MOB

Jackdaw · Feb 26, 2014

higgs said:
Quite the video: http://www.soundingsonline.com/dispatches/291757-video-crew-overboard

Not sure why the skipper did not attempt to get the crew back on board, but waited for another boat to come along.

Because he would have crushed them. I assume he called the harbormaster right away on VHF, and they told him to stand by as they came out and got them ASAP with the RIB.

I've pulled people out of the drink on a big boat with big seas, and its is very dangerous business.

That being said, I assume the skipper knew the port. No way he should have allowed crew on the foredeck with those seas.

25yearslater · Feb 26, 2014

Several issues are readily apparent which provide a learning moment. One: Far too many non essential personnel on deck. Two: All deck personnel not wearing harnesses and tether. Three: Attempting an inlet with breaking following seas while not trailing warps or a sea anchor. Four: At no time were throwable floatation devices deployed. Thanks for sharing as this provides food for thought.

Jackdaw · Feb 26, 2014

25yearslater said:
Several issues are readily apparent which provide a learning moment. One: Far too many non essential personnel on deck. Two: All deck personnel not wearing harnesses and tether. Three: Attempting an inlet with breaking following seas while not trailing warps or a sea anchor. Four: At no time were throwable floatation devices deployed. Thanks for sharing as this provides food for thought.

25, agree with all your points except #3. You should not trail anything with your motor on.

Ted · Feb 26, 2014

I'm having a problem with the fact that the skipper left his 4 crew members in the water then left the scene. The MOB were completely out of visual contact with the crew on the sailboat. Thankfully nobody was lost.

Scott T-Bird · Feb 26, 2014

It was pretty obvious that the boat couldn't stay in the surf zone and attempt to rescue the swimmers. From about the 5 minute mark for several minutes, it was pretty quiet and I wondered why the sailboat didn't come back for them, but then the surf started crashing in there again while the power boat was maneuvering around. Even the powerboat had some difficulty (they could have used a swim platform!) trying to get the swimmers in at the stern with an OB engine.

I wonder if they could see there were breaking waves from the back side. It seemed like they had to run a gauntlet, trying to predict when the wave action would settle down for a period. I would think they would have local knowledge, but it begs the question if they had other alternatives or if they ventured in unknowingly (I wasn't listening to audio, if there was some explanation).

Charlie Jones s/v Tehani · Feb 26, 2014

The harbor is in Spain, open to the North Sea. Apparently a VERY nasty entrance, rock lined on each side. Here's a link to map-

http://acm2.ohlconcesiones.com/ACM2..._Zumaia/Mapa_Puerto_Deportivo_de_Zumaia_p.jpg

The sailboat would have really gotten in trouble had he come back, and he really should have been moving faster. Plus it would have been almost impossible to drag the men back aboard, given the boats freeboard, and the seas.

I think the crew of the power boat did a great job, under those circumstances. Could have been VERY bad. One wonders WHY that many were on deck, and un-tethered, particularly the guy on the port side deck!!!

Scott T-Bird · Feb 26, 2014

The swimmers looked pretty relaxed ... I wonder what the water temp was. They must have had life jackets on as relaxed as they looked. In this circumstance, I think they were smart NOT to have tethers. They weren't in open sea and there were 4 of them together so it wasn't as if maintaining constant visual contact with them was important. Their location was pretty obvious!

If they were in the water, tied to the boat, with the waves coming in like they were, that would have been much more dangerous. The boat could have been rolling in the waves, with no way to get away from the swimmers without cutting the tethers anyway. It was fortunate that they could get the boat out of danger with the rest of the crew.

Ken13559 · Feb 26, 2014

Would it be possible to trail a floating rope and get the MOB to grab it and tow them slowly to safer waters?

Scotty C-M · Feb 26, 2014

For a pick up, ... Like a Lifesling system. In surf rescue, using jet skis, surfers use a pad, kind of like a large boogie board. I've wondered if that would work in a boating situation. I agree that the sailboat needed to stay out of the impact zone. Thank God that the small runabout was there. They did great. Certainly those guys on the sailboat should have not been on the deck. In general I think that it's better to be teathered to the boat - because it's so easy to get lost. I can see that there are pros and cons to this opinion.

rgranger · Feb 27, 2014

Thanks for sharing....I'm guessing the skipper needed new shorts after that.... I was surprised at how fast the boat righted. I expected it to take a few seconds longer for sure. A lesson I learned is that you don't have any time to think during a knock down so you need to plan ahead ....

