SAFETY-15
Fuel Safety
Gasoline and Diesel Fuel are extremely fl am-
mable. Proper handling is necessary to provide
for the safety of you and your yacht.
DO NOT smoke while fueling.
Make sure that all accessories, both engines
and generator, are turned off before beginning
to fuel your yacht.
When fueling your yacht in warm weather, allow
for expansion of the fuel and do not top off the
fuel tanks. The tanks may overfl ow when the
fuel expands after being pumped out from cool,
underground tanks, or when the air temperature
is cool, such as early morning or evening.
Always handle fuel with care.
Never store fuel in portable containers aboard
your yacht.
Emergency Situations
Swamped or Capsized Yacht
If your yacht becomes swamped or capsizes, im-
mediately put on a PFD and set off a visual distress
signal. A swamped or capsized yacht will normally
stay afl oat. DO NOT leave your yacht or attempt to
swim to shore, except under extreme conditions,
such as fi re or explosion. A capsized yacht is much
easier to see by a potential rescuer than a person
swimming, resulting in a greater chance of rescue.
If you attempt to swim to safety, the shore may be
farther away than it appears and you may tire and
not be able to reach your destination, resulting in
possible drowning.
Hypothermia
If a person falls overboard or is in the water due to
a swamped or capsized yacht, hypothermia may be
an immediate concern. Hypothermia exists when the
body loses heat faster than it can replace it. If not
rescued within a short period of time, the person will
•
•
•
•
•
become exhausted and likely drown. In general, the
colder the water, the shorter the time for survival. If
the person is wearing a PFD, it will greatly increase
his survival time as they act as an insulator and will
also keep the person afl oat even if he is uncon-
scious.
Collision
If a collision occurs, the following procedure should
be strictly adhered to:
Be certain all passengers put on their PFD. If a
passenger is unable to put on his own PFD due
to a disabling injury, assist him.
Examine all persons on board for any injuries
and administer fi rst aid, if necessary.
If your yacht has a VHF radio, contact the United
States Coast Guard and any other potential
rescue vessel and advise of your situation and
location. VHF radio contact may be made on
Channel 16 and Citizen’s Band (CB) radio con-
tact may be made on Channel 22. If you have
SeaKey services, you should send a “MAYDAY”
Signal and mark your location. For details on
these procedures refer to your SeaKey Opera-
tors Guide.
Inspect your yacht to determine the extent of
damage and its potential for sinking.
Prepare to assist the other craft and its passen-
gers, if possible.
If the collision resulted in penetration of your hull,
prepare to quickly plug the fracture with a spare
life jacket or bunk cushion once the vessels are
separated.
Before plugging the fracture, trim the yacht to
place the damaged section above the water
level.
Remain with your yacht until assistance ar-
rives.
Running Aground
If your yacht runs aground, examine everyone
on board for injuries and render fi rst aid, if nec-
essary.
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
$!.'%2
To Next Page
Loading...