JP 3-50 National Search and Rescue Manual Vol I - US Navy

has an ailing seaman, and can rescue crewmen abandoning a
vessel or ditching an aircraft. They cannot be ordered to
assist, and if they voluntarily comply with SMC requests, they
should be thanked for their assistance. Many merchant vessels
have surface radar, DF, satellite communications, VHF-FM
voice, MF and HF voice, or CW capability. Their navigation
equipment usually includes LORAN, and some have NAVSAT.
Merchant vessels may have poor maneuverability, particularly
if in ballast condition, and may not be able to reverse course
in high winds and seas. Many merchant vessels carry lifeboats
and liferafts.
5. Fishing vessels (F/Vs) are usually equipped with HF and VHF-FM
voice radio and navigation capability. Those engaging in
offshore operations may have loran receivers and DFs. Their
SAR use is usually limited to multiple-unit sweeps through an
area with adjacent fishing vessels in continuous sight of each
other, rescue of survivors in close proximity, and
communications relay.
6. Pleasure craft, including vessels of the Coast Guard Auxiliary
(CGAUX), frequently are the first to report other vessels in
distress, and often aid each other. Some larger pleasure
craft are equipped with surface radar, LORAN, and DF.
7. Hydrofoil marine craft, capable of speeds in the range of 30
to 80 knots, are best used in coastal or semisheltered water
SAR when fast response is desired. If they are equipped with
fixed hydrofoils, which tend to keep them away from survivors
in the water or from another marine craft, their rescue
capability is limited. These craft are operated commercially,
privately, and by the Navy.
8. Hovercraft (air-cushion vehicles) are often ideal SRUs where
water and flat land abut. Amphibious capability and high
speed, often 30 to 80 knots, also make them ideal for rescue
in ice-covered areas, swamps, and shallow coastal areas. Most
can maintain a position 2 to 6 feet off the surface and thus
are not usually hindered by moderate seas, floating debris, or
small obstructions.
9. Amphibious marine craft are used by the Armed Services. The
type most commonly used for SAR is the Light Amphibious
Resupply Cargo (LARC), which combines a boat hull on a wheeled
land vehicle.
10. Specialized marine craft, both surface and submersible, may be
needed for underwater search and recovery. Craft designed for
other purposes, such as oceanographic work, may assist in
underwater cases. Icebreakers designed for polar operations
may be the only craft that can assist in heavy ice conditions.
Some seagoing buoy tenders also have limited icebreaking
capability.