Reviving Someone Who Has Drowned or Swallowed Water

Suppose you manage to pull a drowning person back to dry land. What do you do next?

Rescue is only half the job. Reviving someone who has drowned or swallowed water is the other half, and it's equally important when it comes to saving a life.

Reviving a person involves performing mouth-to-mouth resuscitation. Of course, you should implement universal safety guidelines whenever possible. If you have an airway bag in your first aid kit, use it! It will provide safety during mouth-to-mouth resuscitation, keeping HIV and other infections at bay.

As always, call for help before beginning these important first aid emergency measures.

Mouth-to-mouth resuscitation
for a drowning victim.

1. Turn the drowning person's head to the side, allowing any water to drain from his or her mouth and nose. Turn the head back to the center.
2. Begin mouth-to-mouth resuscitation on land, if possible, or in the water if the injured person needs immediate life-and-death measures.
3. Strongly breathe four times into the mouth of the injured person as you pinch his or her nose. This helps air get past any water that is clogging the breathing passageways and the lungs.
4. After four strong breaths, put your ear near the mouth and watch the chest for any breathing movement.
5. Check the pulse for signs of life.
6. Repeat the cycle.

You're not out of the water once the drowning victim starts to breathe and choke. In fact, the first 48 hours after a drowning incident can be the most dangerous. Complications resulting from water exposure—pneumonia, infection, heart failure—can all occur during this time. Therefore, you should always take a drowning victim to the hospital.

http://life.familyeducation.com/emergency/cpr/48252.html

Basic Sailing Tips

Let's get basic. This is the first of a few short features on sailing for beginners. All terms will be defined assuming you are a complete newcomer to the sport.

Fabric sails attached to a mast intercept the wind and carry the boat along. "Squareriggers" and Viking longboats tend to have square sails. Most modern boats are rigged with sails that are closer in shape to triangles because they are easier to handle and more efficient. These are called fore and aft rigs because at rest the sails lay along a line that could be drawn from the forward (pointy) end of the boat to the aft (blunt) end of the boat.

These boats usually have a rigid pole, called a boom on the bottom of the sail. Sometimes they have another pole, called a gaff across the top of the sail. Most boats carry more than one sail and the other sail is likely to be a triangular jib that has neither a boom nor a gaff. We'll get into some other rigs in another article.

The sail pivots off the mast which allows the boat to catch wind at a variety of different angles. This makes it possible for the boat to sail against the direction of the wind.

The hull is a rigid, streamlined shape that must cover enough surface area to support the weight of the boat itself, plus the contents. It floats because it weighs less than the water it displaces. Within certain practical limitations, the longer it is, the greater its potential speed. The hull includes a component that extends down into the water to keep the boat from being blown sideways. This component could be a keel, or in smaller boats a dagger board, or a centerboard. These components also help the hull track in a straight line as the boat sails. 

 

Wind, currents and swell all effect the boat's movement, but let's ignore them for a moment and look at the simple mechanics of steering. The hull cuts through the water as it moves. If the rudder is held straight, the water passes by with little effect. But if the rudder is turned, the boat pivots on a point forward of the center point of the hull and takes off in its new direction. This is useful to remember that when you sail close to some object harder than your boat, that unlike a car, both the bow and stern are turning, rather than one just following the other.

If you are using a tiller, you move it away from the direction you want to turn; if you're using a wheel, the hidden gears have been designed to turn the rudder in the proper direction and you can steer very much the way you steer a car.

The Mechanics of Sails

A sail is a pretty obvious propulsion device to anyone who has ever staggered down a street against a stiff breeze. Wind blows, the fabric fills, the boat slides downwind. And that's just what happens with a sloop or ketch running free.

Pointing the boat directly downwind, and swinging the boom out at a 90° angle to the centerline of the boat allows the sail to block the wind and propels the boat in the same direction as the wind blows. It works very well, but limits your choice of destinations and unless the wind changes makes it impossible to sail home again.

No problem. You're sailing a fore and aft rigged boat and they can sail upwind by turning their simple sails into airfoils that pull your boat upwind. Complicated? Not terribly and if you want, you can ignore the whole airfoil business and pretend the sails push your boat at every point of sail.

Either way, here are the practical details you need to know:

If you want to sail in a direction 90° from the wind, you would haul the sail in until it's at about a 45° angle to the centerline and point the bow perpendicular to the wind. That's known as sailing off the wind or reaching.

If you want to pretend that wind just pushes the boat, skip the rest of this paragraph, though I don't think you'll find it too hard to understand. You've heard how the wings of an airplane work a time or two, haven't you? Wind flows under the flat bottom of the wing and over the curved top of a wing at different rates of speed which creates lift, allowing the plane to rise off the ground. Take a look at the overhead view of the sail. It's shaped a lot like the side view of a wing. The wind flowing along the forward, curved edge of the sail must get to the trailing edge of the sail at the same time as the wind moving along the shorter, boom-side of the sail, so it must travel faster. This creates a low pressure area on the forward surface of the sail which pulls the boat toward it. The rudder and keel or centerboard compensates for this sideways pull and allows the boat to glide forward at nearly 90° to the wind.

