SEAMANSHIP CHAPTER 7 ASSISTANCE – DISTRESS DAMAGE CONTROL

READING ASSIGNMENT(S) CHAPMAN’S: Chapter on Special Seamanship Techniques, ie: Stranding, Assisting and Towing ; Emergency procedures

RIGHTING A SAILBOAT REMEMBER: YOUR FIRST RESPONSIBILITY IS TO SAVE LIVES – THEN PROPERTY

RIGHTING A CAPSIZED SAILBOAT 1.Get your anchor line and anchor on deck and ready for use. 2.PFDs on deck for your crew and the stranded vessel also and ready for use. 3.Breakout your heaving and towing lines and make ready for use. 4.Decide whether to approach from “upwind” or “downwind” side. 5.Determine drift rates of both vessels relative to each other. 6.Determine other crew’s abilities to make ready for you. 7.Check mental and physical condition of the other crew to help.

RIGHTING A CAPSIZED SAILBOAT 8. Have other crew haul in their sails, rigging 9. Have crew stand on keel or centerboard and hold on to gunwales for balance. 10. Their weight alone may right it, if the water is deep enough. 11. May need to move your boat to mast tip and lift it out of water to help. 12. Get a line on the boat immediately to secure it for towing. 13. Dewater it as soon as it is righted.

REFLOATING A STRANDED VESSEL 1.COAST GUARD POLICY: ***IMPORTANT*** IN GENERAL, RE-FLOATING A STRANDED VESSEL IS NOT RECOMMENDED FOR THE AUXILIARY. 2.A stranded vessel is considered to be “salvage” 3.Be absolutely certain you are thoroughly familiar with your District’s formal policy on this subject. Your timely knowledge could prevent a costly mistake.

REFLOATING A STRANDED VESSEL Factors to consider: 1. TIDE: Direction and working water depth. 2. WIND / CURRENT DIRECTION AND STRENGTH 3. MOST IMPORTANT: CONDITION OF THE HULL a. If the hull is holed or breached, it will likely sink after reaching deeper water, negating the entire effort.

REFLOATING A STRANDED VESSEL 1.At first effort, get an anchor and line out for the stranded vessel. 2.Kedging is very effective in un-grounding a stranded vessel, by simply taking in on the anchor line and pulling the vessel off the ground.

ASSISTING A STRANDED VESSEL 1.Before taking any action, you should consider: a. the water depth b. backing ability of both vessels c wind direction, character and speed d. characteristics of the current e. characteristics of the tide.

FACTORS IN REFLOATING A STRANDED VESSEL 1.STATE OF THE TIDE: a.Incoming or outgoing b.Range of the tide versus time of day c.Rate of rise / fall.

FACTORS IN REFLOATING STRANDED VESSEL 2. WIND: a. character of the direction; steady or variable b. character of the speed: steady, variable or gusty 3. CURRENT: a. character and duration of the direction b. character and duration of the speed

FACTORS IN REFLOATING STRANDED VESSEL 4. CONDITION OF THE HULL a. Usually difficult or impossible/ impractical to determine b.If condition is unknown, very possible you will expend energy and expose your crew to unnecessary dangers, only to discover that the hull sinks when freed. c. Your decision must be based on your analysis; not on the owner’s wishes, advice or requests.

BOAT AGROUND Proper use of the KEDGE. Set the anchor (Kedge) then take in the anchor line to pull the vessel backwards. This wind will help swing the hull into deeper water and keep it there. KEDGE (ANCHOR)

REFLOATING GROUNDED VESSEL

REFLOATING A GROUNDED VESSEL Again, this wind will help swing the bow around toward deeper water and keep it there.

FIRE FIGHTING 1.Fires are classified into four (4) types, based on the materials burning: A.Fires: Items such as clothing, bedding, wood, canvas, paper, etc. they reduce to an ash and I call them “A”sh fires (A for ASH) B. Fires: Incorporate the burning of fuels, flammable liquids, oil, grease, turpentine, etc. I call them “B”oil fires. C. Fires: Occur in electrical circuits and equipment. I call them “C”urrent fires. D. Fires: Burning metal. Metal that is actually BURNING (oxidizing), not melting.

FIRE TETRAHEDRON Know the parts and how each interacts with the other. Remember, it is a three-sided figure with a bottom.

FIRE TETRAHEDRON NOTE: In years past, we only considered the fire TRIANGLE, not a tetrahedron and we only recognized HEAT, OXYGEN AND FUEL as the necessary ingredients to have and support combustion. We have now added the fourth element” CHEMICAL CHAIN REACTION and this completes the TETRAHEDRON. In the case of “heat”, “oxygen” and “fuel”, take away any one of these three and the fire will go out!. Chemical reaction stands alone.

FIRE EXTINGUISHING ELEMENTS “A” FIRES: Plain water, at the base of the fire; low to moderate pressure. Also CO 2, foam, dry chemical or anything that will smother. “B” FIRES: CO 2, dry chemical, foam, anything that will smother “C” FIRES: CO 2, dry chemical,. “D” FIRES: No known extinguishing agent(s). Underlined extinguishers are primary choice.

