11
EMERGENCY SITUATIONS
Swamped or Capsized Yacht
If your yacht becomes swamped or cap-
sizes, immediately 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 res-
cuer 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, result-
ing in possible drowning.
Hypothermia
If a person falls overboard or is in the wa-
ter due to a swamped or capsized yacht,
hypothermia may be an immediate con-
cern. 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 unconscious.
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 inju-
ries 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 contact may be made on
Channel 22.
• Inspect your yacht to determine the extent
of damage and its potential for sinking.
• Prepare to assist the other craft and its
passengers, 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
arrives.
Running Aground
• If your yacht runs aground, examine ev-
eryone on board for injuries and render fi rst
aid, if necessary.
• Examine your yacht for damage to the
hull and running gear. If no serious damage
is noted, attempt to free the yacht by shift-
ing weight to the bow to raise the stern and
then reverse the engines and back out of
the shallow water into deeper water.
• If towing is necessary, DO NOT attach
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