Abandon Ship for Golden Glow

We will abandon ship only when Golden Glow is totally lost, or crew transport creates greater safety.  It has been shown that many crews have been lost in life rafts when the boat survived the storm.  You want to step UP to the life raft, meaning that Golden Glow is on the way down.   Golden Glow will most likely float, even if capsized, so best course of action will normally be to stay with her, even if she can no longer function.   So the Abandon Ship call will normally be done after it has been determined that being in a life raft is preferred to the safety of the larger ship.

Only the Captain can issue an Abandon Ship.

The below list will define who will be responsible for each task. This list will be reviewed prior to any ocean crossing.

 

PREP FOR Abandon Ship

Who               Task

ALL                 Notify Rand and Ellen of concern   ONLY Rand can issue abandon ship call

_________ Wake Crew Instruct of “Abandon Ship”

_________ Mayday call on channel 16 of the VHF radio, press DSC

_________ Mayday call on SSB. Turn on and press DSC

_________ Grab charts, plotting tools, log, Ipads, portable VHF  (list of additional items to grab at end of safety gear page)

_________ Stage ditch bag, two Medical bags (tether to cockpit table pedestal)

_________ Get Lat and Long from instruments and write down

DEPLOY Life Raft

Who               Task

_________ Deploy life raft – wait until clear of vessel to inflate (pull hard on tether to inflate)  Keep raft connected to Golden Glow and attach close if safe to do so.

_________ Deploy EPIRB from over bar sink by activating and staging near grab bag

_________ Get ditch bag & two first aid bags into life raft (if not already under cockpit table, then get from under seat next to freezer, tether to life raft)

_________ Grab extra food and water and get into life raft

_________ Launch dingy if instructed and time permits

_________ Call on SAT Phone and share mayday call if instructed and time permits

_________ Load Last Minute Grabs if all else is done on list and time permits

Distress Call MAYDAY for Golden Glow

1. Switch on VHF (if we are under way is it already on, if at anchor switches are as follows: at panel below nav station turn on “Navigation sub panel” at helm turn on “ICOM” then go into navigation station and turn on VHF radio.
2. Select “high power” this is on the top of hand set should read 25W on handset
3. Select Channel 16 (some parts of world may monitor other channels more actively.)
4. If the nav system is on get our latitude and longitude (this where the boat is, not where the curser is. Put the curser over the boat if not sure. Write this down.
5. Mayday is for potential loss of life or ship, other wise use PAN PAN PAN
6. Press mike and speak slowly and clearly:

 

Mayday,  Mayday,  Mayday.    This is the sailing vessel Golden Glow, Whiskey David Hotel 6422.   Mayday,    Golden Glow.

Our location is       (navigation aids, lat. long, landmarks)           ,

We are   (State nature of distress: taking on water, aground in rough seas, …) .

We require   (State nature of assistance: medical help, evacuation, tow) .

We have _(#)_ Persons on Board,    (State condition of injured)   ,

We are a 44 foot sailing catamaran, Antares 44i.

Hull color is white, sail color is white.

I will be listening on Channel 16. This is Golden Glow, WDH6422.

Over                     (release mike and listen for 15 seconds)

Repeat as many times as needed

“Last Minute Grabs” List

This is a list of things to grab when abandoning ship, if time permits.  These items may be going into the life raft or into the dingy.  If asked to “stage” the items, either secure into the cockpit table pedestals or onto the aft transom seats. These items are for AFTER the main grab bag and med kits are secured on the life raft/dingy.

• Be sure you have Grab Bag and 2 medical kits (under bench seat in Salon near freezer)
• Grab sextant and tables (from forward guest berth – bottom aft cabinet)
• Grab additional charts from under TV in Salon
• Grab parasail kite next to grab bag
• Grab Dan Buoy
• Grab additional water (from fridge, Yeti, or bottles stored under forward guest berth)
• Grab additional liquids: long life milk, teas, juices (from Fridge)
• Grab food with high calorie: cookie jar food, chocolates, cereals, sugars, breads, waterproof packaged foods (in Galley)
• Grab Buckets from under cockpit table in forward locker
• Grab Spear Gun (from first closet in master berth farthest forward wall)
• Grab additional portable VHF (from drawer across from nav table)
• Grab jackets, fleeces (from closets)
• Grab cell phones and ipads (from nav table)
• Grab binoculars (from cockpit or lowest cabinet just forward of washing machine)
• Grab more food and water that is packaged in waterproof containers (from Galley)