Passenger Safety and Service Flashcards

A passenger is allergic to bee stings and is stung while on your boat far from shore. They have an epinephrine auto-injector. What should you do?

Answer: Assist the passenger in using their auto-injector and immediately head to shore or call for emergency assistance

Anaphylaxis is life-threatening; assisting with prescribed epinephrine and obtaining emergency help immediately is the correct response.

What effect does alcohol consumption have on passenger safety aboard a pleasure craft?

Answer: Alcohol impairs judgment, balance, and reaction time, significantly increasing the risk of falling overboard or drowning

Alcohol impairs judgment and coordination in both operators and passengers, making falls overboard more likely and survival less likely if someone does fall in.

During a night trip, a passenger asks why the operator is running navigation lights. What is the correct explanation?

Answer: Navigation lights identify the vessel's position and direction of travel to prevent collisions with other vessels

Navigation lights are required from sunset to sunrise and in restricted visibility to help other vessels determine your position and direction.

A passenger with limited mobility needs to board your vessel. Which practice best ensures their safety?

Answer: Board them first while the vessel is stable and assist them to a secure seat before others board

Boarding passengers with limited mobility first while the vessel is stable minimizes the risk of falls; they should be seated before others board and shift weight.

What is the safest way to distribute passengers and cargo on a small open boat?

Answer: Distribute weight evenly and keep it low to maximize stability

Even, low weight distribution provides maximum stability and minimizes the risk of capsizing or swamping.

A passenger is trapped below deck after a collision begins flooding the boat. What should you do first?

Answer: Help the passenger exit immediately and ensure everyone has a PFD before abandoning the vessel if necessary

Human life takes priority; help the trapped passenger first, then manage distress signaling and abandonment procedures.

Why is it dangerous to allow passengers to sit on the gunwale (boat's upper edge) while underway?

Answer: It raises the center of gravity and makes it easy to fall overboard if the boat turns or hits a wake

Sitting on the gunwale raises the center of gravity and puts passengers in an unstable position from which they can easily fall overboard.