How To Survive In A Survival Craft When Your Ship Sinks

So you are now out in the water when your ship sinks. I am a seafarer and in our Monthly training we always review what should we do in case your already out in an open sea boarding either a liferaft or a lifeboat. All passengers and crew members have their designated lifeboats and liferafts plus we have spare liferafts like 10 to 20 pcs.

Lifeboats are launched usually by the side of the ship using a davit launch.
Liferafts are launched in 3 different ways: (these are usually for us crewmembers)
-Davit launch at the side of the ship (common way)
-Liferafts can also be thrown by the side of the ship
-All life rafts will automatically detach itself from the ship and inflate when it reach certain depth when in contact with the water ( these extra liferafts are extremely important because it contain food and water and extra ropes.)

Liferafts and lifeboats are just similar but the chance of survival is better in a lifeboat. Lifeboat has double amount of water and food for each and everyone( pls dont expect a buffet for you will just drink drops of water per day). Lifeboats also has better conditions to fight against heavy weather and sea conditions.

Ok sorry for the introduction but first these are all my own words. I received a lot of trainings and seminars from various training center in the Philippines. I also received training Both actual and computer base training in Holland America Line Cruiseline Company.

Rule number 1 before entering a survival craft ( liferaft and lifeboat)
Remove any sharp objects in your body shoes and anything sharp plus leave your luggages on board.

Here are some things to remember while on survival craft:
- During the first 24 hrs no food and water should be taken
- Everyone must take 1 seasick pills whether they feel dizzy or not.
- There are 2 assigned crewmembers in each liferafts and more in a lifeboat ( raft commander and assistant commander) you should follow these two for we are trained to survive in the sea until rescue arrives.
- Everyone is considered a casualty until we are rescued. So dont waste resources.
- there are many equipment inside the survival craft each are used for signaling devices food and water, there are fishing tackles. There are also equipment used to collect rain water. Thermal protective aid, sea anchor which is used to slightly maintain position. There are also first aid kit.
-It is very important to stay together with the other survival crafts because it is easier for the rescuers to find you when you are largely grouped together.
-Always asign one lookout in a 24 hour rotation basis for you to sight a rescuer and when it is time for yiu to use your signaling devices.
- There is a survival guide inside the survival craft, READ IT!!,