Providing Assistance : Issues involved and some tactics

Seattle Safety at Sea

Seminar25 Feb 2012

Paul H. Miller, D.Eng. P.E.Professor of Naval Architecture

United States Naval Academy

Why? Our Moral Obligation!

• Help when we can!• Helping includes:

• Search and Rescue• Communications relay• Log keeping – certain obligations

• Remember: you might be the only source of help!

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Also a Legal Obligation!

Racing Rules of Sailing

1.1 Helping those in Danger• A boat or competitor shall give all

possible help to any person or vessel in danger.

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Safety of Life at Sea Convention

Regulation 33:

The master of a ship at sea which is in a position to be able to provide assistance…is bound to proceed with all speed…informing them or the SAR service that the ship is doing so.

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Safety of Life at Sea Convention

If the ship receiving the distress alert is unable, … unreasonable or unnecessary, the master must enter in the log-book the reason for failing to proceed.

Good Samaritan!

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Risk Benefit

Log Book Entries• “Short and Sweet” is not desirable!• Remember: Who, What, Where,

When, How and Why!• Names of your crew, those rescued

and missing. Account of incident while fresh! Conditions, course, speed…

• Ink! Single line cross out if necessary

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What can you do to help?

Rescue Crew? Salvage Vessel? How?

No mast!

Rendering Assistance1. Keep other vessel and SAR Coordinator

informed immediately! Don’t wait, a delay to launch may be fatal.

2. Prepare to recover personnel from the water or a liferaft: blankets, course after rescue, airlift, etc.

3. Plan approach

4. Plan departure

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Approach

1. From leeward to avoid drifting lines

2. Judge relative drift between the vessels. Keep maneuverability.

3. If waves are significant, consider transfer by liferaft/dinghy or in the water

4. Don’t create two disabled vessels!

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Rendering Assistance

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Is your boat capable of helping?

Fire!

1. Evaluate conditions

2. Wind, waves, current

3. Danger of explosion (lpg, gas)

4. Transfer – bow to bow?, liferaft?, in-water? What factors?

5. Think, but think fast!

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Five minutes later…

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Towing/Towed1. Stern tow line – 5-10

times L of larger boat if waves are big!

2. Cleats?/winches – use bridle (each leg >= to your beam)

3. Slow! No more than V=√LOA of smaller boat!

Side tow in port.

Pusher prop is farthest aft.

Use every fender!

Dangerous in waves!

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Stern Tows

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Are you ready to cut loose?

Help when you can!1. Call for backup

before you start helping.

2. Keep SAR Coordinator informed

3. Anticipate escape routes

4. Waiting for experts may be best!

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Just two minutes to sink.Are you ready for multiple MOBs? Practice!

Be clear on the radio!

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