A third point of sail, close hauled or on the wind, makes it possible to actually sail upwind. Once more, the sail acts as an airfoil, drawing the boat forward as the centerboard compensates for some of the sideways motion.

All of these points of sail can be steered on either a starboard (the wind is coming over the right railing of the boat as you look forward) or a port (the wind's coming over the left railing) tack. By shifting back and forth between these two tacks and the different points of sail, you can plot a zigzag course to just about any place you want to go.

Tacking

You probably know that you can sail a boat in various directions, including upwind, by shifting the relative position of the sail and rudder. You can get where you want to go, but almost never in a straight line, which is one of the most pleasurable features of sailing. You need to tack-- zigzagging back and forth across your desired course-line and shifting the sail and boom from one side of the boat to the other.

There are two ways to change tack, coming about-- generally the preferred method-- gibing.

To come about, you steer the boat through the eye of the wind, that is, into and across the flow of the wind. The sail empties of wind on one side, and the boom swings gently across the boat and fills on the other side.

#1- Bottom Figure- Old Course You're traveling upwind on a starboard tack. You call out "Ready about," and turn your helm into the wind. #2- Middle Figure- Crossing the wind You're crossing the eye of the wind and if you loose power you'll be stalled out, in irons. But that doesn't happen and your sail again fills with wind from the other side of the boat. #3- Top Figure- New Course You are now on a port tack and everyone has shifted their position across the boat to improve the balance.

Gybing is a more difficult operation and must be approached with caution, particularly in heavy winds. To gybe, you turn away from the wind, allowing it to hit your sails from the stern and slap the boom across the boat with all the force the wind can offer. This extreme shift can throw the boat over on its side and in heavy seas can cause the boat to broach--veer dangerously on her side-- or capsize. Not good.

So why would you ever jibe instead of coming about? Well, there are a few times when a controlled gybe is the more practical move. When you gibe, you only turn the boat 90°, while coming about means you swing around 270°. The action of turning into the wind to come about drops the boats speed, and if you don't have enough speed going into the tack you may end up in irons-- nose into the wind, sails flapping uselessly. So, instead of coming about, you sheet in your sails so that the boom is as close to the centerline as you can get it, and still sail, then you holler, "Prepare to gybe!" to your eager and obedient crew, all of whom duck, and then you turn away from the wind. The boom sweeps over you, the crew throw themselves from their position on one side of the boat to the other and you slide across your seat as well, all secure about the deck.

#1- Bottom Figure- Old Course You're traveling downwind on a port tack. You call out "Prepare to jibe," and turn your helm away from the wind. Depending on the size of your boat, you may have a crew member release a preventer and sheet in the boom so you're running close-hauled. #2- Middle Figure- Crossing the wind The wind catches the outboard side of the sail and pushes it across the boat. You, or the crew member minding the main sheet, takes up the slack as the boom moves across the boat and lets the slack out as it swings to the opposite side of the boat. #3- Top Figure- New Course You are now on a starboard tack and once more on a broad reach.

What you most seriously want to avoid is an uncontrolled gibe. Picture this: You're running free, wind at your back, sun beating down in glorious fashion, when your attention is caught by a three-headed duck cruising past. You're not minding your helm and you fall off the wind just a couple of points.

Whap! Boom smacks you in the head, and it's all over in an instant. If only you had rigged a preventer. Just a simple line tied to the boom and tied on someplace forward to prevent an accidental jibe. With your preventer in place, you'd sing out, "Release the preventer and prepare to jibe," your eager crew would make it so, and you'd follow the duck for an impromptu photo op. 

 

http://www.yachting-life.net/new%20index/frames2/the%20basics_frame.htm 

The Art of Towing: Tips, Ideas, and Hard-Learned Lessons

TOWING A TRAILER FOR THE FIRST TIME

Towing a trailer for the first time is intimidating. Anyone who tries to tell you differently has forgotten his first hours towing a trailer when his heart seemed to stay in the throat and sweaty palms made it impossible to grip the steering wheel any tighter.

Like any new experience that involves risks to body and property, there's a certain fear factor that comes with attaching trailer hitch to tow ball. But such anxiety disappears quickly after one understands the basics of towing and gains a little experience. The key is to focus on how your own tow vehicle and trailer react as a package--and making changes in your driving style and habits accordingly.

Initially, this is anything but intuitive, but eventually you'll get the feel for how the trailer affects your tow vehicle's acceleration, braking, and steering; the line the trailer's wheels take as you round a corner; how the tow vehicle and trailer react going over bumps and dips in the road or to a sudden gust of wind; how quickly the trailer reacts to changes in steering while backing up; even how sharply you can turn before the trailer tongue puts a crease in your tow vehicle's bumper or bodywork.

