man overboard procedure powerboat

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Man Overboard Rescue For Powerboats

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Few of us plan for a crew member to fall overboard. Getting that person back aboard is harder than you think.

Man Overboard Modules (MOMs) like the Switlik 600 provide flotation and visibility.

Unless you do the right things, fast, when someone falls overboard, that person could be lost. Man-overboard (MOB) fatalities make up 24 percent of all boating deaths. Our BoatUS Foundation for Boating Safety and Clean Water has studied these incidents over a five year period and created a picture of the typical accident. The majority of cases do not involve bad weather, rough seas, or other extenuating circumstances. "Most happen on relatively calm waters, on a small boat that's not going very fast," said Chris Edmonston, president of the BoatUS Foundation. "Victims tend to be men. Fishing is a prime activity, and in many cases, alcohol is involved."

Numerous articles have been written about recovering a lost crew member from a sailboat, but MOB procedures for powerboaters have seldom been addressed. In light of the profile above, we present a general overview of MOB scenarios and procedures for the benefit of all boaters, no matter the size of your boat. We include an accompanying sidebar, "Brother, Save Thyself," about how to get back aboard a small boat. We also present and illustrate the Quick-Stop method, favored by many sailboaters:

Know Your Boat's Characteristics

When someone falls overboard, it's critical to get to the victim quickly. Think about how you'll do this on your boat without endangering the victim with your prop. Consider the freeboard of your boat. If it's high, this makes it difficult to get a victim back aboard. If your boat has a squared chine (bottom), waves may cause the boat to crash down on a victim who's alongside, while a rounded chine may push the victim away from the boat and out of reach. Look at your stern platform. Will it help, or plunge down on a victim, pushing him underwater and perhaps into the props? Before there's an emergency, consider how these factors affect your boat's maneuverability, and fit your boat out with gear that might mitigate some of these challenges (see MOB equipment sidebar below).

Equipment To Locate MOB

No matter what size or type of boat you have, you should carry:

• USCG-approved floating cushions, ring buoys, and life jackets with colors that stand out at sea and that are readily available.These can help the victim float and help lead you back to him. (Life jackets with mirrors and waterproof lights are a smart idea.)
• A GPS with MOB feature.

Here are other MOB-location gear to consider carrying:

• AutoTether Screamer Wireless Alarm System sounds an alarm that a crewmember wearing a transmitter has gone overboard. The sooner you know you have an MOB, the more likely you are to find the victim in time.
• SafeLink R10 SRS (Survivor Recovery System) utilizes both GPS technology and the AIS system to help you and nearby AIS-equipped vessels find a victim.
• ResQLink+ by ACR is a personal locator beacon (PLB) worn by the victim that enables USCG to find and retrieve him. (Note: PLBs alert authorities, but not you, to the MOB. An MOB alarm enables you to respond immediately — particularly important if the water is cold and the victim has no flotation.)
• An MOB floating rescue flagpole that you can toss over the side. It unfurls a bright yellow flag that's easier to spot from a distance.

Equipment To Retrieve MOB

According to rescue professionals, getting an exhausted victim back aboard who may be unable to assist in the rescue can be far more challenging than returning to the victim. Every boat should be equipped with an easy way for someone to get aboard from the water.

On most boats, the best solution is a boarding ladder that's structurally strong, well-designed, easily put in place, and long enough for your freeboard and for the victim to climb easily. The ladder should be relatively vertical, stand off the hull for toe clearance (which a rope ladder doesn't do), have nonskid steps, and be capable of firmly attaching to the boat. Generally, a ladder mounted to the side is safer and easier to use than one on the stern.

If your boat has low freeboard and came with a boarding ladder, beware: Many built-on swing-down ladders don’t swing down deeply enough for an exhausted person to climb up, and they don't have adequate hand grips fastened to the boat for the victim to grab and pull. Most people have the greatest strength in their legs, not their arms. Improve your ladder and hand grip, or get a long ladder that hooks over the gunwale, such as the West Marine Portable Gunwale-Mount Boarding Ladder.

Lines with loops at each end can also be useful. They need to be of proper length to rig quickly for use as a handhold, support, or recovery sling.

Beyond these essentials, you may want to carry a MOM (Man Overboard Module) and/or a Lifesling. MOMs come in several models ranging from floats to platform rafts that rapidly release and inflate. The Lifesling has a floating yellow yoke, and you can buy a 5:1 purchase tackle to help pull the victim up .

Your boat must be set up in advance to properly utilize this gear. For example, the tackle that you can purchase with a Lifesling can help a weak person lift a heavy person out of the water. But a secure attachment point on the boat high enough above water (generally about 10 feet above the waterline) must be installed in advance. If there isn’t a high enough place to attach a securing point, the Markus Scramble-net or other equipment that doesn't require as high an attachment point may work for you.

Consider Your First Steps Before The Worst Happens

If you have an MOB, the following basic procedure needs to happen immediately. To prevent confusion from impeding swift action, practice. But remember, your exact actions must depend on many variables.

1. The instant someone falls overboard, yell "Man overboard!" to alert crew to the emergency, and establish an unceasing visual on the victim. If you have enough crew, assign this job to one person and let nothing interfere with that person keeping the victim in sight and pointing at the victim from that first moment on.

2. If you're unsure of where the person is or if there is a chance the props could endanger him, stop the boat and ensure that the props don't injure the victim now or later.

3. Activate your GPS MOB button if you have one.

4. Throw MOB gear, life jackets, flotation cushions anything that will help the victim float and help you keep track of him, but not so much as to confuse a search.

5. Return to and attempt to retrieve the victim. Several alternative methods are illustrated on these pages and discussed in the next section.

6. If the situation is life-threatening, call mayday three times on VHF 16. Then say, "Man overboard," and give your location, boat description, and the description of the victim. Do this three times in succession. Don't hesitate to issue a mayday you can always cancel it if you get the person back aboard safely.

Sea and wind state: When you get closer to the victim, determine how much and how fast the wind and sea are pushing your boat, which is having the most effect, and how fast you're drifting. If the sea is rough, it may be dangerous to come alongside the victim, especially if he's exhausted or injured. Go slowly. If he does not have flotation, try to toss him a flotation and/or retrieval device as you approach.

