Emergencies are rare. Prepared responses save lives. Read this page before every trip — when a situation occurs, you will not have time to look it up. Knowing the first three steps of each procedure by heart is more valuable than reading this page once on the dock.
1. Man Overboard (MOB)
The first 30 seconds determine everything. Every second of delay makes recovery exponentially harder.
Immediate actions — everyone on deck
- Shout "MAN OVERBOARD!" loudly and repeatedly until the whole crew responds.
- Point at the person — one person is assigned solely to watching. Arm extended, pointing constantly. Never look away.
- Press the MOB button on the chartplotter — this saves the GPS position of where they entered the water.
- Throw the life ring / dan buoy from the stern — as close to the person as possible, even if they are a strong swimmer. Throw as many floatables as available.
- Engine on, in neutral. Do not engage the prop near the person in the water.
- Call to the skipper if not already on deck.
Maintaining visual contact
- The person pointing does nothing else — no trimming, no lines, no helping with anything. One job: keep pointing, keep watching.
- In rough seas or poor light, a person disappears between waves. Scan the area rhythmically — don't stare at one point.
- Never jump in to help unless as a final last resort, with explicit skipper instruction, wearing a life jacket and tethered. Two people in the water doubles the problem.
Quick Stop recovery — what the skipper will do
- Immediately put the helm hard over to windward — the boat tacks toward the wind.
- Leave the headsail backed (don't release it) — this helps the boat spin quickly.
- The boat gybes around onto the other tack, heading back toward the MOB position.
- Bear away slightly to position the boat 2–3 boat-lengths upwind of the person.
- Head up into wind on the final approach, using engine in neutral to bleed off speed.
- Stop the boat so they are close to leeward — the wind drifts the boat down toward them.
Approach and recovery
- Always approach from downwind / leeward — so the boat drifts toward the person, not over them.
- Keep the propeller away — put the engine in neutral within 10 metres.
- Throw a line as soon as they are within reach.
- Deploy the stern boarding ladder.
- If too exhausted to climb: use a halyard looped under their arms as a sling and winch them up, or a rescue strop from the grab bag.
- On a larger boat, a looped line under their foot gives them a leg up.
After recovery: get them out of wet clothing; wrap in blankets/sleeping bags; treat for hypothermia even if the water felt warm; monitor for shock (pale/clammy skin, rapid weak pulse, confusion, loss of consciousness); keep them lying down, warm and still; consider medical evacuation if they were in the water a long time or show hypothermia/shock; log the incident (time, position, conditions, duration).
2. Mayday — Vessel in Distress
When to declare Mayday: immediate threat to life — the boat is sinking, an uncontrolled fire, a person overboard and missing, or a life-threatening medical emergency requiring evacuation. Don't hesitate — coast guards would rather respond to a Mayday that resolves itself than hear about one that wasn't called.
Mayday call — transmit word for word on Channel 16
MAYDAY MAYDAY MAYDAY
This is [vessel name] [vessel name] [vessel name]
MAYDAY — [vessel name]
My position is [GPS coordinates, e.g. "three-five degrees two-four north, zero-two-three degrees one-five east"]
[Nature of distress — e.g. "We are on fire and the fire is uncontrolled" / "We are sinking" / "Man overboard, person unrecovered"]
[Number of persons on board — e.g. "Six persons on board"]
[Additional information — vessel description, e.g. "White sailing yacht, 42 feet, white hull, name on stern"]
Over
- Transmit on Channel 16, full power (25W).
- If no response within 1 minute, repeat the full call.
- After a response, switch to a working channel as instructed by coast guard, but keep one radio on Ch16.
- Speak slowly and clearly — stress makes people rush and slur.
- GPS coordinates: press and hold the position display on the chartplotter to read off lat/long.
