1

PERSONAL SURVIVAL
TECHNIQUES

2
Learning Outcomes

For the subject reference:

 requirements in Regulation VI/1 and
Section A-VI/1;
 competences and KUPs in
Table A-VI/1-1

At the end of the lesson, the trainees must:

• Identify the types of emergency

situations that may occur on board ship
• Explain the common causes of each type
of emergency situation
• Explain the contents of the muster list

3
 CHAPTER 1
KNOWLEDGE UNDERSTANDING AND
PROFICIENCY
INTRODUCTION, SAFETY AND SURVIVAL:
—this code of safe working practice provides information and
guidance on the procedures to be followed and measures to be
adopted for a continuous improvement and awareness of those
who are onboard. —This code is addressed to everyone onboard
ship regardless of rank because this recommendation can only be
effective if everybody onboard understand and cooperate in its
implementation. All crew wherever they are and whatever they do
must be aware of what is going on around them to avoid being at
risk at all times.
4
 Types of
Emergency
Situations

5
1. Identify the types of emergency situations
that may occur on board ship
2. Explain the common causes of each type of
emergency situation
3. Explain the contents of the muster list

6
Emergency
- a serious, unexpected, and often dangerous situation
requiring immediate action.
- The following are the types of emergencies we encounter
onboard
A. Damage to ship
B. Fire
C. Pollution
D. Unlawful acts
E. Emergency Assistance to Other Ships
F. Cargo Related Accidents
G. Bad weather
H.Abandon ship
I. Personal accidents 7
A.Damage to Ship
Collision
– It is the
bumping/impact of
two or more ships at
sea. If two or more
ships collide, we expect
that there exists
incidence of
emergency.
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A.Damage to Ship
Stranding/grounding
– The vessel is said to be
grounded when the ship
touched bottom and cannot
moved in its present position
by itself or by its own engine/s.
The consequences that may
possibly happen to the vessel is
damage of the ship‘ bottom or
in worst scenario, the ship
might capsize or be broken.

9
A.Damage to Ship
Foundering
-a vessel suffered a breach
on the hull through
grounding, collision or
other hull damage where
water has been admitted
to the ship unintentionally.
Causing it to sink.

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B. Fire
Engine-room fire
– Engine fire is one if not the
most dangerous location
onboard in fire-fighting.

- account for up to 50 percent

of all fires on vessels with 70
percent of those engine room
fires being caused by leaks
from pressurized systems.
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C. Pollution
Oil spills
-include any spill of
crude oil or oil distilled
products that can
pollute the surface of
the land, air, and water
environments.

12
D. Unlawful Acts
Piracy
- the act of boarding any
vessel with intent to commit
theft or any other crime, and
with an intent or capacity to
use force in furtherance of
that act”.
- In simple words piracy is
an act of robbery or criminal
violence at sea through
illegal use of force by non-
state agents, popularly
known as “Pirates”. 13
 E. Emergency Assistance to Other Ships
Rescue at Sea
- to provide assistance on receiving
information from any source that
persons are in distress at sea, if
possible informing them or the
search and rescue service that
the ship is doing so.
- This obligation to provide
assistance applies regardless of the
nationality or status of such
persons or the circumstances in
which they are found.
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F. Cargo Related Accidents
Shifting of cargo
– The shifting of cargo
onboard during
navigation will greatly
affects the good stability
of the vessel. With this
kind of situation it will
put the ship and crew in
danger.

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G. Bad weather
Severe weather
– any dangerous
meteorological phenomena with
the potential to cause damage,
serious social disruption, or loss
of human life.
- thunderstorms, downbursts, tornado
es, waterspouts, tropical cyclones,
and extra tropical cyclones. Regional
and seasonal severe weather
phenomena
include blizzards (snowstorms), ice
storms, and dust storms.
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H. Abandonship
- The crew are forced
to abandon or leave
the ship because of
serious emergencies.
Like uncontrolled
fire/explosion,
sinking, grounding,
serious accident or
sickness etc.
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I. Personal accidents
Man overboard
- is a situation in which
a person has fallen from a boat or
ship into the water and is in need
of rescue. Whoever sees
the person's fall should shout
"man overboard" to alert other
crew members and attempt to
maintain visual contact with
the person in the water.