Water temperature: Sudden cold-water immersion can cause involuntary gasp reflex or cardiac arrest. Often a surprised MOB victim will instinctively gasp and suck in a large volume of water, which could lead to drowning. Also, a victim's loss of body heat may weaken and disorient him, limiting his ability to swim or help in his rescue. The victim should try to maintain core body heat for as long as possible by keeping his arms down and crossed, and knees bent up to his chest, if possible. Wearing a life jacket helps the victim's odds significantly.

Physical condition of victim: Excess weight, poor swimming ability, panic, lack of arm strength, injury, hypothermia, and other factors make retrieval extremely challenging. The person in the boat may need special equipment or assistance to get the victim aboard.

Skill, size, and ability of person(s) aboard: One person aboard a high-freeboard boat may find it almost impossible to get a victim aboard, particularly if either person isn't in good physical condition, or if the larger and/or more skilled person is in the water. Think about an alternative, such as a Lifesling, or another system that could work on your particular boat.Visibility:

Take a look around. If visibility is poor, slow down and make sure you know where the victim is. If an approaching fog bank or squall could reduce visibility soon, get back to the victim before you lose sight of him.

Other boats: If you're in a rough inlet with many boats racing past, position your boat to protect the victim and begin visual warning signaling. In some cases, it may be prudent to wait for help before you begin retrieval. One example would be if you were alone on board and another boat nearby with strong experienced swimmers and retrieval gear responded to your distress call and was on their way to the scene.

Sobering MOB Facts

Our BoatUS Foundation has created a snapshot of boating fatalities that occurred between 2003 and 2007, a five-year span that gives good insight on MOB accidents and how they happen, so that we can work to help lower those numbers. In that timeframe, 749 of the 3,133 total U.S. boating fatalities were MOB:

• 24% were characterized as "falls overboard."
• 24% died at night, and 76% died during the day.
• 82% were on a boat under 22 feet in length.
• 63% didn't know how to swim.
• Only 8% of the non-swimmers were wearing a life jacket.
• 90% of accidents occurred when water conditions were calm or had less than 1-foot chop.
• Just 4% of the boats had two engines.
• 85% of fatalities were men.
• Average age was 47.
• During the day, alcohol played a part in 27% of the deaths.
• At night, alcohol played a part in 50% of the deaths.
• Falling overboard while fishing accounted for 41% of the deaths.

— Chris Edmonston

Practice, Practice, Practice

If you want to save an MOB victim, the time to start is now. Begin planning and practicing what you'd need to do in your circumstances in your boat. This helps generate intuitive, appropriate reactions.

Practice MOB techniques by throwing a fender with a bucket attached into the water. Return to it, approach it, and get it aboard while being extremely careful that you keep the props away from the "victim."

The best equipment may be useless unless you know how to deploy it without thinking. For example, if you have a Lifesling with tackle, on a calm day, near shore, practice putting a person in the water, rig it, and use it. Also, practice with the "victim" pretending helplessness. The "victim" should be wearing a life jacket.

Practicing may teach you that the best you can do is to stabilize the victim safely alongside and call the Coast Guard for help on the VHF. Unless you're in really cold water, it usually takes a relatively long time to become unconscious due to hypothermia. The key is to keep the victim from drowning, getting injured, or becoming disconnected from the mother ship.

As you practice, think through contingency plans for each of the three steps necessary to retrieve a person who has gone over the side: Return to the victim, approach the victim, and get the victim aboard.

Return to the victim: If a person goes over the side while the boat is underway, it's normally best to turn toward the side he went over, in order to swing the stern and props away from the victim.

Three Alternatives For Returning To A Victim

You should know instantly when someone goes over if you're in a smaller center console. But in a larger boat, more time may pass before you notice. To find the victim, you will need to calculate and steer a reciprocal course back to the location. The illustrations above show several methods for returning to a victim. For more information, refer to the Coast Guard Boat Crew Seamanship Manual.

If you need to rely on the MOB feature on your GPS to find the victim, learn where that button is, now, so you can push it while doing everything else needed at the same time. Be sure you will understand, even under duress, what the GPS is telling you.

Approach the victim: Two effective alternatives for approaching the victim are illustrated above. Decide on the best approach based on factors including but not limited to sea state, current, whether other boats are approaching, your boat's characteristics, and your crew's capabilities. Have those responsible for pulling the victim aboard (hopefully more than just you) in position and ready.

In most situations, it is safest to approach the victim with your bow facing into the wind and waves. If possible, throw him a line when you get close enough. Then turn off the engine(s), pull the victim in to the boat, and bring him to the ladder-hoisting area. This will minimize the chance of striking the victim with the propeller.

On a smaller boat without a lot of windage, it may be safer to come to a controlled stop upwind of the MOB and drift down on him, with crew ready to reach over and grab him. This may prove challenging on a boat with a lot of windage and high freeboard, but relatively easy on a center console. In some circumstances, it may be better to approach downwind but circle closely and come into the wind next to the victim.

While it is usually safest to approach the MOB with the wind and waves over the bow, this may not be possible in a narrow channel, in large waves, near obstructions, or in other circumstances where maneuverability is limited. To prepare for these situations, practice approaching the victim with the wind and sea behind you, very slowly. Maintain control of the boat to avoid floating over the victim.

Lifesling, Towline, Or Ski-Rope Retrieval

If you have a Lifesling or other retrieving line, slowly circle the victim, towing the line behind the boat until it comes within the victim's reach (see illustration above). Then stop the boat and pull the victim in.

Get the victim aboard: The very best way to get a victim back aboard is with a strong, well-built ladder. If you don't have a ladder or a Lifesling with tackle, a recovery line looped under the victim's arms (see illustration) may enable one or more people to pull him up over a relatively high freeboard.

When trying to retrieve a victim and bring him back aboard into a center console with low freeboard, it may help to position the victim facing the boat with both arms reaching upward. If the person aboard has the necessary strength, he should reach down and grasp the victim's wrists; the victim should grab the rescuer's wrists; and the rescuer should lift the victim straight out of the water. If you have a net or tarp, you may be able to secure one side to your gunwale, carefully work the net/tarp under the victim, then hold him in place until more help comes.

MOB testing has proven that if the victim is helpless and unable to assist, it will be very difficult to get him back into the boat. If you have a strong swimmer aboard, conditions are appropriate, and it's safe to do so, consider having that person (wearing a life jacket) go in and help the victim get to and climb up a strong ladder. But remember that you now have two people in the water, and, potentially, two victims at risk. Calling mayday, keeping the victim next to the boat, and waiting for assistance may be a more prudent course of action.

