Sailor Take Warning

By Catherine Powell

Image courtesy of Max Pixel

Into every life a little rain must fall.  While this adage holds true for us all, it goes double for boaters.  Spend enough time on the water and inevitably you’ll encounter rain.  The only difference is in Florida, it probably won’t be a little rain, it will most likely be a lot.  Storm sailing is one of the tests of seamanship all boaters need to prepare themselves for before they leave the dock. 

Unlike a road trip, it’s all but impossible for a boater to pull over should they be faced with a squall.  Regardless of whether you intend to take your boat offshore, or if you only intend to stay on the river or cruise the intracoastal waterway, your ability to ride out a storm is crucial to your success or failure as a skipper.  Therefore, you need to know exactly what to do should a passing squall overtake your boat.

Before you leave home – On any given summer day in Florida, you can take it for granted you’re going to have to deal with a thunderstorm.  While the majority of them pop up during the afternoon, a squall can appear at any time of the day or night.  To get a better bead on where and when a squall is likely to occur, the best course of action is to check the marine weather forecast before you head for the dock. You also want to make sure you have all the required gear you need to weather the storm.

      1.      A poncho or rain jacket needs to be packed for every member of the deck crew and any passengers who will be exposed to the elements.  Even during the summer, hypothermia can quickly occur.  This will not only get everyone on deck soaked to the skin, a thunderstorm can produce stinging rain or even hail which no crew member should have to deal without the protection of rain gear.

     

Image courtesy of USCG

2.      Do you have enough life jackets for everyone aboard? - The Coast Guard requires the skipper of a boat to have one USCG-approved live vest or jacket for everyone aboard your vessel.  They also require a Type V life ring or throwable cushion to be aboard every vessel of 16-feet or longer.

      3.      Another Coast Guard requirement for vessels greater than 16-feet is visual distress signal.  This can either be an electronic distress light and one orange flag, three hand-held or floating orange smoke signals, or three day/night red flares.

      4.      Does your vessel have an approved fire extinguisher aboard?  Any vessel that has a gas or diesel-fed engine is required to carry a B-1 extinguisher aboard.

      5.      You also need to carry an air horn and know how to use it.  Even on the St. John’s River, you can encounter everything from other pleasure craft to tug boats, barges, freighters, ocean liners and military vessels.  Any of these may issue horn signals to make you aware of their intentions, or to warn you of danger.  If you don’t understand what these signals mean, you will needlessly endanger your vessel and crew.

      6.      Other things you need to pack for the voyage include food and water, suntan lotion, sunglasses, towels and a change of clothing. 

      7. File a float plan. Particularly if you are going offshore, it's a good idea to file a float plan with your marina, boat club, a family member or friend.  The plan should include a detailed schedule of your intended route, as well as any ports of call you intend stopping at for fuel or to stay overnight.  Included in the plan should be a list of everyone aboard, safety and navigational equipment as well as the name and description of your boat.  Instruct the person you give the float plan to that if they haven't heard from you in a given amount of time, they need to contact the Coast Guard.  Just make sure you don't forget to touch base with this person or you could inadvertently set into motion a search and rescue operation.  The Coast Guard even offers a handy float plan you can download here.

Image courtesy Pxhere

At the Dock – When a storm is fast approaching is the worst time to start shouting orders.  Before you cast off, I recommend you give your passengers and any new crew members a 5-minute briefing that tells them what they need to know once the boat heads onto the water.

      1.      While not everyone should be required to wear a life-jacket during the entire voyage, children or anyone who can’t swim should.  Even those who aren’t required to wear a life jacket should be shown the proper way to don one before you set sail.  The last thing you want is to have to take the time to show someone this when the lightning is flashing, the wind is howling and the seas are crashing down all around.

      2.      This is also the best time to give the passengers a tour of the boat and its related equipment.  While everyone aboard may not need to know how to take the helm or work the radio, they do need to know such things as where to go in the case of a storm, where the first aid kit and fire extinguisher are located, as well as how to operate the head.

      3.      Fuel check – I have been through thunderstorms on the St. Johns that lasted for hours on end.  Do you have enough fuel to weather a storm and reach your destination, or are you going to wind up adrift during or immediately after a squall?  You’d be surprised at how easy it is to forget to top up your tank before you cast off.

      4.      Last but not least, you should test your running lights and marine radio to make sure they function properly.  If your lights don’t work, you’ll be in danger of getting struck by another vessel if a storm pops up.  If your radio is dead, you could find it impossible to contact the Coast Guard in the event of an emergency.

Image courtesy of Pixabay

Underway - Once you cast off, the fun really begins.  That’s because the captain bears the responsibility for anything that happens to the vessel, the passengers or the crew. 

      1.      Keep a weather eye on kids.  This holds true whether your vessel is sail or motor driven.  Kids have a tendency to get under foot.  They can easily fall overboard.  They also fight boredom by playing with things they shouldn’t touch.  Short of tethering them to a stanchion, it’s a good idea to designate one passenger or crew member to keep track of any children you bring aboard.  This goes double should storm clouds appear on the horizon.

      2.      Any passenger who has never been on a boat or who expresses they have a tendency to get seasick should also be afforded a little added TLC before you set sail.  Just as with kids, you need to take the time to make sure they know where to go and what to do if they start to feel queasy. 

      3.      Depending on the size and accouterments your vessel offers, you need to decide what to do with your passengers if a storm is imminent.  Is it better to send them into the cabin, or find a secure place on deck for them to ride out a storm?  (Note: Passengers are much more likely to get seasick below deck.)

      4.      Even your crew needs to know what to do before a storm is bearing down on your vessel.  If you’re planning to anchor, have you shown your crew where the ground tackle is stored and how to use it?  If you’re planning on motoring or sailing through a squall, is your crew seasoned enough to know what to do and where to go, or are you going to be the only one in charge of keeping the vessel on course and your passengers out of danger?

      5.      Any port in a storm? – Aside from the fact it may prove difficult or even impossible to dock your boat during a storm, if you encounter an electrical storm, you are better off riding it out on the water.  Trying to dock during a squall is tricky at best and lethal at worst since it’s dangerous to dock with the wind howling and the waves pounding.  Get it wrong and you could damage the vessel or wind up putting your crew in peril.

Catherine Powell is the owner of A Plus All Florida, Insurance in Orange Park, Florida.  To find out more ways to save on boat insurance, check out her website at http://aplusallfloridainsuranceinc.com/