Man Overboard

[Don Guillette]

This topic has been discussed many times but no matter how many times it's discussed it's not enough. Like everything else, when a situation turns bad you don't have time to think about what to do - you have to know what to do and you have to do it instantly.

There are a couple of methods that can be used (Figure 8 and Quick Stop - I like the quick stop due to less time and distance). Personally, I think with the time and distance involved with the figure 8 increases the chance of losing sight of the victim.

Put that aside. What I'd like to discuss is once we are next to the victim (assume he's a big dude in the 200 lbs range) how do we get him back on board? One way is to put a line with a loop in it and winch him on board but assume he's injured and can't help himself.

Put yourself in the injured situation as the skipper. You've got about 10 seconds, which is a lifetime in this situation, to come up with something!! How would you get the guy on the boat??

As you read the above sentences, if you didn't have an answer in 10 seconds, which most mates won't, then follow this discussion as it unfolds. It may come in handy some day.

 

[Les]

I skipped this question several times in my reading of today's postings. However I do want to say some things. Like Mr. Guillette, I, too find this a necessary subject that every skipper ought to think about, perhaps even practice some MOB procedures in your own boat.

Some years ago, my racing crew and I practiced MOB proceudres before the start of the racing season here in the Northwest. I donned a wet suit and jumped overboard from my Ranger 32 so that the crew could practice retrieving one of our of our own. Seeing my boat go away from me was a scary situation. And the boat looked very, very small as it sailed away.

Because the Ranger was a fin keel and spade rudder we had planned on doing a quick turn under sail and then turn the motor on and return to the MOB. That is what the crew did and I can attest that the boat returning directly at me looked very, very large. And scary. It took them less then five minutes to return (but remember they knew what was happening). Getting me aboard was another thing. We planned to drop the main and then use the main halyard to hook on the block and tackle to raise me onto the boat. The sail didn't want to come down, the block and tackle snap shackle didn't want to open, and just nerves took their toil. They eventually got the line around me and hauled back on board.

Had I NOT been in a wet suit I'm not sure how I would have responded--our waters are COLD even in a wet suit.

We once again got under sail and did the same thing but this time we used a LIFESLING device which they threw at me when I jumped overboard. Although they were under sail, they once again did a quick turn and sailed around me. It is amazing how the Lifesling line comes at the MOB. As far as I am concerned it is the one way to go. You can pull the MOB to the boat, not run him down.

Thoughts from the crew is that when a man goes overboard that person is HARD to see even on a good day. A person's head is very small as you sail away. The MOB pole was just this side of useless. It is almost harder to see the pole as it is the man in the water. And if it is windy as it most likely will be, the pole just lays down--it doesn't stand up very well.

Thoughts from ME. I sold the Ranger 32 and now will only have a boat with a sugar scoop stern just in case (present boat is a Hunter 27). IF the boat is a full keel boat then practice doing figure eights but if you have a fin keel and aft rudder, do the quick turn. You cut your time in half. And I would let the sails flap and turn on the engine. As you approach the MOB you can turn off the engine or put it in neutral. Wives and sweethearts should know how to let the sail go (flap) and turn the engine on and turn the boat around. All spouses should be able to turn the boat in a circle and get back to MOB. Remember the song, "Anything you can do I can do better" should be the theme. I also do not sail with a MOB pole now. Useless gear.

In recent years there have been many improvements or inventions in this area of MOB. Personally I think each life vest should have a VHF radio attached. It would have been easier for me to tell the crew which way to go from my vantage point. But that is expensive. Perhaps a laser to aim at the boat might be a solution. A strobe light might be good. But if the waves are over two feet, you still may not see that MOB even if he/she has a laser light.

I suspect the most important thing that I learned was not to go overboard in the first place. Our waters are cold. I'm not sure how long I could last.

As an after thought, were I to fall overboard and my wife could indeed back down to me (our plan of action), hook me up to a a sheet, then put the line on the winch, I'm sure even though she is in her late seventies, she could use the WINCHRITE (found on this web site) to haul me out.

I do agree with Mr. Guillette having a plan and practicing is a smart thing to do.

 

[Rudder Nonsense]

I found this video http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RSk-L0U9VPM quite informative on MOB's. Not every situation is the same and you must react accordingly.