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I. Personal accidents
Confined space
rescue
- is a technical rescue
of the person(s) that is
trapped in a narrow or
confined space that is
not accessible or very
tight to approach.

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Recapitulation of the lessons discussed.

TYPES OF EMERGENCY SITUATIONS.

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 Life
Saving
Appliances

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1. Identify the types of life-saving appliances
normally carried on ships
2. Explain SOLAS requirements on each type
of life-saving appliance

22
• Life-saving appliances are those appliances
that protect human life at sea. The devices
are documented as part of the International
Convention for the Safety of Life at Sea, or
SOLAS Convention.

• Life-saving appliances on all ships have to be

fitted with retro-reflective material where it
will assist in detection
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Life Buoy
- is a life
saving buoy designed to
be thrown to a person
in the water, to
provide buoyancy and
prevent drowning.

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Specification
Outside diameter: 800mm
Inside diameter:400mm
Mass: Not less than 2.5kg
Withstand drop up to 30m

Number of Lifebuoys:
Under 60 ----------------------------8
60 and under 120 ----------------12
120 and under 180 ----------------18
180 and under 240 ----------------24
240 and over ---------------- 30

All approved LIFEBUOYS are colored white, red or orange.

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Life jacket
- a sleeveless buoyant or
inflatable jacket for keeping a
person afloat in water.

- A lifejacket is designed to
turn an unconscious person
from face down to face up in
the water, allowing them to
breathe.

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27
Immersion suit, or survival suit

-is a special type of waterproof

dry suit that protects the
wearer from hypothermia from
immersion in cold water, after
abandoning a sinking or
capsized vessel, especially in
the open ocean.
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• For use during ship abandonment or rescue in cold
climates
• Cover the entire body except the face • Are insulated to
prevent core body temperature loss to within 2 degrees
Celsius over 6 hours
• Are corrosion resistant to seawater and oil
• Leg straps can be adjusted to stop air being trapped in
the legs
• Fitted with retro-reflective patches, a self igniting light
and a whistle
• Might be equipped with buoyancy equivalent to a
lifejacket
• Some types are inflatable and/or require a lifejacket to
be worn over them 29
• An adult survival suit is often a large bulky one-
size-fits-all design meant to fit a wide range of
sizes.
• It typically has large oversize booties and gloves
built into the suit, which let the user quickly don
it on while fully clothed, and without having to
remove shoes.
• It typically has a waterproof zipper up the front,
and a face flap to seal water out around the neck
and protect the wearer from ocean spray.

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31
Thermal Protective Aid (TPA)
– It is a survival bag or suit made of
water proof material with low thermal
conductivity being used in sea survival.

• Must be provided for persons not

provided with an immersion suit.
• Prolonged exposure in life rafts and
rescue boats
• Keeps suvivors warm, dry and
protected against rain, wind and
cold.

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Recapitulation of the lessons discussed.

TYPES OF LIFE-SAVING APPLIANCES

NORMALLY CARRIED ON SHIPS.

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Equipment of
Survival Craft

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1. Identify the various equipment in survival
craft
2. Explain the use of each equipment in
survival craft

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Rescue
Boat

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Rescue boat

A davit-launched, motor-
propelled light boat provided to
perform man-overboard retrieval
and raft marshaling duties. The
boat may be of either rigid or
inflated construction or a
combination of both. Usually, it
is a semi-rigid structure with the
inflated chambers of an upper
sponson and an outboard
engine. 37
• Used to retrieve a person who has fallen
overboard (MOB)
• A lifeboat can be used as a rescue boat if it meets
SOLAS specifications as a rescue boat including a
large opening and interior space for a stretcher
and a motor that propels the craft at 6 knots
• Many large vessels have one or more Fast Rescue
Boats which have positive buoyancy (they cannot
sink) and are capable of 20 knots boat speed
• Capable of being launched quickly in adverse
conditions

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A lifeboat maybe accepted as a rescue boat
provided that it and its launching and
recovery arrangements also comply with the
requirements for a rescue boat.