Brother, Save Thyself

Approximately half of the 749 MOB fatalities reported in our "MOB Facts" sidebar occurred on boats with only one person aboard; in 190 fatalities (about 25 percent), only two people were aboard. This means that, many times, victims fall overboard from smaller boats – many while fishing alone or with one friend; they can't get back aboard their boats, and drown.

So, for small-boat operators, think about how to set up your boat so that you can effectively get back aboard yourself:

• Use an engine cut-off switch, especially if you're operating the boat alone.
• Make sure there's a sturdy boarding ladder either permanently attached to the boat, or where it can be reached from over the side.
• It can pay to simply secure a line to the boat, tie a loop in the end (large enough for your foot), and hang it over the side so you can reach it from the water. With the engine off, practice climbing aboard using the loop.
• On some boats, it may be possible to get back aboard using the back of your motor as a step. (Turn off the motor and remove the key before experimenting.)
• Wear a life jacket.

— C.E.

Crew Briefing

Each time you go out, make an MOB briefing part of your departure routine. Show people where life jackets are stowed. Better yet, encourage your crew to wear them. Most drownings occur quickly. If your crew are wearing life jackets when they go in the water, they'll stay alive longer and you will have a much better chance to save them.

Stress the necessity that someone keep an eye on an MOB victim at all times, point out throwing devices and recovery gear, show how they work, and explain challenges such as plunging stern platforms and rolling hard chines. Show crew where the radio is and how to broadcast a mayday. Also, before you set out with your crew for the day, identify a second-in-command (the person with the most skill other than you) who can take control in case you're the victim. The enemy of a successful rescue is confusion. There should be less of it if the skipper has set the stage.

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One of the top technical experts in the marine industry, Tom Neale, BoatUS Magazine Technical Editor, has won nine first-place awards from Boating Writers International, and is author of the magazine’s popular "Ask The Experts" column. His depth of technical knowledge comes from living aboard various boats with his family for more than 30 years, cruising far and wide, and essentially learning how to install, fix, and rebuild every system onboard himself. A lawyer by training, for most of his career Tom has been an editor and columnist at national magazines such as Cruising World, PassageMaker, and Soundings. He wrote the acclaimed memoir All In The Same Boat (McGraw Hill), as well as Chesapeake Bay Cruising Guide, Vol. 1. These days, Tom and his wife Mel enjoy cruising their 2006 Camano 41 Chez Nous with their grandchildren.

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Man Overboard!

Wearing seat belts and installing smoke alarms are among the many things we do to improve safety while hoping we never need to use them in anger. preparing and practising for a ‘man overboard’ is no different, as paul glatzel explains ….

Each year plenty of people fall out of boats. Most of the time recovery of the person in the water is easy – perhaps they swim to the boat, perhaps you throw them a line, perhaps they climb onto a pontoon. Such incidents are looked back on as part of our boating experience that helps us to get better and safer when afloat. But not all man overboard incidents end well – the weather conditions may make returning to the casualty tricky or recovery from the water a challenge. This is why responding and dealing with a man overboard forms such a key part of all RYA powerboat courses at all levels , and why the RYA has developed recommended actions when responding to an incident.

Like anything in life, knowing what to do and being able to do it when trouble strikes are two completely different things. The difference is usually practice, so in this article we’ll look at what to do and how to get better at returning to and recovering a casualty.

RYA powerboat courses teach methods to respond to a man overboard and return to them, but of course it is better not to suffer one in the first place. People get ejected from powerboats for various reasons, but it is safe to say that most of the time it’s the skipper’s fault. Passengers need to be seated with good handholds, driving needs to be adjusted for the conditions and seating arrangements need to be correct. For example, sharp turns with people seated on raised bench seats in RIBs with no sideways restraint risk rapid ejections from the side of the vessel. Overboard situations occur at slow speed too, so crew on deck working lines need good handholds and must keep their centre of gravity low if working forward. Don’t forget communication too – flooring the throttle while no one is holding on will have a pretty predictable outcome.

So what is the process for responding to a ‘man overboard’, or MOB? RYA courses teach a staged process. Assuming that the craft is proceeding ‘on the plane’, immediately an MOB is noticed several things need to happen almost at once. The skipper needs to steadily but positively reduce speed in a straight line. Avoid rapid or high-speed turns back towards the casualty as that risks more people going overboard. At the same time, shout ‘Man overboard!’ and get one person to point at the casualty. They should not stop pointing until the boat is alongside.  

The RYA, RNLI and coastguard position is that at this stage it’s recommended to issue a distress call as almost without exception the MOB represents a ‘grave and imminent’ danger to life. It’s easy to think that you’ll sort the MOB with no issues and go straight to the recovery, but in my experience, when under pressure, unless a skipper is well practised and experienced, the adrenalin and worry that an MOB creates give rise to ‘variable’ boat-handling skills. Make the RNLI aware so they are heading to launch and can be stood down – this is much better than wasting 10 minutes failing to recover, then calling. Equally, getting early coastguard input may assist with medical issues such as shock, hypothermia and secondary drowning. Pressing the red DSC distress button then issuing a full Mayday message would be ideal. If not, the DSC button and a brief message – ‘Mayday vessel Tempest, dealing with MOB, stand by’ – will confirm the DSC call and, with the position from the DSC alert, the coastguard will task resources towards you.

Your job at this stage as skipper is to decide what the wind direction is as this is critical for the approach to the person in the water. The RYA teaches two directions of approach to a casualty in the water. Every year I am shown other approaches by skippers that will often work, but by using (and just as importantly, regularly practising) the two recommended methods you are keeping it simple and using methods that have been proven to work over years of practice and testing.

This method of approach suits craft with good access to the bow area. In rougher conditions the rise and fall of the bow can be dangerous and intimidating for the person in the water. A boathook and throw line should be available to increase ‘reach’ from the craft.

This method works for all powered craft and especially suits those where bow access is limited. A common question raised by people is whether it is dangerous to be side on to the wind/waves and whether the craft will be blown over the casualty. It is true that in breaking seas being beam on to the waves is highly dangerous, however in most windy conditions the waves are not actually breaking, so they pass beneath the vessel and are thus not overly dangerous. The method works well and gives a far larger target area, and is less intimidating for the person in the water.  

