Radio Communications
By Officer Joe Alvarez

A VHF radio is not a requirement for small recreational vessels, but it should be high on the list of equipment to carry. You should learn how to use a VHF radio properly. If you have passengers, make sure at least one of them knows how to use it in the event of an emergency.

A minor difficulty on the water can rapidly turn into a situation beyond your control. If you are experiencing a minor problem, let someone know before the situation turns into an emergency.

A situation where you or your boat is threatened by grave danger with loss of life or the vessel being imminent is considered distress. A dead battery, running out of fuel or some other mechanical problem are not considered distress.

The Coast Guard will take immediate steps to help you if you are in distress. In all maritime emergencies the Coast Guard serves as the search and rescue coordinator and is the point of contact whenever you are concerned for your safety. Coast Guard rescue boats and/or aircraft will be sent under normal circumstances, but any available source will be asked to assist in your rescue.

If you do need help you need to be familiar with a few of the radio channels available to you. Channel 16 is the hailing and emergency channel. This is the channel used to call the Coast Guard, another boat or marina. Conversations should not be held on this channel. To carry a conversation, use this channel to contact your party and then switch to another channel. With the exception of channel 22A, which is the Coast Guard channel, there are many other channels you can use. Even though you can contact the Coast Guard directly on 16, you can also contact them on 22A. Channel 16 is monitored at all time by the Coast Guard. If you are in distress say “MAYDAY, MAYDAY, MAYDAY” on the radio. If you’re not in distress, just say “Coast Guard”.

Once you’ve contacted the Coast Guard they will want to know what your position is, the nature of the emergency, the number o people on board, the name, registration and description of your boat and the safety equipment on board. If you don’t have a radio, attempt to signal a fellow boater who can assist or call the Coast Guard for you. Use flares or any other distress signaling device to get the attention of another boater in a distress situation.

If you are not in distress and there are alternate sources of assistance available, you should try to contact these sources. The Coast Guard’s primary role is to assist boaters in distress, but if you can’t contact an alternate source of assistance they will normally coordinate the effort to assist you. The Coast Guard will make every effort to contact a tow company, marina or friend that you want contacted. Remember, safe boating is smart boating.

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