Specifications

62 63

Immersionsuitswilldelaytheeffectsofhypothermiaincoldwater
(Seepage63)Theyshouldbeproperlystowedandmaintainedinac-
cordancewiththemanufacturer’sinstructions

Itisadvisabletocarryonboardadevicetodetermineyourposition,
suchasaGlobalPositionalSystem(GPS)Thesedevicescanbe
mountedorhand-heldandwillprovidetheboaterwithanaccurate
locationtoaidrescueagenciesintheeventofanemergency

Manyhunters,anglers,andpaddlersdonotthinkofthemselvesas
boaters,yettheyusesemi-Vhullvessels,flat-bottomjonboats,orca-
noesandkayaksinpursuitoftheirsportTheseboatstendtobeless
stableandcaneasilycapsizeCapsizings,sinkings,orfallsoverboard
fromsmallboatsaccountfor70percentofallboatingfatalitiesOpera-
torsneedtobefullyawareoftheirboat’slimitationsandpossessthe
skillandknowledgetoovercomethem
Standinginasmallboatraisesthecenterofgravityandriskscapsizing
theboatStandingforanyreason,evenchangingseatingposition,
canbedangerous,asissittingonthegunwalesorseatbacks,orona
pedestalseatwhileunderwayAraisedcenterofgravitymeansthata
wave,wake,orsuddenturncancapsizetheboatorresultinaperson
fallingoverboard

Iftheboatcapsizes,oryoufalloverboard,followtheserulestostay
afloat:
• Remaincalm:donotthrashaboutortrytoremoveclothingor
footwearItisacommonbeliefthatpersonsdressedinheavy
clothingorwaderswillsinkimmediatelyiftheyfalloverboard
ThisisnottrueAirtrappedinclothingprovidesconsiderable
flotation,andbendingthekneeswilltrapairinwaders,providing
additionalflotationThrashinginthewaterleadstoexhaustion
andincreasesthelossofairthatkeepsyouafloat
• Ifyouarewearingalifejacket,keepiton
• Keepyourkneesbent
• Floatonyourbackandpaddleslowlytosafety

Suddenimmersionincoldwatercaninducerapid,uncontrolledbreath-
ing,cardiacarrest,andotherphysicalconditionsthatcanresultin
drowningInanunexpectedplunge,orinsituationswhereyoumust
entercoldwater,hereareafewguidelinestofollow:
• Buttonupyourclothing
• Coveryourheadifpossible;about50percentofbodyheatislost
fromthehead
• Ifenteringthewatervoluntarily,enterslowly
•
Keepyourheadoutofthewaterifpossible
• Ifyoucannotimmediatelygetoutofthewaterandrescueis
notimminent,drawyour
kneestoyourchestand
wrapyourarmsacross
yourchest,huggingyour
lifejacketintheHeat
EscapeLesseningPosture
(HELP)Thiswillprotect
themajorareasofyour
bodyfromheatloss
• Ifyourboathascapsized
andthereareothersin
thewaterwithyou,huddletogetherwithyourarmsaroundeach
otherThesehuddlesaregoodformorale,keepeveryoneto-
gether,andmakealargertargettospotinthewater–allofwhich
increaseyourchancesofbeingseenandrescued

Immersionincoldwaterspeedsthelossofbodyheatandcanleadto
hypothermiaHypothermiaistheabnormalloweringofinternalbody
temperatureIfyourvesselcapsizes,itwilllikelyfloatonorjustbelow
thesurfaceOutboard-poweredvessels,builtafter1978,aredesigned
tosupportyoueveniffullofwaterorcapsizedToreducetheeffects
ofhypothermia,getinorontheboatTrytogetasmuchofyourbody
outofthewateraspossibleIfyoudonotgetintheboat,alifejacket
will
enableyoutokeepyourheadoutofthewaterThisisimportant
becauseabout50percentofbodyheatlossisfromthehead
H.E.L.P. Position