Whenever you see any boat sinking at the shore or in the sea, you will prefer to leave as it is the easiest option for you. But it can be dangerous for other boat and ship owners. It can wreak havoc on them and is also harmful to the environment.
It must be salvaged or rescued from the water body and taken to repair. Not many people risk their lives to save others and the sinking boat. Compared to submerged vessels, locating others and saving them from breakdown is easy. It is good to step forward to save someone’s life and property.
In the following write-up, we will discuss various tips through which you can easily salvage a broken-down boat. If the broken boat is left inside the sea, it may poison the sea water and risk the lives of aquatic plants and animals. It can also damage the seafloor by crushing the coral glass and valuable stones.
Page Contents
1. Some Ship Parts can be Salvaged
Source: maritimeprofessional.com
Before you go ahead with the salvage process of any boat, you must keep one thing in mind : you can salvage a few parts of the boat. Many times, there is a miscommunication of terms that a complete vessel can be rescued, but the possibility is quite low. It is necessary to clear all the expectations about this process before you begin.
To prevent environmental damage, it is a must to rescue the entire vessel by lifting or towing, but it can happen only when the boat sinks near the shore. But before rescuing the whole boat, it is essential to consider valuable cargo items on it. Excess weight is removed from the ship so that further recovery process can be done.
2. Check the Faults
Before you start repairing the broken boat, the first thing you need to do is to check the faults. Once you know about the issues, you can think of solutions. Many faults can be repaired without dragging the boat to the ship. You can also ask professionals for classic boat restoration.
But you should not forget about the safety gear that is a must to carry with you. Sometimes, you do not have enough time to check all the faults to repair the vessel completely. Therefore, you can start the salvaging process immediately and repair the boat along with it.
3. Provide Aid to Rescued People
Source: filepicker.io
Before you focus on the broken boat, it is better to rescue people and provide first aid if required. When you are ready to enter a sinking boat, you should look for the survivors and help them reach the shore or shift to another vessel.
Undoubtedly, one must salvage the ship immediately as it can damage the environment in many ways. But you must spend some time looking for survivors and rescuing them. The salvage team needs to provide aid to the rescued passengers on the boat before they start the repair process.
4. Remove Water if Possible
You can slow down the sinking of a broken boat if you start removing water from the deck. It is a challenging and tiring job, but it can give you a few moments to save the vessel. In those moments, you can think of different salvage strategies and repair a few parts of the ship.
You can connect the hose and try to remove water from the vessel. But if the speed of water coming inside the boat is high, this technique will not work. If possible, remove water and slow the boat’s sinking.
5. Check the Fittings and Sealings
Source: sailmagazine.com
When any boat is about to sink, many fittings for sealings are possibly lose or lost. You can check and try to fix them. You can replace the rotten fittings and tighten the sealings to slow down the water flow inside the boat.
It is necessary to check the cleats and backing plate. If it is not in good condition, it is better to replace it with a new one. All the fixtures must work properly so that the salvage process becomes easy.
When any boat starts sinking, it stops at the same location and slowly starts sinking. It can cause navigation issues for other ships. Whenever you notice any broken vessel, it is necessary to clear the passage for other boaters and navigators.
You can send signals for help and rescue the boat quickly. If another ship is coming close to your boat, you can send a signal to change the path and move in another direction. It can be done easily if you are about to salvage a vessel near the harbor. But when it is along the route, it can make your task more complicated.
7. Keep Noting the Damages
Source: theatlantic.com
When you come closer to the damaged boat, you need to check all the areas that need to be repaired. It is necessary to note every fault you witness so you do not forget any of them. You must not skip any issue as it can slow down the salvage process.
It is a must to remove the broken vessel from the seawater as quickly as possible. All the noted damages must be repaired one by one, and you can tow the boat to the shore without any risks.
The Bottom Line
Salvaging a broken-down boat is a complicated task, and not many people prefer to risk their lives to do this task. But it is not a good idea to leave the damaged vessel in the water or near the shore. It can be poisonous to sea creatures and take the lives of the survivors.
Through many ways, you can save people and the boat. These tips are helpful enough to proceed with the salvage process and rescue everyone who is stuck inside the sinking boat. Along with professionals, you can provide help to boaters and allow other ship owners to navigate and clear the path without any difficulty.
