A Float Plan Can Save Your Life

Coast Guard search-and-rescue (SAR) personnel have told us they’re always elated when they’re able to bring stranded or injured mariners home safely. But that elation is offset by all the times that mariners in peril are never found, despite exhaustive efforts by SAR personnel. 

Late last month when a Southern California sailor was reported long overdue, multiple Coast Guard air and surface assets were deployed to find him. But after a search of 15,744 square miles of ocean over several days — from Catalina to south of San Quintin, Mexico — the effort was reluctantly called off.

For professional SAR personnel, there is never any joy in throwing in the towel, especially because they know the outcome could have been different if a few simple steps had been taken. As OSCS Doug Samp of the Alameda Rescue Coordination Center reminds us, "The Coast Guard highly recommends that all mariners file a float plan with a responsible person ashore for every voyage, and notify that person when their plan changes. Although not required by law, mariners are encouraged to carry an Emergency Position Indicating Radio Beacon (EPIRB) and a properly configured VHF-DSC radio that will assist the searchers to narrow the search area, thus providing a quicker response if you ever find yourself in trouble." 

To confident offshore sailors, giving a float plan to a responsible friend before setting sail may seem to be unnecessarily cautious. But if you ever find yourself in peril with no way to communicate, you’ll be really glad you took the time to jot down your intended route and schedule. And EPIRBs? When offshore emergencies arise, they are worth their weight in gold.