 

[Tom J]

My wife and I found ourselves in a MOB situation one day when the skipper of the boat we were on fell overboard. Fortunately, she heard him yell when he fell, and I immediately stopped the boat and turned around while she kept an eye on him. As Don said, we had 10 seconds to come up with a plan. The boat was a twin engine motor cruiser, so I decided to get upwind of the skipper and drift down onto him while my wife opened the transom door and got ready on the swim platform. The water was rough, so I kept the boat about 10' to the side of him, and my wife threw him a line. He was able to hold on while she pulled him to the swim platform, but it took both of us to pull him out of the water. His winter jacket was saturated, and weighed a ton, and the cold water had sapped his strength. After a change of clothes and a hot drink, he was fine. Thank goodness for the swim platform. The boat had a very high freeboard, and I don't know how we could have gotten him aboard without it. I'm thankful that my Catalina 310 has a sugar scoop stern, and like Les said, that will always be a consideration when buying a boat.

 

[Squidd]

I find it interesting the dislike of the MOB pole...??

I'm putting together my gear for next year and had planned on acquiring a pole and flag for visual reference...I picture myself in the water and sure seems a positive thing to have a flag on a 6' pole to bring attention to my position...even if the wind blows it over when it floats on its own...?

I can see where a pole would not do much good at night (where a laser light or better strobe would be prefered...) but most of my sailing will be daytime with only one other aboard...so we may not have the luxury of a "dedicated spotter" and I sure want something for the admiral to reference when she comes round to pick me up...(as I would as helmsman)

 

[Les]

Actually, Squidd, there is some humor involved with me not wanting a MOB pole. Early on I was new in my job, had little money but wanted to race my sailboat big time. Like today there were requirements that each boat had to meet to participate with one of those requirements a MOB pole. But Forespar's poles were out of my budget.

So one of the crew who had access to some labs on campus and I bought a big fishing pole blank, put a float collar on it, stuck some lead pellets in the bottom and corked it. Anyone can make a MOB pole we thought. But we were both scientist and had to test our creation.

We took the MOB pole we had made to the harbor and in flat water the damn thing practically turned turtle. We hadn't put a stopper in so that the lead pellets when it leaned over ran to the other end. Back to the lab where we put a cork somewhat up the the pole and then put the pellets in and sealed one more time. It worked better but not up to our control model, a borrowed Forespar unit. And when we made the flag for the top we made it too big and the pole again leaned over without our help.

It took a while but we finally got a pole that was useable and would pass inspection but later on in the race (Strait of Georgia, BC) we sail in fifty five knot winds and the waves were taller then my spreaders. We all agreed that in those conditions the pole would have been useless.

Right now I'm using a strobe on my inflatable life vest. But then again I like to single hand my boat and the message is clear, just don't go overboard. I've got to play it safe.

You too, have a safe one.

 

[Squidd]

I'm glad you mentioned the custom made pole...

I plan on fabricating mine as well and considered the need for stationary weight.. Just need to work out the floatation/ballast ratio..

 

[Don Guillette]

Years ago I attented Newport Sailing School in Newport Beach, Ca. They are no longer in business. I took every course they offered. One course in particular, Offshore Sailing, was most interesting and, in fact, scared the poop out of me and made me wonder, with all that go wrong at sea, why am I involved in this sport. The class was split between day and night sessions. The night sessions were the worst. It was November, cold and rough seas. The instructor told us during the last session to be prepared for anything. I never dreamed what he ment by that.

After about 1 hour the mainsail comes crashing down - he had uncleated the main halyard!! There is sail all over the place. The boat driver jumped out of her skin and left the wheel. Now the boat goings all over the place. Next, he calls man overboard and throws a cushion overboard and tells the boat driver to keep her eye on it. That keeps her away from the wheel so the boats still going all over the place. After we got the boat back together we couldn't find the cushion. He told us what we did wrong and what we should have done - mainly to keeps our wits about us, not to panic, assign jobs with one person in charge.

After our discussion, he told us he was going to do it again to see how we did when we knew what was about to happen. Same scene again. We did a little better - the driver didn't leave the wheel but no one was in charge to give orders. No one was asssisgned to watch the MOB or even thought to pick up the flashlight that was hanging by the wheel. 6 people were running around without a coordinated effort. Again, we never did find the second cushion.

If that had been a real life situation, which could easily happen, someone wouldn't have been coming home that night.

 

[kappykaplan]

Assuming one has a preventer, that would make an excellent device to raise the sodden MOB out of the water.

Notwithstanding all the above, I make my scouts practice MOB procedures before we go on a cruise.

 

[gpdno]

Use my main sheet

I have given this some though in the past. Once I recovered the MOB they could be secured to the stern while I rigged a system to hoist them back on board.