With practice, you'll develop a feel for all these things, and just like driving a vehicle without a trailer in tow, it will become intuitive.

RIGHT TOW VEHICLE

The most critical aspect of towing any trailer is having the right tow vehicle. Just because your F-150 can get a loaded 30-foot toy hauler moving doesn't mean it's the right vehicle for the job.

Towing in a safe and sane manner requires knowing a couple of numbers and reading the tow vehicle's owner's manual. For instance, you need to make sure the trailered weight doesn't exceed the vehicle's maximum tongue weight or maximum weight-carrying capacity unless your tow vehicle is equipped with a weight-distributing hitch, sway control device, or both as stated in the vehicle owner's manual.

Tongue weight is the downforce the trailer applies to the back of the tow vehicle--and that force should never be more than 15 percent of the loaded trailer's weight. Weight-carrying is the conventional towing mode most often seen when towing a boat, utility, or ATV trailer attached directly to the ball/shank coming out of the hitch. Weight-distributing (W-D) mode is when the trailer is attached to a special hitch assembly that utilizes tension bars and adjusting chains like those commonly used on travel trailers.

Read the owner's manual and you'll find all Toyota pickups and SUVs require the use of an anti-sway control device on trailers weighing more than 2000 pounds (trailer/cargo). Ford F-150s require the use of a weight-distribution hitch on trailers weighing more than 5000 pounds, as do all half-ton Dodge, Nissan, and GM pickups.

THE TOWING SETUP

Before hooking trailer to tow vehicle, walk around each to check that they're fit for the road. Make sure the tires are inflated correctly (look in the owner's manual for tow-vehicle tire pressures, on the tire sidewalls for the trailer), and that hoses, belts, fluid levels, trailer spring hangers, and springs are in good shape. All cargo and gear must be stored securely.

Make sure hitch, drawbar, and trailer ball are the proper ones for the trailer you're about to tow--and that all are tight. The size of the required ball is stamped into the body of the trailer coupler and the ball itself has its size stamped into the top.

This will take less than 10 minutes and can eliminate the vast majority of trailer problems that occur on the highway.

Drop the trailer onto the hitch ball, then lock the trailer coupler lever and place a locking pin or other bolt through the lever to keep it from accidentally popping open while you're driving. Attach the safety chains by crossing them under the coupler and hooking them onto the hitch loops in the proper orientation. Then attach the breakaway brake cable to the hitch.

Step back and observe the tow vehicle and trailer from the side: The trailer should sit parallel with the ground (or ever so slightly tongue low) and in line with the chassis of the tow vehicle.

If the trailer tongue is too high or too low, the load on/in the trailer may be too far forward or rearward, which will adversely affect how the trailer tows. Move the weight on the trailer until the level balance is achieved, adjust the spring bars on the W-D hitch to better balance the load, or change the hitch shank to one that brings the tow vehicle/trailer into proper alignment.

Insert the plug on the trailer harness into the receptacle on the tow vehicle. Test the turn signals and brake lights to make sure they're working on the trailer. When trailer and tow vehicle are properly set up, adjust the mirrors so you see down the entire length of the trailer.

BASIC ROAD RULES

Towing on the open road is easy when the tow vehicle and trailer are well matched and set up, which also makes it easy to find yourself driving at the same speeds you would without a trailer. Bad move.

One aspect of towing that you must constantly be aware of is the dramatic difference in vehicle acceleration and stopping caused by the added weight of the trailer. For example, a full-size, four-door pickup going 60 mph (88 feet per second) typically stops in about 150 feet in an emergency braking situation on dry pavement.

Add a 4500-pound trailer package to the equation and that distance can easily be 220 feet--a difference of 70 feet or 47 percent. If a vehicle stops suddenly in front of you or a deer enters the roadway, 70 feet will make a big difference in whether you can stop in time.

As a guide to safe speeds, apply the four-second towing rule--leave at least four seconds between your vehicle and the one ahead at whatever speed you're driving, when road conditions are good. Leave six seconds of distance when conditions are bad.

Acceleration is also affected by the additional weight of a trailer. It takes almost twice as long for a vehicle towing a medium-size boat or tow hauler to accelerate from zero to 60 mph, or from 30 to 50 mph, than it does without a tow.

Towing requires undivided driver attention. That means turn off the cell-phone, quit fiddling with the navigation system and stereo, and do not be involved in any other activity other than concentrating on the road ahead and your immediate surroundings. You have to constantly be thinking a good half-mile ahead when towing any trailer.

The biggest challenge when towing for the first time is changing driving style. Slow down and be attentive to your surroundings and people sharing the road. Do that and you'll find towing trailers is actually easy--even for a first-timer.