Both methods are taught (or brushed up on) on all of the powerboat courses (Level 2, Intermediate and Advanced), but there is little point in just experiencing them there. The RNLI’s coxswains don’t become highly accomplished at recovering people by just doing a recovery from time to time; they practise repeatedly – and so must you! At the start of each season, spend an hour or two practising with your regular crew. Deploy a weighted fender or a half-full water bottle (never use a real person – it’s not worth the risk) and then practise the two approaches until they become straightforward. When you go out next and it’s a bit windier, try again as it’s important to keep practising in varying conditions to keep your skills up. Make sure too that you get the other members of your crew to practise with you not saying a word and pretending not to be there – after all, it could be you they are coming back for!

Getting the person alongside the craft is only half the battle, though, and you will need to develop a plan for getting an MOB back on board. On RIBs it’s pretty easy (relatively!) as the tubes are usually low and if needed you can deflate them to further reduce the freeboard. A person may be able to use parts of the engine as a step (engine off and kill cord out), and of course there may be a ladder that can be deployed from a swim platform at the stern. Whatever method is chosen, it’s worth being really clear about the plan and ensuring all on board know how it will work.  

Don’t forget the need for some medical advice for the person that has been in the water. Even if you recover the person immediately, chat things through with the coastguard because if they have ingested water there could be life-threatening consequences over the following few days.  

Hopefully you’ll never have to deal with an MOB from your craft or anyone else’s. If you do, though, the practice you put in following this article will certainly stand you in good stead. Have fun afloat!  

Method 1 – into the wind

• Position your vessel about six boat lengths downwind and stop. Alternate between forward gear and neutral to progress slowly at minimum speed towards the casualty.  
• One side of the boat may be preferable for the approach due to more space or a better view.  
• With a slow approach, using reverse to reduce speed should never be necessary.
• At point of contact, neutral and engine off.

Method 2 – side on, drift down

• This method relies on the skipper positioning the craft two boat lengths directly upwind of the casualty and on keeping the craft at right angles to the wind.  
• From this position the craft is then blown towards the casualty – forward and reverse may be necessary to ensure that the craft maintains the correct position. Again upon contact, neutral and engine off.

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Home  News  Man Overboard Recovery Procedure

Man Overboard Recovery Procedure

Written by Peter Isler, with additional contributions by Chuck Hawley and Michael Jacobs

“Man Overboard” is probably the third most famous nautical hail, after “Land Ho” and “Thar She Blows,” but it is by far the most serious and potentially life threatening of the three.

Man Overboard Rescue Procedure

Although we should keep in mind that every situation is different, man overboard procedures are often broken down into the following areas:

• Initial Reaction on Board
• Safety Turning the Boat Around and Returning to the ‘Person in the Water’ (PIW) (though I prefer the term “swimmer”)
• Approaching and Rescuing the PIW

1. Initial Reaction on Board

The first priority is to provide the victim with additional flotation to increase his or her odds of surviving until the boat returns. Be sure to also “litter the water” with any other floating paraphernalia that will increase visibility of the location, making it easier to find the PIW. From the simple speed, time, and distance equation, we know that time is critical when it comes to deploying any sort of safety or flotation gear if we want to be within dog paddling distance. This requires proper preparation and training so that the right equipment is easily available and deployable by any/every member of the crew.

Concurrently, the entire crew must be notified with that bone-chilling hail so the wheels of recovery can begin turning. Meanwhile, the person who first sees the PIW in the water must maintain a laser-like focus on his or her location in the water and continually point out that position to the helmsperson. It’s the luck of the draw when it comes to the roles being played on board. Although your crew should have default “emergency” positions, a man overboard will alter this because at least one crew is gone from the boat, while another is doing his or her best Superman impersonation to see through the waves and keep the PIW in sight. Short-handed crews have an even bigger challenge in a man overboard situation with perhaps half the crew missing.

Other high priority steps include:

• Save a GPS location to facilitate returning to the scene. If your victim is wearing and has activated an AIS-based personal locator beacon, he or she will be easier to find. Before a man overboard emergency occurs, make sure every member of the crew knows how to operate the hardware (GPS/computer) to navigate back to the AIS beacon and the GPS’ man overboard waypoint. Ideally, one of the items your crew “litters” into the water will be a floating AIS locator with a sea anchor.
• Call for help. Any man overboard situation is life threatening, so there is cause for issuing a “Mayday,” or at the very least, “Pan Pan” on the VHF to get nearby boats to your team. The importance of this step must be weighed with the actual situation (e.g., it’s blowing 3 knots and you are at anchor in the Virgin Island with the swim ladder set over the side) and how much it will impact/slow down the crew’s ability to turn the boat around as soon as possible.
• Position the crew to turn the boat around. Ideally, this will follow the procedures that you have determined are ideal for your boat in the current conditions and that you have practiced with your crew.
• Immediately turn the boat into the wind, if appropriate for your boat and conditions, then tack, and stop/slow the boat. This is the first stage of the “Quick Stop” method that revolutionized sailing’s “science” of man overboard a few decades ago. The logic was indisputable: the closer you keep the boat to the victim, the better the odds of a swift and successful recovery. Today, the Quick Stop remains a valuable rescue option for most boats, but like so many of the possible return and recovery techniques, it has its time and place. It may be exactly the right approach for our 40-foot displacement sloop on the way to the South Pacific, but may not work on a boat with different handling characteristics. For example, a 60-foot racing sloop blasting downwind under spinnaker, a rapid round up could cause significant damage that inhibits the boat’s capability to return to the victim. It also risks throwing more crew overboard in the process. Once again, as in any safety-related emergency, its is important to be flexible. Well before any possible MOB, accurately assess the best way to rescue a PIW overboard as swiftly and safely as possible. Seamanship, experience, sound judgement, and thorough training all increase your odds of success.

Every step of the recovery benefits from practice, but this first “reaction” stage is perhaps the most crucial. A real emergency is not the time to figure out where the “launch” button is on the man overboard gear, or how to best organize the remaining crew to safely turn the boat around. Practice safety drills as a team before you need to act.

2. Safely Turning the Boat Around and Returning to the PIW

The Quick Stop method highlights the ultimate goal of man overboard recovery: stay as near to the swimmer as possible. But you have to do this maneuver safely so that you can successfully complete the rescue. Every situation is different depending on the boat, which sails are set, the crew size and experience, and the conditions.

