I got an email from a reader, Peter Stewart, that made me really stop and take notice. And, with his permission, I wanted to pass it on.
Hi Carolyn,
I have owned my sailboat now for 4 years and am very diligent with safety and going through a checklist before departing on a cruise.
One of the checks is to ensure that each of the two bilge pump alarms (high- and low-level pumps) are operational, and they have been.
Although I use the pumps in the fall to circulate the good antifreeze through the bilge hoses and therefore know that they work, not once during this past summer season or previous boating seasons have I verified that they actually pump water on an ongoing basis.
Well, guess what? This fall I checked the larger high-level pump and found that the diaphragms were gone so that it would not pump water. It could have very well been like that all summer when I might have needed it. It was no consolation that the alarm still worked when operated.
So it will now be in my checklist to verify that both bilge pumps move water when they should.
-Peter
Good point, Peter. It is so easy to fall into the trap of assuming that everything works. Or to check one part of a system and not another.
When I followed up with him to ask permission to reprint his note, he replied that I was welcome to use it and said:
I’ve written before about discovering that the Lifesling had been incorrectly installed by previous owners on both of our boats. Had there been a real crew overboard situation, the problem could have had tragic consequences.
A few of the systems to verify as part of your pre-trip checklist:
- Bilge pumps working (not just that you “hear them” running, but look overboard). Dump a bucket of water in the bilge if necessary to ascertain that they are pumping water. Make sure than manual bilge pump works.
- All MOB gear works and can be used as intended (nothing is stuck open or shut, lines are in good shape and tied on, etc.)
- Communications gear works — VHF, sat phone, SSB/ham, inReach, Spot, IridiumGO! and/or whatever else you have.
- Radar
- AIS
- Primary and backup electronic charting
- Engine
- Nav and anchoring lights
- Windlass and all ground tackle, including that snubbers aren’t chafed
- Jack lines, tethers and PFDs are in good condition; make sure that quick release on tether works and that lights on PFDs work
- Do PFDs, throwables, MOB poles and so on actually float (we once discovered that our throwable didn’t)?
- EPIRB battery test
- PLBs work
- Check status of all fire extinguishers; turn upside down and tap to make sure the chemicals are loose inside
- “In case of holing” gear — know where it is and be able to access it in seconds
- Check ditch bag contents and make sure it’s easily accessible
- All seacocks work and can be closed
- Check first aid gear and know where it is (especially if you have more than one container)
- Liferaft in an accessible location
If you use your boat seasonally, be sure to check everything at the beginning of the year and periodically during the season — particularly a few days before leaving on a trip. If you find a problem, it’s best to have a little bit of time to fix it before you’re planning to leave.
Even if you are full-time cruisers, don’t assume that all of your safety gear continually works simply because you’re always on the boat. Make it part of your monthly checklist to go over everything and doublecheck items before heading off on anything more than a daysail.
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cyndy says
Hi Carolyn,
also check every hose clamp! I just found one that was completely broken on a thru hull that stays open. The next day the shrink wrap on the propane solenoid failed because the person that installed it didn’t use adhesive lined shrink wrap. So many things to keep an eye on!
So right about the manual bilge pump… the diaphragm on mine was cracked for who knows how long.
Once again thank you for the ditch bag advice. Saved us a lot of headaches!
cyndy
Skipper Scotty says
How often should one test their inflatable life vests? How long should you keep them in use before tossing and replacing with new as the activation devices themselves may deteriorate too. Obviously when you do test them you have to buy new cartridges and rearm them.
Carolyn Shearlock says
You should test at least once a year, but you can test by blowing up manually so you don’t have to re-arm IF the cartridge still shows as being good. If the cartridge is getting old, test by putting the PFD on and jumping in the water. See what it feels like to have one inflate while on you. Not quite what I expected!
Dan Sullivan says
US Sailing offers a course on Safety at Sea that addresses this specific issue. It’s the best I’ve seen for PFD analysis and maintenance. It’s $50 but upon completeing the course you get certification for many offshore racing events. Yes, you can get a comparable course from the Coast Guard but this one has the best segments on inflatable life jacket maintenance.