Yacht rescue equipment
Denis Korablev
  • 22.12.2019
  • 455

Yacht rescue equipment

When planning even a short trip on the water, you need to take care of the presence of rescue equipment on board. It is especially important to take care of this if you rent a yacht. Of course, the purchase of any yacht, even the most budgetary one, is a very joyful event for the yachtsman, after which he already mentally imagines himself at the steering wheel of his “sea swallow” conquering the expanses of water. However, your trip could be ruined by a fine for lack of life-saving equipment on board. Consider what should be included in a set of rescue equipment - we advise you to purchase it deliberately. Depending on the region, as well as the cruising range, the equipment of the rescue equipment will vary.

Rescue equipment up to 2 miles offshore

The main items are life jackets for all team members, including children and pets, as well as a waterproof flashlight and a set of fire-fighting equipment: fire extinguishers, a metal bucket with a rope, etc. Warning flags should also be included in the kit, state flag indicating the nationality of the vessel, etc.

Rescue equipment with a travel distance of more than 60 miles from the coast

The main element of the rescue kit in this case becomes a liferaft, capable of accommodating all team members and supporting their vital functions throughout the day. The new raft is checked for serviceability 5 years after purchase, then every 3 years. Also, the set of life-saving appliances must include lifebuoys, elements of signal pyrotechnics: firelights, an orange smoke signal cartridge and signal flares. You also need a backup beacon or satellite communication buoy, as well as a weather station - you need to monitor weather changes. Another important condition for safe navigation is the presence of a floating anchor on board, which must be selected in accordance with the length of the vessel. The presence of all elements of the rescue equipment is checked by the skipper even before the start of the voyage. It is also obligatory to conduct a briefing with the crew members, explaining when and how the elements of the rescue kit are used.

In addition to the listed items, you may need to have a first aid kit, navigation aids and an echo sounder, a floating radio and water survival equipment on board. If necessary, you can buy a set of rescue equipment in one of the online stores - many of them practice delivery to any city. At the same time, choosing on the Internet e, you can compare prices and buy goods at the optimal cost, you can save money when buying a large number of goods or buying things for a yacht in one store all the time.

Security on board ship

Safety on board the vessel depends on the skill of the captain and the equipment of the yacht, and every yachtsman is aware of the possible dangers that may lie in wait at each exit to the open sea or even to the water surface of a large lake. Measures must be taken to prevent accidents and to avoid endangering crew members and rescuers. The captain should understand that he should not go to sea with an inexperienced crew or on a faulty vessel unless absolutely necessary. All crew members should be aware how to use rescue equipment, such as how to inflate lifejackets. You need to know that carbon dioxide cylinders fail over time, and they need to be replaced from time to time.

Fire fighting

A fire on board a yacht is the greatest danger, and all available measures must be taken to prevent it. The motor, electric stove and electrical equipment must be monitored and carefully looked after - this is the only way to reduce the likelihood of fire. Also, smoking often becomes the cause of a fire on board - therefore it is better to follow the rules and not smoke while refueling, when changing gas cylinders and lying on a berth, do not leave cigarettes without extinguishing and limit the smoking area.

If a fire is detected, you should remain calm, try to find the source and use a fire extinguisher to eliminate it. Please note that after the flame has disappeared, it is necessary to restrict the access of oxygen to the fire source for some time. If the spread of the fire is already so strong that it can no longer be extinguished on its own, lifejackets, a liferaft and signaling equipment should be prepared in case the yacht is abandoned.

Specialists 2yachts do not advise saving on the purchase of life-saving equipment, because in emergency situations, improvised items of life-saving equipment low quality may fail, or may be completely useless. If at the moment you do not have enough funds to purchase the entire set, select the most important items for yourself and buy them, and buy the rest as you replenish your finances.

Rescue equipment must be present on every pleasure craft - in an emergency, it will help save the lives of passengers. Be sure to get a set of high-quality equipment, otherwise you run the risk of being in an extremely bad situation, because force majeure on a yacht is not so rare.