Make it your Business

Anything that reduces the ability of your vessel to return to the upright is a potential threat to stability.  In fishing operations vessels are exposed to numerous factors that affect their stability.  These include: weather, sea conditions, free surface, lack of freeboard, deck edge immersion, lifting weights, towing, loading fish, unloading, vessel modifications, raised center of gravity and lack of water tight integrity.  Understanding how these factors and their cumulative effect can affect your vessel’s ability to stay upright is integral to you safely operating your vessel. 

During the course of a voyage stability is constantly changing.  An initially stable vessel may become unstable and capsize with little warning.  Between 1975 and 2005 over 150 fishing vessels capsized in BC waters.  The loss of life and the effect on their surviving family and friends is devastating.      The Fish Safe Stability Education program was developed based on the need to provide a fishing specific stability program.  These video clips provide you with a brief overview of how stability is measured and what the potential threats are.

It is recommended that you do a risk analysis of your own vessel and document procedures to minimize identified threats. For example, recent capsizing investigations show a lack of understanding of the vessels limitations such as load limits (not documented) were a contributing factor in the capsizing.  Write down these important procedures to ensure everyone on board understands the safe operation of the vessel.