Boating and Sailing.pdf - Moja ladja

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Part 5: Staying Safe Afloat
◆ Use the Heat Escape Lessening Position (H.E.L.P) to conserve body heat. Basically,
you pull your knees to your chest and hold them there with your arms. This only
works if you’re wearing a PFD—otherwise, you’ll sink when you try it.
◆ If you’re in cold water, try to keep your head out of the water. The head is the
body’s radiator, and immersing your face will cause you to lose heat rapidly.
◆ If you’re in the water due to a capsize, stay with the boat and try to climb out of
the water onto the boat, if possible. Air transfers heat slower than water, so you’ll
maintain body heat longer on the boat. It also provides flotation and makes it much
easier for rescuers to find you.
◆ If you’re in warm water, use the survival floating technique, in which you allow
yourself to float face down between breaths, to help to conserve energy.
◆ If you are tossed a life line by rescuers, make a loop around your chest and knot
it securely. Your hands may not be strong enough to hold on when the line is
drawn in.
◆ Stay away from the propellers if the rescue boat approaches with its engines
running.
That Sinking Feeling
Recreational boats 20 feet and under are all equipped with full foam flotation that’s supposed
to keep them afloat in an upright position should the hull get a hole in it. Larger
boats are not required to contain this flotation, and many do not—they can sink like
stones. Obviously, when you buy a boat, you should give special consideration to those of
whatever size that contain flotation to keep you and your crew safe no matter what.
Sinking is rare in any well-maintained boat. Leaks, however, are not. And when the water
comes in faster than you can get it to go out, the boat fills up.
Even a boat with full flotation may not stay upright once it gets loaded down with hundreds
of pounds of water. When buoyancy is lost, waves can roll over the gunnels and
complete the swamping process—in rough water, the boat is likely to turn over.
If Your Boat Springs a Leak
Bilge pumps are the devices that stand between you and any leaks. A 2,000 gallon-perhour
pump costs only $50 more than a 500 gallon-per-hour pump, so it makes sense to
check your bilge pump and if it’s not a jumbo, replace it with a larger pump. It’s very inexpensive
insurance.