Equipment failure preparedness

S

Sea Gull

Well-Known Member
Oct 19, 2006
1,398
CT
Boat Info
2019 Maritimo M64
Engines
Volvo D13-1000
I don’t want to perpetuate the “Yacht Controller” thread because I don’t want this to be a big boat versus little boat discussion. I also don’t think this should be airplane versus boat or car versus boat. But, some interesting points were raised in that thread about equipment failures and I would like the group members to consider their own preparedness for equipment failure ON THEIR OWN BOAT.

Murphy’s Law proves time and again that equipment will fail or mishaps occur at the worst possible moment. We are talking about engine failure as you approach the dock, steering failure just as you make the turn down your fairway, crew overboard off the stern as you are backing into your slip – or worse, crew overboard in heavy seas or at night (with only two of you aboard). What about engine failure in 4’ seas? Flooding while well offshore? Even something as simple as line wrapped around your inboard prop or a clogged fuel filter? Remember, each of these will happen at the worst possible time.

Who among us has actually practiced a man overboard situation where the victim is unconscious? When was the last time you docked your twin screw boat on one engine? Could you actually squeeze between your hot engines to close a flooding seacock? What if your electronic navigation system failed? At night, in deep fog, in a narrow channel surrounded by shoals?

Some of you will say that the way you boat, these things will never happen. “I’ll just swim ashore” or “I’m never out of yelling distance from someone” are cop out answers. Think like a mariner, not a boater. Questions like these roll around in my mind all the time – how about you?
 
Sea Gull,

thank you for reminding me that I need to make sure my family knows this stuff. I am often concerned about my 8 y.o. son going out fishing with grandpa, and grandpa having a heart attack out on the lake. I need to make sure my son knows how to use the ship/shore to call for help!, among other things.

Good topic to bring up.
 
Heart attack - good one. Thanks, now I will be up all night tonight thinking about that one too.
 
Wasn't meant to scare/worry anyone. This just exists in my world. The old guy has heart problems and refuses to take better care of himself. He figures he's already "cheated death", and this is all bonus for him. stubborn SOB!
 
Well the main problem is you usually don't know what you need to know until that time comes. Then as you sit there watching someone die, you really wish you knew what to do. Not to be all morbid, but it makes you become pro-active in trying to prevent disaster and learning skills to help WHEN the do come. Every time I climb on a boat, the first thing I do is run down where everything is on the boat in my mind and I point it out to everyone on board every time. I start with the most important like life vests, first aid kits, radios, and fire extinguishers. After I get the big things out of the way, then I can begin on the smaller things like duct tape. Off season I brush up with CPR and first aid classes, in water rescue classes at the public pool (heated). To me, this is the most important. Help others around you by bringing them with you to a class, rent a DVD, anything to get them familiar with how to react to something gone wrong. The more familiar they are with what to do when something goes wrong, the less likely they are to panic and start screaming or freezing with fear, which means the more likely they are to be of help. The more you practice these skills, the more you can prevent things from happening.

It's also important to know the limitations of everyone on board. If someone can't swim well, if someone gets sea sick, if someone has medical problems, allergic reactions etc... They will feel more comfortable if they know you know and what to do in case.
 
All that is true.

You also have to consider the personalities of the crew. Know that certain trips can't be made with certain panic-prone and talk-back-prone individuals. Getting in a screwball situation can become untenable if the crew and skipper don't communicate well, or become panicky.

I had a few bad situations that turned out fine because nobody panicked (namely, engine failure in the middle of an Ocean inlet; thank goodness for a second engine! And yes, I had the cell phone. And the Radio. And phone numbers. At hand.).

I also had a few good situations turn bad because people didn't communicate (namely, crew casting off all lines before I had the engines started -- -> boy did I have to lay down the law with the Admiral after that one! I really think she thought I was being a control freak until that day. . .a month later. . . .when it took three attempts to start one of the engines).
 
Great post, Sea Gull! My wife and I have only had our boat a few months, and have already had a couple issues that have lead to needing to implement some sort of alternate plan (blew our water pump, lost our serp belt, and assisted a stuck blow-boater).

The thing we realized best suited us was not necessarily the process we used for handling a specific incident, but how we handled an "emergency situation" between the two of us. By that I mean, making sure we stayed calm, maintained clear communication between one another, and stayed aware of our surroundings.

That being said, however, there is certainly a lot of value in practicing things like a MOB situation, and alternate docking arrangements.
 
