Contributing Writer Tom Dawson
Writer / Instructor
On-the-Water Emergencies, Are You Prepared?
Part Three - Tools
In first two parts of this series, we discussed how to summon help, then some of the lifesaving essential you need on board. In this last installment we will discuss being prepared for emergencies involving the boat. Being prepared to deal with the simple things is important. You don’t need to carry enough gear to rebuild an engine. So, we are going to deal with just some of basic tools and parts that might come in handy in an emergency. The goal is to keep the boat afloat until help arrives.
Fire Extinguishers
For most vessels one or more fire extinguisher is required. The number and type of fire extinguishers required depend on the type and size of your boat. So, to keep this simple you will find that most motorized recreation vessel needs to have at least one fire extinguisher. Some non-motorized boats with enclosed compartments or closed living space may be required to have one or more fire extinguishers aboard.
You can find the current requirements for at the USCG Boating website. Download a copy of, A Boater’s Guide To The Federal Requirements For Recreational Boats.
If you are required to have a fire extinguisher it needs to be in a place where you can access it immediately. A friend with a 35-foot cabin cruiser has six extinguishers on board. He wasn’t paranoid just prepared. In addition to the fixed system in the engine compartment there was one by the helm station, one in the lazarette, two in the main cabin and one in the forward cabin. In case of a fire, he didn’t want to have to go digging around for an extinguisher.
In case of a fire on board time is critical and fires on boats spread fast. Keep them handy and knowing how to use them is important. If you have never used one, check with your local fire department as they likely have hands on training events for the public.
Anchor & Line
You would think all boats would come with an anchor and anchor line, but they don’t. There are many reasons for this. One factor is not all anchors work in every environment. This means even with boats that come with an anchor it may be one that is useless in your area.
Where I live in Florida, we have multiple types of bottoms to deal with ranging from very soft to very hard and everything in between. Here you will find boaters may have more than one anchor for the situation they are planning for. One for using overnight in cove versus one for a quick stop for lunch.
In an emergency you may need to deploy an anchor. Having an anchor when your engine stops and won’t start, deploying an anchor will keep you from drifting. If you run aground an anchor might be useful for helping you to pull off whatever you are stuck on.
Extra Lines
All boats should be equipped with a minimum of four lines. Bow and stern lines about half the length of your vessel and two spring lines at least the length of your vessel. These lines can come in handy during and emergency and in some cases, you might find yourself wishing you had a couple of more lines.
Even though you have plenty of lines the one thing you shouldn’t consider doing is towing with your boat. Leave that to the professionals as their boats are designed for towing and they have the proper equipment. If you try towing with a typical recreational vessel and you may rip the cleats off your boat.
On recreational vessels cleats are not likely to be secured properly to withstand the stress of towing. The other reason is typical dock lines or ski ropes are not rated for the stress of towing and can snap under load.
Boat Hook
Boat hooks can be very handy tools. In an emergency they can be used to fly a distress flag, or hold a flare away from our vessel.
Bailing Bucket
A bailing bucket or other dewatering device can come in handy if your boat springs a leak. Many boats have a bilge pump but sometimes they fail or can’t keep up with the water coming in. A backup dewatering device might help to keep you afloat, just bail fast.
Tools
Having some tools on board can be a lifesaver in an emergency. It doesn’t take many, just the right one. This requires you to think about the they type of quick repairs you might need to make and then making sure you have the proper tool for each job onboard.
When selecting screwdrivers your boat may have flathead, Phillips, Torx, hex, and/or Robertson screw head shapes. Wrenches and sockets may need to be standard or metric so be sure to check. Pliers and wire cutters are also handy to have on board, as is a rubber mallet.
Rust never sleeps and protecting your tools and the spare parts you need is important. Get a good waterproof box to hold these items.
Spare Parts
In the “old days” some boaters kept a lot more spare parts onboard for a couple of reasons. Back in the day, engines were not as reliable and were “easy” to fix while out on the water. These days modern engines are too complicated to fix. Replacing a light is not an easy task either as many are all LEDs built into a fixture.
However, there are still other possible failure points that might need attention. Occasionally a through hull fitting fails and having some plugs of various sizes on board can come in handy. The rubber mallet recommended for your tool kit can be used to secure them in place. Likewise dewatering device might come in handy.
Hose clamps can fail so having a spare or two might is a good idea. You never know when some, duct tape, wire, and zip ties will can be used for a quick fix for something loose or broken.
A flashlight and spare batteries can be helpful on occasion. Don’t forget fuses if they are replaceable on your boat.
This is only a small sample list hopefully you get the idea that you need to take time to inventory what might be needed on your boat for emergency repairs.
If you would like to learn more about essential tools and spare parts to have on board consider taking a basic boating course, if you live in Florida the Florida Fish and Wildlife has list of approved courses.
America’s Boating Club offers a several seminars to consider, Emergencies on Board, Anchoring with Assurance: Don't Get Carried Away, Confidence in Docking and Undocking, and Knots and Line Handling: The Knots You Need to Know.
Stay safe on the water!
And congratulations on the 24th anniversary of launching the Nautical Mile!
____________________
Thomas E. Dawson
Cape Coral, Florida
Thomas E. Dawson is a member of the Cape Coral Sail and Power Squadron. If you plan of visiting Lee County, Florida, Dawson is the author of two books about boating there, Safe Boating in Southwest Florida Cape Coral Edition and Barret Bonden’s Local Knowledge Recommended - Things You Wish Someone Had Told You About Boating Here! Both books are available on Amazon.
