Safe Boating

What to do when someone goes overboard

By Roz Butziger
Posted 7/14/16

Great boat, plenty of good food for lunch, family aboard. You’re underway for a distant anchorage when there is a strange noise. The captain goes on the bow to investigate and a wave causes the …

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Safe Boating

What to do when someone goes overboard

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Great boat, plenty of good food for lunch, family aboard. You’re underway for a distant anchorage when there is a strange noise. The captain goes on the bow to investigate and a wave causes the boat to rock unexpectedly. Over he goes, with the boat still plowing ahead.

His wife and kids are wide-eyed with dismay. No one aboard knows how to steer or slow the boat down. Should they try to steer toward him? There have been incidents of the person in the water being fatally injured by the prop. No one knows how to use the radio.

How can a situation like this be prevented? The captain can’t be the only one who can handle the boat. So many things can happen. The operator can have a heart attack, a stroke, a diabetic coma, get hit on the head, or fall. The spouse, kids, and guests should all know basic information before you leave the dock. All people aboard should know where the life preservers (PFD’s) are located, and how to put them on. They need to know where the first aid kit is, where the fire extinguisher is and how to use it, and how to work the radio. You could leave a waterproof card of instructions for the channel to use and what to say in an emergency. You could simply use a paper in a sheet protector for this. Someone else aboard should know how to stop and start the engine and how to steer the boat.

It is a good idea to show them how to work the bilge pump and how to use flares. Teach them how to anchor the boat. Have a man overboard drill sometime in very calm waters when you are at anchor and swimming. How can you lift someone back on the boat? Make sure even the small children know how to throw a PFD to someone who falls overboard, and to keep pointing to where he is.

What is the best way to prevent chaos in an emergency? Prepare! Designate someone to be the “Relief Captain.” He or she would take over, handle the boat, direct the others. Your spouse and an older child needs to know how to dock the boat. They don’t need to do it well, they just need to get it close enough for someone to help them. Have them practice very slowly with lots of fenders. Make sure your crew knows generally where you are. Have them look at the chart or the plotter periodically. In an emergency they would need to give the rescuer your location, and the description of the boat, as well as the number of people on board. They would need to direct everyone to put on PFD’s. If there has been a collision, someone should get out a distress call while others look for leaks and try to plug any, perhaps even by stuffing a towel into the hole.

Before you leave the dock, you should leave a float plan with a responsible person. Say where you are going, when you will be back, and who to call if you do not return on time. If you are delayed, it is essential that you call your contact. You don’t want the Coast Guard calling out boats and helicopters looking for you while you are safely lingering over supper somewhere.

Have your spouse and kids take a safe boating course. Making these preparations now may save lives!

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