Recently, I attended a US Sailing Safety at Sea Course at the US Naval Academy and watched the midshipsmen demonstrate some of the overboard recovery variations aboard the Academy’s 44-foot sloops. Conditions were ideal: the water was smooth, the winds were light, and the victim was a Navy diver in full wet suit. But it was still impressive watching the crews perform their rescue swift fashion. Clearly, they had practiced and their demonstration went according to plan. Even as I mentally critiqued the well-rehearsed and simplified presentation, I had to admit, these sailors were pretty darn good – especially the 110-pound female midshipsman who singlehandedly steered her 44-foot sloop back to the diver, secured the sails, stopped the boat, and hauled him back on deck with the aid of a block and tackle system and a Lifesling harness. I’d want her aboard my boat if I fell over. Sure, the degree of difficulty increases exponentially when you throw in heaving ocean swells, strong winds, and the element of surprise, but I’d rather go overboard on a boat where the crew had done a ton of recovery training – even if it was only in smooth water and light air.

The bottom line of turning the boat around is that it must be done as swiftly as practical (time is the enemy of the PIW) and must be done safely so that the crew can efficiently shift into rescue mode. There will be some trade-offs involved, e.g., making an out of control Quick Stop vs. a controlled dousing of the big sails – and the driver/skipper must make these critical decisions. What sails (if any) should be left flying? Should the engine be employed? And if so, are all the lines clear and out of the water so they don’t foul the prop? When can we safely tack the boat? Are the conditions safe for us to jibe the boat? A strong and well-honed chain of command can help in these critical decisions, but remember the “x-factor” of a man overboard situation: the skipper could be the swimmer!

3. Approaching and Recovering the PIW

The priorities in this stage of the procedure are:

• Find the PIW. This can be extremely difficult and time consuming – and time is not the friend of the victim. If it is daylight and the conditions are mild; if the victim is healthy, wearing a life jacket, blowing a whistle, wearing or floating near an AIS-transmitting locator, flashing a light, and has made contact with the boat’s man overboard gear; and if the boat has a good man overboard position to navigate back to – then the odds are pretty good that you will find him or her, even if it takes a few minutes to get the boat safely turned around. But that’s a lot of “ifs” and this highlights why having the boat and crew prepared for a man overboard incident is so important. Locating the PIW can be extremely difficult. So, that call you made on the VHF to rally immediate support from nearby boats can be a life-saving step in certain situations.
• Approach carefully and at a controllable speed. The close reach is by far and away the safest point of sail to make the approach because of the ease at which speed can be increased or decreased without making course changes. Try picking up a mooring on any other point of sail and you will soon agree.
• Make contact with the PIW. This doesn’t mean smashing the victim with your hull or chopping him or her up with your propeller. It means making a connection, most likely by rope and possibly by a Lifesling or other lifting/flotation device.
• Retrieve the PIW and get him or her safely on board. There are a number of potential methods that vary in their efficacy depending on the boat, conditions, crew size and strength, condition of the PIW, and equipment available.
• Apply appropriate care for possible near drowning, hypothermia, or any other injuries.

At this point in your study of man overboard procedure, I highly recommend a mental reality check. I’ve written and edited a number of books and articles describing the various “classic” recovery patterns and methods, including the aforementioned. Quick Stop and the venerable “figure eight” pattern. It all seems so doable on paper.

But let’s put ourselves in the shoes of a full crew on one of the US Naval Academy’s 44-foot sloops, sailing in 35-knot winds and hail during a thunderstorm. You must quickly revert to good seamanship, simple and basic sailing tactics – no jibes in 35 knots! And you will have your hands full even getting close to the victim as the keel loses grip and the boat blows sideways to low speed. There’s no way you can heave a line any distance upwind, but it’s so rough that you don’t want to approach within a quarter of a boat length to windward of the PIW for fear of smashing him or her to bits as the bow bucks in the waves. Again, this is where practice, good seamanship, and sailing experience are essential to stand any chance of recovering the PIW.

In extreme conditions or when shorthanded, the “waterski tow rope” method of making contact with the victim is invaluable. A few decades ago, the Sailing Foundation of Seattle developed the Lifesling device and its unique method of PIW recovery. Although the hardware has been refined over the years, it remains an icon in man overboard training with a long history of success, especially assisting small people in rescuing large people on boats of all sizes and types. The Lifesling employs the same method the driver of a water ski boat uses to return the tow rope to a fallen skier for another try. It involves circling safely and slowly around the PIW until they grab the floating tow rope and work their way to the floating harness that can double as a lifting sling – pretty nifty.

But if the PIW is injured or if it’s too windy to jibe (a sailboat can’t circle without doing a jibe), you will have to adjust your tactics. You may even break another “rule” of man overboard and send a second crew member into the water (firmly tethered to the boat) to help the victim. (Editor’s note: Not recommended unless the victim has serious injuries or is a child.)

Do I sound like a broken record yet? It’s all too easy to discuss man overboard theory and practice in a vacuum, extolling the virtues of a certain piece of equipment and/or sailing technique. But every situation is unique. In all likelihood, the crew will not be able to follow a perfect, cookie cutter method. They will be forced to adapt and make important decisions very quickly under pressure. This is where training, practice, good seamanship, and boat sense all play a crucial role.

In summary, read books and take courses. Go to the chandlery and look at the latest equipment. Get your crew together and practice, practice, practice. Then cross your fingers you’ll never have to learn whether you have the right stuff to save a life because everybody on the crew remembers that lesson their mother taught them: always stay with the boat!

This resource is provided by the US Sailing Safety at Sea Committee. Read the entire chapter on Weather Forecasting and Waves .

Learn more about US Sailing Safety at Sea Seminars in your area.

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Better Sailing

Man Overboard Recovery Procedure

Having a man overboard (MOB) is one of the greatest fears of any skipper. If a person falls overboard, they are in grave danger. However, a prompt and efficient Man Overboard Recovery Procedure can prevent a fatality. The skipper should brief the crew on what to do in this situation and practice both the “sail away and return” and the “crash stop” drills.

