What MOB Equipment Do You Have?

[Mike G.]

When I purchased my boat a few years ago, she was outfitted with two horseshoe buoys mounted on each side. I then fitted one side with a Lifesling II and stored one of the horseshoe buoys.

However, after I added the outboard, outboard engine hoist and Magma grill - space got tight.

I think at one time, most folks mounted both a horseshoe buoy and the Lifesling. Nowadays it seems that most only carry the Lifesling. It would mean a lot less rail clutter if I take off the horseshoe buoy.

Bear in mind that I am only talking about coastal and day sailing. Also, the horseshoe buoys are always available. In fact, no one is allowed to swim off the boat without a horseshoe dangling in the water for an emergency grab.

What do most of you do?

Mike

 

[Capt. Ed]

MOB

One thing I always teach is to put a throw cushion in the cockpit and instruct everyone on board on how to use it . Other than that I have a life sling a throw line and the MOB on the GPS .Always go over the MOB drill with new shipmates ,you never know when you may need them.

 

[Mike G.]

I need to do some real MOB drills

I forgot that we also have a throw rope, plus lots of throw cushions are in the cockpit.

We usually go over procedures with guests. My wife and I often discuss procedures for MOB. Last year I suddenly walked away from the helm. She started screaming: "what are you doing?" I told her that I just had a heart attack - "You gotta figure out what to do!" We discuss doing real MOB drills but have never done it. First thing on my list after launch next year.

 

[Roger Long]

I built a beautiful MOB pole that would stand up in stronger winds than the ones you can buy and had strobe lights that went on automatically. I eventually decided that it didn't make sense for my kind of boat and deploying it was apt to be a delay in the more vital task of getting the horseshoe over as close to the PIW as quickly as possible. On a racing boat or other vessel that may have to reconfigure sails or on which someone could go over a minute or two before they are noticed, a MOB pole was vital to getting back to the general location to start a search. With the MOB button on the GPS and, in my case, a boat that can be turned in a couple of boat lengths under almost all conditions, I decided it was more useful for the "cool" look than actually retrieving someone.

I now have just the horseshoe and the lifesling. They serve two different purposes. The horseshoe is for the victim in case a PFD isn't on or doesn't inflate. It's also a visibility aid. The lifesling is for retrieval. Since it is tied to the boat, any delay in getting back, such as a jambed line or balky engine, will leave the PIW with only what they went in the water with. I wouldn't consider giving up either.

The horseshoe should have a good light if you sail at night. There are some on the market now that I might buy but the very simple modification to a standard ACR unit shown below is reliable and cost effective. The only modification is to drill a 1/16" hole through the switch ring and insert the S.S. wire loop. The shock cord wraps around and is tied to one of the bails. A string loop goes the other way and is tucked under the other bail. Not quite visible in the picture is the standard, unbent, cotter pin that goes through the string loop. The line attached to the cotter pin (top of picture) is tied to the boat. The light is tied to the horseshoe. The common horseshoe bracket has enough slack that the light and coils of line can be tucked under the snap strap (which should have a larger loop of line for a quick hand grab tied into it).

Throw the ring over and the strobe starts flashing. The flashlight function is still available by turning the ring against the shock cord tension.

I also have a snap shackle on the bottom of my split backstay adjuster tackle. I can let it go, throw a sail tie around the slider at the top, and then use the tackle as a hoist to help a PIW up the boarding ladder if they are too weak to make it themselves. This would hook into either the Lifesling or their inflatable harness.

 

[dmc]

I have..........

a life-sling, throw cushions, inflatable vests w/whistles and a gps w/mob. But, my favorite mob drill is to tie the dingy out about 50 or 70 yards. Now the fun part, on a nice day we dive from the bow, surface, swim, intercept the dingy and get hauled back to the boat. At this point I should mention I keep the same length of tow line in the boat, should some one miss the intercept. At some point a lucky swimmer gets to be the man overboard and gather the tow line. It's up to the rest of us to retrieve the dingy. Big fun, good practice.

Peace

 

[Jim Kolstoe]

I liked the mention of a throw rope. During the several years I was a volunteer SAR diver for the local sheriff's office I learned to use and bought a throw rope called a "rescue rope." Its a soft double braided nylon rope in a small bag with a foam flotation insert (just enought to keep the end of the rope from sinking) and a loop on the end of the rope that goes through the bottom of the bag. You hold the bitter end, which also has a loop permanently tied in, and throw the bag. The soft line trails out as the bag flys wherever you threw it. Advantages are that its compact, you don't have to worry about the rope becoming tangled while in storage, and its specifically designed to stay on the surface where the victim can get to it.
The rope and throwable PFDs, usable in conjuction with a boathook (remember "reach, throw, go" anyone?) constitute our MOB equipment, since we are nearly 100% inland water sailors, and now days mostly daysailing. Thinking about a lifesling though.
Jim Kolstoe, h23 Kara's Boo

 

[sailingdog]

Reach, Throw, Go is the motto for winter ice rescues, among other things...

I carry a 70' heaving line in a throw bag, a few Type IV throwables, and a LifeSling II. I agree with Roger, in that you should probably have both a lifering or horseshoe with a strobe attached that you can throw immediately, as well as the more useful LifeSling, as they serve different purposes. I like his modification with the strobe—which I will probably do this winter.

 

[Prime Time]

equipment

Lifesling with block and tackle to haul someone up, horseshoe with drogue and ACR strobe, multiple throw float cushions. Jacklines, harnesses with strobes.

 

[DanW9494]

Block and tackle

Anything for finding, throwing, and floating is very, very important. I just want to second the block and tackle because the overboard crew may be you and you may be in no shape to help your wife get you onboard.
Sailors aren't always fit, the water is excruciatingly cold, and the first, second, and third attempts to get back on board have failed and exhausted you. Hopefully, there hasn't been a heart attack from the physical stress.
My mainsheet has an endboom attachment and I placed a 4:1 block and tackle with snap shackles at each end parallel and just beneath the boom. The snap shackles attach to the vang attachment and to a bowline in the end of the mainsheet. This gives me a 12:1 fine adjustment on my mainsheet by the vang controls and 3:1 course mainsheet control at the aft traveller. I get a double ended mainsheet system for every day.
If there is a MOB, I can pull the snap shackles, the bowline knot won't go through the block so I keep the 3:1 mainsheet I had before. Attach one snap shackle to a sturdy padeye on the mid-cockpit floor and the other to the MOB harness or lifesling, and someone can be pulled over either side or the transom.
Gives me a little peace of mind about getting back on board.