Water ingress on board a yacht can – in addition to a fire on board – quickly become a marine emergency on a sea voyage. It’s not always necessarily spectacular collisions with containers floating just below the water’s surface that can cause leaks. We show you what to do in an emergency – and how you can protect yourself against water ingress in advance.
Water ingress on board is a problem that concerns all recreational boaters – and one that every sailor or speedboat driver has had to deal with at some point. It’s not always the spectacular hits with wreckage, other yachts or lost containers floating just below the water’s surface that can cause holes in the ship. It is often the small, seemingly insignificant things on board that cause water to get on board.
Many water sports enthusiasts, for example, have forgotten to properly tighten the leak screw that was unscrewed before soaking the inflatable boat – a lot of water quickly accumulates on board, especially when a heavy outboard motor is hanging over the stern and the boat is fully loaded. Leak screws are usually plugs that have a thread so that sweat or residual water can be easily removed from the interior of the boat or cabin.
Small cause, big effect: the forgotten leak plug
Especially on trailer boats that have to be drained after slipping and before road transport, the escape screw must be protected with particular care against unintentional unscrewing on a subsequent sea voyage. And while you are in the process of securing and checking the boat properly, you should also check the condition and functioning of the marine valves – this also leads to uncontrolled water ingress in many cases. Winter storage after the impending slide provides a good opportunity for this.
In general, damage to the hull is defined according to a contribution from the yacht deck 2 yachts according to the size (small, medium, large), according to the nature of the openings in the hull (holes, fissures, loose seams or screws or rivets), according to the specific location of the hull (on the surface, underwater, right at the waterline). This makes sense because it ultimately determines the measures to be taken to seal the leak as quickly as possible.
Ship engines and their systems are the most common causes of water ingress
“If we exclude the effects of external objects, the ship’s engines and their systems are the most common causes of water entering the ship,” says SeaHelp operations manager Marko Orlic from the operations center in Punat. 2yachts experts also cite technical breakdowns and physical wear and tear of onboard units and parts as the most common reasons for boat leaks.
These include, in particular, rivet and screw connections, shaft or rubber seal leaks, defects in marine valves, and damage or wear to hull passages below the waterline.
In the event of water intrusion, appropriate measures must be taken immediately; what exactly needs to be done depends on the individual case
If it is discovered en route that water is entering the boat, measures must be taken immediately to prevent the vessel from filling up again, advises SeaHelp operations manager Marko Orlic. What exactly needs to be done in each individual case depends on the type and size of the ship; Unfortunately, there is no generally applicable approach here.
For example, a lot depends on when exactly it was determined that water entered the ship, says Orlic. You have experienced situations in which sports captains only noticed the intrusion of water because the onboard engine or engines were no longer working well or even turned off on their own; It was only during subsequent inspection of the engine compartment that it was determined that the water was already at the level of the top edge of the engine, Orlic said. In these situations, little can be done.
First, the boat must be stopped and the engine turned off, then an intensive search for the leak must be carried out.
“First the boat must be stopped, the engine and engines must be turned off if water is found in the bilge or on the cabin floor,” says SeaHelp Managing Director Wolfgang Dauser. Then you must look intensely for the leak. In his experience, simply turning off the engine can often prevent more water from entering the boat. “Cracked hoses or loose (corroded) hose clamps are common causes,” and as long as the impeller (seawater cooling) pump is running, seawater will be pumped into the engine compartment, says Dauser.
“Leaky shaft bearings, which used to be stuffing boxes that almost always dripped, are also very sensitive if the shafts take hits (e.g. from debris)”; Cracked hoses or loose (corroded) hose clamps in the wastewater and sewage system as well as in anchor chain washing systems can also be the cause of water ingress, says Wolfgang Dauser.
It is good if the boat has a sewage alarm: this way, water intrusion can be detected early and dealt with in a timely manner.
“If the ship has a water alarm in the bilge, water intrusion can be detected relatively early,” adds Marko Orlic. Boat owners should then immediately try to identify the leak and repair the affected area or stop or at least reduce the ingress of water.
Another tip from the operational professional: “If it is possible to drive towards the coast and let the ship run aground in a controlled manner, be sure to reduce speed before running aground”; There have been situations where captains have caused more damage by running aground than by ingress of water.
Leaks that are just below the water surface can be “lifted out of the water” by listing the ship
On the other hand – especially with sailing boats – it can definitely make sense to keep the ship moving to achieve a certain lateral list (in conjunction with a suitable crew adjustment) with which the hole in the side of the ship’s side is raised “above”. from the waterline “to windward” may be.
