Life Boat Safety Drills On Board

Boating safety tips

Learning the basics of boat operation and safety is best done before your first trip to the marina or launch ramp. No matter how much experience you have, boating safety rules should be reviewed before each departure. As captain of the vessel you are responsible for the safety for those on board. Make sure everyone understands where the safety equipment is located and what to do in the case of an emergency.

1. Be weatherwise

Always check weather conditions for boating safety the day before departure. TV and radio forecasts can be a good source of information. If you notice darkening clouds, rough changing winds, or sudden drops in temperature, play it safe by getting off the water.

2. Follow a pre-departure checklist

Proper boating safety means being prepared for any possibility on the water. From safety regulation compliance to tips on refuelling, following a pre-departure checklist is the best way to make sure no boating safety rules or precautions have been forgotten. Things to include in your checklist are:

• Have I checked the weather? • Have I advised a reliable person of my boating plan? This is best written down and handed to the person prior to your departure. Include where you are going and when you plan to be back as well as the number of passengers on board and type of radio and emergency beacon you are carrying. These details are very helpful in an emergency.

Some of the following safety equipment is required by law. Safety equipment can include:

• Oars • Emergency Position Indicating Radio Beacon (EPIRB)

3. Use common sense

One of the most important parts of boating safety is to use your common sense. This means operating at a safe speed at all times, especially in busy areas.

Be alert at all times. Steer clear of large vessels and watercraft that can be restricted in their ability to stop or turn.

Also be respectful of buoys and other navigational aids, all of which have been placed there for one reason only – to ensure your own boating safety.

4. Designate an assistant skipper

Make sure more than one person on board is familiar with all aspects of your boat’s handling and safe operation. If the primary navigator is injured or incapacitated in any way, it is important to make sure someone else can follow the proper boating safety rules to get everyone else back to shore.

Lifeboat fault delays ferry passengers | Stuff.co.nz

More than 100 passengers were bumped off a sailing of the Aratere Cook Strait ferry as a safety precaution after a routine drill went wrong in Wellington Harbour and the ship lost one of its lifeboats.

More than 100 other passengers were delayed for more than two hours.

Staff were holding a safety drill yesterday when a coupling broke as a 110-seat lifeboat was being hoisted back on board.

The malfunction meant the lifeboat had to be left in Wellington for repairs, so the ferry could not sail with all its 260 booked passengers.

Maritime New Zealand was alerted by the Interislander ferry company and passenger numbers were cut by 115 to a level that could safely be catered for by the remaining liferafts.

Maritime NZ general manager John Mansell said the lifeboat was damaged during a routine crew exercise and had to be taken off the ferry for repairs. This meant the remaining lifeboat could not be used either because of safety regulations.

"There are six life rafts launched by crane on the ferry. People board them and are lifted down to the water. They have a capacity of 150 people in total."

The ferry, scheduled to have left at 2pm, eventually sailed at 4.15pm with 150 passengers.

Mr Mansell said the ferry company kept him well informed and had acted responsibly.

Interislander spokesman Nigel Parry said the quick-release mechanism on the lifeboat had not malfunctioned during the drill.

The cable problem happened as attempts were made to hoist the lifeboat back on board. Crew members on the lifeboat were uninjured.

The 115 passengers affected by the malfunction were given fare refunds, and many were also booked on the next available sailing for free. They headed south on an Arahura sailing later last night.

New Plymouth company director David Leuthart was one of a group of Taranaki off-road bikers who were embarking on a week-long "boys' trip' of the South Island. "You'd think this should all be routine maintenance stuff for these guys. It's a poor show really," he said.

The repaired lifeboat was expected to be returned to the ferry late last night ready for an early-morning sailing.

The Aratere's 10-year history sailing the Cook Strait has been a troubled one, including power failures and an unscheduled turn in Wellington Harbour.

The ship also collided with the trawler San Domenico in high winds while berthing in Wellington Harbour six years ago.

Hearings

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