TRAINEX ST 1

Module/Section
Search Techniques

Description
Establishing sweep widths

Purpose
To practice establishing viable sweep widths for a person in the water (PIW) by using SAR Boat Book Tables

Preparation
No particular preparation required other than a suitable floating object is needed to represent the PIW

Instruction
CRV is taken up to a constant given speed - a speed that would be suitable in the prevailing conditions, for a
search for a PIW.
The object is dropped over board and time recorded.
Crew are instructed to watch the object until it is visible for only 50% of the time.
At that point the time elapsed is recorded.
CRV speed and time elapsed are used to establish distance covered by using the Time Speed Distance
tables in the Boat Book.
The distance found from the tables represents a viable sweep width for the conditions


Expectation
That crew become proficient with using the relevant SAR Tables in the Boat Book
That crew become proficient in use of the stopwatch/timer carried on board
That crew become proficient at estimating viable sweep widths for a PIW in various conditions

Notes /variations on exercise
This is a very simple and quick exercise that can be carried out at any time.
It combines practice in use of the tables and stopwatch/timer carried on board and reinforces the principals
behind establishing a sweep width.

The sweep width guidelines contained in the SAR Boat Book are just that guidelines. They do not
incorporate swell, and the correction factors for wind and waves are fairly general. The sweep with tables
should be viewed as something that will get you in the ball park but you still have to look at and judge for
yourself the actual conditions at the time.

By altering the direction of the CRV the difference in viable sweep widths can be shown depending on the
direction of travel relative to the waves i.e. First drop the object overboard when the CRV is travelling
into/away from the waves, then repeat the exercise when travelling with the seas on the beam,. The direction
of the sun is also important to establishing viable sweep widths. This can be demonstrated by repeating the
exercise with the crew observing the object up sun, then down sun.

Asking everyone to give their estimates on the distance before deploying the object can give some
interesting results. Estimating distance at sea takes practice.