With so many dangers surrounding you, it seems like a difficult situation to handle when your small open boat capsizes; the water is cold and dangerous, you may not be able to cling to the side of the boat or use a floatation device to stay afloat.
If something catastrophic like this happens, and you’re not prepared to handle it, what would you do? When a small boat capsizes, it can sink quickly into the sea and become completely submerged in water.
This can happen suddenly or gradually if there are strong winds and currents present. If there are survivors, they may be able to get back on board if it’s still afloat or wait for rescue if they’re onshore.
Running away from your small open boat is not always a good idea because you may end up in deeper water that is difficult to escape from.
However, if you are unable to swim due to exhaustion or injury the most important thing is to stay calm and focus on your breathing.
You should stay afloat with the current and lower your body when you can’t move forward anymore and look for a spot where there’s less current or at least a break in the wind that might help propel you closer to shore.
Causes Of Boat Capsize
- Leaks on the vessel’s hull: The water gradually gets in and damages the vessel’s structure, making it impossible for it to float.
- A heavy load on board the vessel: The vessel becomes top-heavy and fails to remain stable when traveling through rough waters.
- Bad weather or bad water conditions: Unstable weather or poor water conditions can cause a sudden change in the tide or waves, which is dangerous for boats.
- Bad routing: If a ferry route is poorly planned, accidents may happen due to unforeseen circumstances such as an earthquake or storm.
What Should You Do If Your Small Open Boat Capsizes?
Sure Steps To Take When Your Small Open Boat Capsizes
Stay Calm And Conserve Some Energy;
The importance of staying calm in the face of a potentially life-threatening situation cannot be overstated. If you find yourself in the water and your boat capsizes, remain calm, conserve your energy and try to climb up the upturned boat to safety.
If it is not possible to climb out of the water, you should try to create a safety line with your arms and stay connected to the upturned boat.
When floating, make sure you are in a head-down position and not in a fetal position. Make sure that you don’t push yourself too hard while treading water because it will tire out your arms and cause you to sink underwater.
Inspect The Passengers To Ensure There Are No Serious Injuries;
This is not just for passenger’s safety but also for your own good. If someone is severely injured or bleeding heavily, they may soon feel faint or vomit due to the lack of oxygen and an increased risk of getting water up to their nose or ears if they are not wearing a life jacket.
You should also make sure that your life jacket is securely fastened while you’re on board. If you do not have a life jacket, you should be wearing a seatbelt to prevent injuries in case of an accident.
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Stay Close To Your Boat If You Can;
If you are in a boat and it capsizes, you should stay close to your boat and not drift away. If you are floating on your back, try to swim on your back so that rescuers can see you. The key to surviving a capsizing is to stay close to the boat.
In general, staying near your boat increases the chance of being found by a rescue team. For this to be possible, you should have a life jacket on; If you don’t have one, then you should get into a group of people who have it so that they can help lift you up to prevent drowning.
Signal for Help;
Signaling is just one of the ways to get help; One way to signal for help is by using a mirror placed at an angle that reflects sunlight on a Coast Guard rescue buoy that will be visible from shore, the Coast Guard can see this reflection and will quickly reach you in case of emergency.
You can also raise your arm overhead and wave it back and forth or if you’re in a larger boat or canoe, tie a brightly colored object to the end of your rope.
Prepare For The Worst;
it is important to be prepared for the worst. Any life jacket, even an inflatable one, should be packed in your boat. Be sure to also pack Emergency paddles, Emergency flares, Emergency signaling devices (such as smoke signals), A large orange lifebuoy with a whistle attached to it, a flashlight, and batteries as well as a whistle.
Not only will you need these items if you capsize on the water, but if someone else is with you who needs help or assistance you will have them with these items at hand.
Safety Tips To Prevent Boat Capsize
- There should be no more than 4 people in a boat for safety reasons; this also means no extra passengers should be needed. If you need more passengers, you must have a life ring and an emergency whistle on board to ensure your safety in case something goes wrong.
- Only one person can steer at any given time for safety reasons as well as for stability reasons of the boat.
- Do not be afraid to sail if you are alone, but ensure that you have an adequate amount of supplies on board.
- Always keep an eye on your chart and be conscious of any changes in the weather or sea conditions.
- Keep your life jackets close by and make sure there is one on each person aboard the vessel. This sounds obvious, but people forget these items easily!
- Make sure you have enough fuel for your intended trip, as well as enough food and water for everyone who is going on board.
- Always have an outboard motor to use as a propeller and steer your boat.
- There is no easy solution to preventing a capsize entirely; The best way is to be aware of your surroundings at all times and avoid drinking alcohol before boarding.
- Always stay in communication with your crew members
- Practice good seamanship by being familiar with the boat’s features and its location so that you’re able to react quickly in case of emergency
- Make sure that your boat has enough buoyancy with enough air in its tanks for its cargo and passengers. If your boat does not have enough buoyancy when loaded, it can sink unexpectedly.
Read Also: Your Boat Capsizes And Floats Away What Should You Do?
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