Distress calls

[Rusty]

Examples of the correct use of a "pan-pan" call from a boat or ship may include the following cases, provided the skipper or master remains confident that they can handle the situation and that there is no current danger to the life of any person or to the safety of the vessel itself.

Once the urgent situation which led to the Pan Pan broadcast has been resolved or contended with, conventional practice is for the station that initiated the Pan Pan call to make a follow-up broadcast to All Stations, informing them that the urgent situation no longer exists.

A call that originates as a "pan-pan" signal might be followed by a Mayday distress call if the situation deteriorates to the point of "grave and imminent danger", thus warranting immediate action (intervention, assistance, response) on the part of listeners in accordance with standard operating practices for distress signaling.

Fouled propeller, engine failure or out of fuel

Provided the vessel is now either anchored or under sail and safe from any immediate danger of collision or stranding. The crew may be planning to clear the propeller, refuel from an onboard supply, hoist sail or use some other alternative propulsion. Alternatively, as part of the "pan-pan" call the skipper may request a tow from a suitable vessel, if possible, but without immediate urgency.

Small fire on board - now extinguished

Fire can be very dangerous afloat but if it was small and contained and is now certainly put out without injury to any crew, then a "pan-pan" call is appropriate to warn others that investigations are underway to establish the extent of the damage, clear the smoke from below and hopefully re-establish passage as soon as possible.

Unsure of position

Provided there is no apparent danger of stranding or hitting rocks, a "pan-pan" call on marine VHF radio may allow nearby coast-stations and perhaps other vessels to triangulate the source of the transmissions and provide the skipper with both a fix and perhaps some advice on the best course to steer to reach a safe haven.

Man-overboard recovery

If safely recovering a person overboard, a "pan-pan" call on VHF makes other nearby vessels aware of the extraordinary situation and ensures that they keep a sharp lookout, avoid coming too close, avoid excessive wake or otherwise interfering. It also alerts them to the fact that the recovery vessel is maneuvering for urgent life-saving and is therefore 'restricted in her ability to maneuver' in accordance with the International Regulations for Preventing Collisions at Sea. If the recovery vessel has lost sight of the person overboard, if the person overboard loses consciousness, if there is a danger of hypothermia or any other grave risk to life, then a mayday call is more appropriate so that other nearby vessels may offer help with the search and recovery, rather than keeping clear.

Medical assistance

A "pan-pan medico" call is appropriate if someone becomes injured or in need of medical help at sea. If the vessel is heading to shore and wants to be met by an ambulance crew, the local Coast Guard station can arrange this. A doctor or other trained medical advisor may also be available on the radio, perhaps by patching through via telephone from ashore or from a nearby vessel. Again, if there is immediate risk to life, then a Mayday call is more appropriate. "Pan-pan medico" is no longer in official use.

Marine Rescue Organisations, such as Coastal Patrol, Coast Guard & Search and Rescue listen on marine radio frequencies for all distress calls including "pan-pan". These organisations can coordinate or assist and can relay such calls to other stations that may be better able to do so.

Mayday

•Don't send a "mayday" distress call unless it is a life and death situation or unless you are in imminent danger

•Switch the VHF to high power

•Tune to Channel 16

•Press the alarm signal for 30 seconds

•Press the button and say "Mayday, Mayday, Mayday"

•This is the sailing yacht ___________ – repeat the vessel name 3 times

•Say "Mayday: (vessel name) ____________"

•Our location is _____ (give latitude and longitude, distance from a well-known landmark, course, speed, destination)

•We are (nature of distress)

•We require (nature of assistance)

•We have _____ persons on board

•The injured person is (condition)

•We are a _____ – foot, ____________ (make) ____________ (model), ____________ (length), ____________ (type of boat)

•Our hull color is ____________ with a ____________ stripe

•Our sail color is ____________

•I will be listening on Channel 16. This is ____________ (vessel name)

•Say "Over", and take your finger off the button

•Listen for a response

•Repeat as many times as necessary until someone responds

Pan - When there is no immediate danger to anyone's life or to the vessel itself

•Pronounced "pahn"

•If you need medical assistance, but not medical evacuation, start your distress call on channel 16 by saying "Pan, Pan, Pan"

•This is the sailing yacht ____________ –– repeat the vessel name 3 times

•Say "Pan: : (vessel name) ____________"

•Our location is _____ (give latitude and longitude, distance from a well-known landmark, course, speed, destination)

•We require (nature of assistance)

•We have _____ persons on board

•The injured person is (condition)

•We are a _____ – foot, ____________ (make), ____________ (model), ____________ (length), ____________ (type of boat)

•Our hull color is ____________ with a ____________ stripe

•Our sail color is ____________

•I will be listening on Channel 16. This is ____________ (vessel name)

•Say "Over", and take your finger off the button

•Listen for a response

•Repeat as many times as necessary until someone responds

Private Towing Companies

•If it is not an emergency, but you need assistance, call a private towing company instead of the U.S. Coast Guard

•You can call the towing company on the cell phone or use the VHF radio channel 16

•Private towing companies are like AAA for boaters. You join annually for a reasonable fee and are covered while aboard your boat or someone else's vessel.

•Start a VHF call on channel 16 and say, for example, "Vessel Assist, Vessel Assist, Vessel Assist (nearest location), this is MERMAID, MERMAID, MERMAID calling on channel 16

•The Vessel Assist dispatcher will answer and ask you if it is an emergency, ask you to identify yourself, then will most likely tell you to move to a working channel (probably 68, 69, 71, 72, or 78A)

•Go to the VHF channel as directed and again identify yourself

•Explain why you need assistance and answer any questions asked by the dispatcher

•Provide your Vessel Assist number

Distress Signals

•Shoot red shells into the air using the flare gun. Do not point the gun at anyone. Aim down wind and away from the boat when shooting.

