Instruction manual

PROFICIENCY IN SURVIVAL CRAFT AND RESCUE BOATS OTHER THAN
FAST RESCUE BOATS
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3. Abandon ship
NO SHIP IS ABANDONED EXCEPT BY ORDER OF THE MASTER
The order “ABANDON SHIP” will be done ONLY by master or his deputy
and ABANDON signal MUST always be confirmed by word from the Master
3.1 Actions to be taken when required to abandon ship
It cannot be overstressed that the order to abandon ship is the final
decision to be taken by the Master when, according to his judgment, there is no
other way to save the lives the of passengers and the crew.
Hasting to abandon ship is not recommended because in most emergency
cases the ship remains the safest place to be on and people have often drowned
after abandoning a ship that eventually did not sink.
3.1.1 Additional items which can be carry in the life boat
If it is obvious that the ship is in great danger of sinking, but that there is still
a little time in hand before it will become necessary to abandon ship, a coxswain
would do well to have some extra gear put in the boat, always remembering that
more extra gear put in the boat, the less room will be available for survivors.
A suitable collection of extra gear might be summed up as follows:
- as many blankets as possible
- tinned milk
- milk tablets
- biscuits
- fruits
- torches, batteries and bulbs
- recipients with drinking water and provisions
- extra fuel and lubricants
- medicines and sanitary items
- binoculars and a sextant
- small radio receiver
- the ship’s pyrotechnics if unused
- ship’s flag and signaling flag
- ship’s radio equipment as portable VHF
- individual documents of embarked personnel