Marine Safety & Survival 2/3

Apr 5, 2019
4 min

Emergency Drills Ensure Crew Readiness

Editor's note: Sometimes we assume that everyone understands the need for practicing emergency procedures skills. In case you need...

Mar 4, 2019
2 min

Marine Board of Investigation Report on the F/V Destination Sinking is Released

Update: The U.S. Coast Guard Office of Investigations and Casualty Analysis has issued Findings of Concern resulting from the sinking of...

Feb 21, 2019
2 min

How Do You Really Feel About PFDs?

Nearly every AMSEA class covers the importance of wearing a personal flotation device (PFD) while on deck. AMSEA instructors have...

Feb 1, 2019
3 min

Time to Repack My Life Raft...Again?!?!

Under federal regulation (46 CFR 28.140), any commercial fishing vessel that is required to have a survival craft, must have its...

Jan 11, 2019
2 min

U.S. Coast Guard Releases New Video on EPIRBs

In an emergency, activating your vessel's EPIRB is the most certain method of summoning help. But, have you ever wondered what happens if...

Oct 25, 2018
3 min

Aretha Franklin, Water Safety, and Myths that Won’t Go Away

Aretha Franklin, an American icon recently passed away. Some of us remember when her 1965 hit song, Respect, hit the airwaves. In that...

Jul 25, 2018
2 min

How to Increase Your Chances of Surviving a Vessel Sinking

Earlier this year, researchers in the NIOSH Commercial Fishing Safety Program published a study of factors associated with fishing crews...

Feb 9, 2018
5 min

It's Time to Inspect Your Immersion Suit!

Your immersion suit is a bit like a parachute. When aviators are forced to "bail out", they rely on their parachutes to get them to the...

Feb 5, 2018
2 min

PFDs That Work

AMSEA instructor, Beverly Noll, called this morning with the sad news that a fisherman was lost overboard off the coast of Northern...

Feb 5, 2018
1 min

PFDs Just Helped Save Two Commercial Fishermen in the Bering Sea

Why are these guys smiling? Maybe because they know that the PFDs they are wearing just might save their lives. Photo credit: Ted...

Jan 19, 2018
3 min

Don't Let Your Survival Skills Get Rusty

Would you like to improve your performance in an emergency at sea by nearly 30%? Well, who wouldn't? Conducting monthly drills of your...

Jan 12, 2018
2 min

Making an Effective MAYDAY Call

The ability to signal for help is a critical skill during an emergency at sea. On any vessel equipped with a marine radio, that signal...

Jan 2, 2018
2 min

Fatigue — It'll Bite You

Operating your boat while fatigued can lead to very bad outcomes. But, don't take our word for for it. Listen to Capt. Russ Eager. He ran...

Dec 29, 2017
3 min

Cold Water Immersion Risks

Often, when we discuss cold water immersion in our marine safety workshops, students will bring up the dangers of hypothermia. Their...

Nov 29, 2017
2 min

Safety Training Saves Lives, But Don't Take Our Word For It

As you may already know, California commercial fisherman, Frank Gee, recently lost the F/V Ocean Gale, to a fire while off Pillar Point,...

Aug 1, 2017
2 min

Time Out

It’s time to take a mid-season time out. Maybe not a long one, just a few minutes to think about what we’re doing. The Bristol Bay run is...

Jul 17, 2017
1 min

Outdoor Survival Camp 2017

This past Friday, we completed our week-long, children’s Outdoor Survival Camp. It was a pleasure to see the enthusiasm that youngsters...

May 30, 2017
1 min

U.S. Coast Guard Reminds Paddlers to Stay Safe Around Vessel Traffic

Many of us dream of paddling our kayaks in pristine, wilderness waters, far from civilization and motorized vessels. However, it's likely...

Apr 28, 2017
1 min

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