Sea Gull raised some good points. However my number one concern is that my wife is going to toss me overboard and then just keep going.

Best regards,
Frank

PS
Good thing Barnegat Bay is shallow.
 
After 9 years of boating I've had my issues but my wife's reluctance to learn anything about driving the boat beyond keeping it straight (never docks the boat) will certainly be addressed this season. I'm certified in swift water rescue/ice rescue and I am a Paramedic but it'd be just my luck that I'm the SOB'in-MOB :smt021.. Staying calm during the storm is the best medicine for those situations that can quiclky get out of control if the crew freaks out
 
Very good thoughts and points by all, and well taken.

Here's a simple one, and something I've been a stickler on since my first boat over twenty years ago, even though in my circle I'm more known as sort of a wild man and not necessarily a safety conscious one.

ANY children, say younger than mid teens, are required to wear a life jacket. I have several different sizes to accomodate if mom and dad didn't bring one. I don't wait for the parents to ask the child to put it on, I nicely explain that on my boat you have to wear it, and here it is. There would be nothing so tragic as loosing a child when such a simple thing can prevent it.
 
SeaGull,

Two years ago Freedom Boat Club opened at our Marina which allows people to buy into a "boating experience" where "absolutely no previous boating experience is required". The boats in their collection range from 18' to 34'.

The USCG has been trying to push thru mandatory safety training for the last few years. I'll make a prediction that when someone famous or somebody's kid gets run over by an inept boater and it appears on YouTube, all of us will be in for a change. It's only a matter of time.

I think you have an excellent perspective that most of us don't anticipate what can and eventually will go wrong.....and we own the boats. What I see is three types of boaters:
1) the ones who take great care and are very knowledgeable about their boat and keep them well maintained.
2) the ones who pay for things to be fixed when they break and endlessly complain about the expense involved when proper maintenance would have saved a needless repair.
3) the ones who completely ignore their boats and get really angry when they break and are totally unprepared for getting them repaired.

Those three catagories line up perfectly with whether or not someone is prepared when things go wrong. What movie was it that said "chance favors the prepared mind".

-John
 
I really like this topic. I try to get my crew(wife and daughters) to share some of the worrying with me. They have always had so much confidence in me as their protector that they are sure I'll never let anything bad happen to them. I firmly believe that when things begin to go south it can be a really fast downward spiral.

Last summer I had my, then 22yo, son and 3 of his friends out to cross the Chesapeake Bay one early friday evening. weather was reported 1' chop. A little more than halfway it became an ugly blow with 2' then 3' then 4' close set waves off the beam and when turning into the waves each one broke over the bow and soaked me head to toe.

The good part was it never rained but the bad part was that we came off plane and couldn't really get back up. Sent the 2 girls forward into the cabin, we 3 guys put on life jackets and hung on. It was getting dark, the GPS kept flying out of the mount, I was too wet and it was too rough to really make much use of it. I just pointed it best I could with a compass heading while trying to compensate for all the turning to not take the waves on my beam. Longest F'in 45 minutes of my life, soaking wet, shivering and holding on so tight I thought I'd rip the steering wheel out of the boat.

My prayers that evening were mostly about god not letting the engine stop while trying to keep up a light hearted banter with these kids about how much fun we were having and how it gets like this sometimes and its a Searay and made to handle these type of conditions. Lies...all lies...I didn't believe a word of it at the time but my nonchalant attitude was probably the only thing keeping them from total panic.

Eddie Zuskin
87 250 DA
 
Wow, Eddie quite the story.

And I hear you on the "Hope the engine doesn't fail now" moments. Been there a few times! One such time related to the getting the anchor up in a rainstorm -> So thankful for the Windlass and cockpit controls!

As for the Admiral and Crew handling the boat; Yeah. . that is a good goal for this year.. . but they get jumpy as I bring the boat close to the dock. They get even jumpier when I offer them the wheel! (I have on a number of occassions)
 
I keep trying to get my wife to try her hand at docking but so far have been unsuccessful. She gets nervous when close to other boats but no problem out on open water. I have to trim and adjust tabs and pull back on the throttle because she would go WOT if its calm and no other boats are around.

I continue my plea with the what ifs....
I get hurt
I get sick
I fall overboard

Maybe more success with my teenage daughters.
 
There so much more to boating than looking cool, pretty, and shiney. But they never tell you that at a boat show....or in the dealer showroom.

Frank - I hope our wives never meet....or we're goners!
 
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Seagull, awesome thread!

