How does the father react when he realizes the ship is about to break apart?

Johann Wyss's novel, The Swiss Family Robinson, is meant to illustrate a sort of hardworking independence that uses practical skills and self-discipline to create a life in difficult circumstances. The father, William, is a model of foresight, whose careful planning and vast knowledge of the world enable the family to survive.
When the ship is abandoned by the crew, William reacts in two ways. The first is prayer—he is portrayed throughout the novel as a devout and upright Christian, but one who believes that God helps most those who help themselves.
Realizing that the ship has run aground on a reef and will eventually break apart, William has three priorities. The first is fashioning life vests for the family so that if they do get cast into the waves, they will be able to swim to safety. The second priority is constructing a raft which will enable them to reach the island they can see in the distance. The third thing he and his family do is scavenge, searching the ship for food, tools, and other useful objects that will help them survive on the island. They load these items onto their improvised raft.