Emergency Communications.
Before the voyage, write down the channels, frequencies, and numbers you'll need. Pick a shore advocate. Train one crew member to transmit. Mayday is not the time to be reading.
Write it down. Train someone else.
The skipper trains one crew member to transmit. Mayday is not the time to be reading a manual.
- Radio channels & frequencies for the area you're sailing in.
- Emergency phone numbers — local SAR centre, coast guard, 112 / 911.
- Your radio call signal & MMSI taped to the radio.
- EPIRB & VHF locations known to every crew member.
Pick someone ashore you can rely on to represent you in an emergency — they know your float plan, your boat, your crew, and who to call. Their number is on the boat.
Pick the call, then read it out — slowly, on Channel 16.
Three levels of radio call. Choose the one that fits, jump to it below, and read the script — don't improvise.
Eight items, in this order.
Press VHF Channel 16. Speak slowly. Read what's taped to the radio. Don't improvise.
Mayday — Mayday — Mayday.
Three times. Slowly. The word that opens every channel.
Give your radio call signal and vessel name. Repeat three times.
Both should be taped to the radio. Use the phonetic alphabet.
Give your GPS position, or bearing & distance from a known landmark.
Latitude then longitude. Read the numbers — don't quote them from memory.
State the nature of the emergency.
One sentence. "Flooding, taking on water through bow." / "Fire in engine room, spreading." / "Man overboard."
Give the number of people on board. State the condition of anyone injured.
Describe the seaworthiness of the vessel.
Holding / sinking / disabled / on fire / drifting / aground.
Describe the vessel.
Type, length, hull colour, sail colour, masts. "38-foot white sloop, blue sails, single mast."
Give the channel or frequency you'll be listening to, and the schedule.
Usually you stay on Channel 16. End with "Over".
Urgency — a serious problem, no immediate danger to life.
On Channel 16. Same discipline as a Mayday — read it, don't improvise. Upgrade to Mayday if life becomes endangered.
Pan-Pan — Pan-Pan — Pan-Pan.
Three times. The urgency signal.
“All stations, all stations, all stations” — or call the Coast Guard by name.
State who you are addressing.
Your vessel name and call sign, three times.
Phonetic alphabet. Taped to the radio.
Your position.
GPS latitude then longitude, or bearing and distance from a landmark. Read the numbers.
The problem, what you need, and who is on board.
One sentence — e.g. “engine failed, drifting toward the shipping lane, request a tow.” Then the number on board and any injuries.
End with “Over”, and listen.
Safety — a hazard others must know about.
Pronounced “say-cure-ee-tay.” On Channel 16. You are informing, not requesting — no reply expected.
Sécurité — Sécurité — Sécurité.
Three times. The safety signal.
“All stations” — then your vessel name, three times.
Phonetic alphabet.
For a long message, direct listeners to a working channel.
e.g. “…listen Channel 67.” For a short message, just say it on 16.
State the hazard and its position.
e.g. vessel aground obstructing the channel, an unlit object adrift, or a vessel not under command — with the position. Read the numbers.
End with “Out”.
No reply expected. Repeat if the hazard persists.
If VHF doesn't answer, climb the ladder.
Distress signals go out on every means available to you, in this order — closest range first, then wider.
VHF Channel 16 — up to 30 miles.
Voice. Use Channel 9 as alternate. Channel 13 is monitored by ships.
SSB — 200 to 500 miles.
Press the emergency frequency 2182 kHz button. Automatic alert to all vessels and shore authorities.
EPIRB 406 MHz — global.
Activate. Transmits to SAR centres via satellite, identifies you, provides a homing signal. With GPS, includes your location.
Satellite phone — global.
Direct call to your closest SAR centre or land-based advocate. You must provide your location — a direction finder cannot home in on a sat phone.
Cell phone — very short range.
Local emergency number (911 / 112), a SAR centre, or your land-based advocate. Same location caveat as the sat phone.
Gear for this moment.
The equipment we'd want aboard if this alarm went off right now. Each piece earns its place against a specific step above.
DSC sends a one-button digital distress alert with your MMSI and position to every vessel and station in range.
View gearRegistered and GPS-enabled. Reaches SAR satellites anywhere on earth and gives them a position to home on.
View gearYour backup when the fixed set or its power dies, and your radio in the liferaft. Floats, and built-in GPS lets it send DSC.
View gearTwo-way text or voice from anywhere — direct to a SAR centre or your shore advocate when you're beyond VHF and SSB.
View gearSeaWise may earn a small commission on these links — it helps keep the procedures free. We only list gear we'd carry ourselves.
Skipper notes.
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