Whether you're sailing in the winter on a cold day in a normally warm climate (like the US Southeast or Gulf) or sailing in the summer in an area of cold water (like the US Northeast or Northwest), the cold creates special risks:
- In cold air, wind rapidly sucks away body heat if you're underdressed. Hypothermia can sneak up on you even if the air temperature is in the 60s or warmer. Poor judgment is one of the early results, increasing all the risks of being on the water.
- Wet clothing or skin (especially one's head) rapidly escalates body heat loss. Spray or an unexpected breaking wave can create a sudden dangerous situation.
- In cold water, even when the air is warm, body temperature plummets. Even when you might feel safe wearing a PFD, within minutes you may be unable to grasp a rope thrown to you or to climb out on the boat's ladder. An "easy" rescue becomes life threatening.
- Sudden immersion in cold water can cause the heart to stop or an involuntary gasp that leads to drowning.
The Problem
Here's an example of a common situation that almost took one sailor's life. In the fall a man motored his sailboat up to a pier off downtown Chicago and went to the bow to tie up. As he reached to loop a dockline around a piling he slipped and fell in the water. He was not wearing a PFD because it was such a routine operation on a calm day right next to land. But the water was so cold that even though he reached the bottom rung of a ladder on the pier, he had already lost the ability to pull himself up. He was lucky to have been seen, however, and rescuers quickly arrived and donned dry suits. Even then, it took two trained men in the water quite some time to finally get a line around him and hoist him out - he was so hypothermic that he'd become mere dead weight. He was lucky to live.
Precautions to Take
The Coast Guard Auxiliary lists safety precautions to take when boating in cold air or water. To their precautions are added other safety steps for sailors:
- Wearing your PFD is always important, but now it's critical. Best are inflatable PFDs that float you higher and keep your head out of the water even if you are unconscious.
- Wear layers of clothing of a fabric that retains body warmth and dries rapidly. The outer shell should be water- and wind-proof. Use a wet suit or dry suit in extreme conditions. Wear a waterproof hat or hood.
- Be sure to have and use all required and optional safety equipment, including a submersible handheld VHF radio clipped to your belt. If conditions become rough or you must leave the safety of the cockpit, use a tether and jacklines.
- Tell others about where you are going and when you'll return or arrive - file a float plan.
- Check the weather forecast before heading out and monitor for changes that could rapidly get worse.
- Don't use alcohol to try to feel warmer - you actually lose heat faster with alcohol in your blood.
- Know how to rescue someone who goes overboard.
- Know how to treat hypothermia in a guest or crew.
- Perhaps most important, keep thinking! Considering what could happen at any moment, playing the "what if" game, will help you stay aware of risks in the cold environment and maintain a safety consciousness. Remember that Chicago sailor, and so many others like him who weren't so lucky, and think about what could happen at any time, even in the most routine situations.
Know about other safety equipment and preparations to take on your boat.