FIGHTING A BURNING BOAT YOUR BOAT: METHOD ONE: TURN TO PUT FIRE DOWNWIND. SLOW TO BARE STEERAGE – THEN STOP CLOSE UP ALL OPENINGS FIGHT THE FIRE PREPARE TO ABANDON SITE

ASSISTING A BURNING BOAT SPECIAL NOTE: FIBERGLASS boats are one of the hottest known and fastest burning fires. Ordinarily, the Coast Guard and professional fire fighters will attempt to safely tow the vessel out of the area of all other vessels and let it burn itself to the waterline. When attempting to remove the crew from a burning boat: you should make ready your gear and assist equipment, then slowly and carefully come down on the windward side (YOUR BACK TO THE WIND) of the burning vessel (from upwind).

PLUGGING AND PATCHING LEAKS AND SMALL HOLES 1.A PLUG is most effective when driven in FROM the outside since the water pressure will cause them to tighten. 2.Collision mats may be used quite effectively. 3.Almost any type of sheeting you have in the boat can be used to either slow the water or stop it, at least until you can make more permanent repairs.

TEMPORARY PLUG FROM THE OUTSIDE INSIDE OF HULL

TEMPOPARY PLUG FROM THE INSIDE 1.Easy to get to 2.Size it and drive it 3.Don’t forget to cap it off inside, with fasteners, to reinforce against outside water pressure pushing plug out of hole. INSIDE OF HULL

DEWATERING 1.Before you begin pumping, check to be certain that the intake is clear of all debris AND REMAINS CLEAR at all times. 2.Make certain that the outlet (hose) side of the pump remains overboard while pumping. 3.Do not face the discharge end into the wind. It slows the outflow. 4.Always try to plug or patch as many holes as you possibly can, before you begin to pump.

REVIEW QUESTIONS NO. 1 1.A small hole of rounded shape, if located below the water line_____ a.can be temporarily closed to water leakage with a tapered round plug. a.can be closed with a simple soft material patch placed over the opening, on the inside of the hull. c. can only be closed with a patch applied to both outside and inside surfaces of the hull. d. is best left unattended until the boat can be hoisted out of the water.

REVIEW QUESTIONS 1. A small hole of rounded shape if located below the water line ______ a. Can be temporarily closed to water leakage with a tapered round plug inserted small end first.

REVIEW QUESTIONS NO Before you start dewatering with a portable pump________ a. be sure all leakage has been stopped b. have your boat completely stopped c. use only a hand-operated pump. d. be sure the pump outlet is over the side and downwind.

REVIEW QUESTIONS 2. Before you start dewatering with a portable pump________ d. be sure the pump outlet is over the side and downwind.

REVIEW QUESTIONS NO To right a capsized sailboat________ a. tow it at a slow speed, stern first. b. it is not necessary to lower the sails c. push on the top of the mast with the bow of your boat. d. have the crew stand on the keel, holding on to the gunwales.

REVIEW QUESTIONS 3. To right a capsized sailboat________ d. Have the crew stand on the keel, holding on to the gunwales.

REVIEW QUESTIONS NO When assisting a stranded boat, the assisting vessel should first_____ a. come in under power, bow on, pass a line and back out. b. consider water depth, your backing ability, wind, current and tide, before taking action. c. attach a tow line to the most convenient bitt or cleat. d. never anchor while attempting to get a line over.

REVIEW QUESTIONS 4. When assisting a stranded boat the assisting vessel should first______ b. consider water depth, your backing ability, wind, current, and tide before taking action.

REVIEW QUESTIONS NO The four elements of the fire tetrahedron are_________ a. oxygen, gasoline, heat and ignition b. air, fuel, chemical reaction and spark c. oil, electricity, heat and combustible material d. heat, oxygen, fuel and chemical reaction

REVIEW QUESTIONS 5. The four elements of the fire tetrahedron are________________ d. heat, oxygen, fuel and chemical reaction

REVIEW QUESTIONS NO Fires that take place in ordinary combustible materials such as bedding, wood, and paper are Class____ fires. a. A b. B c. C d. D

REVIEW QUESTIONS 6. Fires that take place in ordinary combustible materials such as bedding, wood and paper are Class _____fires. a. A

REVIEW QUESTIONS NO When attempting to remove the crew from a burning vessel, the proper procedure is to ___. a. come up on the leeward side of the burning vessel b. back down to the nearest open deck side of the burning vessel. c. make ready your gear and assist equipment then slowly and carefully come down on the windward side of the burning vessel d.”stand off” from the burning vessel and send a volunteer aboard her with a towing line.

REVIEW QUESTIONS 7. When attempting to remove the crew from a burning vessel, the proper procedure is to__________. c. make ready your gear and assist equipment, then slowly and carefully come down on the windward side of of the burning vessel.

REVIEW QUESTIONS NO Fires that take place in inflammable liquids such as gasoline, oils and paints are Class____ fires. a. A b. B c. II d. C

REVIEW QUESTIONS 8. Fires that take place in inflammable liquids such as gasoline, oils and paints are Class______ fires. b. B

REVIEW QUESTIONS NO Water is the extinguishing agent of choice for Class ____ fires. a. I b. B c. A d.C

REVIEW QUESTIONS 9. Water is the extinguishing agent of choice for Class____ fires. c. A

REVIEW QUESTIONS NO Approach a burning boat from________. a. upwind b. downwind c. crosswind d. the nearest open deck

REVIEW QUESTIONS 10. Approach a burning boat from _____________. a. upwind

END OF CHAPTER 7