In the life raft: what counts in the first hours
If a ship or boat has to be abandoned, the life raft is the safest place – safer than the water and often even safer than a sinking boat. The first hours decide: get away from the wreck, everyone together, make the raft dry and stable, avoid seasickness, prepare distress signals. Here you learn the order that sailors practise on courses – and why seawater is never drunk.
- First hours after leaving the ship
Explained simply
A life raft is an inflatable boat with a roof that travels on ships and sailing boats. If the ship sinks, it is the safest place.
In the first hours a fixed order is important: distress call, get in, get away from the sinking boat, everyone together, sea anchor out, get dry.
You never drink seawater, because the salt makes the body even thirstier. Everyone takes seasickness tablets at once.
How it works
The raft inflates itself with a gas bottle when you pull the line. Its air chambers make it almost unsinkable, and the canopy protects against wind, sun and spray.
The sea anchor is a small fabric umbrella in the water. It slows the raft, keeps it stable against the waves and makes sure it stays near the scene, where rescuers search first.
What matters
Do not leave too early: as long as the boat floats safely, it is the better place.
Stay together: people and rafts that are together are easier to find.
Use distress signals wisely: the beacon runs the whole time, flares only when rescuers are in sight.
Safety: what to watch out for
No seawater, no urine – only the emergency supply, rain or a desalinator.
Hypothermia: keep the floor dry, sit close together, close the openings.
Sea survival training with a life raft in a pool is highly recommended for everyone who sails.
Step by step
Distress call before leaving
While you still can: distress call by radio (Mayday), give the position, switch on the distress beacon. Take warm clothing, life jacket, water and seasickness tablets.
- 1
Distress call before leaving
While you still can: distress call by radio (Mayday), give the position, switch on the distress beacon. Take warm clothing, life jacket, water and seasickness tablets.
- 2
Board the raft
Step into the raft as dry as possible straight from the boat. Anyone in the water is pulled in at the boarding ladder by two people holding the life jacket, back to the raft.
- 3
Cut the line and get clear
Cut the painter with the raft knife once everyone is inside and paddle away from the sinking boat – it can drag the raft down or damage it.
Only cut once everyone is aboard.
- 4
Gather others
Look for other people and rafts. Several rafts tie themselves together with lines – that is easier for rescuers to see.
- 5
Stream the sea anchor
Throw out the sea anchor. It stabilises the raft and slows drifting from the scene.
- 6
Get dry and warm
Bail out the water, sponge the floor dry, inflate the floor, close the openings except for a gap for ventilation. Sit close together.
- 7
Against seasickness
Everyone takes seasickness tablets at once, even those who feel fine. Vomiting costs a lot of water.
- 8
Watch, water, signals
Set watches, check the emergency kit, keep signals within reach. Share water from the emergency supply fairly, catch rain. Stay calm and encourage each other.
Common mistakes
- Leaving the boat too early
- Drinking seawater
- Firing all flares at once
- Not cutting the painter
- Taking seasickness tablets too late
Quick view
Materials
Life jacket / buoyancy aid
Always wear it, even in the raft
Size and buoyancy must match body weight; children need children's jackets. Follow manufacturer instructions and service intervals.
Personal locator beacon (PLB)
Or the ship's EPIRB
Register under your country's rules and keep the registration up to date.
Activate only in genuine distress; observe battery and expiry dates.
Marine VHF radio
Waterproof handheld radio
Operating it requires an operator certificate and licence in many countries – check local rules.
Life raft sea anchor (drogue)
Stowed in the raft
The line can wrap around arms and legs – keep clear.
Signal mirror
Do not flash into the eyes of people nearby or of drivers.
Glass mirrors can break – risk of cuts.
Suitable for
- Sailing and motor boats with a life raft
- Ferries and ships
- Capsizing at sea
Not suitable for
- Leaving the boat while it still floats safely
- Without crew instructions on large ships
Prerequisites
- Safety briefing on board
- Life jacket on
- Knowing where the raft and the distress beacon are
Safety
- Switch on the distress beacon at once and fix it with a clear view of the sky. Only use flares and smoke signals when a ship, plane or helicopter is in sight – they are limited.
How it works
A life raft is smaller than the boat but almost unsinkable. The sea anchor keeps it stable against wind and waves and stops it drifting far from the scene – that is where rescuers search first. A dry floor and closed openings protect against hypothermia, and seasickness tablets stop people losing water quickly through vomiting.
Advantages
- A clear order in a chaotic situation
- Greatly increases the chance of survival
Disadvantages
- Extremely stressful in a real emergency
- Hard to practise without a course
Deep knowledge
Background
After the Titanic sank, the first international rules for life-saving appliances on ships were agreed in 1914; today the SOLAS convention requires room in lifeboats or rafts for everyone on board.
Sailors learn to handle the life raft in sea survival training in a pool – an experience many describe as the most important of their training.
Variants
- Capsized raft
- If the raft is upside down, stand on the gas bottle, grab the righting line and lean back with the wind behind you. Practise this on a course.
- On large ships
- On ferries and cruise ships follow the crew's instructions to the muster station. The crew launches lifeboats and rafts.
Common mistakes
- Leaving the boat too early
- Drinking seawater
- Firing all flares at once
- Not cutting the painter
- Taking seasickness tablets too late
Limits and risks
- No substitute for sea survival training
- Equipment varies by raft
Material alternatives
Derived from material properties: a substitute must have all relevant properties. Observe the notes on the substitute.
- Signal mirror
- Emergency blanket (Tears easily once punctured; short-term shelter only.), High-visibility vest (Keep within reach inside the cabin, not in the boot/trunk.), Warning triangle (Whether warning triangles are mandatory, or should be placed at all on certain roads (e.g. motorways), differs between countries – check local rules.), Aluminium foil (heavy-duty) (Edges can be sharp; conducts heat and electricity.)
Results come exclusively from structured entries. No improvised instructions are generated.
Sources (4)
- International Maritime Organization (IMO) (1974): International Convention for the Safety of Life at Sea (SOLAS), 1974, as amended · Life-saving appliances, life rafts and muster drills on ships
- U.S. National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA): Search and Rescue Satellite Aided Tracking (SARSAT) – beacon information and registration · Distress beacons (EPIRB/PLB) alert rescue services via satellite
- Royal National Lifeboat Institution (RNLI), UK: Respect the Water – Float to Live · Life jacket, distress call and behaviour in distress at sea
- Headquarters, Department of the Army (USA) (2002): FM 3-05.70 Survival · Sea survival: life raft, sea anchor, seasickness, no seawater