First I would reattach my wire topping lift to the boom. They I could remove the fiddle block from the traveler. With the other end still attacked to the boom end, I could secure the MOB to the block and hoist them aboard. If I needed the extra leverage, I could rig a snatch block to turn the sheet towards the winch and use that to bring them aboard.

 

[Kings Gambit]

Faster is Better

I have my own method, but one that has not actually been tested in practice. If MOB, the first thing thrown is the life ring which is loosely hung on the port-side stern rail where, when looking aft (where the MOB presumably is), one can grab it with one's right hand and throw. The life ring is an orange, 24" hard shell made of plastic, not Styrofoam. I wanted a heavy one that would carry upwind w/o blowing back into my face. Next I (or crew) start the engine and tack the boat to the weather side of the victim, getting in the jib if possible, and loosing the main sheet. While passing to weather of the victim, deploy the Life-sling, circle the victim (which means the main may gybe), and bring the boat into irons while recovering the victim (hauling in the Life-sling line).

I always have a block and fall attached to the back stay where it splits, which is up high, stopped off at the stern rail. When the victim is brought up to the sugar scoop stern of the Bavaria 38, I can snap in the safety hook and haul (or winch) the victim up the transom into the boat.

Comments about the MOB pole. If using an MOB pole it should be attached to a life ring that will deploy as the pole moves away from the boat. The victim is always going to eventually end up downwind of a sailboat under sail, and that is where the pole and attached life ring will go. I believe the principal purpose of the pole may be to show the victim WHERE THE LIFE RING IS, especially at night if the pole is strobed, as it should be. The victim may not be able to see a life ring on the surface of the water if his/her face is awash, but could see the pole and swim to, or toward, it. The victim should be much closer to the pole than the boat which has gone on a ways. We can only hope that a MOB will go in wearing a brightly-colored life vest, but often not. That person will need the life ring, especially if heavily clothed and cannot stay easily afloat, while the boat comes about and gets into position. I admit, however, that my life ring is not attached to a pole; I do not carry one.

In my opinion, the Figure 8 method was designed to rescue a victim with a boat under sail. It essentially allows the helm to return & draw up along side a victim without gybing the sail boat, which is more difficult and distracting to the helm than simply tacking it and coming head to wind. In my opinion, if the boat has an engine, USE IT to turn the boat around ASAP to get back to the victim and to maneuver around him/her.

 

[jnronekama]

Does anyone have any experience with the dan buoy (or similar) inflatable MOB pole?.. We are preparing for our liveaboard cruising and have looked into these extensively. It seems to be very visible, easy to deploy and use and with our sugar scoop transom, should help get to the mob faster and get said person back onboard easier. http://www.danbuoy.com/

 

[kenomac]

Dog and Man Overboard

Never underestimate the stupidity of some people. I had the experience of having a dog fall overboard and the dog's owner jump in after him on a windy day, while under full sail, two miles offshore with neither of them wearing life jackets... leaving only me onboard to save them.

Fortunately, I'd rehearsed a MOB plan in my head a hundred times, so after the initial adrenaline rush I put the plan into action and had them both back on the boat in about three to four minutes... cold, wet, stupid, but still alive.

Here's the plan which can even be done singlehanded on a 50 ft boat:

Get a Lifesling and practice using it. My wife and I practice by throwing a fender overboard, then pretend we are alone and have to execute the fender rescue singlehanded. This way, no one is placed in danger (eg: overboard in a wetsuit). Try it sometime.... Fenders are difficult to rescue.

Require everyone onboard to wear a lifejacket including yourself.

Make sure your significant other also knows how to conduct a MOB rescue and has practiced.

DON'T TURN ON THE ENGINE... It's windy and the sea and boat will be moving sometimes in opposite directions, you don't want to chop up your victim with the prop. Make sure it's turned OFF.

Immediately, toss the lifesling overboard... It will play out the line by itself. Don't touch the sheets except to pull in the main tight, and then tack the boat letting the jib backwind. Then sail in a circle around the victim without dealing with or touching with the sails.... Trust me, it will work and the lifesling will be drawn in right up to the victim within two minutes.

Getting the victim back on deck is also a matter to be practiced. We have a sugar scoop transom with a boarding ladder which makes a BIG difference.

I hope this helps.

 

[ancientmariner]

I agree with King's Gambit about connecting the lifering to the MOB pole. It would give the MOB something to hold onto, whether or not he is wearing a PFD, and stay in the vicinity of the pole. My ring will pull free from it's mount when the pole is deployed, hopefully giving additional visibility for the rescue crew AND MOB looking for flotation.
A MOB holding onto the pole itself may render it less visible, and allowing it to drift away is not helpful either.

