89% of responding Hunter owners have never lost crew overboard, according to last week's Quick Quiz. If you're in the unfortunate 11%, how did you handle the recovery? Had you practiced MOB drills? Did you use a Lifesling or similar recovery device? Did your swim platform or walkthrough transom play an important role?
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J
John
Maiden Voyage
The one and only time we had a "man overboard" was on our maiden voyage. We (myself, wife, and daughter) picked up the boat (Hunter "Legend" 35) in Seattle at Shilshole Marina, J-Dock, in February. The weather was overcast, very windy and cold, with whitecaps and drizzle, and we sailed her back home to Brownsville Marina between Bremerton and Poulsbo. The beat across the sound was 'exciting', as we had a full main (should have been reefed) and got the rail (deck?) in the water once in a while. This was a lot more boat than our 16 foot daysailer! On the approach to Agate Passage we crossed tacks with a fleet of boats doing the Round Bainbridge Island race from Bremerton and Port Orchard. We tacked up through the narrow Agate Passage against the wind and current with my wife and daughter running the winches and sheets (if I only knew how much work this was!!). Finally, we approached Brownsville Marina and entered our slip, docking for the first time (let's see, how do you put this thing into reverse?) with a major cross-wind. My wife jumped onto the dock (like a good 'first mate' powerboat variety) and, well, the wood dock was slippery and slimey (we have a lot of moss and mould in the northwest!) and she slipped into the water between the dock and boat. Panic!! This is 35 degree water and the weather was freezing! I now had to dock the boat by myself with both daughter and wife screaming, without the dock line (which was overboard) - only one try and I knew it was a must-do. Made it, got the boat tied off, then rescued my soggy sweetheart who was clinging to the side of the dock (also, she's not a good swimmer). I was really surprised how difficult to pull someone onto the dock that is wearing foulweather gear, sweater, long-sleeve shirt, water filled shoes, etc. The water-soaked clothing, not to mention any water contained inside the clothing, really adds a lot of weight, plus the water makes everything "slippery". This was over 11 years ago and since then I've tried to dock the boat so she could step off, and in the past couple years she's been docking the boat herself and I've been the one jumping off, a far better situation. We have a full compliment of "overboard" safety gear and have practiced and discussed how to use it frequently.
The one and only time we had a "man overboard" was on our maiden voyage. We (myself, wife, and daughter) picked up the boat (Hunter "Legend" 35) in Seattle at Shilshole Marina, J-Dock, in February. The weather was overcast, very windy and cold, with whitecaps and drizzle, and we sailed her back home to Brownsville Marina between Bremerton and Poulsbo. The beat across the sound was 'exciting', as we had a full main (should have been reefed) and got the rail (deck?) in the water once in a while. This was a lot more boat than our 16 foot daysailer! On the approach to Agate Passage we crossed tacks with a fleet of boats doing the Round Bainbridge Island race from Bremerton and Port Orchard. We tacked up through the narrow Agate Passage against the wind and current with my wife and daughter running the winches and sheets (if I only knew how much work this was!!). Finally, we approached Brownsville Marina and entered our slip, docking for the first time (let's see, how do you put this thing into reverse?) with a major cross-wind. My wife jumped onto the dock (like a good 'first mate' powerboat variety) and, well, the wood dock was slippery and slimey (we have a lot of moss and mould in the northwest!) and she slipped into the water between the dock and boat. Panic!! This is 35 degree water and the weather was freezing! I now had to dock the boat by myself with both daughter and wife screaming, without the dock line (which was overboard) - only one try and I knew it was a must-do. Made it, got the boat tied off, then rescued my soggy sweetheart who was clinging to the side of the dock (also, she's not a good swimmer). I was really surprised how difficult to pull someone onto the dock that is wearing foulweather gear, sweater, long-sleeve shirt, water filled shoes, etc. The water-soaked clothing, not to mention any water contained inside the clothing, really adds a lot of weight, plus the water makes everything "slippery". This was over 11 years ago and since then I've tried to dock the boat so she could step off, and in the past couple years she's been docking the boat herself and I've been the one jumping off, a far better situation. We have a full compliment of "overboard" safety gear and have practiced and discussed how to use it frequently.
