Instruction manual

PROFICIENCY IN SURVIVAL CRAFT AND RESCUE BOATS OTHER THAN FAST
RESCUE BOATS
4
If in a medium surf with no wind or offshore wind, keep the raft from passing
over a wave so rapidly that it drops suddenly after topping the crest. If the raft turns
over in the surf, try to grab hold of it and ride it in.
As the raft nears the beach, ride in on the crest of a large wave. Paddle or row
hard and ride in to the beach as far as you can. Do not jump out of the raft until it
has grounded, then quickly get out and beach it.
If you have a choice, do not land at night. If you have reason to believe that
people live on the shore, lay away from the beach, signal, and wait for the
inhabitants to come out and bring you in.
If you encounter sea ice, land only on large, stable floes. Avoid icebergs that
may capsize and small floes or those obviously disintegrating. Use oars and hands
to keep the raft from rubbing on the edge of the ice. Take the raft out of the water
and store it well back from the floe's edge. You may be able to use it for shelter.
Keep the raft inflated and ready for use. Any floe may break up without warning.
10.3.2 Beaching a boat
- well outside the line of surf, let fly sheets, down helm and bring the boat
head to wind.
- stream sea anchor. Dredge a grapnel if one is available.
- send down the sails and strike the mast.
- unship the tiller and rudder. Ship the steering oar.
- man the oars.
- let the boat drift slowly in; keeping her head to sea.
- beach the boat stern first. Everyone should disembark over the stern, as
quickly as possible.
If you make a sandy beach with surf running ; you will have to beach the boat.
Never attempt to do this in the dark, stand-off until day light.
Altought the surf may not look much from seaward, it will be terrifying when the
boat is in it.
The important thing is to keep the boat’s head to sea all the time.
Whenever a large breaker is bearing down towards the boat, give way together
and row into it, letting the boat ride in on the back of each sea and keeping the sea
anchor out all the time, to help you keep head to sea.
If as you are coming in, the wind should drop and become an off-shore breeze,
it will not have any effect on the sea and no heed need be paid out.
When the boat is beached, no one is to be allowed to leave the boat over the
bow or amidship, because there is always a strong undertow which could carry
them out to sea.
Take the painter ashore with you. Do not lose the boat.
You will often see boats running before the surf and beaching bow first. This
method is not advised for an inexperienced crew landing on a strange beach. Do
remember to keep everyone seated as low as possible and so far as you can
towards the bow but out of the ends of the boat.