Minimum Safe Following Distance
SPEED	DISTANCE TRAVELED PER SECOND	DRY PAVEMENT (4 SEC)	MARGINAL CONDITIONS (6 SEC)
25 mph	37 feet	148 feet	222 feet
35 mph	52 feet	208 feet	312 feet
45 mph	66 feet	64 feet	396 feet
55 mph	81 feet	24 feet	486 feet
60 mph	88 feet	352 feet	528 feet
65 mph	97 feet	384 feet	576 feet

The Legal Side

Having your tow vehicle properly equipped is the biggest factor in towing safely. It's also the biggest factor in avoiding serious legal and possible financial woes: Failure to have your vehicle and trailer properly equipped places you at great liability risk in the event of an accident where injuries occurred under what the legal system calls the Law of Negligence.

If the vehicle's owner's manual uses words such as "requires," "must have," or "not to exceed" in describing certain weights, limitations, and driving instructions related to towing and you ignore those caveats/instructions, you could be held liable for damages in a lawsuit brought against you by the injured party.

Towing Speed and Fuel Economy

Safety isn't the only good reason to slow down. Your wallet will appreciate it, too. According to the EPA, tests designed to imitate highway driving reveal that 54 percent of a tow vehicle's engine power is used to overcome aerodynamic drag. If you drive faster, the engine has to work even harder to push through the air, and it consumes more fuel doing so. A good example of how drag affects fuel economy is a truck that has an 18-mpg highway EPA number, which is based roughly on 65-mph speeds. Drive 70 and drag causes that fuel economy to fall about 1.5 mpg. Run at 75 and your mileage could drop another 1.5 mpg.

Put a trailer on the hitch ball and now fuel economy and drag play a bigger role. When the gross weight of the trailer is more than half the weight of the tow vehicle, the added weight and surface area moving through the wind can easily reduce your tow vehicle's fuel economy by 40 percent. As trailer weight goes up, fuel economy drops even further. If your tow vehicle gets 17 mpg at 70 mph in everyday use, it may get only 12 mpg with a small travel trailer or tow hauler in tow. Slow down to 60 mph and that mileage could easily jump two mpg.

Backing Up

Trailer towing isn't a race. Any time a trailer is in tow, slow down. This is especially important when backing one up: The slower you back up a trailer, the easier it is to control.

Here's a good trailer-backing tip: Place your hands at the 5 o'clock and 7 o'clock positions at the bottom of the steering wheel. This hand positioning makes controlling a trailer while backing up the least taxing on your brain. Use the side mirrors to watch the trailer--don't twist your neck into a chiropractor's dream.

When you want the back of the trailer to move to your left, just move the left hand up. Need the trailer to go right? Move the right hand up. Don't worry how it works; the less you dwell on the mechanics of controlling a trailer while backing up, the faster you'll learn the art.

Expert Towing Tips

Want to impress those at a boat ramp or campground with your trailering prowess? You may already do these things, but if not, they make short work in getting your trailer squared away in the shortest time possible.

If you're bringing a boat/trailer to the launch ramp or trying to park a toy hauler or RV trailer in a tight parking area, swing as close and parallel to the water's edge or opening as you can. As the back of the tow vehicle passes the ramp opening or parking space, immediately turn up the ramp like you are trying to make a sharp U-turn. Continue the turn in a tight S-pattern. As your tow vehicle turns back in the opposite direction, watch how quickly the trailer straightens, putting you in line with the ramp or parking space.

When you need to adjust the spring bars on a weight-distributing (equalizing) hitch, use the trailer's wheel jack to position tow vehicle and trailer so they sit level. Now adjust the links in the adjusting chains and lock the spring bars in place. When the wheel jack is cranked back up, the spring bars take the weight, and you didn't have to fight the load tension.

Trailer-Hitching Guides

There are several "backing aids" to help align the tow ball and couple. One of course is a rearview camera positioned so you can see the trailer ball and vehicle bumper. Many vehicle manufacturers offer these as options, or you can purchase them separately from an aftermarket source, such as Rostra Precision Controls (www.rostra.com), and install a system yourself.

Other backing aids are more basic mechanical devices such as the DuraSafe Couple-Mate (www.durasafe-usa.com). This uses angled metal plates that bolt to the hitch and forces the trailer coupler to position itself right over the hitch ball as the tow vehicle backs up the last few inches to the trailer.

http://www.trucktrend.com/features/consumer/163_0812_towing_tips_and_lessons/viewall.html

Drive Like a Pro

This article first appeared in Waterski Magazine Volume 12 Issue 2

A lot of skiing, from absolute beginners through to pros, relies heavily on the driver’s ability and know how. Understanding the differences on how you can adjust your driving to get someone up for the first time, or how to counter-steer for the more experienced skier or wakeboarder, can make a massive difference to those out the back.

This issue we have a look at some of the main areas to concentrate on in order to become a better driver.

