Ask the experts: electronics and engine failures

Have you considered what you would do if your electronics or engine failed while offshore? Three boating safety experts share some key safety advice to help you prepare for these potentially serious emergency situations.

Adam Smith, President of the Boating Industry Association and Owner of Australian Boating College Sydney.

Be proactive with your maintenance and service routine. Repair and replace parts before they fail and leave you stranded. Make sure your batteries are tested at every service and replaced if you’re not sure.

If your boat has a multiple-battery system, it’s always best to make sure that one battery is charged and isolated as a backup to start the engine or generator.

Don’t be tempted to leave all batteries switched on all the time. Although this will charge them all while the engine/s is/are running, the risk is that you forget to isolate the start battery and run them all down together once you stop. There are simple systems available that will intelligently charge all batteries while underway, even if you only have one or some switched on.

Having a handheld marine radio on board is always a good idea as a backup. Even if your boat batteries are flat, you can still get help.

Navigation electronics are great nowadays. They are affordable, simple to use, very accurate, and reliable. That is, of course, assuming that you have battery power to run them and that the satellite network they rely on is working and accessible.

As a backup, it’s always a good idea to have paper charts with you and plot your position regularly, just in case. If you’re in sight of the coast, you can use landmarks on the chart to determine your position. Coastal navigation basics are easy to learn, and there are plenty of good online courses available such as those offered by Above and Beyond Boating.

A handheld, battery-powered GPS device is also a smart option to carry onboard as a backup.

Visit abcboating.net.au and bia.org.au

Paul Field, Marine Loss Adjustor and Coastguard New Zealand Senior Master.

Sometimes vessel components will simply fail of their own volition. This can be from no fault of the owner and can sometimes be unavoidable, even if regular scheduled maintenance has been undertaken on your craft. Failure could be due to anything from a spring failing deep within the interior of an engine causing internal damage, to something as simple as a solenoid burning out in an electrical system on board rendering a component inoperable.

When electrical or mechanical issues suddenly occur, your stress levels will become immediately elevated. However, first and foremost, don’t panic in the event of an electrical or mechanical issue. This can lead to poor decisions and make matters worse. Equally if the master or skipper of the vessel is not calm and collected, this will radiate throughout the rest of those on board.

Once the immediate danger is taken care of, look to whether the issue can be easily resolved. Seek external assistance and advice but do that early. Consider the potential of getting the craft to a safer, more secure location to allow easier diagnosis of your issue.

Let the local search and rescue (SAR) agencies or volunteer marine rescue (VMR) know you are having a problem on board and identify your location. They may have craft and experienced crew close by that can offer some assistance. The radio call doesn’t need to necessarily be a Mayday or Pan Pan call (unless of course the nature of the event warrants it) but a quick call to advise them of your situation. Sometimes it’s just reassuring to know there’s someone keeping a watch.

Most Marine Service agents will have an emergency after-hours service, hence have their contact details on your phone or contained in a boat folder. Sometimes a quick call and chat through your situation could result in a simple fix. Equally they may be able to determine if something more serious has occurred and help prevent the situation from becoming worse.

Be familiar with some key elements of your engine and electrical systems such as the location of stop cocks, shut off valves or battery isolation switches. In particular, electrical isolation switches should be accessible as this can prevent fire in the event of a major electrical issue and remove an ignition source.

Failed raw water hoses are often a cause of sudden and unexpected water ingress into an engine compartment. We have seen boaters make a panicked distress call for “taking on water and sinking” only to find the shutdown of the engine stops the water pump and ceases the ingress, in turn allowing the bilge pump to cope and discharge any onboard water.

Always carry appropriate spare parts and tools on board. These could include such items as spark plugs, belts, water pump impeller, filters, hoses, oil, coolant, fuses and connectors along with a maintained toolbox containing spanners, screw drivers, allen keys, saw, electrical pliers and mallets.

You could also consider carrying a hose repair kit and clamps. As a “get home measure” a temporary pipe repair can sometimes allow continued engine operation at a reduced capacity. However, one key piece of advice we often discuss with boaties is the importance of operating your vessel within the boundaries of your skill level and experience. Be realistic and only attempt any onboard temporary repairs or “get home” type fixes if you have the skills and experience to do so.

Ensure you have methods of standalone communication as part of your onboard safety equipment, such as a mobile phone in a dry bag and a handheld marine radio. Should you lose all house power your base set radio may not work.

There are many good functional GPS and chart system apps available for smart phones. We recommend having a downloaded app on your phone as a backup in case you lose all GPS and

navigation equipment due to an electrical failure. This could assist with providing an accurate location for any rescue service to locate and help you.

Don’t wait until the last minute to ask for assistance from your local SAR agency or VMR. The longer you wait, the more changeable the weather and tides will become, providing further challenges for you, your crew and rescuers alike. From experience, I can attest that a rescue, salvage or tow at night can be a more complex and dangerous situation than during the day.

“Be prepared” as the Scouts would say. So, we would encourage all vessel owners to take a few moments when ashore to consider the “what ifs” of how they would deal with either a mechanical or electrical issue on board. Thinking about what could go wrong, and understanding how these issues could affect your ability to return safely, can help prepare for a ‘worst case situation’, even if hopefully you never need to use that prep.

Glenn Sullivan, Monaro Region Zone Duty Operations Manager with Marine Rescue NSW.

Electronic failure can range from a simple flat battery to an electrical fire on board. In most cases, boaters that I have encountered experience flat batteries which only require a jump start. For this, carrying a small jumper starter pack as part of your safety equipment is an excellent idea.

If you don’t carry a jump starter park, call your local volunteer marine rescue (VMR) to request a jump start, or if unsuccessful, a tow back to safe harbour. Most VMR vessels are able to provide a jump start and it usually is safer and more cost efficient than providing a tow, but depending on the condition of your battery, this may not be possible.

When this does occur, providing a geographic position and a LAT and LONG is important. It is important to read your vessel position and not the cursor position on your GPS as in many cases, the boater has provided the cursor position and then sent the rescue asset to the wrong location. By providing the geographic location, it enables the VMR operator to confirm and verify the two points of reference.

Your mobile phone, if GPS enabled, can provide a LAT and LONG, but please inform the type of GPS being used as this can be possibly converted and plotted into Maritime LAT/LONGs.

Other electronic failures of engines can occur, and usually require a marine mechanic with computer diagnostics, so do not hesitate to contact your local VMR for a tow back to safe harbour.

A fire at sea is a serious event, which can lead to vessel abandonment and people in the water. If an electrical fire has escalated, shut down all electrical sources and fight the fire with a dry powder extinguisher (type ABE).

Call your local VMR if possible, Triple Zero (000) for assistance and consider activating your EPIRB, especially if the first two options are not successful.

Visit marinerescuensw.com.au

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