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Survival
Crafts

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– It is a floating craft capable of carrying and
sustaining the lives of passengers or crew in
distress from time of abandoning ship up to
time of rescue.

A.Lifeboat
B.Life raft

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A. Life boat
A motor-propelled survival craft carried by a
ship for use in emergency. A ship should be its
own best lifeboat but there are sometimes
situations where abandonment of the ship is
unavoidable.

Types of lifeboat
1. Open lifeboat
2. Closed life boat
3. Free fall lifeboat
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 1. Open life boat
As the name would suggest, these boats are open with
no roof and normally require manual power using hand
propelled ores in order for it to move. Some of these
boats may also come with ignition engine as a
replacement for the hand propelled ores to allow the
lifeboat to gain movement. These lifeboats usually have
the tendency to collect water during rainy seasons. Also
due to the fact that they do not have a roof, they cannot
guarantee 100% safety for their passengers. Due to their
older designs, very little safety features and stringent
safety norms, these lifeboats are becoming obsolete. 43
44
2. Closed lifeboat
Closed lifeboats are the most popular
lifeboats that are used on ships, for they are
enclosed which saves the crew from sea water,
strong wind and rough weather. Moreover,
the water tight integrity is higher in this type
of lifeboat and it can also get upright on its
own if toppled over by waves. Closed lifeboats
are further classified as – Partially enclosed
and fully enclosed lifeboats.
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46
3. FreeFall lifeboat
Free fall lifeboat is similar to an enclosed lifeboat but
the process of launching is entirely different. They
are aerodynamic in nature and thus the boat can
penetrate the water without damaging the body
when launched from the ship. The free fall life boat
is located at the aft of the ship, which provides a
maximum clear area for free fall.

47
• Installed on vessels
with high fire or
explosive risks due to
the cargo carried
• Fire protected after
launching
• They can be
launched quickly
under the force of
gravity
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How lifeboats are launched
A.Davit Launching

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How lifeboats are launched
A.Davit Launching
Dangers associated with Davit Launching –
• Premature release resulting in the craft free falling into the
sea – can result in damage,
death and injury
• Improper closure of release hooks following a previous drill
– if not properly closed,
release hooks can give way when the lifeboat is being lowered
or hoisted to it’s stowed
position
• Inadequate maintenance can result in failure of launching
equipment causing damage,
death or injury 50
How lifeboats are launched
B. Free fall Launching

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What can go wrong –
• It is essential that people are
seated in places to ensure the
correct balance of the lifeboat
when free falling
• If not properly restrained
occupants can be severely injured
• Lifejackets must not be worn as
the wearer could be severely injured
• Place my lifejacket between my
legs
• Wear a hard hat if this is
recommended by the manufacturer
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B. Life raft
A rigid or inflatable raft designed to hold
people abandoning ship. Liferafts are
required as a back-up to lifeboats and in
some small ships are allowed in lieu of
lifeboats.

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B. Life raft
Shall be built to resist 30 days afloat in any sea
state
When launched from a height of 18 m, the life
raft and its equipment shall remain in operating
conditions
Shall resist to repeated jumps from a height of at
least 4.5 m above the bottom, with or without
the cover up.

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 Boarding a life raft:
1. Survivors spread out around the outside of the life raft
holding the externally becketed lifeline to stabilize
the life raft in rough conditions
2. Board one at a time
3. First two to board assist others
4. When assisting, avoid holding people by the forearms
or hands – grab lifejacket instead
5. Spread out around the inside of the life raft holding
onto the internally becketed lifeline to improve
stability in rough conditions
6. If being assisted backwards into life raft due to chest
injury, bring knees towards chest to avoid back injury
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Types of Liferafts

a. Rigid

These kinds of life-raft

are constructed/made of
hard materials that float
on the water when
thrown overboard.

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Types of Liferafts
b. Inflatable life-rafts

- are constructed/made of
high class rubber and can be
inflated by air pumping.
Some of these inflatable life-
rafts are automatically
inflated by the time it
reaches on the water thrown
overboard from the vessel.

