If rescue boats have not arrived around 10 to 12 hours after abandoning an OSV, which action is recommended?

• A. Start the engines and head toward shore
• B. Shut down the engines and deploy a sea anchor.
• C. Increase speed to drift toward a warmer area
• D. Use flares every 5 minutes

Answer: (B)

When rescue is taking longer than expected, the priority is to conserve energy and stay in a predictable position to aid discovery. Deploying a sea anchor accomplishes this by slowing and stabilizing drift in wind and waves, helping the liferaft or rescue craft remain in the search area and making it easier for rescuers to locate you.

Shutting down the engines further supports this goal by conserving fuel and reducing unnecessary movement or noise that could carry you away from the intended position. Heading toward shore or drifting faster toward a warmer area would waste limited resources and likely move you out of the searched zone. Frequent flare signaling, while important, should be used as needed and not as a constant action when stabilization and conserving energy are the priority.

So, keeping engines off and using a sea anchor to minimize drift offers the best chance of being found quickly after a long period without rescue.