Safety

Safety is more important than anything when you are out on the water. Remember when you’re towing a skier, your boat is no longer 4-6m. Instead, you should keep in your mind that your boat is actually 22-28m long. You must take this into account when towing skiers at all times, but especially through;

• Narrow rivers

• Crowded waterways

• Areas where you are passing other boats

Whenever boarding a skier, turn the engine off so you cannot bump into gear while the skier is at the back of the boat.

A marine mirror is a must for every ski boat. This allows the driver to watch the skier without having to look over his shoulder. A good mirror mounted on the windscreen should give the driver the ability to see 10m each side of the wakes.

Beginners

Making sure the boat is straight and the line is taut is very important. Slack line for beginners is a nightmare, as they cannot control their skis or board. Your observer, by running the ski line out, can work with the driver to make this a lot easier. Idling in gear will drag the skier or boarder through the water, and beginners don’t have the ability to stay in position when this happens. By touching in and out of gear you can control this at the beginning.

A common thought is that if the tip of skis or the nose of the board is sinking that the driver needs to take off faster. This is wrong; instead, take off slower so the boat’s pull is not dragging the skiers’ upper body over their feet so quick. This is what sinks your ski or board. Don’t be afraid to take 300-400m to get up to the speed you need to be going. If your skier stands up too quickly again, do not speed up, gently ease back on the throttle slightly so your boat does not get up on the plane. This will help steady them out rather than wobble off into the drink.

The start is a matter of gently working the throttle up and down smoothly to help the skier. Nine times out of 10 the skier will get up if the driver slows down a little and plays with how he approaches pulling a skier out.

Turning with a skier

When turning with a skier on the back you must remember less experienced skiers or boarders cannot control where they are going and can easily reach speeds twice that of what the boat is going. This is commonly known as the “whip”, which can be great fun to watch for those in the boat, but can be terrifying and off-putting for the new skier out the back.

As a driver you can slow down so the boat is not going as fast (even to the extent that you are off the plain). Also if you have enough room you can widen your turning radius. Both these techniques will grub speed off the poor joker out the back dropping nuggets out his boardies!

Again, if the skier is caught on the inside of the turn he will be sinking, so again widen your turn so you don’t put them further inside you causing them to sink further. Secondly speed up to get them “out of the hole” so to speak. Just remember, not too much gas that you end up sending them at sonic speed across onto the outside of the turn because that never ends pretty.

Controlling speed.

There is nothing worse than riding out the back of the boat and your driver is up and down the speeds like a yo-yo. When you hold the throttle, the lower down the better. This means you will move in smaller speed increments rather than larger if you hold it at the top. Never let go of the throttle as they are designed to “ease back”, so a bit of constant pressure is needed to keep the same speed.

I find if I am driving manually it is easier to be consistent with your speed if you drive off the tachometer and not the speedo. Speedos often read differently one day to the next.

If you have a cruise system, most these days need to have the throttle pushed all the way down (to the stops) to work correctly.

Speed selection.

When selecting speeds for your skiers, or wakeboarders, there are a couple of tips to remember. There are no set speeds for any levels. The driver needs to know what they need to look for at certain levels to be going the right speed.

Beginners. Drive at a speed where the skis or board are on top of the water but not flittering about. A lot of beginners look like they cannot control what’s strapped to their feet because the ski or board is simply travelling too high out of the water. Slow down a little so the skis or board sit a little deeper in the water. This helps the ski or board track truer. A good indication for the driver is to see a spray of water shooting out the front of the ski or board (typically between 16-34kph).

Intermediate. Once your rider out the back is moving around a little, increase the speed a touch so their skis or board ride a little higher in the water. This will make edging easier as they will feel lighter and freer on the water. A good indication is seeing the spray from the front of the ski or board disappear as it now goes behind the skis or board as they ride higher (typically between 27-43kph).

Advanced. Really, these advanced riders will know what speeds they prefer. Skiers generally will adjust slightly during their sets. (typically between 34-58kph) Wakeboarders will set their speed to the size if the wake and rope length (typically between 30-40kph).

Counter steering

A lot of drivers don’t realise that to keep the boat straight means countering the wheel to the riders pull out the back. This helps keep a smooth ride out the back and also keeps a tighter tow line. As a rider pulls from out one side of the boat, they are trying to drag you over towards them; smoothly counter this action by steering away from them as they pull you. As they pass behind you and head out the other side you must counter the other way so they don’t take you out with them. Being smooth and not pre-determining the pull is what makes you a good driver. This allows you to “pick them up and release them”, as it’s known in the sport.

Imagine the boat is never going to move an inch, but your ski pole is going to zig zag only 2-3cm either side with the skier. This means you stay straight and strong, but aren’t hard on the rider out the back.

Hopefully these tips assist in less family feuds and arguments on the water .