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The life raft on board ship are released or
launched in to the water by three
different methods:

1.Manually launching
2.Launching by davits
3.Float free Launching

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1. Manual Launching Procedure of Life raft:
1. Check that one end of the painter of the raft is well
secured to a strong point on ship’s deck or structure.
2. Remove the lashing from the container of the raft and
open the way to portable rail if available.
3. Check the ship side where the raft to be launched is
clear.
4. Two people should lift the container from both sides
horizontally and throw the container.
5. Make sure the painter is still fixed at a strong point so
that the raft should not be waved away by waters.
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6. Pull the painter with a hard jerk to fire the gas
bottle to inflate the raft.
7. The life raft will take 20-30 sec to inflate.
8. Board the life raft one by one using ladder or
rope.
9. Avoid sharp objects like knives, shoes and
other sharp objects etc. which may damage the
raft surface.
10.When everybody is aboard, after a headcount,
cut the painter with a sharp knife.
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2. Launching Raft by Davit:
1. Open the lashing and remove the raft container
from HRU by opening the manual slip hook or
bottle screw arrangement.
2. Tie up the one end of the painter of raft into a
strong point at deck.
3. Keep the container in the open and attach the davit
hook to the given eye in the canister/ container
4. Take up the raft load by davit and keep the
container hanging at embarkation deck area.
5. Pull the painter and inflate the raft. Have a
thorough check on the inflated raft.
61
6. Start boarding the raft without the shoes and other
sharp object.
7. After the boarding is completed, check the bottom
is clear and release the securing lines, if any.
8. Someone inside the raft will detach the hook of the
davit from the raft when the raft is just above the
water.
9. The davit operating person will board the raft either
by jumping in to the sea, raft or by other boarding
means if provided.
10.Cut the painter and cast away the raft from ship.
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3. Float free Launching
It is a system or method
of launching a survival
craft where the craft will
be released
automatically in a
certain depth from a
sinking ship that can be
readily be used by
persons from the ship.

Auto Release with

Hydrostatic Release
Unit (HRU) 63
Instructions on how to embark and behave in
lifeboats / liferafts
.1 Enter the lifeboat / liferaft only when ordered by an officer /
lifeboatman.
.2 Clear the entrance of the lifeboat / liferaft immediately after
entering.
.3 Do not push each other when entering the lifeboat / liferaft.
.4 Hold on to ropes or to your seat when lowering / hoisting.
.5 Sit down in the lifeboat / liferaft immediately.
.6 Keep your lifejackets on.
.7 Provisions and drinking water will be distributed by an officer /
lifeboatman only.
.8 Strictly obey all instructions given by the officer / lifeboatman.
.9 Discipline in the lifeboat / liferaft is of vital importance. 64
Recapitulation of the lessons discussed.

EQUIPMENT IN SURVIVAL CRAFT.

65
Survival
Crafts
Equipment
66
1. Explain the various personal life saving
appliances and it’s uses
2. Identify the location of each personal life
saving appliances

67
Sea Anchor
A sea anchor (drogue) is a device that
is streamed from a boat in heavy
weather. Its purpose is to stabilize the
vessel and to limit progress through
the water. Rather than tethering the
boat to the seabed with a
conventional anchor, a sea anchor
provides drag, thereby acting as
a brake. Normally attached to a
vessel's bows, a sea anchor can prevent
the vessel from turning broadside to
the waves and being overwhelmed by
them.
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Food rations
• Food ration totalling not less
than 10000 kJ (2,400 kcal)
for each person

