Boating & Sailing

The U.S. Coast Guard Office of Investigations and Analysis issued a marine safety alert on 9 May 2008. The Agency is advising vessel owners to inspect the watertight integrity and placement of high water alarms on their boats.

This alert was prompted by information developed in the investigation of the Alaska Ranger sinking of 28 March 2008 that saw the deaths of five mariners. Coast Guard investigations have identified similar issues in relation to other sinking incidents.

The recommendation is that owners or operators establish an inspection program that ensures all watertight decks, bulkheads and doors are functioning properly. Failure of a watertight door can lead to progressive flooding of a vessel after an accident has occurred. The Coast Guard also believes crewmembers should familiar with the location of watertight doors and understand how to operate them.

Along with the inspection of watertight doors, the Agency would like vessel owners or operators the ensure high water bilge alarms are located as to provide the earliest warning to crew as possible. Alarms should be set low to the deck or bilge space at a central position.

The safety alert further urged vessel owners and operators to ensure high-level bilge alarms are arranged to provide the earliest warnings of the abnormal accumulation of water. These alarms should be set as low as possible to the deck or bilge-well along the center-most area of the bilge.

A complete copy of this marine safety alert is available online.