Experience and patience also play a huge part in becoming a better driver. Stay safe, and have a great summer behind the wheel.

http://www.waterskimag.com.au/?p=87

Trim Tabs - An Explanation

Trim tabs work exactly the same way as the control surfaces on an airplane. As you know, there are three axes affecting the motion of your boat as you travel through the water: Yaw, Pitch and Roll.

Trim tabs have little effect on the yaw axis, because yaw is controlled by the rudder or the side to side movement of the outdrive. Where they are effective is in the roll axis, to eliminate or reduce listing or heeling, especially if your boat has a deep "V" hull, and in the pitch axis, to raise or lower your bow.

The port and starboard trim tabs act independently. It is a simple thing to adjust them to lift the down side of the boat and compensate for the three or four hundred kilos of weight caused by your passengers all wanting to be on the same side. To do this, lower the down side tab. The water pressing against the tab as you move will lift that side of the boat (around the roll axis) and eliminate your list. As your passengers move about, you can continue to adjust the tabs to compensate for the redistribution of weight. You must understand though, the trim tabs will have less effect at slower speed than at high speed. You can understand this by a simple experiment. Next time you are in your car put your hand out of the window at an angle to the slipstream. Note that when you drive slowly, the wind has little effect on your hand but as you speed up, the wind will eventually drive your hand up and back. Now remember, water is much more dense than air so prudence in applying trim is recommended.

Where most operators initially use trim is in the pitch axis, getting their boats to the plane mode as quickly as possible. It is then easy to maintain the boat’s most economical cruising speed by tab adjustment. This is accomplished using the "BowDown" control. This lowers both tabs and the force of the water against them will push the stern up consequently lowering the bow (around the pitch axis).  Again, smooth rather than aggressive application is recommended to prevent pitch down of the bow. Trim may also be used in the pitch axis to keep the bow up to avoid taking seas over the bow if the water is rough. Naturally you would use the "Bow Up" control to do this.

I mentioned that trim tabs have little effect in the yaw axis, but they do have some. I’m sure you can readily understand that if you have only one of the tabs hanging out, besides lifting that side of the boat it will also cause a certain amount of drag. This will have the effect of slowing that side of the boat causing the bow to rotate about the yaw axis and turning the boat to that side. The rudder or out-drive are usually adjusted slightly to compensate.

Using trim tabs is much like riding a bicycle. You learn to do it by feel. Your knot meter will tell you when you have trimmed for best speed at any throttle setting and your common sense will help you adjust trim to sea conditions and weight distribution. I am positive that in gaining experience you will soon amaze your friends with your skills in boat handling and trim.

http://www.boatsafe.com/nauticalknowhow/captpat1.htm

How to Survive if Lost at Sea

No one wants to contemplate their peaceful sailing vacation or boat trip turning into a disaster-- and most mariners or ship passengers will have safe journeys. However, when faced with the unpredictable nature of the sea, it's best to plan for the worst.

Steps

Plan ahead

1. 1
   Make sure your vessel has the following supplies:
   
   
   
   • Seaworthy life raft
   • Enough life jackets (PFDs) for everyone on board
   • Dry suits (particularly if you are in a cold climate)
   • Bottled water (enough for everyone on board for several days)
   • Radio transmitters (larger vessels should have a device called an EPRB, which helps rescuers locate the person using it)
   • Seasickness medication
   • Plastic-wrapped packages containing the "Ten Essentials" for everyone aboard.
   • Fish net
   • Plastic wrap
   • String or rope
2. 2
   Package your emergency items in waterproof containers above decks, preferably strapped into the lifeboat.
   
   
   
3. 3
   Create an emergency plan.
   
   
   
   • One or two people should be in charge of the following:
     • A unique "abandon ship" alarm, which should be heard by everyone aboard
     • Deploying lifeboats
     • Moving emergency supplies to lifeboat
     • Handing out survival gear
     • Head count
4. 4
   Practice your emergency drill with your shipmates.
   
   
   

In The Emergency

1. 1
   Move above decks if you are not there already.
   
   
   
2. 2
   Collect your survival gear.
   
   
   
   • First, put on your dry suit and flotation device. If you have time, stash extra clothing in your suit for warmth.
   • Next, make sure you have food, supplies, and a container of water
   • Move toward the nearest lifeboat. Although you will be scared, avoid running or thrashing.
     • If you are not able to board the raft from the deck, swim towards it. Your odds of being rescued are much higher if you are with the group on a large raft.
3. 3
   Take seasickness medication, even if you do not usually get seasick. The stress, proximity, and jumpy movements of the raft will probably induce nausea.
   
   
   
4. 4
   Cover the life raft. There is usually a cover provided. This will help protect you from the weather.
   
   
   
5. 5
   Signal a distress call on your radio.
   
   
   
   • State the name of your vessel, your situation, your last known location, and the number of people with you.