Pan Pan — urgent but not life-threatening. Use when you need urgent assistance but lives are not immediately at risk (engine failure near a shipping lane, a medical problem needing advice, a person injured but stable, a vessel disabled in poor weather):
PAN PAN, PAN PAN, PAN PAN
All stations, all stations, all stations
This is [vessel name] [vessel name] [vessel name]
My position is [GPS coordinates]
[Nature of urgency — e.g. "Medical emergency, require medical advice" / "Engine disabled, require tow"]
[Number of persons on board]
Over
After calling Mayday: keep watch on Ch16; if a vessel is sighted, fire parachute flares to attract attention; activate the EPIRB if the situation is life-threatening and evacuation may be needed; prepare the life raft and grab bag (but don't deploy until necessary); keep all crew in life jackets; provide position updates — you may be drifting.
3. Fire on Board
Fire on a fibreglass yacht spreads very fast. Every action must be immediate and decisive. You have minutes, not hours.
Immediate actions
- Shout "FIRE! FIRE! FIRE!" — everyone on deck immediately.
- Identify the location — on deck or below? Electrical, galley, or engine?
- Turn off the engine — red stop button at the helm panel.
- Close the gas valve — starboard cockpit locker, red valve labelled GAS, clockwise to close.
- Do not open any hatch toward a below-deck fire — oxygen can cause explosive flame growth.
- Grab the fire extinguisher — aim at the base of the flames, not the top, not the smoke. Sweep side to side.
- Head the boat upwind — position the vessel so the fire is downwind.
What not to do
- Never use water on an electrical fire — risk of electrocution, can spread burning fluid.
- Never use water on a fuel or gas fire — it spreads the burning fuel.
- Do not open the engine-bay hatch if there is fire in the engine compartment — the fixed extinguisher needs a sealed space to work.
Below-deck fire that cannot be reached safely: seal the companionway hatch and all ports (deprive the fire of oxygen); all crew in life jackets on deck; transmit Mayday; activate EPIRB; deploy the life raft over the leeward side; grab the grab bag; abandon ship only when the fire is clearly uncontrollable and staying aboard is more dangerous than the raft.
After the fire is out: do not re-enter an area with any smouldering (it can reignite); ventilate thoroughly before going below; isolate the cause before using that system again; contact coast guard even if the fire is out; consider heading to the nearest port for inspection.
4. Grounding
Running aground on a sandbank, shoal or reef is more common than most sailors admit. Most groundings are recoverable without major damage if you act calmly and methodically.
Immediate actions
- Don't panic. The boat is probably not about to sink — assess before acting.
- Engine off if you are on rocks — a running propeller can be wrecked. Turn it off immediately if you hear or feel grounding on hard material.
- Check for flooding — lift the sole boards, check the bilge. Water coming in? Skip to the Flooding procedure.
- Note the tide — rising (you may float off) or falling (act now before you dry out)?
- Do not motor off hard immediately — first understand what you're on and which way is deeper water.
Attempting to refloat
- Heel the boat — move all crew to one side (usually toward deeper water). Heeling reduces draft by 20–40 cm, often enough to float free on sand.
- Motor astern (on sand/mud) while heeled — back out the way you came.
- Kedging: take the anchor by dinghy (or swim it on a line) to deeper water, drop it, and winch the boat off. Slow but effective.
- Redistribute weight — move heavy items to the lighter side.
- Wait for a wave or wash from a passing vessel to briefly lift the keel.
Calling for assistance: if unable to free the boat after 30–60 minutes, call a Pan Pan on Ch16. A nearby vessel or coast guard may pull you off with a tow line; commercial towing services operate in most charter areas. If the tide is falling and you are on rocks with possible hull damage, a Mayday may be appropriate.
5. Flooding / Taking on Water
A yacht can take on water from grounding damage, a failed through-hull fitting or sea cock, a split hose, or a broken rudder gland. Finding the source quickly is critical.
Immediate actions
- Shout to the skipper. Do not investigate alone — get all hands.
- Find the source. Systematically check all through-hull fittings (engine cooling, cockpit drains, toilet inlet/outlet, depth transducer). Feel hoses for wetness. Check the mast deck collar and keel bolts.
- Start the manual bilge pump to slow the rise — red T-handle in the cockpit sole. One person pumps while others search.
- Close the relevant sea cock if the source is a through-hull — turn the lever 90° (across the pipe = closed).
