BSA Safety Afloat: Comprehensive Guide for Marine Safety Courses

1. ORD-5 Ordinary Safety Instructors: George Crowl

2. Course Outline • a. Discuss BSA Safety Afloat with an adult leader. • b. Describe the safety equipment reqired by law for your ship's primary vessel. • c. Develop a ship's station bill for your ship and review it with an adult leader. • d. Plan and practice the following skills: man overboard, fire, and abandon ship.

3. Course Outline • e. Describe three types of equipment used in marine communications. • f. Demonstrate your knowledge of correct maritime communications procedures by making at least three calls to another vessel, marinas, bridges, or locks.

4. ORD-5a Discuss BSA Safety Afloat with an adult leader.

5. 1. Qualified Supervision • Mature conscientious adult, 21+ • Skilled in craft, qualified in emergencies • 1:10 trained adults • One trained in first aid and CPR • Any swimming done IAW Safe Swim Defense

6. 2. Personal Health Review • Health history, signed by parent • Recent injury / health change? • Adjust for health conditions • Require physician review for unusual conditions

7. 3. Swimming Ability • Float trip limited to swimmers • Annual swim test: 75 yards any stroke, 25 yards backstroke, float • Non-swimmers – calm water, little likelihood of falling overboard, swimmers in same boat

8. 4. Personal Flotation Equipment • USCG-approved life jackets must be worn • Vessels over 20 ft with cabin excepted if in cabin or cockpit and conditions permit • Non-swimmers / beginners must wear life jackets underway • Do not have to wear life jackets during proper SSD activity (swimming, snorkeling, etc.)

9. 5. Buddy System • Buddy pairs of boats • Keep track of each other • Be prepared to come in to help • Check in and check out of the water

10. 6. Skill Proficiency • Knowledge and skill to participate safely • Passengers know self-rescue • Operators meet govt requirements, maintain control of craft, handle environment changes, keep activities within capabilities • Sailing – basic proficiency (tack, jibe, run), return to launch • Extended sailing – licensed or bareboat skipper qualification

11. 7. Planning • Preparation – regulations, transportation, equipment, supplies. Route, water levels, pull-outs, current charts and information. • Float Plan – notifications, before and after • Weather – Plan for poor weather, act if weather is bad • Contingencies – Possible emergencies, plan changes. Emergency contacts, backups.

12. 8. Equipment • Craft – suitable, seaworthy, floatable, meet regs, good repair • Life jackets and paddles sized to participants • Emergency equipment ready for use • Spares appropriate to the activity properly stowed • Critical supplies shared stowage • Enough vessels to carry on if one sinks

13. 9. Discipline • Follow the rules! • Discuss before outing, review before boarding • Give reasons • Be impartial • Use good judgement

14. ORD-5b Describe the safety equipment required by law for your ship’s primary vessel.

15. All Boats • One life jacket (Type 1, 2, or 3) for every person on board.

16. Power Boats Under 16' Sail Boats 14'-16' • Certificate of number on board • State registration numbers displayed • One B-1 fire extinguisher (enclosed engine) • “Efficient” sound signal (air horn, whistle) • Gasoline – approved backfire control device • Gasoline – powered ventilation * • Navigation lights – sunset to sunrise • Installed toilet – USCG approved

17. Boats Over 16' • Throwable life cushion (Type 4) • One orange distress flag and one electric distress light OR • Three handheld or floating orange distress signals and one electric distress light OR • Three combination red flares (handheld, meteor, or parachute)

18. Boats Over 26' • One B-2 or two B-1 fire extinguishers • Sound signal – 4-6 seconds, one-half mile sound • Oil pollution placard – near engine or bilge • Garbage placard – conspicuous place

19. Boats 39.4' or Greater • Copy of Navigation Rules (inland only) • Large bell *

20. Other Considerations • Engine is often under the helm. May not be able to man the helm with an engine fire • Fire extinguishers often at galley near main hatch, and forward cabin near mast. May need to enter through forward hatch to access • Radio often mounted aft, may be inaccessible • Do not remove engine access hatches until ready to fight fire. Added oxygen may cause flare-up.

