VHF Radio Safety: What Every Sailor Needs to Know Before a Mayday

Every boater—from kayaker to yacht captain—should know how to use a VHF radio before an emergency happens.

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Sailors should always monitor Channel 16 while underway—it's the frequency most likely to connect a distress call with nearby boaters and rescue teams within minutes. (Photo/ Marc Robic)

One of the most important rules while out on the water is to always lend a hand if possible—without risking your own crew and boat, of course. It is a kind of Good Samaritan rule. Over the last 40 years, I’ve lent a hand countless times. From a serious situation, where a power boat hit rocks in the dark of night and began sinking with six people on board, to simply towing boats to safe harbor after running out of gas or having engine trouble, to pulling a few boats off rocks, etc.

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Marc Robic
Marc caught his love of sailing and all things water from his father from a very young age. He has owned many sailboats in his 40+ years of sailing. An avid do-it-yourselfer and handyman, he builds, modifies, improves and executes all his own repairs. He also enjoys testing, documenting & sharing products and how-to methods with other sailors and boaters. Posting many how to videos on his YouTube channel and Facebook page. He is a member of the Canadian Power and Sail Squadron. Currently, he sails his Catalina 270, Aquaholic 3, out of the Ile-Perrot Yacht Club in Montreal, where Marc spent 16 years as Harbour Master. He is also a regular bareboat yacht charterer, having sailed most of the Caribbean islands. In the winter months, Marc regularly hand builds exact scale models of friends’ boats to give them away in the spring.