BOATsmart! USA Knowledge Base
Module 06 - Other Water Activities Emergency Preparation
Sending for Help
You should have a Very High Frequency (VHF) FM marine radio on board your boat, especially if you plan on going on longer boating trips or if you may be boating far from shore. VHF FM marine radios are much more reliable than cell phones because they provide communication between your boat and the Coast Guard as well as the other boaters around you.
Channel 16 is monitored day and night by the Coast Guard. They will send the appropriate assistance depending on whether the situation is one of distress (life-threatening) or non-distress (non-life threatening).
Using a VHF-FM Marine Radio:
- Use channel 16 as an emergency channel ONLY.
- The code for distress is to say ‘MAYDAY, MAYDAY, MAYDAY’.
- Be prepared to provide the Coast Guard with the following information:
- Your location.
- The exact nature of the problem.
- The number of people on board your boat.
- The boat name, color, type, size and registration.
- The safety equipment you have on board your boat.
You can download our Quick Reference Guide, which includes this emergency contact information here!
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