What Immediate Actions To Take When You Have a Man Overboard

• Yell ‘man overboard’ to alert the crew and prepare them to take action.
• Press the Man Overboard button on the GPS.
• Throw a heaving line or, ideally, a lifebuoy and danbuoy (a floating pole with flag), as shown here, if you can stop the boat close to the man overboard.
• Keep the MOB in sight. If you are the skipper, delegate one person to keep a constant watch and point at the MOB throughout the recovery maneuver.
• Perform a recovery maneuver to get the boat within reach of the MOB. Practice the options regularly.
• Pull the MOB back to the boat if they are conscious and can reach the heaving line or lifebuoy. The danbuoy is easier to see than the lifebuoy from the water. It is also much easier to see from the boat than a head in the water.

How To Sail Away and Return

• Sail Away and Return : When under sail, you can turn to a broad reach, sail away to get space to tack, and return.
• Approach : Head back to the MOB on a close reach and slow down by easing the sails. Stop to windward of the MOB if possible.

Performing a Crash Stop

• Crash Stop:  Use full helm to turn towards the wind. Depending on the course, the boat will tack or stop head-to-wind.
• Use the Engine:  Check that there are no ropes in the water, then start the engine to help you maneuver. Consider dropping the mainsail and furling the jib.

Practicing The Man Overboard (MOB) Procedure

It is very important to practice the man overboard (MOB) drill as often as possible. It is useful to have a quick practice at the start of a passage to remind the crew of the preferred techniques on your boat and the location of the lifebuoys and danbuoy. Use a weighted fender as a MOB and avoid giving the crew notice of when the practice is about to take place.

• Make sure all crew don life jackets as they will be working in an exposed situation.
• Call “Man overboard” to alert the crew. If the MOB is not connected by a harness line, instruct a crew member to point continuously at the MOB to keep him or her in sight.
• Deploy the lifebuoy and danbuoy if the MOB is close enough to reach it.
• Heave-to and stop the boat at once if possible. 
• Complete your chosen maneuver (see pictures above) to bring the boat to windward of the MOB.
• When you are close enough, hold a boat hook or an oar for the MOB to grasp. You can also use the boat hook to hook the MOB’s life jacket or clothing to hold him or her alongside.
• In calm water, guide the MOB to the boarding ladder at the stern. In rough weather, this could be dangerous, with a risk that the MOB will be pushed under the stern.
• Make sure that the propeller is not turning when the MOB is near the stern. It is safest to stop the engine. In rough seas, recover the MOB from the side of the boat. It is usually easiest to do this from the leeward side, but it is not always possible. Use a halyard to hoist the MOB aboard.
• Be ready to help the MOB climb the ladder, which can be difficult in sodden waterproofs.
• As soon as the MOB is back on board, get him or her below, and assess if medical attention is required. Take action to prevent and treat hypothermia.

Peter is the editor of Better Sailing. He has sailed for countless hours and has maintained his own boats and sailboats for years. After years of trial and error, he decided to start this website to share the knowledge.

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Handling Emergencies: Man Overboard

By: Zeke Quezada, ASA Safety

Every man or woman overboard situation should be treated as a very serious matter, even in seemingly balmy conditions. In cold waters or cold weather, in restricted visibility or at nighttime, or in rough seas, the chances for a positive outcome diminish. Any delay in recovering the person in the water stacks the odds against his chances of survival. the best advice is to do all you can to prevent anyone from ever going overboard, but be prepared to handle the situation if it does occur.

Focus on Recovery  

If somebody does go overboard, the entire crew must focus on one goal: getting him back in the boat. To do that, you have to do four things as fast as possible but without causing further risk to the boat and the rest of the crew. 

• Keep the person overboard in sight. 
• Throw him a life ring or some other type of buoyant device.
• Get the crew prepared for the recovery, return on a close reach, and stop the boat to windward of him and close enough to retrieve him.
• Bring him back on board. 

Sailors have developed several techniques for returning to a man overboard (MOB) and in any situation, the exact one chosen will depend on the experience and skill of the crew, the number of crew on board, the type of boat, weather conditions, and perhaps other factors. In the end, all recovery techniques are more similar than different, as they all share the four key components mentioned above.

First response: “Y, T, P, S, C”  

• Yell to alert the crew. 
• Throw a Type IV or any other buoyant device toward the MOB. 
• Point to keep the MOB in sight. 
• Set the MOB button on the GPS. 
• Call on VHF 16. 

After that, everyone’s attention (apart from the spotter, whose job it is to keep the MOB in sight) turns to the goal of getting the boat to the MOB, attaching the MOB to the boat, and bringing the MOB back aboard. 

Watching and pointing to the MOB is crucial because as soon as the boat turns to begin the recovery maneuver, the crew, busy at their stations, will lose their orientation with respect to objects outside the boat.

Method for recovery of MOB (Man Overboard)

The Figure-Eight Method  

You begin this maneuver by sailing away from the MOB. This may feel wrong, but the crew needs time to prepare the boat and recovery equipment and distance to be able to approach at the right point of sail, slowly, in control, and equipped to retrieve the MOB. While one crew prepares the line with the bowline, another can put in place some means of recovering the MOB, such as a boarding ladder.

• Bring the boat onto a beam reach and continue sailing away from the MOB. A distance of four to six boat lengths (20 to 30 seconds) should be sufficient — the distance will be shorter in lighter winds and longer in higher winds. While the boat is on a beam reach, the helmsman, guided by the spotter, glances back at the MOB two or three times while preparing the crew for the next maneuver.  
• Tack the boat and sail back on a broad reach aiming a few boat lengths downwind of the MOB. Ease the jibsheet to reduce power.  
• Sail to a point from where you can head up onto a close reach aiming just slightly to windward of the MOB. Knowing exactly when to turn onto your final approach will take practice. You need enough distance on the closereaching approach to slow the boat significantly before reaching the MOB.  
• Just as you did in your slowing drills near a buoy, sailing on a close reach, luff the mainsail to slow the boat to a crawl, but re-trim it to pick up speed if you are falling short of the MOB.  
• Come alongside the MOB at a speed of less than one knot, a very slow walking pace. Keep in mind that your ability to maneuver is limited, and once the boat stops altogether, you lose complete steering control.  
• As soon as you have gotten close to the MOB, your highest priority is to connect him to the boat with a line. Get the line with the bowline around his torso. DO NOT allow the boat to move away from the person in the water — the time expended making a second maneuver and approach could be costly.  
• Once connected to the MOB, turn the boat farther upwind to slow the boat and avoid blowing over the MOB. At this stage, the boat will be hard to control. Expect a certain amount of chaos on board and stay focused on the priority of bringing the MOB into the boat.

