YOU are in trouble. The engine has conked out. The dinghy has gone adrift. You are lost. Your propeller has wrapped a lobster buoy. Or you are hard aground or have been hit by another boat. Where do you turn for help? Here is a quick checklist. Click here for emergency numbers.
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Nearby boats. Don't hesitate to hail the nearest boat that can help you when you really need it, whether the boat is a cruising boat or fishing vessel. In the best tradition of the sea, mariners are glad to help. But fishermen are busy making a living. Don't ask for trivial assistance, but by all means, ask them for help in an emergency. Generally, lobstermen are not on channel 16, but on their favorite local channel with their friends. Try 06, 08, 72, or 79, or spin the dial until you hear local chit-chat.
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Boatyards. Many yards have a working skiff or tow boat that can bring you a pump, haul you off a ledge, or tow you in. To most, it is part of the business. Most waterfront yards monitor channel 16 or 9 or the local fishermen's channel. Check this guide for specifics. Telephone numbers are included for those with cellular phones aboard.
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Hurricane Island Outward Bound School (HIOBS). The Outward Bound School has bases on Hurricane Island off the southwest coast of Vinalhaven, on Burnt Island in Muscongus Bay, on Cross Island in Machias Bay, and at their headquarters in Rockland. Each location has search-and-rescue capabilities including well equipped powerboats with licensed captains and emergency medical technicians on staff. They monitor channel 16 around the clock from mid-May to late September.
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Commercial Services. Commercial towing and salvage companies operate in most Maine waters. A call to the U.S. Coast Guard will usually be referred to a commercial concern if your situation is not life threatening. See emergency numbers.
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The United States Coast Guard (USCG). There are currently six Coast Guard stations along the Maine coast plus one in Portsmouth, New Hampshire. These are listed above and charted in each region of this book. Each station has at least one boat that can be under way within 30 minutes. In the summer, an additional patrol cutter lies off the coast or can be under way within two hours.
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For help, call the Coast Guard on channel 16 or by dialing "*CG" from a cellular phone. They will want to know the name of your vessel, your location, the number of persons aboard, and you situation. Remember, too, that if you call the Coast Guard, they will routinely inspect your boat for safety equipment.
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The Coast Guard strongly emphasizes filing a detailed float plan with friends or relatives. In emergencies, they will always respond in some way and will always dispatch units in life-threatening situations.
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Canadian Coast Guard. The Canadian Coast Guard and all government coastal radio stations monitor channel 16. The closest Coast Guard ships are based in Saint John, New Brunswick and Dartmouth, Nova Scotia.
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Fundy Traffic. The Canadian Coast Guard operates a vessel traffic service in the Bay of Fundy, call name "Fundy Traffic." Based in Saint John, it provides vessel traffic control and assistance to mariners. There are no requirements that yachts participate in this system, but doing so can help in many ways. Fundy Traffic can provide information on weather and navigational aids and detailed reports about nearby vessel traffic, and they will monitor you on radar. They monitor channel 16 and use channel 14 west of The Wolves and channel 12 east of The Wolves, or call 506-648-4865.