J
Jay Hill
MOB Recovery
I've been involved in two types of MOB situations: 1) Accidental, of course and 2) Controlled Rescue Training The first was a situation all sailors dread; MOB in higher-than-usual winds and less-than-perfect visibility. We were on a long beat and the bow was getting nice and wet. During a tack, the jib sheet became tangled in a fender line (we pull up the fenders when we leave the dock) and a crew member went forward to free it. Although I had the boat at about 10-15 degrees off the wind (did not complete the tack so slack would be in line and boat would not be heeled as much), the crew member still had difficulty freeing the sheet with the jib luffing. The crew member sat on the cabin top and made the mistake of removing the hand for himself. He began to use two hands to free the jib sheet. He got the sheet free and yelled to the cockpit for another crew member to trim it. The cockpit crew complied quickly and the boat immediately heeled over more (as designed). The fore crew member stood before getting a grip on anything and slipped. As he went over the leeward side he caught the jib sheet and tried to hang on to no avail. He was wearing plenty of foul weather gear and was just too heavy to hold on. We practice MOB almost everytime we leave the dock so everybody new exactly what to do. Everybody wears PFDs EVERYTIME the boat leaves the dock. We wear the belt pack inflatables that are barely noticable and certainly NOT uncomfortable. So, the guy in the water immediately inflates his PFD and dons it appropriately. Then the crew reacts accordingly: 1. Throw the Type IV PFD while yelling Man Overboard! 2. Go to beam reach. 3. Make personnel assignments: Spotter, Hookman, Crew (for sail control) 4. Figure-8 manuever 5. Return to MOB 6. Go Slow! 7. Extend boat hook and heaving line to MOB 8. Assist MOB to transom where swim ladder is kicked down. 9. Help MOB on board 10. Get MOB below and in dry clothes as quickly as possible (modesty tends to go out the window during this step) 11. Ensure MOB is OK and resume sailing. 12. When MOB is OK, be sure to let him know how many pictures you got of his falling overboard! When we returned everybody onboard said they'd never thought they would hear themselves say it, but "Thanks for making us do all those drills." Second situation is something we do for our schools' students who want some additional training during the Bareboat Charter course. In the spring, summer, and fall when the water is a tad warmer, we secure a spot on the water with several mast bouys and diver down flags and commence MOB practice. The purpose of the training is to build the confidence of couples who are concerned about handling the boat if their partner were to fall overboard. Of many charter locales around the world, only a few charter boats have complete MOB recovery systems including slings, blocks, tackles, etc. that assist a single person recovering a single MOB. So, how does one do that if the MOB is unconscious? We actually have no less than four people onboard during these exercises. Two in the water, and two on the boat. The student on the boat manuevers accordingly pretending their partner in the water is unconscious. When the boat is properly positioned, the student lowers the jib (if not roller furling) or main into the water and uses the boat hook to guide the MOB into the sail. A little hoisting and the person is plopped on deck. (This is the shortest version possible. We actually put blankets on the deck to ensure the unconscious person is not further injured by being "plopped" onto the deck.) When all is done, they trade places. After lunch, another round is completed using equipment such as slings and block/tackle. By the end of the day, both are confident in the other and in themselves. Based on this type of training, I bet my boat has had more MOBs than a few fleets of recreational boats. I MUST STRESS, HOWEVER, that this training is conducted in a very controlled environment, in warm water, and by certified professionals. I DO NOT RECOMMEND you try this "just for fun" or to "see what it's like". If you want practice, buy a manaquin or build a dummy of the approximate weight of the heaviest person on board and use it to practice with. My philosophy is there is NO excuse for the loss of MOB. Practice, practice, practice. If people did nothing but practice MOB, they'd become more avid sailors just because of the boat control required. A little tidbit of statistics for you as well: In the state of Texas, there has never been a dead person recovered with a PFD on in recreational waters or conditions. PFDs are cheap compared to hospitals and funerals. OK, speech is over. Sorry for the book, but as you can tell, I'm a bit particular about safety-related issues and MOB is my favorite subject. So, even though the number of MOBs is low, being able to recover them is obviously crucial. I suggest everybody practice. Jay Hill Texas Sailing Schools