Anonymous 121765 · Feb 27, 2014

The first thing I noticed was the lack of lifelines. Big ground swells like these no one should be on the bow or cabin top.

Those sea conditions looked as if it was happening for some time. The captain's first duty is the safety of the passengers. It was fun until the knockdown. I do however luv riding ground swells, my boat really likes the ride.

Also, not being familiar with the inlet approach, in those conditions I would have not cut it that close to the jetty on approach. And, I find it hard to believe the captain did not see the waves crashing over the jetty during his approach.

CR

Sandy Stone · Feb 27, 2014

Aside from the obvious problems with getting the swimmers back aboard a high-freeboard boat without crushing them in the waves, there was speculation on another board that they had drifted into shallow water. Now, as to whether they should have ever been there in the first place...

Jackdaw · Feb 27, 2014

This port is on the Bay of Biscay, known for its HUGE seas. The harbor and breakwalls are very modern and designed for the conditions. That seeward breakwall is over 100 feet tall.

The boat was a racesboat, with OSR regulated gear including lifelines and MOB kit. Boats of all types come in and out in those conditions. They just got hit with a HUGE wave, as you can see part of it break over that 100 foot breakwall. Here come a cruiser in safely on another day.

rgranger · Feb 27, 2014

Ted said:
I'm having a problem with the fact that the skipper left his 4 crew members in the water then left the scene. The MOB were completely out of visual contact with the crew on the sailboat. Thankfully nobody was lost.

I'm not sure if that is correct. I just watched it again. I saw the skipper twice pick up his life sling and put it back down. It looked like he was shouting something to the MOBs. I'm guessing he felt he could not take his boat out of the protection of the sea wall and the MOB's were too far for him to throw his sling. I also saw the guy on deck pick up what looked like a raft or board off of the deck and put that back down. They were obviously trying to work through the situation. Then the power boat pulled up along side and that is when the sail boat motored off... it did not look like he abandoned his crew to me... and he did come right back. It looked like he dropped off some of his crew. Maybe someone was injured? If that is the case the skipper was basically doing triage and once he knew his MOB situation was in better hands than he could provide he cared for his remaining crew.

Also there was obviously another boat on seen... someone was working the video camera. (?)

Hard to really know if you weren't there.

shemandr · Feb 27, 2014

I don't know if that's how I would like to start/end a day sailing.

StinkBug · Feb 28, 2014

rgranger said:
I'm not sure if that is correct. I just watched it again. I saw the skipper twice pick up his life sling and put it back down. It looked like he was shouting something to the MOBs. I'm guessing he felt he could not take his boat out of the protection of the sea wall and the MOB's were too far for him to throw his sling. I also saw the guy on deck pick up what looked like a raft or board off of the deck and put that back down. They were obviously trying to work through the situation. Then the power boat pulled up along side and that is when the sail boat motored off... it did not look like he abandoned his crew to me... and he did come right back. It looked like he dropped off some of his crew. Maybe someone was injured? If that is the case the skipper was basically doing triage and once he knew his MOB situation was in better hands than he could provide he cared for his remaining crew.

Also there was obviously another boat on seen... someone was working the video camera. (?)

Hard to really know if you weren't there.

Kinda what I was thinking. It's really easy to sit here on my couch and monday morning quarterback the whole thing without actually knowing much about the situation. There are things that could have been done differently for sure, but to say they abandoned their crew is pushing it a bit. In any rescue situation you have to balance the safety of those being rescued with the safety of the rescuers. This looked like a situation where both could end up in a very bad situation very quickly.

The camera was way too stable to have been on a 3rd boat. Looked like it was on land to me.

rgranger · Feb 28, 2014

StinkBug said:
....
The camera was way too stable to have been on a 3rd boat. Looked like it was on land to me.

Hmmmm... good observation.

bugaloo · Feb 28, 2014

Looks like it was staged to me, why circle and wait for a bigger wave and then hit the inlet and turn side to and be hit with it, all of the people in the water showed no fear and the camera man didn't either, the rescue boat was on the seine almost on cue and the sail boat circled like the pilot new what he was doing after the knock down. The people in the water were schooled in survival because they stayed together. Everyone floated high like they were buoyant, no sign of hyperthermia after 10 minutes in frigid water. When the boat entered the inlet he stayed to the windward like any seasoned pilot would. I think it was staged for some training film.