Responding to hull leaks or flooding.

Responding to hull leaks or flooding.

The following actions should be taken in response to a hull leak or flooding such as when water is seen to be rising in the pleasure craft or accumulating at the bottom of the craft:

1. Locate the source of the hull leak or the flooding.
2. Stop the leakage or the source of flooding if possible;
3. Remove accumulations of water in the hold or other compartments of the pleasure craft  by  incorporating  either  hand-held  bailer’s,  manual  pumps or  bilge pumping systems as appropriate to the circumstances and to the craft; and
4. Use or exhibit signals to indicate distress and need of assistance if necessary.

The operator of a pleasure craft should carry on board at all times tools and materials to temporarily stop hull leaks or flooding.

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Responding to capsizing, swamping, sinking and grounding.

The following actions should be taken in response to a pleasure craft that capsizes, that swamps, that sinks or that runs aground:

1. Don personal flotation devices or life jackets
2. Stay with the craft when appropriate;
3. Account for persons previously on board; and
4. Use or exhibit signals to indicate distress and need of assistance if necessary.

Responding to cold water immersion or wind chill

1. “Hypothermia” is a drop in body temperature below the normal level that most frequently develops from exposure to abnormally low temperatures such as:
   • Immersion in cold water
   • Exposure to cool air in water-soaked clothing, or
   • Prolonged exposure to low environmental temperatures
2. The following signs and symptoms represent the impact on the mental and muscle functions of the persons exposed to hypothermia as it progresses:
   • Shivering and slurred speech, conscious but withdrawn at the early stage;
   • Slow and weak pulse, slow respiration, lacks coordination, irrational, confused and sleepy at intermediate stage;
   • Weak, irregular or absent pulse or respiration, loss of consciousness at final stage.
3. The following actions should be taken in the presence of a person found to be suffering from hypothermia:
   • Remove the person from the source of cold exposure;
   • Provide dry shelter;
   • If possible, prevent further decrease in body temperature and warm the person’s body gradually by:
     • Replacing wet clothing with dry clothing,
     • Wrapping the person in blankets,
     • Placing dry coverings over the person,
     • Covering the person’s head and neck,
     • Covering the person with an insulating device and vapour barrier;
     • Applying warm dry objects (40 to 45C).
   • If asked for, offer warm liquids but do not give alcohol or hot stimulants to the person;
   • Do not rub or massage the surface of the person’s body or extremities;
   • and Use or exhibit signals to indicate distress and need of assistance if necessary.
4. While wearing personal flotation devices or life jackets, some positions can help persons to survive longer when immersed in cold water:
   • If alone, adopt a “fetal position” by crossing arms tightly against the chest and by drawing the knees up close to the chest (heat escape lessening position);
   • If alone, climb onto a nearby floating object to get as much of the body out of/or above the water
   • If in a group, “huddle” with other persons by getting the sides of everyone’s chest close together with arms around mid to lower back and legs intertwined.
5. The following may provide additional protection to a person’s body from hypothermia:
   • dry suit
   • wet suit
   • immersion suit
   • survival suit
   • exposure coverall
   • multiple light layers of dry clothing,
   • water or wind proof outer layer

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Know the following technique to test personal flotation devices and/or life jackets

• while wearing the personal flotation device and/or life jacket,
• in chest-deep water,
• the person shall bend the knees,
• then float on the back, and
• shall make sure that the personal flotation device and/or life jacket keeps the chin above water so that it is easy to breathe.