Water Ration
• Liferaft: Not less than 1.5 L
• Lifeboat: Not less than 3L

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Pyrotechnics

these are provided

onboard ships to grab
the attention/inform
ships within range so
as to seek help and
assistance of the vessels for
rescue. Basically, it is a
visual method of sending
SOS signals 70
TYPES OF PYROTECHNICS
Hand flare
A hand flare is a small
cylindrical stick which
when activated, produces
an intense red smoke or
light without an explosion.
Should be held out
leeward when activated.
Can be used by the day as
well as night.
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 TYPES OF PYROTECHNICS
Rocket parachute flare
As the name suggests, the
equipment is designed to fire a
single red star to a height of
approximately 300m; this flare,
launched at the minimum height of
300m in the air, self-activates to
produce intense red smoke. A
parachute opens up and reduces the
rate of descent which gives more
time to the flare to remain at a
height and to provide a clear view to
nearby ships or help. 72
TYPES OF PYROTECHNICS
Buoyant smoke signals
This pyro tech equipment is held
in a compact container with a
buoyant nature so that it can
float on the water surface to
signal distress situation. Mostly
for use by the day, this can
indicate the position of distress
with the bright orange smoke
as well as for determining the
wind direction for rescue
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Survival Craft Radio Equipment
Portable VHF transceivers
-These units are designed to
allow communications
between searching vessels and
survivors in liferafts. They
operate on the VHF marine
band in voice mode. DSC
capability is not fitted.
Performance standards
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Survival Craft Radio Equipment
Search And Rescue (Radar)
Transponders (SARTs)
SART is a self contained, portable
and buoyant Radar Transponder
(receiver and transmitter).
SARTs operate in the 9 GHz marine
radar band, and when interrogated
by a searching ship's radar, respond
with a signal which is displayed as a
series of dots on a radar screen.

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76
 Survival Craft Radio Equipment
Emergency Position-Indicating
Radio Beacon
is a distress radiobeacon, a tracking
transmitter that is triggered during an
accident. These are detected by satellites.
The system is monitored by an
international consortium of rescue
services, COSPAS-SARSAT. The basic
purpose of this system is to help rescuers
find survivors within the so-called "golden
day"(the first 24 hours following a
traumatic event) during which the majority
of survivors can usually be saved. 77
78
IMO SIGNS
AND
SYMBOLS

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80
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82
Recapitulation of the lessons discussed.

LOCATION OF PERSONAL LIFE SAVING

APPLIANCES.

83
 Survival
Principles

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Learning Outcomes: At the end of the lesson, the
trainee must be able to:

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Learning Outcomes: At the end of the lesson, the
trainee must be able to:

86
 Drills
• All vessels are required by law to hold
Abandon Ship and Fire Drills. This helps
everyone on board to know what their role is
if an emergency situation arises. It is your
right and the Masters duty to see that these
drills are held and that the crew participates.

87
• Training and drills shall be conducted
presuming that there is an actual emergency.
As early as possible drills must be done upon
ship‘s leaving port time and weather
permitting specially if more than 25% of the
total compliment are new or a ship enters a
service for the first time. All crew members
must participate in at least one abandon and
one fire drill every month.
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• During the drills, all crew should be mustered and
survival equipment checked to make sure
everything is in good working order. New crew
members should be briefed on launching the life
rafts and told what their duties are in an
emergency situation.
• Organisation is very important. All crew members
should understand their duties and muster lists
should be posted in the living accommodation and
public areas on the vessel, for example, the galley.

89
Muster list

• The muster list is the first to be familiarized by all

crew upon boarding a vessel.

• It is where the duties and responsibilities are

written, the actions that each crew must do during
emergencies, the signal in any kind of emergency,
where to go or muster in emergency including the
survival craft to board in case of abandonment of
the ship.
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91
Donning
Of
protective
clothing
92
Lifejackets
a. Correctly don within 1 minute
b. Jump from a 3 metre height into the pool
c. Swim a short distance
d. Adopt HELP posture
e. Form a Group Huddle
f. Be assisted in boarding a liferaft
g. Assist others in boarding a liferaft

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94
Immersion suit
a. Correctly don within 2 minutes
b. Jump from a 3 metre height into the water
c. Swim a short distance
d. Board a liferaft unaided
e. Disembark the liferaft unaided
f. Adopt the HELP position
g. Form a Group Huddle with other survivors
h. Climb a ladder to safety

95
STEP 1. Roll suit out on deck and sit on it. Insert
your legs into suit using plastic bags to make it
easier. Leave on boots and other clothing for
insulation and protection in the water.
STEP 2. Place non-dominant arm into suit first
(lefties-right and righties-left). Pull hood over head
with free hand.
STEP 3. Place dominant arm in last. Pull the zipper
up with care and secure flap over your face.
STEP 4. Make sure that all straps and hoses are
secure to avoid being snagged or injured. Do not
inflate air bladder until you are in the water.
96
Preparedness
to any
emergency
97
Initial on-board familiarization
1. Read and understand what is written in the
muster list.
a. duties and responsibilities during
emergency
b. designated muster station
c. lifeboat No. and location of life-raft,
survival craft, rescue boat
d. different signal in emergency cases
e. escape routes
F. Location of fireman‘s outfit, fire axe and fire
extinguishers. 98
2. Read and understand what is written in the
SOLAS training manual

