Commercial fishermen on clam, scallop, swordfish, and other boats routinely carry life rafts, as do tugboats, dredges, and passenger vessels.

As a boat owner, passenger, or employee, you might just find yourself in a survival craft one day. There may be several survival crafts deployed from the vessel, or only one, as in the case of most recreational vessels. A member of the vessel's crew may be designated as the person-in-charge, or you may be in charge of your own survival craft.

There some procedures that should be followed once a survival craft is in the water. They all need to be attended to ASAP. In the event that you are a passenger, the person-in-charge (PIC) of the craft will inform you of the procedures. That is, if the PIC ends up on the craft. If not, you need to take care of business yourself. Here goes:

POST A LOOKOUT FOR SURVIVORS - Regardless of the number of survival crafts, unless everyone is accounted for, you need to be looking out for survivors at once. Survivors without personal flotation devices (PFDs) will have a tough time staying afloat (especially in rough water). Time is of the essence.

ACTIVATE THE EPIRB - An EPIRB (Emergency Position Indicating Radio Beacon) may be in the survival craft. It is used to transmit a signal that will alert rescue authorities of your location. Depending on your situation, an EPIRB may be on the vessel, in the survival craft, or both.

KEEP THE SURVIVAL CRAFTS TOGETHER - There are several reasons for this. First, several life rafts in a group provide a larger and more visible target (especially in poor visibility). Second, you can pool your resources (medical expertise, etc.). Third, it provides for better morale (there is strength in numbers).

INVENTORY ALL ONBOARD EQUIPMENT - Take a look at everything that is packed in the survival craft and familiarize yourself with all operating and use procedures. Be prepared to use all equipment and supplies before the need arises.

READ SURVIVAL CRAFT INSTRUCTIONS - The instruction booklet will alert you to all of the topics that you need to be familiar with. It provides information on survival techniques and details on the procedures and use of all equipment.

MAKE SIGNALING DEVICES READY - Unpack the devices and read the operating instructions. In the event that you spot a nearby boater, you need to be ready to signal for help immediately. Even a slight delay can cause you to "miss the boat." Time is money. You never know when the next boat will go by.

If your vessel sinks, your survival craft is your best friend. You would be wise to familiarize yourself with it.

Until next time, I wish you clear skies, fair winds, and calm seas!