Safety Gear needs teamwork to prevent disaster and save lives.
We often read stories in the news about the latest ocean rescue drama or sadly, lives lost at sea . These seem to spread instantly around the globe due to social media, news broadcasts and of course our marina catchups. A skipper engaged in recreational boating whether in a canoe, a sailing dingy , a power boat or a cruising yacht carries the same safety gear responsibility (the equipment will vary) as do those yacht’s racing from Sydney to Hobart. The sea does not always treat us any more kindly although land is usually closer!
What doesn’t make the headlines are the many stories about lives saved at sea because their safety gear and their training worked . We also lately read stories where wearing smart watches have helped save lives too. Technology has dramatically improved our survival abilities at sea yet this technology cannot be mistreated, or taken for granted.
A dated invoice with a guarantee period does not mean that in a moment of need it works. Safety devices usually need to be registered upon purchase (with the manufacturer or AMSA ) , then checked or tested and maintained according to the instructions.
We decided to schedule a routine for boat maintenance using a spreadsheet and a calendar to ensure that we stay on top of maintaining and checking all the various bits and bobs onboard. Our Epirb manual said test monthly and our boat was only 6 months old from handover from manufacturer. We were very surprised when the EPIRB test FAILED! We called the supplier who were incredulous and they twice talked us through how to perform the test . This instruction is clearly detailed on the Epirbs ( we carry 2) so it was definitely faulty and they replaced this at no cost . What if we had needed to use this …….
Life jackets can fail due to corrosion or abrasion unless well maintained and serviced. Fire suppression systems need routine servicing too .
We travel through the Port Phillip heads every few months for fishing so the family are all aware that we don’t just buy the boat and the gear, we have to make time to follow the manufacturer’s steps to make sure it all works before it’s needed .
ORCV do a Survival at Sea course in Melbourne as well as a RIP tour through Port Phillip Bay heads . I never knew how hard it is to get an unconscious adult into a Life raft without being shown how to do this . Their training course is fantastic.
Teamwork between Safety gear manufacturers, Skippers and crew can help surviving disaster at sea.