• Each manual contains instructions, information in

the preparation for an emergency especially the
procedures to be followed in the effective use of
survival and other emergency equipment including
the duties and responsibilities of each crew or
passenger.
• Some of the provisions or to be trained;

99
1. Donning of lifejackets and immersion suit
2. Launching, Recovery and boarding of survival crafts
3. Fire detection and fire fighting
4. Use of communication equipment (EPIRBs, SARTs
SIGNALs
5. Equipment and conduct of the different first aid systems
6. Actions to be done upon witnessing a man overboard and
the safe retrieval of the victim
7. Operation of emergency fire pump, lifeboat engine,
emergency steering gear etc.
8. Other emergency actions as written in the TRAINING
MANUAL.

100
3. Regular training and drills
1. Crew shall be trained to be familiar with the arrangements
of the ship as well as the location and operation of any fire-
fighting system and appliances that they may be called to use
2. Training in the use of emergency escape routes
3. The use of breathing apparatus
4. Crew assigned fire-fighting duties shall be evaluated
during drills to identify area/s in need of improvements
5. Training in the proper use of ship‘s fire extinguishing
systems
6. Lowering of lifeboats, survival crafts and rescue boats
7. Starting and running of lifeboat engines, emergency fire
pump and emergency steering gear
8. Man overboard. 101
Actions
to be
taken…
102
Actions to be taken when called to survival craft station
The actions to taken by each crew must always be based on the
muster-list. But if the duties and responsibilities were already
done and there are still remaining necessary things to do we
must do it even without order from the leader.
1. Wear your lifejacket and immersion suit as necessary.
2. Food and water be included and carried to the craft as extra.
3. Extra clothing must be worn.
4. Be sure that PYROTECHNICS, PORTABLE RADIO, EPIRB.
SART are onboard the survival craft.
5. Do NOT panic but must remain in good composure to be alert
and do all the necessary actions to be done. Always think positive
that you will survive the emergency.
103
Actions to be taken to abandon the ship
Upon hearing the signal and order of the master to abandon the
vessel the following safe actions must be done immediately.
1. Wear your life jacket and immersion suit as necessary.
2. Proceed to your designated muster station immediately.
3. Roll call must be done immediately and a search must be
conducted immediately of the missing crew or passenger.
4. Act safely doing the actions to be done following what is written
in the muster list and helping others if needed.
5. Be always attentive and follow all instructions of the leader.
6. Eat and drink as much as you can if you have still time.
7. Be sure to have enough or extra clothing.
8. Do NOT panic. Always think positive and overcome the
emergency.
104
Actions to be taken when required to jump in the water
If in serious emergency happens onboard and you are required
to abandon the ship immediately by jumping to the water,
always think of the safe actions that must be done to help you
save your own life.
1. Check that your life jacket and or immersion suit are properly
worn including its accessories like whistle, light etc.
2. Before jumping make sure that the water is clear of debris that
might be disastrous to you.
3. Hold your life jacket by crossing your arms over the chest;
blocking off the nose and mouth with one hand, keep feet
together, look straight ahead then jump with feet first.
4. Swim to the nearest survival craft. Remember that it is easier
to swim on your back if you are wearing heavy clothes with your
life jacket and or immersion suit. 105
Action to be taken when in the water
The most difficult situation in sea survival is when you are
floating in the water. There are many dangers while
floating such as attack of big fish, hypothermia, hunger,
thirst and lack of communication to shore or other
vessels/rescuers. Again there are important safe actions
that we must do to help ourselves overcome this kind of
emergency. Loss of body heat is the most dangerous that
may happen to us with this kind of situation.

