Preparing for the worst
In the next five editions of the Bulletin before Christmas and the lead up to summer we will bring you a series of water safety articles supplied by the NZ Water Safety Council. These will include photographs and diagrams and will cover such subjects as boating and safety equipment, hypothermia, weather, survival techniques, search and rescue etc. Today we start with 'Preparing for the worst'. Planning a fishing trip, or a boating joyride can, if an emergency occurs, mean the difference between life and death. "Be cautious and prepare for the worst." Many boaties do not give any real thought to the possibility that they might run into bad trouble. Items such as a spare outboard motor or distress flares can seem unnecessary when planning just a simple trip. Many boaties take oars, but sometimes the boat sits too high in the water and it is hard to get any "pull". In rough conditions they may be quite ineffective. Try experimenting with oars in different sea conditions. If you boat has an efficient canopy it will keep you dry and sheltered, but take warm clothes. Many people — as they pack in the morning and the
sun is shining — find it hard to believe they could be shivering in temperatures 20 degrees cooler within hours. Tell people where you are going — telling someone the destination and tentative timetable is a number one rule of boating. The weather forecast may be good for the period you expect to be spending at sea, but find out what is in store for the next day or two. Make sure your anchor is effective, and equipped with plenty of rope. Take more ropes than you need. In an emergency they can be used in many ways, from lashing down the canopy to stringing out the makeshift sea-anchors, to tying on a canister for flotation. The small amount of control over direction and drift afforded by those anchors can stop a dinghy taking on water a lot faster than you can bail. Without a lifejacket you have very little chance of being picked up alive if the boat has foundered. Spending the time and money to safeguard yourself against the worst may seem unnecessary when the sun is shining and the fish are out there to be caught, but items such as flares, tool kit, and a spare outboard motor seem a whole lot more desirable when you're in trouble on the water and they are back on shore.
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Waimarino Bulletin, Volume 4, Issue 26, 25 November 1986, Page 10
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417Preparing for the worst Waimarino Bulletin, Volume 4, Issue 26, 25 November 1986, Page 10
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