Self Assistance

What it is

Self assistance is the term we use to describe the equipment that every mariner should carry on board in order to give him the best chance to rescue himself. It’s not possible to cover every eventuality that can occur at sea so we concentrate on the equipment that’s easiest to use and most likely to be useful.

The equipment that should be carried needs to be appropriate to the area sailed in, the number and skill of the crew and the perceived dangers of the voyage.

Loosely this will fall into the following categories and links can be found to our pages that discuss these items at the bottom of the page.
 

Man Overboard

Everyone’s greatest fear is the thought of falling overboard and watching their vessel sail on without them. We will evaluate the basic equipment that should be carried including lifejackets, tethers, lifelines, jackstays and Man Overboard Modules and ladders for the recovery of people from the water. For more information on Man Overboard Equipment click here.
 

Fire

A major fear on a boat although surrounded by water is what will happen in the event of a fire. We are not fire experts and as this is specialist equipment we have teamed up with a fire fighting professional 
 

Abandon ship/sinking

In this section we investigate the causes of abandonment, whether due to a collision, hitting a submerged object, force of nature, structural damage etc and how best to delay or avoid the need to abandon ship and how to survive once that decision has been made. 
 

Liferafts and equipment

The decision of the type of liferaft that should be chosen and the equipment packs that go with it will be very dependent upon the voyages undertaken. For example it is not necessary to take a double insulated liferaft with ocean survival pack for a trip round the Solent. 
 

Medical equipment

We are not doctors so we have teamed up with Dr Tommo Tomson and Dr Spike Briggs of MSOS Ltd to assist us in this area. Please use the link on the right to visit their website, then return here!
 

AIS beacons and direction finders

These are a crossover item between the technology of GMDSS and the discipline of Self Assistance. An AIS beacon can notify people on your own vessel of your plight and position but also they will alert every other vessel in the vicinity equipped with AIS. 
 

Other types of safety equipment

We can additionally advise on other equipment that may be necessary to carry on a yacht voyaging further afield such as specific advice on rigging cutters, advanced fire-fighting equipment, devices to avoid sinking, drogues and storm gear.