Mayday Sequence

[TheBoatman]

I have noticed in a lot of publications different sequences for Maydays. The most popular seems to be:
Mayday
This is
Position
Problem
No of crew
Extra info

Where as I believe it better to put No of crew before Problem.
My reasons for this are that, if say, you consider that your batteries could fail at anytime.
Mayday and This is = lets someone know your name and your in the S**t.
Position = Lets someone know where your in the S**t.

OK now if batteries give up at least someone knows where to find you, even if they dont know whats wrong or how many crew are involved.

Next should be No of crew. Now they know how many to look for?
and finally what the Problem is, after all you wouldn't have been shouting in the first place unless you had a problem.

I realise that some people shout very quickly only to be told OK sir, we understand your aground, but the tide is rising and you'll float off soon, but just to be sure the LB is on it's way. This is not the case I'm stating, it's when all hell has broken loose and through no fault of your own you find yourself in a serious situation where contact could be lost in an instant.

What do you think?

 

[FlyingSpud]

I would have thought the problem first, as it would allow the CG or whatever to decide what to do, send a helicopter, lifeboat, or best to send for International Rescue, launch Thunderbird 4 and so on.

 

[Cornishman]

Beware the word "crew". Ships have a master and crew, so if you say 'No of Crew is 5' it means you have 6 persons to be rescued!
I notice you omit the word"Over" at the end of your distress message. This is most important if you want a reply, otherwise they will be waiting for you to say something else.
As for your question, the Nature of Distress is regarded as more important than No of Crew, the latter does not even get a mention on DSC alert whereas you have the opportunity to select the former before transmission, including 'being attacked by pirates'!
Some publications include "Require immediate assistance" which seems superfluous to me as the definition of Distress includes that phrase, and you say it 4 times before sending the message!

 

[Jacket]

I'd always been told to include the master in the crew. (Crew lists must always include the master, after all)


Probably safer anyway- if there's six of you (including the master) and you say "six crew" in the mayday broadcast, they'll look for at least six people. If you try and be technically clever, and say "5 crew" then once they find 5 people, they're likely to stop looking.

Better that they waste a bit of time looking for someone who doesn't exist than that they don't look for the last person and leave them bobbing around in the middle of the Channel.

 

[Twister_Ken]

Crew?

Some may not be crew, they may be passengers!

Better to say "six persons aboard".

 

[ccscott49]

When I did my VHF course, they nearly failed me because I forgot to include mydelf (skipper) in the mayday call for number onboard, it's stipulated all persons aboard. Why would you want to change things anyway, it's fine as it is, if it's not broken, don't repair it!

 

[ccscott49]

Basically who gives a stuff! as long as the mayday gets through and they know where you are and your neme, leave it alone, If you've nothing better to do, go and sing some carols with the sally army!

 

[Jacket]

Re: Crew?

Can't help feeling its all nit-picking. In an emergency you're likely to be a bit panicked and not thinking clearly. I don't think it matters whether you say crew, persons or whatever, as long as you say the right number of people.

And as ccscott49 says, don't forget yourself!

 

[JerryHawkins]

Just remember...

... to speak slowly and clearly. Imagine you are the person listening to the mayday - when you hear the first mayday word you're picking up your pencil (not pen - may not write first time) and paper (which you always keep ready to hand) and are ready to write down the details in case you can help or at least relay if required.

As others have said, with the best will in the world, you probably won't be thinking straight and it doesn't matter what order you do it in as long as you get the message across clearly. Mr Coastguard isn't going to tell you off because you got things in the wrong order.

I guess position is probably the most important since at least if someone is looking in the right area then they should see your flares!

Lets just hope that none of us get to try it out for real!

Merry Christmas all

Jerry

 

[Cornishman]

There's a simple way out of this by saying '5 PERSONS (how PC can you get?) on board'

 

[Twister_Ken]

To the tune of \"here we go\"

Dee ess cee, Dee ess cee, Dee ess cee
Dee ess cee, Dee ess cee, Dee ess cee-eee
Dee ess cee, Dee ess cee, Dee ess cee
Dee ess cee-eee, Dee ess cee...

 

[HMCG]

Re: To the tune of \"here we go\"

But following the DSC you still need to broadcast a mayday on RT. DSC just lets everyone know to switch channels to ch16.

Safer lives, safer ships, cleaner seas.

 

[tcm]

Re: sounds dodgy

what a lovely mayday it would be if all that could come out in the correct order as mangled family and/or friends are washed overboard.

In a real real real emergency, you can pick up the RT and say "Mayday, 2 miles south of St Catherines, sinking now". You do not need the classroom blarney, and if you really were sinking, wouldn't have time.

 

[HMCG]

Re: Crew?

I have to disagree. There is a difference between POB and crew. If you do say crew it immediately puts doubt in our minds as to just how many you have. On so many occasions we have asked a master how many persons on board and they come back repetedly with a number. Once the lifeboat returns we often find an extra person due to the spectre of the master not counting himself.

Safer lives, safer ships, cleaner seas.

 

[Twister_Ken]

Re: To the tune of \"here we go\"

Ooh!

That's not what the advertising says. It says "Push the red tit for five seconds, and HMCG wil receive your mayday, your MMSI, your position and (if you've had time to enter it) the nature of your distress".

My understanding is that HMCG will then try and contact me by voice on 16, but failing that they will 'all stations' broadcast the mayday and task rescue assets.

Am I wrong?

 

[HMCG]

Re: To the tune of \"here we go\"

I am afraid that yes you are wrong. The initiating station should transmit on ch16 following a DSC ditress alert. They should also add the vessels MMSI after the word MAYDAY.

However if we hear nothing within a reasonable time we will then we will do a mayday relay broadcast with what information we have.



Safer lives, safer ships, cleaner seas.

 

[HMCG]

Re: To the tune of \"here we go\"

The procedure can be found at this page on the MCA website.

<A target="_blank" HREF=http://www.mcga.gov.uk/publications/leaflets/gmdss_pro.htm>http://www.mcga.gov.uk/publications/leaflets/gmdss_pro.htm</A>

Safer lives, safer ships, cleaner seas.

 

[Twister_Ken]

A bit of both

From the MCA website:

"Send a Distress Alert using DSC. Wait about 15 seconds for a DSC acknowledgement from the Coastguard or a ship station. On CH16, on receipt of a DSC acknowledgement or after about 15 seconds, transmit the Distress call..."

 

[HMCG]

Re: A bit of both

I think I might have missed what you mean by "a bit of both". If you receive a DSC acknowledgement (which is a digital call not an RT call), which will stop your DSC equipment from resending, or if you don't, you still need to transmit on ch16.



Safer lives, safer ships, cleaner seas.

 

[LadyInBed]

Re: Crew?

I decided not to use 'People'. When I radio CG with a 'Passage Information' message I use 'Adults' and if appropriate 'Children' on board.