I've been involved in two types of MOB situations: 1) Accidental, of course and 2) Controlled Rescue Training The first was a situation all sailors dread; MOB in higher-than-usual winds and less-than-perfect visibility. We were on a long beat and the bow was getting nice and wet. During a tack, the jib sheet became tangled in a fender line (we pull up the fenders when we leave the dock) and a crew member went forward to free it. Although I had the boat at about 10-15 degrees off the wind (did not complete the tack so slack would be in line and boat would not be heeled as much), the crew member still had difficulty freeing the sheet with the jib luffing. The crew member sat on the cabin top and made the mistake of removing the hand for himself. He began to use two hands to free the jib sheet. He got the sheet free and yelled to the cockpit for another crew member to trim it. The cockpit crew complied quickly and the boat immediately heeled over more (as designed). The fore crew member stood before getting a grip on anything and slipped. As he went over the leeward side he caught the jib sheet and tried to hang on to no avail. He was wearing plenty of foul weather gear and was just too heavy to hold on. We practice MOB almost everytime we leave the dock so everybody new exactly what to do. Everybody wears PFDs EVERYTIME the boat leaves the dock. We wear the belt pack inflatables that are barely noticable and certainly NOT uncomfortable. So, the guy in the water immediately inflates his PFD and dons it appropriately. Then the crew reacts accordingly: 1. Throw the Type IV PFD while yelling Man Overboard! 2. Go to beam reach. 3. Make personnel assignments: Spotter, Hookman, Crew (for sail control) 4. Figure-8 manuever 5. Return to MOB 6. Go Slow! 7. Extend boat hook and heaving line to MOB 8. Assist MOB to transom where swim ladder is kicked down. 9. Help MOB on board 10. Get MOB below and in dry clothes as quickly as possible (modesty tends to go out the window during this step) 11. Ensure MOB is OK and resume sailing. 12. When MOB is OK, be sure to let him know how many pictures you got of his falling overboard! When we returned everybody onboard said they'd never thought they would hear themselves say it, but "Thanks for making us do all those drills." Second situation is something we do for our schools' students who want some additional training during the Bareboat Charter course. In the spring, summer, and fall when the water is a tad warmer, we secure a spot on the water with several mast bouys and diver down flags and commence MOB practice. The purpose of the training is to build the confidence of couples who are concerned about handling the boat if their partner were to fall overboard. Of many charter locales around the world, only a few charter boats have complete MOB recovery systems including slings, blocks, tackles, etc. that assist a single person recovering a single MOB. So, how does one do that if the MOB is unconscious? We actually have no less than four people onboard during these exercises. Two in the water, and two on the boat. The student on the boat manuevers accordingly pretending their partner in the water is unconscious. When the boat is properly positioned, the student lowers the jib (if not roller furling) or main into the water and uses the boat hook to guide the MOB into the sail. A little hoisting and the person is plopped on deck. (This is the shortest version possible. We actually put blankets on the deck to ensure the unconscious person is not further injured by being "plopped" onto the deck.) When all is done, they trade places. After lunch, another round is completed using equipment such as slings and block/tackle. By the end of the day, both are confident in the other and in themselves. Based on this type of training, I bet my boat has had more MOBs than a few fleets of recreational boats. I MUST STRESS, HOWEVER, that this training is conducted in a very controlled environment, in warm water, and by certified professionals. I DO NOT RECOMMEND you try this "just for fun" or to "see what it's like". If you want practice, buy a manaquin or build a dummy of the approximate weight of the heaviest person on board and use it to practice with. My philosophy is there is NO excuse for the loss of MOB. Practice, practice, practice. If people did nothing but practice MOB, they'd become more avid sailors just because of the boat control required. A little tidbit of statistics for you as well: In the state of Texas, there has never been a dead person recovered with a PFD on in recreational waters or conditions. PFDs are cheap compared to hospitals and funerals. OK, speech is over. Sorry for the book, but as you can tell, I'm a bit particular about safety-related issues and MOB is my favorite subject. So, even though the number of MOBs is low, being able to recover them is obviously crucial. I suggest everybody practice. Jay Hill Texas Sailing Schools
P
Patrick Ewing
Similar Dock Episode
