Safety and survival

Your ability to survive at sea depends on:

  • Knowing how to use safety equipment and where it is kept onboard
  • Your survival skills and ability to apply them in the event of an emergency.
  • Your sheer will to live.

With these factors in mind, here is some information that might help you in the event of an emergency.

Rafts

In the event of a vessel capsizing, your best chance for survival is to get to a raft. Here are some things to consider once you are in one.

  • Remain calm and calm down any passengers who are not coping with the situation. Your survival depends on your ability to think clearly and act cleverly.
  • Check everyone's physical condition and commence first aid if required. Seasickness pills should be part of any first aid kit and should be administered as soon as someone begins to feel ill. Becoming dehydrated is one of the biggest dangers.
  • To increase the chances of your vessel being seen use any signalling devices or reflecting material to attract attention.
  • Locate the emergency radio and follow the operating instructions to use.
  • Check the raft for inflation, leeks or points of chaffing. Do this regularly to ensure your raft remains strong and intact. If you are in hot weather, release a little of the air to avoid expansion.
  • Throw out the sea anchor so that you remain close to where your vessel sank. This will increase your chances of being rescued.
 

In hot weather:

  • Create shade by rigging a canopy.
  • Avoid sunburn by covering your skin with clothes.

In cold weather:

  • Put on an anti-exposure suit or clothing if it's available.
  • Rig a windbreak, spray shield or canopy to reduce the cold.
  • Keep the inside of the raft dry by covering it in canvas or cloth.
  • Huddle with the others in your raft to keep warm and use anything available to cover the passengers and keep them warm.
  • If you have rations available, ensure those suffering from exposure are given more rations.


Dealing with hypothermia

Even the slightest change in your temperature can affect your ability to survive during an emergency. Your body can cool down 25 times faster in cold water than in air so it's extremely important to keep dry.

During mild hypothermia (35°C - 36°C) a person will feel cold, experience violent shivering and slurred speech. Try to administer warm sweet drinks, food and warm with a bath or fire.

In the event of medium hypothermia (34°C - 33°C) a person will start to lose muscle control, feel drowsy and exhausted and become incoherent. A person with mild hypothermia must be handled gently, given warm sweet drinks and warmed via steam or a warm oxygen mask. Monitor their pulse and breathing and lay them down with their legs slightly elevated.

At 32°C a person will stop shivering, collapse and must be transferred to a hospital urgently. At 30°C they will become unconscious and at 28°C they will suffer a cardiac arrest. In the event of this, administer CPR with mouth-to-mouth breathing.

 WATER TEMP C WATER TEMP F EXHAUSTION/ UNCONSCIOUSNESS EXPECTED TIME OF SURVIVAL
  32.5°F Less than 15 mins 15 to 45 mins
 0.28°C to 4.4°C 32.5°F to 40°F 15 to 30 mins 30 to 90 mins
 4.4°C to 10.0°C 40°F to 50°F 30 to 60 mins 1 to 3 hours
 10.0°C to 15.6°C 50°F to 60°F 1 to 2 hours 1 to 6 hours
 15.6°C to 21.1°C 60°F to 70°F 2 to 7 hours 2 to 40 hours
 21.1°C to 26.6°C 70°F to 80°F 3 to 12 hours 3 hours to indefinite
 >26.6°C Over 80°F indefinite indefinite

Water

Water alone will keep you alive for ten days or longer so you need to ensure your ration it well.

  • When drinking water moisten your lips, tongue and throat before swallowing.
  • If you don't have water don't eat. You may become seasick and experience more dehydration.
  • Reduce your loss of water through perspiration by soaking your clothes in the sea, wringing them out and putting them on again. This should only be undertaken in hot weather.
  • Do not drink the seawater, urine or alcohol. Do not smoke.
  • Watch for clouds and be ready for showers. Create a tarpaulin to catch any rainwater.
  • Use a desalting kit if available in your first aid kit.


Detecting land

  • Watch carefully for any signs of land.
  • A fixed cumulus cloud in a clear sky or amongst other clouds that are moving can indicate an island.
  • A greenish tint in the sky can indicate a reflection of sunlight off shallow lagoons or coral reef shelves.
  • Lighter coloured water may indicate shallow water and that land may be near.
  • Listen for sounds during times of poor visibility. The sound of surf or birds may indicate land is close.

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