Given unlimited budget, by all means have several Danbuoys ready to throw.
http://marinestore.co.uk/jonbuoy.html
There appears to be some choice, and they can get expensive. I am not convinced of the infallibility of auto-inflation, and would not be comfortable about replacing my hard and tangible system with a single inflatable device.

Getting a MOB back on the boat is a whole other subject, and I am less confident about the outcome the more I think about it.

 

[Hayden Watson]

Kenomac has it right. Don’t mess with the sails. You are better off with the jib back-winded because it will not flog. It is much more distressing to hear the sails beating about and just adds to the anxiety. I go one step farther. My MOB procedure upwind is just tack and hove-to. You will then be directly above the MOB and will drift down onto them. If you are a bit slow in the tack, just bear away and reach down wind a bit before turning up to hove-to.

 

[kgw]

Right behind the solar panel you can see my boarding ladder:

It's on lines/blocks, and can be raised and lowered from the cockpit.

 

[Don Guillette]

The main problem is geting the mate back on the boat especially if he's injured and can't help himself. That's one of the reasons I'm a big supporter of a safety line that will at least keep you connected to the boat so you don't have the watch the name of your boat getting smaller and smaller as it sails away from you. Some sailors think they should only use them on days when it's rough but I darn near bought the farm on a beautiful calm day sailing down wind when the boom came accross and nearly cold conked me.

But back to the point - how do we get the injured poor soul on the boat when he can't help himself? I've got part of the answer. I use my boom with the topping lift attached to attach and detach my dingy OB motor. I have a OB carrier harness and I fasten a soft vang to the end of the boom, attach the motor and swing the boom over the boat and drop the motor to the dingy. Works great. My dock neighbor watched me do it and asked if I though he could use that set up to swing out the engine he was removing. We attached an extra topping lift and it worked like a charm.

So I know I could hoist the MOB onto the boat but haven't figured out how to get him in the sling without someone going in the water to attach it.

 

[kenomac]

Dog and Man Overboad continued

I did leave out part of our Lifesling rescue plan and thanks for pointing it out. When I'm at the helm and something or somebody goes over the side, my immediate reaction is to backwind the jib and hove to... Basically slamming on the emergency brake, then tossing out the lifesling and drifting back. Unfortunately though, during our practice sessions this only works if the victim is able to swim... And make headway through the waves towards the boat. Most can't, due to being weighted down by clothing and the shock of the cold water. Our dock fender practice dummy is also a lousy swimmer... Just sits there... Floating away from us... Doesn't follow instructions.

It's also difficult for some sailors, crew and passengers to fully understand the concept of putting the boat in a hove to situation.... So when teaching others to initiate a MOB rescue, I find the certainty of keeping the boat in a forward motion more reassuring to everyone while getting the lifesaving device to the victim the quickest.

Once again... NEVER, EVER make a pass by the MOB victim with the engine turned on... don't count on remembering to put it in neutral.

If you are able to successfully rescue a dock fender, you can rescue a person (or dog). Practice makes perfect. Dogs are now required to be tied to the boat and in a life jacket when allowed on our boat.

One always needs to assume that the MOB victim is going to be of little or no help during the entire proceedure.

 

[Kings Gambit]

.

Once again... NEVER, EVER make a pass by the MOB victim with the engine turned on... don't count on remembering to put it in neutral.

I think it is a mistake to attempt to drill into people's minds that using an engine during a MOB rescue is strictly verboten. After all, how do power boaters rescue their MOB victims? Doesn't anybody ever fall off of a power boat and need rescue? Once the victim is in the life sling you can shut it down; you do not have to pass so close to suck the victim into the propeller if circling with the life sling. How many attempts (passes) would the average sail boater have to make under sail to recover a MOB victim? I'd say more than one, likely. So, I disagree with your admonishment!

 

[Kings Gambit]

You will then be directly above the MOB and will drift down onto them.

I really doubt this (the above). A hove-to boat does not necessarily blow back on its course. Honestly, in my experience with a couple of types of yachts, it takes some adjusting to get the boat to heave-to properly, and even then it may make forward way. You'll more likely pass the victim off a dozen or more feet, and then what? Now you're hove-to down wind of the poor fellow and moving faster in that direction than he can swim to catch you. Just ask the guy w/ no life jacket or life ring to please stand-by while you beat to weather for another try at a heave-to maneuver just to avoid using the engine (see above post)?