A fast rescue boat is a small, powerful craft carried by many ships and support vessels to recover a person who has fallen overboard. Its job is to reach the casualty quickly, stay maneuverable in waves, and bring the person safely back to the ship or to medical care. Bright colors, strong lights, and simple deck layouts help the crew operate under stress and in poor visibility.
Rescue boats matter because cold water, waves, and fatigue can make every minute important.
Key Facts
- Response time can be estimated by t = d / v, where d is distance to the casualty and v is boat speed.
- Speed conversion: 1 knot = 1.852 km/h = 0.514 m/s.
- Relative speed matters: if a rescue boat moves with a current, vground = vboat + vcurrent.
- Turning radius increases with speed, so slowing down near the person improves control and reduces injury risk.
- A life jacket increases buoyancy because the upward buoyant force helps keep the person’s mouth and nose above water.
- A typical recovery sequence is spot, alert, launch, approach from downwind or down-current, recover, assess, and return.
Vocabulary
- Fast rescue boat
- A small, high-speed boat carried by a larger vessel to rescue people from the water or assist during emergencies.
- Man overboard
- An emergency situation in which a person has fallen from a vessel into the water.
- Lifebuoy
- A floating ring or rescue device thrown to a person in the water to provide immediate buoyancy and visibility.
- Freeboard
- The height of a boat’s side above the waterline, which affects how easily a person can be recovered.
- Painter line
- A rope attached to a small boat or rescue device used for securing, guiding, or controlling it.
Common Mistakes to Avoid
- Approaching the person at full speed is wrong because it reduces control and can create dangerous waves or impact injuries near the casualty.
- Ignoring wind and current is wrong because the boat and person may drift apart, making the final approach less accurate.
- Stopping the propeller check too late is wrong because a running propeller can seriously injure a person during recovery.
- Pulling a cold or exhausted person straight up by the arms is wrong because it can cause injury and may worsen shock or weakness.
Practice Questions
- 1 A rescue boat is 600 m from a person in the water and travels at 12 m/s. How long does it take to reach the person if there is no current?
- 2 A fast rescue boat travels at 18 knots. Convert this speed to meters per second using 1 knot = 0.514 m/s.
- 3 A person is drifting downwind away from a ship. Explain why a rescue boat often approaches from downwind or down-current rather than charging directly from the ship.