Instructor Training Manual

Abandon Ship to liferaft

It is important to thoroughly undertsand techniques for abandoning ship to the liferaft.

These excellent short videos are posted on YouTube by OTEN. They are in the public domain, so please watch them and learn from them.
Launching the liferaft      Righting an inverted liferaft
First person boarding      Helping others board
Assisting (Danish roll)     Assisting (backwards)

Actions to get crew and survival equipment into the life-raft before the yacht sinks.

1. Allocate crew-members to prepare raft for launch
• Release fastenings • Attach painter to strong point
while others
• set off EPIRB • collect grab-bag & spare water
Continue to steer yacht if possible

2. Muster all crew at life-raft
• in warm waterproof clothing • with everything to take to raft

3. Two crew to get raft over the side
If deployed carefully can minimise need to right the raft after inflation

4. If possible manoeuvre raft to stern and enter from swim-step

5. If not possible, strongest swimmer...
• clips on to painter • takes floating line to assist others to raft
• jumps in and enters life-raft • prepares to help others aboard

6. Crew clip grab bags, spare water to painter

7. Next strongest – taking grab bags
• clips to painter • enters water
• boards life-raft

8. Each crew member follows this procedure

9. Last person
• secures to painter • releases painter from boat
• enters water • boards life-raft

10. Skipper takes charge and
• counts crew • deploys EPIRB attached to liferaft
• hands out seas-sickness tablets

Training Manual Pages

Abandon ship to Liferaft

Man Overboard (Engine)

Man Overboard (Sail)

Medical Emergencies

Safe use of Ropes