I carry a reasonable set of spares that i would be able to fix underway, but certainly you cant bring it all with you. I think the best thing any boater can bring along with them is good common sense. I try extremely hard to minimize risk where i can, so when things i cant control go awry, i have less to think about. Things like spares, cell phones, VHF radios, float plans, life preservers on while underway, towing service, and traveling with other boaters going to the same destination are all great ways to minimize risk. The thing that has worked really well for me (and lots of other competant boaters) is for the Captain to make it known that people should do ONLY what i tell them to do while underway, docking, or any other situtation that i may need help with.

There's rarely a time while im underway where im not scanning everything i see, comtemplating the things that could go wrong, and what i would do about them if they did. I often get the comment while we are underway to a destination of "You look so serious while you are driving the boat". Yes, yes i do. Thats because im doing my best to make sure we all get to where we are going safely. Once we get there, i'll cut loose and party with the rest of you! Until then, i tell them to sit back and enjoy the ride, the scenery, and the serenity.

Mike
 
Great Thread.
Mike, I have had people tell me the same thing 'Loosen up, Dan, you're way too serious'

Well we as 'captains/owners' should be serious. Article in BoatUS Mag this past month addressed the liability issues, and it's not pretty in out society now days.

My usual procedure is as follows.
1. I go through boat and check all systems, electric and mechanical. Start and shut down as many as possible before guests arrive.
2. Get out one of the prepackaged bags of life preserves and leave them in aft cockpit area.
3. After pushing away from dock and motoring out of the harbor I explain to all aboard, even those that have been there before including assorted returning girlfriends,
a. life preserver location
b. radio location, on - off switches and instruction sheet located below.
c. ignition switches
d. shifters and use of same, neutral neutral neutral etc
e. additional radio in salon
f. cell phone in salon with laminated list of local phone numbers
g. location of additional dock lines, as we leave ours at dock for day cruising
h. show all electronics and there functions, especially how to tell location
i. answer any questions they may have then

Having been boating on Lake Michigan for 25+ years and having seen more than my share of UGLY weather, I believe everyone on board needs to have somewhat of a working knowledge of the boat and its systems.

I have had two friends experiance heart attacks while out on the lake.
One's wife and companion on the boat for more than 30 years could not even use the radio nor put the boat in neutral.

I had spent numerous days on my other friend's boat and when he turned 60 we both agreed that his wife need to know more about the boat than being a 'go fer' for drinks and snacks. Thankfully his experiance turned out better than the other friend as she was able to summon help, put boat in neutral and read off location to the CG.

Being in my mid 50's with a family history of heart problems, I do believe in preparedness.
Do I loosen up? Yes at the dock and at the beach.

Sorry for the long rant, but this issue needs to be addressed, especially when there is no formal training besides a check book and good credit to own and operate a boat.
 
Good story Eddie...

We were heading east from Nanaimo, Vancouver Island across the Georgia Straits (about 8-10 miles) toward Pendar Cove on the Canadian mainland. Weather was fine when we left port and about 20 mins into the trip it all went down hill fast. Weather report mentioned small craft warnings that afternoon, not morning. The weather turned so fast, we could not turn around for fear of capsizing. Waves were off our stbd qtr and we were barely making head way into the malstrom. Had green water coming over the bow slamming into the windshield and the bow going through the waves (10 feet and more wave height). The inflatable dinghy which was racheted down on the cabin in front of the cockpit started to loosen up and was going to go over the side. The dink was also tied off on a bow cleat and I knew it would act like a sea anchor if she went over the side. At the same time the sun heating water bag (for showering) on top of the cockpit hardtop also loosened up. Already wearing my life vest, I had to go forward while the Admiral drove through the waves and rachet all four corners of the dink plus pull the water bag down from the hard top. I was white knuckled the whole time being lifted off my feet every 20-30 seconds and all I thought about was going in the drink with one wave pounding me off. Took us over 2 hours to make the 45 min crossing. Luckily, my Admiral was trained by me and I had her take the wheel many times prior to this. No way would I have gotten across w/o her.
 
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Good Thread and I have enjoyed reading all posts. I cannot stress enough the importance of having your wife/g.friend learn with you the "basics" of running the boat. I have been doing this all my life as well as my wife also, I am lucky but the confidence that comes from knowing that my wife can (and does) have the knowledge to turn the boat around, operate all functions(clutches, throttles, VHF, etc.) and dock if needed is something all should strive for and practice. Go out on a CALM day and give her some throttle time, remember don't "yell".
 
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