Placing the boat just to windward of the MOB is considered the safest approach in most conditions. It will offer him some shelter from the wind and waves and make it easier to throw him a line. If you have overshot, luff the sails and the boat will blow downwind toward the MOB. Be especially careful, though, that you don’t allow the boat to be blown on top of the MOB.

Additional MOB recovery methods are covered in Sailing Made Easy : The Official Manual For The Basic Keelboat Sailing Course.  These tips are directly from the text of the ASA 101 course.

Practice, Practice, Practice 

Despite the variety of techniques for the middle stage as the boat turns back for the pick up, any MOB drill aboard a sailboat begins and ends with exactly the same steps. The methods share more similarities than differences. You will learn more options as you progress with your sailing instruction, and they are discussed in Coastal Cruising Made Easy . But reading instructions for dealing with an emergency will only get you so far. Practice, with the entire crew, is crucial. Remember, the sooner you get back to your MOB, at a very slow speed and with the crew prepared for the retrieval, the better.

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• Man Overboard

Man overboard

The exclamation ‘man overboard’ refers to a crew member or a passenger falling into the water and needing immediate rescue.

Research by the Maritime Accident Investigation Branch (MAIB) has shown that crews have, on average, less than 11 minutes to recover a crewmate who has fallen overboard into cold water before the victim becomes unresponsive. This time decreases as the water becomes colder, or the sea state rougher. In some cases, crew had just four or five minutes to coordinate a complex recovery under extreme pressure. Sadly more than 40% of man overboard occurrences reported to the MAIB between 2015 and 2023, tragically led to a fatality. A startling reminder of the importance of getting all your crew trained and having a well-practised plan. Read on for more information about prevention, and how to prepare for a man overboard occurrence.

Man overboard prevention

Before setting off, ensure all crew receive a thorough safety briefing. This should include, moving along the high side of the vessel, keeping one hand for yourself and one for the boat, and clipping on . When clipping on, use a tether that’s the right length and secured to a purpose made strong point or jackstay. 

If conditions deteriorate, reef early or slow down if on a power or motorboat. Consider directing crew who are less experienced or agile, to remain in safer areas such as the cockpit or cabin. 

Provide clear directions and guidance to those who may need to venture out of the cockpit for hoists, drops, anchoring, and other tasks.

Man overboard whilst attached

A safety line offers the advantage of keeping a casualty attached to a vessel. This avoids the need for a search and any potentially challenging manoeuvres to reach the man overboard. However, being attached does come with its own hazards. 

Where a casualty is attached to the boat and in the water, the priority must be to stop the boat altogether. Any movement through the water, even at very low speed, must be avoided as it risks forcing water into the casualty’s lungs.

If unable to stop the boat or remove the casualty from the water, carefully consider cutting the tether and coming back to them with the boat at a standstill.

Man overboard unattached

In this situation, time is of the essence. In water of 15 degrees Celsius or less there is a risk of cold water shock , which can result in cardiac arrest or other medical issues. 

When faced with a man overboard situation in which the casualty is unattached, the first step is raising the alarm to the crew.

Appoint a spotter to maintain visual contact with the casualty and deploy a danbuoy or life rings to mark the spot and provide buoyancy.

Press the man overboard button on the plotter to provide a last known position and issue a MAYDAY  or DSC Alert. Try to stop the boat or reduce your speed to avoid further man overboard situations.  

Prepare your recovery equipment and reassure the casualty that you will be returning to them.

Think through your approach to reach the casualty. Aim to position your vessel upwind of them, so that as you slow down the vessel is blown towards them. Always ensure the crew is properly briefed on your next steps during recovery.  

Alongside and recovery

Once alongside the casualty, it’s important to ensure that engines are left in neutral or switched off. Whether or not you switch off the engine depends on weather conditions, your vessel, or a variety of other factors. Regardless, risk to the casualty from a spinning propellor must be avoided at all costs. 

If the casualty is conscious and can assist in their recovery, throw a heaving line to help recover them. A scramble net, rescue ladder, boarding ladder, or swim platform on the stern (calm conditions only) can be useful in helping to recover a man overboard.

Depending on your vessel, you can use a halyard, block and tackle from the boom, dedicated lifting device or a davit coupled with a lifting strop. Recovery can also be aided with the inflation of a life raft or over the side of a RIB or tender. 

Unconscious casualty

Where the casualty is unconscious, the recovery becomes far more challenging. A crew member will need to secure a lifting device to the casualty’s lifejacket or harness. 

In this situation, other crew members will be at risk reaching overboard or being lowered towards the casualty to make contact. This is an extremely challenging situation for a skipper and crew, involving decisions that should not be made lightly. 

When lifting a casualty onboard, they should remain in a horizontal position to avoid the potential medical complications caused by hydrostatic squeeze. However, drowning remains the primary risk, therefore recovery onboard is the priority. 

Onboard casualty management 

Once the casualty is onboard, they need to be carefully monitored. First aid needs to be provided and for non-breathing or unconscious casualties all the appropriate steps should be taken. 

Conscious casualties or those who have recovered themselves are at risk of shock, hypothermia, secondary drowning, and injuries incurred during their fall or recovery. 

Wet clothing should be removed, and the casualty should be warmed, carefully monitored, and transported to a medical facility for review. 

Get trained

It’s important to prepare for the unexpected. If the man overboard is the skipper, is anyone else onboard properly trained to take control and manage the recovery? 

Anticipating what could go wrong and then practicing is the best form of preparation to avoid emergencies and keep you and your crew safe. 

However, if you lack the confidence to develop these skills yourself, RYA specialist training courses can equip you with the skills and knowledge to save a life. 

The RYA’s Helmsman , Competent Crew and Day Skipper courses are the perfect way to build your confidence and enhance your skills. 

For more information on staying safe on the water, visit the RYA  safety hub .

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Person-Overboard Retrieval Techniques

What is the best mob rescue tactic for your boat and crew.

The term Man Overboard (MOB) has been caught in the tide of political correctness, and terminology like Crew Overboard (COB) and Person in the Water (PIW), the U.S. Coast Guard’s latest designator, have changed safety semantics. Regardless of the phraseology, it remains a cry that every sailor hopes to never hear.

