What to do if your boat capsizes

TORONTO – A small Nova Scotia community is trying to keep hope alive as officials scale back their search for five fishermen and their capsized boat.

The men were on a trip to catch halibut before an emergency distress beacon was activated Sunday evening.

Since then, two Canadian Coast Guard vessels, a helicopter out of 14 Wing Greenwood, a Royal Canadian Air Force Cormorant, a U.S. Coast Guard Ocean Sentry, the Royal Canadian Air Force and a Dept. of Fisheries and Oceans chartered aircraft covered more than 18,100 square kilometres over the Atlantic ocean east of Woods Harbour, N.S.
While the Transportation Safety Board investigates what happened before the boat went down, here are some boating tips for what to do if your vessel capsizes, courtesy of Boating magazine, Gulf Coast Fisherman magazine and the U.S. Coast Guard.

STAY WITH THE BOAT

“If someone’s looking just for you from a C-130 or a helicopter, it’s like looking for a basketball floating in the water,” U.S. Coast Guard Auxiliary spokesperson Christopher Todd told Boating magazine. Staying with the boat will increase your chances of being found, and you should only leave it if the boat is heading straight into danger.

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STAY DRY

The magazine suggests water steals body heat 25 times faster than air, so it’s best to try to stay dry by climbing on top of the hull. If possible, you should also try to huddle with your crew to stay warm and lessen the risk of hypothermia.

RETRIEVE SUPPLIES

Todd also told Boating that trying to retrieve supplies like flares, distress signals and flotation devices should be a priority. Attaching things that float to the boat will create a bigger target, or sending them into the water to create a debris field can be visually helpful for search teams.

If you get separated from the boat, Gulf Coast Fisherman magazine suggests improvising flotation by grabbing things like coolers, oars, seat cushions or extra life jackets.

KEEP YOUR PANTS ON

It may be surprising, but clothes or shoes filled with water have no affect on your ability to stay afloat, and actually help conserve body heat, according to the Gulf Coast Fisherman.

WEAR YOUR LIFE JACKET

Eighty per cent of recreational boating fatality victims could have been saved by life jackets, according to the U.S. Coast Guard.

Since there’s not always time to reach stowed life jackets in an emergency, the U.S. Coast Guard advises wearing your life jacket for the duration of a boating trip.

If you’re not wearing one, Gulf Coast Fisherman suggests floating on your back and moving your limbs only when necessary in order to conserve your energy.

LET THE RESCUE BOAT APPROACH YOU

When a rescue boat approaches, avoid the stern (with the propeller) and the bow. If the search team throws you a line, use it to wrap around your chest and under your arms. Try to secure it with a knot, and the search and rescue will tell you what to do next.

With files from Global Maritimes