Last June, Janis and I decided to dock at the public dock which is near the police station in Port Townsend for breakfast. I asked Janis to use the midships line for the initial tie since we end up having trouble when using the bow line first. The 37.5 is beamy and the stern line is trouble when the bow gets pulled in too far. She hooked the midships line around a cleat and pulled it in. There is a snubber on this line and she could not pull the line in enough to snug the boat up to the dock. I was planning to back the engine a little and secure the stern line when she decided to step onto the dock. It is a slippery wooden dock and was wet with the drizzley rain and goose poop. She misjudged the distance, slipped and fell back against the boat. She tried to catch herself by hooking her arm over the top of the lifeline but only slowed her fall a little and dislocated her shoulder before falling into the water between the boat and the dock. The dock is unprotected by a breakwater and there are currents and serious ferry wakes which smash the boat into the dock. She was wearing her automatic inflatable Crewsaver lifevest. It immediately inflated and brought her to the surface and she grabbed the dock line to pull herself in. I went to her immediately and tried to find something to grab to pull her up onto the dock. The lifevest has a harness with a "d" ring but I couldn't get my hand between the sides of the air bladder to get a hold of it. She was about 30 inches below me and I had a very difficult time keeping the boat from smashing her by fending off with my left arm and trying to lift her with my right. She was wearing a sweater and rain gear which I could not get a grip on. I tried to find her belt but she was not wearing one. I finally got her onto the dock by lifting her leg by the pant cuff (which was the only thing I could get a firm grip of), turning her upside down, and hooking her leg around the 4 by 4. Then I rolled and pulled her onto the dock. It took about ten minutes and was extremely difficult. We have practiced MOB drills before but the dock presents a different set of conditions which are more difficult than when you are in the clear and able to bring the victim to the back of the boat and use the ladder and/or the lifesling. It is also quite different to lift someone wearing wet clothing instead of a swim suit. They are much heavier,less able to help themselves and harder to get a hold of. I am absolutely convinced that the life vest saved her life and would not even consider using one which is not automatic. I hope you all will consider the possibility of this happening and prepare for it better than we did.
Last June, Janis and I decided to dock at the public dock which is near the police station in Port Townsend for breakfast. I asked Janis to use the midships line for the initial tie since we end up having trouble when using the bow line first. The 37.5 is beamy and the stern line is trouble when the bow gets pulled in too far. She hooked the midships line around a cleat and pulled it in. There is a snubber on this line and she could not pull the line in enough to snug the boat up to the dock. I was planning to back the engine a little and secure the stern line when she decided to step onto the dock. It is a slippery wooden dock and was wet with the drizzley rain and goose poop. She misjudged the distance, slipped and fell back against the boat. She tried to catch herself by hooking her arm over the top of the lifeline but only slowed her fall a little and dislocated her shoulder before falling into the water between the boat and the dock. The dock is unprotected by a breakwater and there are currents and serious ferry wakes which smash the boat into the dock. She was wearing her automatic inflatable Crewsaver lifevest. It immediately inflated and brought her to the surface and she grabbed the dock line to pull herself in. I went to her immediately and tried to find something to grab to pull her up onto the dock. The lifevest has a harness with a "d" ring but I couldn't get my hand between the sides of the air bladder to get a hold of it. She was about 30 inches below me and I had a very difficult time keeping the boat from smashing her by fending off with my left arm and trying to lift her with my right. She was wearing a sweater and rain gear which I could not get a grip on. I tried to find her belt but she was not wearing one. I finally got her onto the dock by lifting her leg by the pant cuff (which was the only thing I could get a firm grip of), turning her upside down, and hooking her leg around the 4 by 4. Then I rolled and pulled her onto the dock. It took about ten minutes and was extremely difficult. We have practiced MOB drills before but the dock presents a different set of conditions which are more difficult than when you are in the clear and able to bring the victim to the back of the boat and use the ladder and/or the lifesling. It is also quite different to lift someone wearing wet clothing instead of a swim suit. They are much heavier,less able to help themselves and harder to get a hold of. I am absolutely convinced that the life vest saved her life and would not even consider using one which is not automatic. I hope you all will consider the possibility of this happening and prepare for it better than we did.
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