•Fog horn (manual)

•Horn on the VHF

•Hoist the orange distress flag with black ball and square

•Wave your arms up and down

•Hail the other vessel on the VHF radio

•Light a hand held flare or orange smoke. Hold the flare over the water on the lee side of the boat.

Hope this helps.

Wiley------anything you can add to that??

very good info

Thanks

[Sea Tow Ethan]

I wonder how many people, if any, have actually practiced making a radio distress call. Going through the check lists we've seen posted is a good start, but who's actually practiced?

There's a possibility that I might have people do just that at an upcoming boat show. At our booth we'd set up a dummy radio of sorts, on which people can call for help, and we'll act as someone on the other end, responding and asking for amplifying information.

Do you folks think that would be useful, fun, or insightful in any way?

[Mine]

I wonder how many people, if any, have actually practiced making a radio distress call. Going through the check lists we've seen posted is a good start, but who's actually practiced?

There's a possibility that I might have people do just that at an upcoming boat show. At our booth we'd set up a dummy radio of sorts, on which people can call for help, and we'll act as someone on the other end, responding and asking for amplifying information.

Do you folks think that would be useful, fun, or insightful in any way?

I think that would be very useful, Ethan.

While you may not attract everybody to the booth as though Toby Keith were signing autographs, you will get the older husband / wife folk who may want to practice safety or perhaps the newer, and more cautious boat owners.

I think it's well worth setting up and advertising!

[DJWILLIAMS]

Does anyone think that you could "arrange" a practice distress call with the Coast Guard? Or could we put together a video, or audio file to insert into a FAQ section of the website?

Just asking...

David

[waterman]

They should make a sticker like wileys post with the blanks to fill in with the info of your boat etc. The sticker could be affixed next to the radio so even a first timer on your boat in a panic situation could transmit without that much thought

if someone made that sticker I would buy it. (would look nice with a reelboating logo on it .........what do you think Wiley???? )

[Rusty]

They should make a sticker like wileys post with the blanks to fill in with the info of your boat etc. The sticker could be affixed next to the radio so even a first timer on your boat in a panic situation could transmit without that much thought

if someone made that sticker I would buy it. (would look nice with a reelboating logo on it .........what do you think Wiley???? )

Actually someone does make an condenced version of what you are talking about. I was given one last year by a fellow boater, I think it was on here on RB. About 4"x3" with peel and stick on the back side. Applyed it to the front of my electrinocs box in full view. The content was info. given out during a "Mayday" call. Maby a boating store such as West marine carries them or perhaps CC auxiliary.

Very good to have. If the captian becomes disabled a passenger could have the ability to call for help.

Good idea

[Cracker Larry]

Another thing not mentioned, the newer VHF radios with DSC. When you register your radio you are issued a unique MMSI number, like a telephone number.

All your pertinent information is stored in a data base, owners name, address, phone number, next of kin, vessel type and description. The radio is interfaced to your GPS. All you have to do is push the red MAYDAY button on the radio, and your MMSI along with your position is all digitally transmitted to every receiving station with DSC. So even if you don't say a word, everyone will still know where you are, what kind of boat, description, color, etc, and it continues to transmit this over and over. Any vessel receiving the signal will get a digital readout of your position.

Of course you should follow this up with a voice call if possible, not everyone has DSC yet. If you don't have it, you should look into getting it

[Sea Tow Ethan]

Just to add some more information, from the Coast Guard's perspective, they use the phrase "Pan Pan" when issuing an Urgent Marine Information Broadcast (UMIB).

Saying "Pan Pan" is kind of like saying "Hey, listen up! This is really important and could mean someone is in trouble!"

As opposed to when the CG uses the phrase "Securite, securite, securite" which indicates that they are going to make a general Safety Marine Information Broadcast (SMIB). That's kind of like saying "Hey, listen up! This is important..."

From the boater's perspective, I don't feel that it's important to use "Pan Pan" on the radio. Either you are going to call Mayday because they are in imminent danger and need help, or you can call out for the Coast Guard directly if you want to pass along some kind of safety information about yourself or someone else.

Example 1:

"Mayday, mayday, mayday. This is the vessel Money Pit, at position xx - xx.xxx / xx - xx.xxx, with four people on board. We are taking on water and are in need of immediate assistance."

Example 2:

"Coast Guard, Coast Guard, Coast Guard. This is the vessel Money Pit. We are at the entrance of XYZ Harbor and request that an ambulance meet us at the pier for a serious laceration." (the idea being that you need help, but don't need the CG to come out and airlift the patient.

[Cracker Larry]

Good points, Ethan!

[jaydub]

They should make a sticker like wileys post with the blanks to fill in with the info of your boat etc. The sticker could be affixed next to the radio so even a first timer on your boat in a panic situation could transmit without that much thought

if someone made that sticker I would buy it. (would look nice with a reelboating logo on it .........what do you think Wiley???? )

Although it doesn't have the great level of detail that Wiley posted, here is a copy of a sticker that I picked up at the Charlotte Co. FL boat show. I'm sure they are available elsewhere since they are published by Coast Guard. I saw it and thought, no matter how many times I explain what to do to my wife or daughter, it would be great to have this posted near the radio. Sure can't hurt. Just hope they don't need to use it.