There are two phrases that could notify those around you that you are in trouble, Mayday and Pan Pan. Lets look at the differences.
Mayday - Mayday should be used when there is a life threatening emergency aboard the vessel. This could include sinking, a person that has become unconscious (most likely by the boom), a fire aboard the vessel, or any other situation that the captain deems could be life threatening to those aboard. During a mayday call it is important to stay calm despite the situation that is happening around you. If you are unable to make the call in a clear and concise way that will tell the authorities and those around you what the problem is and your location, it could potentially delay the assistance you require. A mayday call should be made as follows.
All mayday calls should be made on channel 16.
Mayday, Mayday, Mayday. This is [your name or title on the vessel (i.e. Michael or "The captain")] on [Sailing Vessel, Motor Yacht [name of boat]] declaring an emergency.
Release the PTT key and wait a moment to ensure the channel is still clear. Then continue....
Mayday. The vessel [insert vessel name] is located [current position, speed, and bearing (if possible) or relative location ("one mile east of [marina name or point of reference such as a boat ramp]") We are a [sailboat or power boat] experiencing [distress situation (taking on water, loss of life, fire on board) and are in need of immediate assistance. There are [number] of souls on board. [Give any other pertinent information about location, passengers, or description of boat that could be useful to the authorities]. This is [vessel name] over.
If you don't have all of the information necessary, give as much information possible.
In the heat of the moment is is likely that the person making the call will not do it in this exact order. BUT, it is important to always start out by saying "Mayday" three times and giving the name of your vessel.
If you find yourself in an emergency where you as the captain don't feel as if there are any lives in danger, it is more likely that you will want to use the "Pan Pan" signal to hail for assistance. "Pan Pan" tells those around you that you are in a state of emergency but you are not to the point of having a loss of life or property. Some examples of when you would use this command are in the event or a injury, serious illness, or a man overboard. You will use the same methodology as you would when making a mayday call.
We all can hope that we never have to use either of these calls, but it is also important to know how to do so just in case the need arises. No matter how seasoned of a captain you are, there is always the chance for problems. It is best to learn how to deal with the problems before they happen rather than be in the middle of a problem trying to learn how to deal with it.
If you find yourself in an emergency where you as the captain don't feel as if there are any lives in danger, it is more likely that you will want to use the "Pan Pan" signal to hail for assistance. "Pan Pan" tells those around you that you are in a state of emergency but you are not to the point of having a loss of life or property. Some examples of when you would use this command are in the event or a injury, serious illness, or a man overboard. You will use the same methodology as you would when making a mayday call.
We all can hope that we never have to use either of these calls, but it is also important to know how to do so just in case the need arises. No matter how seasoned of a captain you are, there is always the chance for problems. It is best to learn how to deal with the problems before they happen rather than be in the middle of a problem trying to learn how to deal with it.
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