Plugging the leak: softwood bungs are taped to each through-hull — drive the bung in with a mallet or palm to stop the flow. Rags, clothing or cushion foam can slow a breach while you work. Underwater epoxy putty (in the emergency kit) can seal small splits temporarily.
Pumping: the manual pump moves 20–30 L/min; the engine-driven bilge pump runs automatically when the engine is on (start it if safe); don't dismiss a bucket brigade — two or three people with buckets can outpace the manual pump.
When to call Mayday: if the water level is rising despite all efforts to pump and plug, transmit Mayday immediately. Don't wait until the boat is sinking — coast guard needs time to reach you.
6. Medical Emergency / Evacuation
The first question is always: can this wait until we reach port, or does this person need to be off this boat urgently?
Immediate evacuation needed: chest pain radiating to arm/jaw (possible heart attack); stroke symptoms (face drooping, arm weakness, speech difficulty — act FAST); unconscious and unresponsive; uncontrolled severe bleeding; suspected spinal injury; severe allergic reaction (anaphylaxis); symptoms rapidly worsening.
Can wait for port (urgent but stable): broken limb with intact circulation; severe but stable laceration; fever without deteriorating consciousness; possible appendicitis presenting early.
Making the call: if in doubt, call Pan Pan on Ch16 and ask coast guard for medical advice — they have medical officers available 24/7. For life-threatening emergencies, Mayday with "medical emergency" as the nature of distress.
Helicopter evacuation — how to assist
- Maintain radio contact with coast guard — follow their instructions.
- Clear the deck of all loose items — cushions, fenders, halyards, anything that can be blown aloft by rotor wash.
- Drop or furl all sails completely — no loose canvas anywhere.
- Head into wind or as directed — reduce speed to minimum or heave-to.
- Keep the engine running to hold position, ready to put it in neutral if instructed.
- The helicopter lowers a rescue swimmer or winch wire — do not touch the wire until it has touched the water or deck (it discharges static electricity).
- Follow the rescue swimmer's instructions exactly — they command the rescue.
- Maintain heading and speed as instructed — no sudden manoeuvres during the lift.
Emergency numbers (Greek waters example): Coastguard VHF — Channel 16; Port Police — 108; First Aid (EKAV) — 166; EU Emergency — 112; Police — 100. Confirm the local equivalents for your sailing area before departure.
7. Abandon Ship
A boat is almost always better than a life raft. Do not abandon ship unless the vessel is definitely, imminently going down or on fire and uncontrollable. A damaged boat is larger, warmer, more visible and easier to spot than a raft. Abandon only as a last resort.
When to abandon ship: uncontrolled fire below despite efforts; flooding that cannot be controlled and the boat is visibly sinking; the skipper gives the order — do not abandon ship on individual initiative.
Procedure
- Everyone dons life jackets — first, before anything else is touched.
- Transmit Mayday on Ch16 if not already done — include GPS position and "abandoning ship".
- Activate the EPIRB — antenna upright, take it with you into the raft.
- Grab the grab bag — it is pre-packed and clipped near the companionway for this reason.
- Deploy the life raft — over the leeward side, pull the painter hard until inflation begins.
- Wait for full inflation (15–30 seconds) — never board a partially inflated raft.
- Board the raft — assist weakest/injured crew first. Do not jump on from height.
- Do not cut the painter until all crew are aboard.
- Cut the painter and push clear of the boat.
- Stay together and with the raft — do not swim to shore unless it is extremely close and conditions are calm.
Grab bag contents to know: handheld VHF (charged); handheld GPS / phone (waterproof); parachute flares ×2; handheld red flares ×2; orange smoke ×1; emergency water rations; emergency food rations; first aid kit; serrated knife; whistle and mirror; thermal blankets ×6; warm layers (dry bag); ship's papers & passports; waterproof torch; seasickness tablets.
In the life raft: stay with the sinking vessel as long as it is safe (far easier to spot from the air than a raft); keep the EPIRB antenna upright and leave it activated; transmit your position on the handheld VHF every 30 minutes; only fire flares when a vessel or aircraft is within visual range; ration water from the first moment (min 0.5 L per person per day, more if active or hot); treat any hypothermia immediately — share body warmth, use thermal blankets.