28/08/2026
I recently found myself in sight of a vessel which had broadcast a Pan Pan call. In short, it was a sailing yacht with engine failure, trying to sail to safety into Cowes, but failing and getting swept past by the strong ebbing tide. I considered paddling in and attaching my waist-mounted towline, but common sense prevailed over trying to be a hero…!
A Pan Pan call is an international radio signal used to declare an urgent situation that is serious and requires help, but does not pose an immediate danger to life or the vessel. The term comes from the French word panne, which means breakdown or mechanical failure. It sits just below a Mayday distress call (which is for life-threatening emergencies) and above a securité safety warning.
In this instance, the boat’s captain provided only partial information in his call for help. In the ensuing 10 minutes, the coastguard elicited the remaining information required, but not in the slick efficient way I would have expected. In the meantime, a RIB listening in to Channel 16 had motored out of Cowes and taken control of the situation, readying to tow the sailing boat into Cowes.
As a kayaker, you won’t have any control over how quickly the coastguard deals with your distress call, but with a paddler potentially in the water or injured, you won’t have the luxury of time. It is your responsibility to be able to use a radio and to transmit the information required in a distress call without issue, swiftly and clearly. It’s an essential skill for a leader, but what if it’s the leader who becomes incapacitated?
I very strongly recommend that any paddler at SKA level and above should attend the VHF training course and get their VHF SRC certificate. Having the confidence to pick up a radio and call for help in an efficient way could be the difference between life and death for someone…!
Knowing how to correctly operate your VHF radio and when to make a mayday or pan pan call saves lives