Extreme Survival Tactics

1. 1
   Collect sea water in a large container. Place a smaller container within this one, and cover both with plastic wrap. Place a small weight in the center of the plastic wrap. Evaporation will cause the water to collect on the plastic, and drain inward, leaving the salt behind.
   
   
   
2. 2
   Catch fish using a curved piece of metal or plastic on a string.The shadow of the raft will attract fish, even further out at sea. If you have a net, you may try using this instead.
   
   
   
   • Prepare the fish by removing all the guts (where parasites are most likely to be).
   http://www.wikihow.com/Survive-if-Lost-at-Sea

   
   

Tips For Trailering / Towing A Boat

When you are pulling a trailer, one thing is undisputed. Trailer towing is a special situation which places demands on your driving skills, and on your tow vehicle. Here are a few basic tips that you should know in order to transport your boat and trailer safely, comfortably and without abusing the towing vehicle.
1. Weight Distribution

- For optimum handling, the trailer must be properly loaded and balanced. - Keep the center of gravity (CG) low for best handling.
- Approximately 60 percent of the boat's weight should be positioned on the front half of the trailer and 40 percent in the rear (within limits of tongue weight capacity).
- The boat should also be balanced from side to side. If the vessel has side mounted fuel or water tanks and only one side is filled, then this will lend the rig to maneuver poorly. Proper balancing will also prolong the life of your trailers tires.
- The boat should be firmly secured with at least two ratchet type straps, attached from the trailer to the stern eyes and one ratchet type strap from the trailer (to the rear), to the bow eye to keep the boat from shifting forward. The bow eye should also be attached to the trailer's winch which is mounted forward of the bow.

2. Before Starting

- Before hooking up to the trailer, make sure your tow vehicle is full of oil and fuel. Remember, it is a lot easier to fuel your tow vehicle at a gas station without a boat and trailer attached. You should also make sure the vehicle has plenty of water in the radiator and fluid in the transmission. Towing a large load can often times heat up a motor and strain a transmission. If you haven't already done so, look into installing a transmission cooler on your tow vehicle. - Check the tow vehicle's tires for proper inflation. If you have a dual wheeled vehicle make sure there aren't any "hidden" flats.
- Connect the safety chains, and if equipped, attach the safety brake chain.
- Before starting out on a trip, practice turning, stopping and backing up your trailer in an area away from traffic. Make sure your mirrors give you ample vision around both sides of the boat and trailer and if not, look into getting modified mirrors for your tow vehicle.
- Check the trailer's turn signal, running and brake lights.
- Check the trailer's tires and make sure the lug nuts are tightened. A partially flat trailer tire will heat up and eventually disintegrate. And, losing a wheel can prove to be disastrous, especially if the loose wheel strikes another vehicle.
- Double check that the boat is secured properly to the trailer.
- Check the reservoir on the trailer's surge brakes.
- Check the trailer's connection to the hitch to make sure it is fastened properly and latched. A pin, such as a cotter pin or a bolt should be placed through the latch itself to prevent it from coming loose or being undone by vandals while the vehicle is parked.
- Check to make sure the trailer ball on your tow vehicle matches the coupler on your trailer. The three major sizes of trailer balls are: 1-7/8", 2", and 2-5/16". Make sure the ball is fastened properly to the tow vehicle and that the mounting will handle the capacity equal to or grater than the weight of the trailer and boat. If you have a receiver type hitch, make sure the insert (the bar the ball attaches to) is secured with a retaining pin and that it has a locking clevis pin on it.

3. Backing

- Back slowly with someone outside the rear of the trailer to guide you. -Place one hand at the bottom of the steering wheel and move it in the direction you want the trailer to go.
- Make small steering inputs. Slight movements of the steering wheel result in a greater movement at the rear of the trailer.
- Use your mirrors. Always watch both sides of the trailer.

4. Braking

- Allow considerably more distance for stopping with a boat and trailer attached. - If you have a manual brake controller, lead with the trailer brakes first, if possible. To correct trailer side-sway, touch the manual trailer brakes with out activating the tow vehicles brakes.
- Be sure to steer as straight as possible when stopping a rig. Turning while making a radical stop can cause the tow vehicles rear end to be pushed forward of the front. This is called "jackknifing".

5. Downgrades And Upgrades

- Downshifting assists braking on downgrades and provides added power at the drive wheels for climbing hills.

6. Parking With A Trailer

- Whenever possible, vehicles with trailers should not park on a grade. However, if it is necessary, place wheel chocks under the trailer's wheels as follows:

a. Apply the foot service brakes and hold. b. Have another person place the wheel chocks under the trailer wheels on the downgrade side.
c. Once the wheel chocks are in place, release the foot service brakes, making sure that the chocks are holding the tow vehicle and trailer.
d. Apply the parking brake.
e. Shift the transmission and make sure it is latched there. If your tow vehicle has a manual transmission, put the gearshift lever in reverse.
Note: With 4-wheel drive, make sure the transfer case is not in neutral.
- To start again.
1. Apply the foot service brake and hold.
2. Shift the transmission into park on automatic transmissions and neutral on manual transmissions.
3. Shift the transmission into gear and release the parking brake.
4. Release the foot brakes and move the tow vehicle uphill to free the wheel chocks.
5. Apply the foot service brakes and hold while another person retrieves the chocks.