106
1. Do not swim. Swimming is losing your energy which is
unnecessary for you to do.
2. Always group yourselves, huddle together and form a circle.
3. Disturb the water with your hands to drive big fish in your
vicinity.
4. Avoid unnecessary drinking of salt water. Use only salt water
to gargle or wet your month as necessary.
5. Do not make unnecessary movements to preserve your energy.
6. Catch fish for you to eat or sip the water out of the fish
meat/flesh.
7. If it rains use the palm of your hands to collect rain water and
drink as much as you can.

107
For a single survivor, getting
positioned in the “HELP” or
Heat Escape Lessening
Posture and remaining still
should increase the
survival time and reduce
heat loss and it turns
out to be more effective
than swimming.

108
Floating
The greatest danger to a life
floating in sea is its submission
to cold water or if considered
precisely, it is death due to
something known as
“Hypothermia” – a condition
where a survivor, when
immersed in cold water,
experiences substantial loss of
body heat to the surroundings,
lowering the core body
temperature to below the
normal survival temperature
109
When moving in the water:
Breast stroke
 Much better in
rough seas
 cover more
distance and save
more energy
Back stroke
 Much better in
calm waters
 cover more
distance and save
more energy
110
Righting an Inverted Liferaft

111
Actions to be taken when aboard a survival craft

Everybody knows that once you are onboard a survival craft, you
are much safer compared to those who are floating on the water.
But there are still very important actions to be taken as part of
our safety and survive while at sea.
1. Rationing of food and drinks must done at least 24 hours after
disembarkation from the vessel.
2. Once onboard and weather/temperature permits, take out wet
clothes and dry them. Once dried remove salt from the clothes
and wear them again. If possible wear long sleeve cotton shirt
and pants next to your skin then covered with woolen clothes to
warm the body or preserve heat.
3. Do not urinate in your clothes because it easily causes painful
rashes. 112
4. Do not be away or maintain the position of the survival
craft in the same position when you disembark the vessel.
5. Familiarize yourselves in the use of pyrotechnics, daylight
signaling mirror in attracting the attention of possible
rescuers.
6. Do NOT drink salt water as much as possible. Collect rain
by any means for your drinks.
7. Catch fish as food
8. Be attentive and follow all the instructions of your leader.

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Boarding a Survival Craft from water wearing
a Lifejacket
 Proper Boarding a survival craft is actually
necessary to be learned by seafarers. It is
actually easy but certain circumstances
makes it harder:
• Fatigue
• Sea condition
• Wearing Lifejacket
Wearing Life jacket during boarding to
most is a challenge, due to the bulkiness of
Lifejacket being a hindrance or just they are
not used to wearing lifejackets in water

The trick is using the water added buoyancy

to propel yourself up in the water for added
distance to climb back in immediately
Board a LIFERAFT from the water
while wearing a lifejacket
1. Swim towards the liferaft
2. Locate the entrance
3. Step on the ladder and pull yourself to board.
4. Once onboard, assist others in boarding
5. Spread out evenly to ensure proper weight distribution.
Board a LIFEBOAT from the water
while wearing a lifejacket:
1. Approach the side of the lifeboat
2. Find the boarding ladder
3. Get your feet onto the top step of the ladder and reach
up as far as possible to the hand holds at the entrance
4. Pull yourself in
5. Once onboard, assist others in boarding
6.Occupy designated seats to ensure proper weight
distribution
Board a LIFERAFT from the ship while wearing a
lifejacket:
1. Before boarding, ensure that there are no sharp objects carried and not
wearing hard-sole shoes which can damage the liferaft
2. Don the lifejacket properly
3. Board the directly from the ship
4. When onboard, spread out to ensure proper weight distribution
5. Lower the liferaft to the water
6. Release the liferaft from hook
7. Deploy the embarkation ladder
8. Use the painter to bring the liferaft alongside near the embarkation ladder
9. Climb down the embarkation ladder and board the liferaft
10. When onboard, spread out to ensure proper weight distribution
Board a LIFEBOAT from the ship while wearing a
lifejacket:
1. Climb up the ladder to the boarding platform
2. Open the lifeboat door
3. Enter the lifeboat
4. Occupy designated seats ensuring proper weight distribution
5. Fasten seat belts
6. Lower the lifeboat to the water
7. Use the painter to keep the lifeboat alongside
8. Lower the embarkation ladder
9. Climb down the embarkation ladder and board the lifeboat
10. When onboard, occupy designated seats to ensure proper weight
distribution
1. Heat stroke
2. Exposure to cold and hypothermia
3. Effects of seasickness
4. Dehydration
5. drinking seawater
6. fire or oil on water
7. Sharks