21. BSA Requirements • Cruising boats – First aid kit, charts, VHF radio • Annual Vessel Safety Check • Recommended: • Anchor, compass, dewatering, boat hook • Fuel, spare parts, tools, extra line • EPIRB if going offshore • Personnel: • Water, food, clothing, hats, sunscreen

22. ORD-5c Develop a ship’s station bill for your ship and review it with an adult leader.

23. Man Overboard • OOD/BN – Direct vessel back to MOB. Direct crew in rescue procedures • Helm – Execute Williamson turn or other directed maneuvers. Turn engine OFF approaching MOB. • Nav/Radio – Plot MOB position, make distress call • Lookout – point toward MOB. Don't take eyes off MOB. Advise OOD & Helm • Deck crew – throw life preservers, MOB markers. Prepare to dowse sails. Prepare to retrieve MOB

24. Fire OOD/BN - Direct crew fighting fire. Consider engine shutdown. Dowse sails ASAP. Helm - Maintain control. Position vessel so fire is on lee side. Consider engine shutdown. Nav/Radio - Mark/ plot position. Make distress call. Lookout - Advise OOD and helm of closest land or vessel help. Deck Crew - Retrieve all fire extinguishers. Fight fire. Shut off fuel supply. Report status. Prepare to dowse sails.

25. Collision OOD/BN - Direct helm to avoid collision, crew to brace for collision. Helm - Turn and use motor to avoid collision or minimize damage. Brace. Nav/Radio - Mark/ plot position. Brace. Make distress call at OOD direction. Lookout - Move to safer position. Brace. Advise helm. Deck crew - Brace. Follow OOD direction.

26. Damage Control OOD/BN - Direct crew in damage control Helm - Position vessel to minimize further damage and water inflow. Nav/Radio - Mark/ plot position. Make distress call at OOD direction. Lookout - Advise of vessel condition. Advise of other dangers. Deck crew - Follow OOD direction. Put plugs in holes. Fother sail over major damage if possible.

27. Abandon Ship OOD/BN - Direct crew to gather abandon ship bag / equipment. Don life jacket. Launch life rafts, etc. Helm - Position vessel to provide shelter to crew while abandoning. Don life jacket. Nav/Radio - Mark / plot position. Don life jacket. Make distress call. Gather abandon ship bag equipment & supplies. Take portable radio. Lookout - Account for all crew. See deck crew duties. Deck Crew - Don life jacket. Tether and launch life rafts, etc. Load spare life jackets. All crew link up.

28. Abandon Ship Bag • Use a waterproof bag, or even a sail bag • Water EPIRB/Radio Flares Horn/Pump Bell • Mirror Flashlight/lights Orange flag GPS • FA kit Spare line Hats Sunscreen Knife • Nav kit Jackets Food Ice Chest • Compass Charts Fishing gear

29. APP-5e Describe three types of equipment used in marine communications.

30. Very High Frequency (VHF) • VHF radios – mast mounted, handheld • Line of sight – mast mounted has greater range • No license required – anyone can talk, but there are rules • Channel 16 – Calling. Distress. • Channels 68, 69, 71, 72 – recreational boaters • For lake and near-shore vessels

31. High Frequency (HF) • HF radio – ship mounted • Large, expensive • Requires operator (notham) license, ship license • Range – to 10,000 miles, but inconsistent • For oceangoing vessels

32. Citizen's Band (CB) • CB primary use is truckers, etc. • CB equipment is less expensive • USCG does not monitor CB • Getting a distress call through – does not have a standard distress frequency • Not recommended

33. Radiotelephone Procedure • “Defiant, Defiant, Defiant, this is Envie, over” • “Envie, Defiant, over” • “Defiant, go six eight, over” • “Envie, six eight, out” • “Defiant, Defiant, Defiant, Envie six eight, over” • “Envie, Defiant, go ahead” • “conversation...., over” • “Defiant, say again, over” • “Envie, out”

34. Prowords • Over – your turn to talk • Out – I have finished talking • “Over and out” – bad form • Roger – I understand or acknowledge • Wilco – I will comply • Say again – repeat your transmission • I spell – in phonetic alphabet

35. Emergencies Review • Mayday – life threatening situation • Pan Pan – safety of vessel or property • Securité – safety message

36. Phonetic Alphabet • Alpha Hotel Oscar Victor • Bravo India Papa Whiskey • Charlie Juliet Quebec X-Ray • Delta Kilo Romeo Yankee • Echo Lima Sierra Zulu • Foxtrot Mike Tango • Golf November Uniform

37. Practice • Two way communications – one person is one boat, second person is second boat • Practice an emergency call – one person has the emergency, second person is USCG • Do it – using VHF (or CB) and other Sea Scout boats or other boaters • Do not do radio checks on Channel 16

38. Questions?