Boating and Sailing.pdf - Moja ladja

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Part 5: Staying Safe Afloat
4. Swing the boat back to the person to make the recovery. He knows you’ve seen him and
he’s got flotation, so he hopefully won’t panic.
In a shallow-draft boat like a houseboat or pontoon boat that tends to “kite” or blow
sideways in the wind, it’s probably best to come to the person from downwind.
Coming in upwind may result in the boat being blown right past him, or even over
him. With deep-vees and keeled sailboats less likely to be pushed around by the
wind, coming in from upwind allows you to shut off the motor and drift close
enough to throw a line to the swimmer. The hull creates a lee from wind and waves
as well.
5. Draw the person in close, get a swim ladder over the side, and help him back aboard. If the
person is heavily dressed in waterlogged clothes, elderly, injured, or has been
exposed to cold water, he may not have the strength to make it aboard himself. Haul
him in with the help of two or three strong crew members, pulling on both arms
and the back of the PFD he’s hopefully wearing.
On sailboats with high freeboards, the boom’s block and tackle (see Chapter 23, “How to
Tell the Main from the Jib: A Sailor’s Vocabulary”) is sometimes used to hoist exhausted
swimmers aboard, via a sling under their arms.
Hypothermia
Those who fall overboard in cold water and even those in warmer water for long periods
may have their core body temperature reduced to the point where they lose strength and
mental acuity—they are suffering from hypothermia. Longer exposure brings unconsciousness
or death.
What are the symptoms of hypothermia? They can be varied depending on the temperature
and the length of exposure, but suspect hypothermia if the victim …
Boater-ese
Hypothermia is a lowering
of body temperature that
results from extended exposure to
cold. It occurs much more rapidly
in water than in air because
water conducts heat away from
the body faster than air.
◆ Shivers uncontrollably.
◆ Complains of being numb.
◆ Complains of being dizzy.
◆ Seems to be in a trance or not alert.
◆ Goes to sleep suddenly.
◆ Has an irregular or slow pulse.
◆ Breathes irregularly.
In water below 40 degrees, a person may become
unconscious in as little as 15 minutes, according to the