Mayday should be used while boating in emergency situations where there is an immediate threat to life or the vessel, such as capsizing, a man overboard, a severe medical emergency, or if the vessel is sinking. It signals that the situation is critical and requires urgent assistance. The call should be made on VHF radio channel 16, clearly stating the vessel's name, location, and nature of the emergency. Using mayday appropriately can help ensure a swift response from nearby vessels and rescue services.
When in imminent danger
When in imminent danger
When in imminent danger
Mayday is a distress call for help. It is used in a life threatening emergency and should be given three times in a row to be sure it is understood in the case of noisy or broken up communications.
Mayday derives from the French venez m'aider, meaning 'come help me'. It is used to signal a life-threatening emergency.
Mayday
In Pennsylvania, boating insurance is not legally required for all boats. However, it is mandatory for certain types of vessels, such as those used for commercial purposes. While not required, having boating insurance is highly recommended to protect against liability and damages that may arise while operating a boat. Additionally, lenders often require insurance for financed boats.
An oar is typically longer and used for rowing, while a paddle is shorter and used for paddling. Oars are usually attached to the boat, while paddles are handheld.
The mayday call needs to include these important elements: nature of distress, location, who you are, total number of passengers, and any known injuries. "Mayday, mayday, mayday, This is United States vessel Lady Diane calling all stations. Mayday, mayday, mayday, This is captain John Smith of vessel Lady Diane taking on water with three adult males aboard. No Injuries at this time. Location is North 168.12.25; West 78.62.12 [GPS reference]; about 24 miles southeast of Cape Maintown lighthouse [landmark reference]. Mayday, mayday, mayday." Repeat until an response is received, or until you have to abandon ship. Once contact is made, additional details can be relayed as requested, such as: "Yes, we are sinking. We are a 34-foot Chapparel, white hull, port of call is Maintown. We are abandoning ship at this point with one life raft. No EPIRB aboard."
Boating accessories can be purchased from a variety of different places, eBay will normally always have a range of used boating accessories. For someone who enjoys boating and wants something a bit more top of the range, there are specialised stores such as 'Boating Buddy' or 'Marine Scene'.
Fishing, boating and making salt.
The voice-announced distress call is "mayday mayday mayday". It's not taken as a distress call unless it's spoken three times. Its origin is the French "M'aidez" meaning "help me".