This past weekend we had a close call on the water during our spring SCORE race in Monterey Bay out of Santa Cruz. We were sailing the last downwind leg when another boat on the course flagged us down frantically yelling Man Overboard, Man Overboard! They pointed in the general direction of where he fell into the water and we abandoned the race to help with the search.
I immediately grabbed the VHF radio and called in a Mayday to the Coast Guard on Channel 16. It was uncomfortable to know that I had never had to call in a Mayday or Pan Pan or Securite, and while I remembered the basic information to relay, this is the perfect time to review the proper procedure for a Mayday distress call.
Mayday! Mayday! Mayday!…Sending a distress call
You may only have seconds to send a distress call. Here’s what you should do:
Procedure for VHF Channel 16 MAYDAY:
- If you have an MF/HF radiotelephone tuned to 2182 kHz, send the radiotelephone alarm signal if one is available. If you have a VHF marine radio, tune it to channel 16. Unless you know you are outside VHF range of shore and ships, call on channel 16 first.
- Distress signal “MAYDAY”, spoken three times.
- The words “THIS IS”, spoken once.
- Name of vessel in distress (spoken three times) and call sign or boat registration number, spoken once.
- Repeat “MAYDAY” and name of vessel, spoken once.
- Give position of vessel by latitude or longitude or by bearing (true or magnetic, state which) and distance to a well-know landmark such as a navigational aid or small island, or in any terms which will assist a responding station in locating the vessel in distress. Include any information on vessel movement such as course, speed and destination.
- Nature of distress (sinking, fire etc.).
- Kind of assistance desired.
- Number of persons onboard.
- Any other information which might facilitate rescue, such as length or tonnage of vessel, number of persons needing medical attention, color hull, cabin, masks, etc.
- The word “OVER”
Stay by the radio if possible. Even after the message has been received, the Coast Guard can find you more quickly if you can transmit a signal on which a rescue boat or aircraft can home.
For example:
MAYDAY-MAYDAY-MAYDAY
THIS IS BLUE DUCK-BLUE DUCK-BLUE DUCK WA1234
CAPE HENRY LIGHT BEARS 185 DEGREES MAGNETIC-DISTANCE 2 MILES
STRUCK SUBMERGED OBJECT
NEED PUMPS-MEDICAL ASSISTANCE AND TOW
THREE ADULTS, TWO CHILDREN ONBOARD
ONE PERSON COMPOUND FRACTURE OF ARM
ESTIMATE CAN REMAIN AFLOAT TWO HOURS
BLUE DUCK IS THIRTY TWO FOOT CABIN CRUISER-WHITE HULL-BLUE DECK HOUSE
OVER
Repeat at intervals until an answer is received.
If you hear a distress call…
If you hear a distress message from a vessel and it is not answered, then you must answer. If you are reasonably sure that the distressed vessel is not in your vicinity, you should wait a short time for others to acknowledge.
Like any other emergency situation where you don’t have the full details, it is important to take action immediately to be on the safe side. This person had been in the water for close to 45 minutes and was on the verge of severe hypothermia (life threatening). And, their own VHF had gone overboard in their round up.
It was also a good lesson in wearing brightly colored gear, which helped us find him. Imagine trying to find someone in 10 foot swells with 30 knots of wind and trying to control your own boat in the meantime.
Please be safe.
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