The same applies to damage to the bow or stern of the yacht that is just below the water’s surface. These are easier to repair if the yacht’s finish is changed forward or aft accordingly. This can also be done by replenishing the charge accordingly.
Leak plugs or leak bags have proven to be useful for onboard leaks
For smaller leaks, leak plugs or so-called leak plug bags have proven to be effective. They are usually carefully tied or packed in a bag with soft equipment, such as pads or pads, that can be pressed against a leak to keep out water.
Wooden wedges can also serve as leak plugs if, for example, a damaged seacock needs to be sealed. Also commercially available are leak plugs made of plastic, which are gently pressed into a hole, expand in water and finally harden. Wooden wedges, usually made from pine, are also suitable for preventing leaks; they can also be wrapped with rope or canvas before being driven into the opening.
So-called leaky sails can help temporarily seal larger holes in the hull
If water gets in through a missing rivet, you can try to seal the hole with an appropriately sized screw. If no suitable screws or bolts are available, smaller wooden plugs can also help seal the leak. Properly cut and secured sheets of plywood can help seal damaged windows.
If it’s a bigger leak, making a so-called leak plug can help. In the original sense of the word, it is a sail (foresail or piece of canvas) that is greased and pulled over a leak from the outside in the event of an accident. The main purpose of a leaking sail is to keep water out and drain the boat so the seal starts from the inside.
A modern form of hollow sail is, for example, a special, stable umbrella that is pushed through a leak from the inside, then opened and tightened so that it can be tightened tightly.
When taking control of the charter yacht, marine valves and inboard passages in particular should be checked for condition and leaks.
Tip from the 2yachts experts: Charter captains should inspect the charter yacht very carefully before taking it over or before leaving, paying attention to potentially dangerous areas of the yacht’s structure. In particular, marine valves and inboard passages must be checked for leaks, as must stuffing boxes in shaft systems.
This way, many causes that could lead to an onboard leak could be ruled out in advance. SeaHelp operations manager Marko Orlic advises, in addition to carrying the prescribed equipment and regular and active maintenance of the ship, also install an alarm if the water level in the bilge is too high and equip the boat or yacht with automatic pumps .
In general, actions must be taken quickly, carefully and responsibly; the entire crew must work together, hand in hand
If the worst happens, quick, considered and responsible action on the part of the captain and good, prompt cooperation among the crew will determine whether the voyage turns into a maritime emergency or not.
However, if in doubt, one of SeaHelp’s rapid response boats should be called immediately in the event of an uncontrollable water intrusion – the professional and trained emergency services have experience in dealing with leaks and how they can be sealed quickly and safe, and know what to do if they occur, water intrusion should not stop.
When making an emergency call (e.g. via the emergency call function of the SeaHelp app), you should be immediately informed about the specific situation and the potential need for help, advises SeaHelp Operations Manager Marko Orlic. If water intrusion into the boat has been stopped or reduced, a new “all clear” notification must be sent.
A sinking ship should only be abandoned if absolutely necessary
Important: “A sinking ship should only be abandoned if absolutely necessary”, advises Marko Orlic. In general, it should be borne in mind that a ship is easier for rescuers to recognize in the open sea than rafts or tender boats. Therefore, you must stay close to the yacht until the rescue team arrives. E: If you don’t have lifeboats, you shouldn’t leave the sinking ship and enter the water too early to swim, as hypothermia can set in quickly, according to SeaHelp rescue professional.
A sailing yacht needs an average of 90 minutes from the moment it enters the water until it submerges, adds SeaHelp managing director Wolfgang Dauser. For a motor yacht the time until it completely sinks is around 45 minutes, for a pleasure boat it is around 15 minutes. The reason for this is air pockets, which sometimes very slowly escape from upholstery, bed mattresses, seat cushions, water and fuel tanks.
This proportion is lower for motor yachts and sport boats than for sailing yachts. The general rule is: “Don’t panic, you have enough time to react or at least significantly delay the descent by taking appropriate measures”, says Wolfgang Dauser.
In all other cases where the yacht cannot be prevented from flooding but has not yet sunk, SeaHelp emergency services rescue the crew, ensure the yacht does not sink and tow the yacht safely out of the water to the port or marina nearest location, where the boat can be removed from the water immediately so that the causes of the leak can be eliminated in peace.
24-hour EMERGENCY CALL EUROPE: 0043 50 43 112
In the event of an emergency, SeaHelp emergency boats can be contacted via the convenient SeaHelp app or by calling the free emergency number for Europe 0043 50 43 112 (or call the alternative emergency number for Europe 00385 919 112 112.
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