7. Acceleration And Passing

- The added weight of the trailer can dramatically decrease the acceleration of the towing vehicle. Exercise caution. - If you must pass a slower vehicle, be sure to allow extra distance. Remember, you also have the added length of the trailer which must clear the other vehicle before you can pull back into the lane.
- Make your pass on level terrain with plenty of clearance.
- If necessary, downshift for improved acceleration.

8. Driving With And Automatic Overdrive Transmission

- With certain automatic overdrive transmissions, towing, especially in hilly areas with heavier boats, may result in excessive shifting between overdrive and the next lowest gear. - If this occurs, it is recommended that the overdrive gear be locked out to eliminate the condition and provide steadier performance.
Note: See the tow vehicle's owner's manual for more information.
- When there is no excessive shifting, use the overdrive gear for optimum fuel economy.
- Overdrive also may be locked out to obtain braking on downgrades.

9. Driving With Speed Control

- When driving uphill with a large boat, significant speed drops may occur. - A speed drop of more than 8 to 14 miles per hour will automatically cancel the speed control device.
- Temporally resume manual control through the vehicle's accelerator pedal until the terrain levels off.

10. On The Road

- After about 50 miles, stop in a protected area and double check: 1. Trailer hitch attachment.
2. Lights and electrical connections.
3. Trailer wheel lug nuts for tightness.
4. Engine oil - check regularly throughout the trip.
- If a flat occurs on the tow vehicle, do not use a small "donut" type spare tire as this will drastically reduce the maneuverability of the rig.

11. Launching The Boat

- Evaluate the pitch and length of the ramp as compared to the length of the boat and trailer. - Line the boat and tow vehicle up with the ramp in a straight line.
- Prepare a bow and stern line for easy retrieval and make sure any plugs are installed prior to launching.
- Back down the ramp slowly, using someone at the back of the boat to guide you. Make sure the wheels don't drop off the end of the ramp.
- Submerge the trailer only as much as necessary to float the boat or roll it off, depending on which type of trailer you have. Keep in mind that if you have a multiple axle trailer, if you back one or more of the axles over the edge of a drop off, the remaining axles will be supporting the weight of the boat, unless, of course, the boat is supported by its own buoyancy.
- When the boat is clear of the trailer, make sure there is nothing still attached, such as the bow strap or cable, then slowly pull the trailer from the water.

12. Retrieving The Boat

- Evaluate the pitch and length of the ramp as compared to the length of the boat and trailer - Line the tow vehicle and trailer up with the ramp and back down the ramp slowly
- Submerge the trailer only as much as necessary to float the or roll the boat on, depending on which type of trailer you have. Keep in mind that if you have a multiple axle trailer, if you back one or more of the axles over the edge of a drop off, the remaining axles will be supporting the weight of the boat, unless, of course, the boat is supported by its own buoyancy.
- Gently drive the boat onto the trailer as recommended by the manufacturer using the trailer's winch as directed by the type of trailer you own. - Once the boat is straight on the trailer, double check to make sure the bow is
latched to the winch and all lines are free from the undercarriage of the trailer.
- Gently pull the trailered boat forward, making sure not to spin the vehicles tires. Once the tires start spinning traction has been lost and it will be almost impossible to remove the trailer from the ramp. If the wheels start spinning, try to add more weight to the rear of the tow vehicle. Be careful about having people climb onto the bumper of a tow vehicle as this could create an accident.
- If the tires continue to spin, gently apply the parking brake while simultaneously applying power, a little at a time until the wheels grab the ramp surface, and the rig moves forward.

13. Parking The Trailered Boat

- Once the trailered boat is ready to be parked, make sure you pick an area which is well lit and free from falling debris, like tree leaves and other things which can clutter up you boat. - After situating the trailered boat in the spot where you want it, place chocks at the front and rear of all the tires. - Carefully disconnect the trailer coupling from the hitch, and unplug all connections.

14. Long Term Maintenance

- After each use, the trailer's brakes should be flushed with fresh water, regardless of whether you submerged it in fresh or salt water.

- Use a petroleum based solution to wipe the tires and prevent dryrot.

- Periodically grease the axle hubs, making sure not to overfill grease retaining hubs. This could blow out the "O" ring seals and promote premature failure.

http://waterski.about.com/od/boathauling/a/trailering_boat.htm
http://waterski.about.com/od/boathauling/a/trailering_boat_2.htm
http://waterski.about.com/od/boathauling/a/trailering_boat_3.htm