Pete Goss Answers Some FAQs

Safety Checks questions:

1. What are the latest requirements regarding EPIRBs?

At the end of March 2009 it became a requirement for all registered vessels, regardless of length, navigating two nautical miles or more offshore to carry an EPIRB (emergency Position Indicating Rescue Beacon).

Around the same time, satellites and aircraft stopped processing distress alerts from the outdated analogue 121.5 MHz distress beacons. That means you need to carry a 406 MHz EPIRB.

The 406 EPIRBs offer a much greater degree of accuracy for Search and Rescue operations when activated in the event of an emergency. They must be registered with the Australian Maritime Safety Authority and carry a registration sticker. They carry a unique identification code, transmitted when the beacon is activated. This code provides vital information about the registered boat and its owner - ensuring a faster and more effective search and rescue response.

Your EPIRB should be accessible but stowed to avoid inadvertent activation. Do not stow the EPIRB in the bottom of a locker.

For more information go to www.amsa.gov.au

2. Can anyone enrol for safety and sea survival training courses?

Yes! In the context of recreational boating, sea survival training is only mandatory for a percentage of crew members in major offshore yacht races. Nevertheless the courses that have been developed are highly recommended for anyone planning to go offshore, including cruising sailors and powerboat crews.

Yachting Australia has developed a Safety and Sea Survival Course which includes both practical and theoretical training of at least 16 hours. The course is taught by Yachting Australia qualified instructors at YA recognised teaching centres nationwide. Its objectives are to assist offshore skippers and crews in developing awareness of respective responsibilities; to offer and discuss practical strategies for coping with emergencies at sea; and to familiarise skippers and crews with safety and emergency equipment, its purpose, deployment, and use.

For more information, visit Yachting Australia's website at www.yachting.org.au

Going Offshore questions:

1. What are the basic rules of thumb when preparing to go offshore?

Before you head out on the water consider these simple tips:

• Check that your boat is in good condition.
• Check that you have all the required safety equipment on board. Ensure all safety equipment is in good condition and easily accessible in the event of an emergency.
• Report your trip. Let someone know where you are going, how many people are on board and when you intend to return.
• Make sure you and your crew know how to handle the boat, especially on the waterway that you're using. If in doubt, get information from locals or the local marine authority, such as NSW Maritime. (For example, the NSW Maritime website has up-to-date information on the conditions at a number of coastal bars, including live web-cameras.)
• Check the weather. If In doubt, don't go out.
• Make sure you have sufficient water and fuel for the duration of the trip, including unexpected delays due to the weather or an equipment breakdown.
• Go easy on the drink - waves, wind and weather multiply the effects of alcohol. One third of all boating fatalities involve alcohol.

In An Emergency questions:

1. How do I seek help in the event of an emergency?

There are a number of ways to seek assistance and to alert the search and rescue agencies, including radio distress calls, distress flares, overdue reports and activation of an EPIRB.

AusSAR, a division of the Australian Maritime Safety Authority (AMSA), is Australia's national search and rescue authority and runs the Rescue Co-ordination Centre (RCC Australia) in Canberra. RCC Australia can be contacted 24 hours a day on 1800 641 792.

If you need to send a radio distress call, the following protocols apply:

MAYDAY

A mayday call denotes an emergency involving imminent danger to a vessel and the people on board. An example of a mayday message could be:

"Mayday, Mayday, Mayday this is Phantom, this is Phantom, this is Phantom, a 5m red half cabin, I am three miles off Red Head, we have been swamped by a wave and we are sinking. There are four people overboard. Over."

All distress calls should be repeated three times.

If you hear a mayday call you should not transmit, but continue to monitor the radio. If a shore station such as the local Coastguard or Coastal Patrol fails to respond to the call you should attempt to relay the message and render any assistance.

PAN PAN

Pan Pan is an urgency message that indicates a vessel is in trouble but not in immediate danger, for example:

"Pan Pan, Pan Pan, Pan Pan, this is Phantom, this is Phantom, this is Phantom, a 5m red half cabin, I am three miles off Red Head, we have been disabled by a wave and require a tow. There are four people onboard. Over."

SECURITE

Securite messages generally prefix navigational safety messages such as weather reports or navigation hazard updates, for example:

"Securite Securite Securite all ships, all ships, all ships, this is Coast Radio Sydney, Coast Radio Sydney for a renewal of a strong wind warning please switch to channel VHF 67. Out."

2. What are the first things to do if someone falls overboard?

Throw over a lifejacket or marker immediately. If you lose sight of the person in the water, this will act as a starting point for a search.

Keep the person in sight at all times; tell passengers to act as lookouts.

Quickly establish your position either by reference to shore marks or by a GPS position (make sure you and all of your crew know how to activate the Man Overboard function on your boat's GPS). An accurate position will be essential if the search requires outside assistance.

Seek contact with the relevant search and rescue authorities.

3. What do I need to know about avoiding hypothermia?

Hypothermia is the effect of heat loss from the body. Hypothermia occurs when a person's body temperature is lowered to less than 35°C and affects your brain, heart and other internal organs. While your body begins to cool as soon as you enter the water the full effect of hypothermia can take around 30 minutes.

Some of the effects of hypothermia are a reduction of blood flow to the hands, feet and surface of the body, intense shivering in the early stages as the body tries to maintain its core temperature and no shivering in the later stages. To reduce the risk of hypothermia wear warm, preferably woollen, clothing under wet weather gear.

Various techniques have been developed to prolong survival time in the water, including:

• HELP (Heat Escape Lessening Posture) - limit body heat loss by holding your arms down to your sides and up across your chest, and raising your knees and holding them together.
• Huddle - by huddling close together with other people, so that your chest and arms are protected, you can reduce the rate at which your body loses heat and increase survival time by up to 50 percent. This is the most effective method of reducing the onset of hypothermia if there is a group in the water.

The key to avoiding cold water immersion and hypothermia is to stay out of the water. Keep your boat's deck and cockpit free of slipping and tripping hazards.

If you do fall in, remember: don't inhale water, don't panic, keep as much of your body out of the water and wear a lifejacket - it can be the difference in a survival situation.

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