Calling Or Signaling For Help in Boating Emergencies

If you own a boat it is your responsibility to make sure certain safety equipment is on board and that you know how to use it. Communication equipment is most important when you are caught up in an emergency. If you are going boating with a group, make sure at least one other person knows how to use emergency and communication equipment.

Using Radios or Cell Phones

The first thing you should do when you feel that your boat is in danger is to call for help using a VHF radio or Cell phone.

A VHF marine radio is specifically intended for communication with other ships or marine installations. This can be a powerful tool in times of emergency. This should be at the top of your list of things to have on board your ship.

A cell phone is also a valuable tool in an emergency. It will put you through to a land operator but you will not be able to communicate directly with rescue teams such as lifeboats and helicopters as you would with a VHF radio.

Once you have made contact with someone, tell them as clearly as possible the name of your vessel, your position, how many people are on board and what assistance you require.

Using Flares

Flares should be used in an emergency whether or not you have contacted someone by phone or by VHF radio. This is because a visual signal will help rescue teams locate you more quickly. You should be familiar with the instructions before having to use the flares. Don't wait until there is an emergency to read the instructions. Time may be crucial in a boating emergency.

Hand Held or Pin Point Flares - Hold the flare at arm's length. Do not look at it once it is lit. This flare can be seen 5 miles away during the day and 7 miles away at night.

Parachute Rockets - The flare rises 300m and falls slowly in a parachute. This type of flare can be seen from approximately 25 miles.

Orange Smoke - Always ignite the smoke down wind. The smoke can be seen from about 3 miles in daylight.

Avoid firing flare guns toward other vessels or land structures where the falling flare might cause a fire. You should also be aware that flare guns and such devices are similar to firearms in many respects and should always be handled with extreme caution. Some states have already prohibited the use of certain types of flares.

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Marine Diesels From Air Filters to Exhaust Systems

Fuel by itself is of no use whatsoever: it needs oxygen from the air outside in order to burn. At the most basic level, this happens its own accord: as the piston falls during the induction stroke, air rushes in past the open inlet valve to fill the expanding space. Then, when the compression and power strokes are complete, the exhaust valve opens and the rising piston pushes the exhaust gas out ready for a fresh charge of clean air.

In practice, though, the engine needs an air filter to stop dirt, moisture and bits of rubbish being sucked into its cylinders, and needs an exhaust system to dispose of the hot exhaust gases safely and quietly. To save having a separate filter and exhaust pipe for each cylinder of a multi-cylinder engine the incoming air is fed to the cylinders through tubular structures called inlet manifolds, and the exhaust gases are carried away through similar structures called the exhaust manifolds.

Air filters

Unlike their cousins that power tractors and earth-moving machinery, marine diesels usually operate in a relatively clean environment: there's little danger of them having to contend with straw, dust or roadside litter. This means that their air filters can be relatively simple, so some engines operate perfectly well for years with little more than a metal box with a few baffles in it.

Most, however, have something a little more sophisticated, involving either wire gauze or porous paper.

Paper tends to restrict the air flow, so to make up for this its area has to be increased by being folded into a concertina shape. It's also difficult to clean, so once a paper filter becomes clogged it has to be replaced with a new one.

Wire gauze doesn't restrict the air flow as much, but it is less effective because the gaps between the strands of wire are bigger than those between the fibres of paper. To counter this problem - and to minimise corrosion - wire gauze filters need to be dipped in oil from time to time, so that dust sticks to them instead of passing straight through.

Exhaust systems

When it comes to exhaust systems, the boot is on the other foot: road vehicles and agricultural machinery have an easy time of it. Their engines are in compartments that are open to the atmosphere but sealed away from their drivers and passengers, so all that's required is a pipe connected to the exhaust manifold, with a few baffles to reduce the noise. A few marine installations adopt a similar 'dry' exhaust system, usually in the form of an exhaust pipe sticking straight up from the engine compartment, with a weighted flap to stop rain or spray running down inside and heat resistant lagging to minimise the risk of fire or burns.

For pleasure craft, though, wet exhaust systems are pretty well standard, with water from the engine's cooling system used to cool the exhaust gas. The water is mixed with the exhaust gas in the injection bend, where it almost immediately turns into steam but in doing so reduces the temperature of the exhaust gases from almost 500° C to about 70° C - cool enough to allow flexible tubing and GRP to be used for the rest of the exhaust system.

At that reduced temperature, the steam condenses back into water. That is why the mixing takes place in a bend: it protects the engine against the possibility of the cooling water running back through the system and into the cylinders.

If the engine is below the waterline, or very close to it, however, the injection bend alone is not enough: there's a danger that water already in the exhaust might set up a siphon effect that would allow sea water from outside to make its way back through the exhaust system and into the engine. To stop this, many boats have an extra loop in the exhaust system, known as a swan-neck. To guard against the possibility of waves pushing water up the exhaust pipe, some boats have a one-way flap covering the end of the pipe where it emerges from the hull; on some sailing yachts you may even find a hand-operated gate valve that seals the exhaust pipe completely when the engine is not being used.

The vital thing about any exhaust system that it must not restrict the flow of exhaust gases beyond a certain limit, because if exhaust can't get out of the cylinders, there will be no room for fresh air to get in. The effect is exactly the same as if the air filter were clogged: starved of oxygen, the engine will not be able to burn its fuel, so it will lose power and produce black smoke.

More power

Any engine is simply a device for converting the energy released from burning fuel into mechanical power. None of them are very good at it: well over 60 per cent of energy released from the fuel is expended as heat and vibration, rather than as use mechanical work. Engine designers are continually working to improve efficiency but the fact remains that the power an engine can produce will always be limited by the rate at which it can burn fuel.

Important Safety Tips For Row Boats

Even though row boats are not intended for lengthily or extended trips as some other boats are, they can still run into the same dangers as other of boats that may be larger and faster. But if you take certain precautions and follow some basic rules, you can ensure the safety of yourself and passengers each time you go out on the water in your row boat.

SAFETY CHECKLIST

Once you have secured your boat and you are sure that it is in proper working condition, take time to go through this basic safety checklist.

Have enough life jackets for all boaters. Each boater should have their own personal wearable flotation device (PFD).

You should always carry an emergency repair kit which includes quick repair items such as duct tape, extra rope, repair shields or glue and other items you feel may be important.

Make sure you have working lights. All non-motorized boats have to carry a lantern or flashlight. Other boats should be able to see your light from a distance of two miles or more.

Check ropes to be certain that they are in a safe operating condition. Each boat should have a bow and stern line attached to it. Check each line for damage or wear.

Observe the overall condition of the exterior and interior of the boat. Check the floor of the boat very carefully to see that there are no rips or wear to seams or jointed areas.

Check the weather before you leave. Be aware of expected precipitation, water and air temperature as well as wind speed.

It is very important to carry emergency sound devices, such as a horn, whistle or sounding flares to alert others of your situation. If you have a cell phone make sure the battery is charged.

WHILE YOU ARE ON THE WATER

A row boat experience can be fun for the whole family as long as you always keep safety in mind first. No matter how long you have been boating, there are some basic safety rules to remember while you are out on the water in a row boat. These rules may seem obvious, but each person on board should be reminded to follow them.

Never stand up in the boat. The shift in weight may cause the boat to overturn.

Do not sit on the side of the boat, always sit on the floor of the boat or on a seat.

Don't get exhausted while rowing. It is best to have at least two people on board who are able to do the rowing.

Victor Epand is an expert consultant about model boats, boat parts, and model submarines. You will find the best shopping at these sites for model boats, used row boat parts.