120
Dangers to survivors

Avoid Hypothermia by -
• Closing the canopy of the survival craft
• Put on extra clothing before abandoning
the ship if time permits
• Inflate the raft floor if it is inflatable
• Opening the canopy of the survival craft
but stay in the shade of the canopy
• Apply sunscreen from the first aid kit

121
Dangers to survivors

Avoid Dehydration by –
• Commencing a course of seasickness tablets as
soon as possible to avoid vomiting precious fluids
• 1.5 litres of drinking water is provided per person
• No water consumption in the first 24 hours
• On the second, third & fourth days consume 0.5 of
a litre per day
• Do not drink urine, blood or salt water

122
Dangers to survivors
Fire or oil on the water –
• Do not swim through fire or oil on the water
• Remove and tow my lifejacket by the ties while I
swim under fire or oil on the water
• Lifejackets can sustain burning by direct flames for
up to 2 seconds and still provide
buoyancy to the survivor
Sharks –
• Do not compete with sharks for food – if I have a
fish on my fishing line and a shark
shows interest in it, cut the line and let the shark eat

123
NEVER DRINK SEA WATER!!

After drinking seawater, the blood’s sodium

concentration will rise to toxic levels,
removing water from all cells and interfering
with nerve conduction, ultimately producing
fatal seizure and heart arrhythmia.

124
 Means of survival
Essential for survival after the ship has been
abandoned
a. Means of keeping afloat
— A lifejacket will save a lot of energy, but if the crew
don‘t have one and cannot hold on any buoyant material,
the person can use some of the clothing on the body to help
you keep afloat. Air shall naturally be caught in the shirt.
If you have nothing (equipment/clothing) keeps afloat.
Avoid swimming to save energy. The easiest way to save
energy is to float on back and taking deep breaths causes
more buoyant Once in the water swim only to grab objects
that helps you to float (buoy, floating containers and wood
etc.).
125
b. Means of keeping warm
Many deaths that occur during abandonment of
ships are caused by hypothermia especially in
the very high or very low altitudes. It is then the
duty of everyone to conserve their own body
heat not to suffer this problem. These are some
of the actions that a person must do to preserve
our own heat:

126
1. Do not jump into the water if onboard
survival craft;
2. Inside life-rafts or open lifeboats wear
immersion suit ;
3. Wear additional clothes or blankets if
necessary;
4. Keep the inside of the craft as dry as possible ;
5. Huddle together, unless this likely to
unbalance the craft;
6. Keep moving as far as practicable to aid blood
circulation;
7. Dry wet clothes before putting them back to
wear. 127
c. Drinking water and food
A well nourished person can survive in a month time without food,
but only 4 days maximum without water. The group leader must do
best to conserve food specially water supplies.
1. Food and water shall not be rationed first 24 Hrs. after
disembarkation.
2. After 24 Hrs. half liter of water must be rationed to each daily and
be consumed into 3 parts slowly, at sunrise, midday and sunsets.
3. Whenever possible, supplement water with rain water.
4. Survivors must take seasickness tablets (if available) if feeling
seasick as vomiting leads to dehydration.
5. Don‘t drink salt water as it will just lead to dehydration.
6. Limit food to carbohydrate (sugar n starch) unless water is
plentiful
128
d. Means of communicating with ships or rescue
operations
The most useful means of communication in survival is the
EPIRB. It is an emitter of international signal messages and
indicates your position/location. Other means of
communication devices and attract attention to ships or
rescuers are flares, water dye, red and reflective fabrics and
strove lights. Most if not all the above equipment are stowed
in survival crafts.
Aside from the above signaling equipment, mirrors are
commonly and effectively be used in survival
communications.

129
Recapitulation of the lessons discussed.

SURVIVAL PRINCIPLES

130
Methods for Survival at Sea

131
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