This update focuses on a key element to a safe recovery: seamanship. Our findings—some of which contradict or amend current thought on the subject—are based on analysis of a series of on-the-water drills on Chesapeake Bay. The drills were carried out under the direction U.S. Naval Academy Sailing Master Dan Rugg and with the participation of the Philadelphia Sailing Club. Practical Sailor was invited to observe. Be sure to consult the links here so you can get a better sense of the various recommended maneuvers.

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By taking a close look at how the crews from the Philadelphia Sailing Club members (aboard a J/37, representing mainstream racer/cruisers) and midshipmen from the U.S. Naval Academy (aboard the McCurdy performance-oriented offshore sailors) react to overboard situations, Practical Sailor hoped to develop some valuable insight into what works most effectively in any given condition and how to optimize a crews chances for success.

INSIDE A MOB RECOVERY

The wide range of variables that can come into play cannot be overstated. It is clear that factors ranging from crew skill and size to the vessel’s behavior under different sea states affect the challenges involved in a rescue and define the right maneuver to use. However, some common denominators stand out.

First and foremost, the success of any person-overboard drill will depend on a clear chain of command. This may sound militaristic, but in a crisis, the most capable person needs to be making the calls. Naturally, the person at the helm at the time of the incident must be able to carry out the initial steps in the maneuver, at least until the skipper or watch captain decides whether to step in. Regardless of who is at the helm, command resides in one person, and it’s their job to clearly direct the rescue process.

Providing a victim with flotation is part of the first phase of every overboard response, even if the victim is wearing a life jacket. The additional floating cushions and other throwable rescue gear can also make the victim easier to spot. Marking the location with an MOB pole, light and drogue-equipped horseshoe, or a person overboard module-type device (MOM) is also an imperative part of the early response.

This is one point where Practical Sailor’ s view diverges from some other accepted guidance. U.S. Sailing, the governing body of sailboat racing in the U.S., advises that such poles and spars be reserved for later deployment. In Appendix D of the ISAF Special Regulations that govern offshore racing, U.S. Sailing prescribes: “The pole (strobe and dan buoy) is saved to put on top of the victim in case the initial maneuver is unsuccessful.” This assumption that the first maneuver will bring the crew closer to the victim is a leap of faith that’s unwarranted and dangerous, in our view. In numerous incidents, the initial sighting of the victim being left astern was the last sighting.

MAN OVERBOARD MODULES

The MOM 9 (man-overboard module) is a popular, self-contained, inflatable pole and flotation device that can be deployed to a person in the water. One advantage is the ease with which it can be released. However, during independent testing in 2005, a unit repacked by an approved vendor opened with its lines snarled around the vertical spar, causing it to kink in half. The ease and speed with which a MOM can be deployed outweighs the snarl issue, and it is a viable option, especially for shorthanded crews. Deploying a MOM or similar pole/strobe/flotation combo should be a part of any overboard routine. Since it is expensive to rearm and repack the MOM 9, mock deployment can be simulated with a faux pull-handle taped to the top of the MOM.

CREWMEMBER RESPONSIBILITY

Each crew member should be able to execute a recovery maneuver. Naturally, it makes most sense to have the best helmsperson on the tiller, the person with Chuck Yeager’s 20/10 vision acting as spotter and the agile ex-lifeguard ready to help the victim, in or out of the water. But the situation seldom sets up so conveniently, so role-playing must remain fluid. For example, the person closest to the overboard gear should launch it, the person nearest the GPS should hit the MOB button and shout that the position has been recorded. Scribbling a lat/long position in the log or on the margin of a chart is also good practice.

Perhaps the most important task of all in a person-overboard recovery is the job of continually spotting the person in the water. If there are enough hands on board, the designated “spotter” should concentrate only on this task. In this high-tech age, spotting can be assisted by night-vision equipment or image-stabilized binoculars. An infrared-reading thermal imaging system can also help in locating a warm spot on a cooler sea surface, although these are extremely expensive. ( FLIR ‘s fixed thermal imaging camera starts around $3,500.) These aids can be used alone or in conjunction with one of the signal-beaming pendants like the ACR OLAS TAG system . 406MHz personal locator beacons (PLBs) are also an option. Ultimately, the best fix of a person in the water remains a visual one, and the crew that stays closer to the victim has a much better chance of completing a successful recovery.

RECOVERY MANEUVERS

At this point, all on board are up to speed on what’s happened and the helmsperson has begun the recovery maneuver. The crew has been assigned key roles, and each member knows what must be done. The ultimate goal of all under-sail recoveries is a well-aligned close reach that brings the boat back to the victim just as the boat speed drops to zero. Racers have an advantage: the more trained hands working together, the better the chances of success. Cruisers face a serious handicap: too many tasks and too few hands. Success of the shorthanded crew will rely greatly on the speed and coordination of the response, as well as close familiarity with the various rescue maneuvers. Another key component is the type of recovery gear onboard. The following observations that emerged from the Chesapeake Bay exercises should also be taken into consideration.

PRODUCT ROUNDUP: LIFESLING

For the shorthanded sailer, the challenge lies in steering the vessel while keeping the victim in sight, and at the same time coping with the sails, recording the MOB’s position, and other steps in the routine. In such cases, the Lifesling can be a valuable aid, helping to streamline the recovery process. This horseshoe-shaped flotation device can be deployed early in the maneuver. Unlike the life ring, spar, or dan buoy deployed immediately, it stays connected to the boat by a safety line.

The Lifesling-assisted rescue allows for less-precise boathandling. It can be used in tack-only type maneuvers, like a figure 8, fast return or deep beam reach, or in those that incorporate a jibe, like a quick stop, with one important proviso: Although the Lifesling2 instructions say “circle the victim until contact is made,” this is misleading. As any waterskier knows, a circular pattern is not an effective way to get the line into the hands of the skier. To bring the rescue line attached to the Lifesling into the hands of the victim, a button-hook approach is much preferred. During testing, the optimum Lifesling delivery always included passing closely by the victim prior to a sharp turn on the final approach. A wide turn that leaves the victim in the center of circle—as many published illustrations suggest—sharply reduces the chance of success.

The Lifesling’s floating polypropylene line should not be coiled into its bag. Beginning at the point furthest from the float, the line should be shoved to the bottom of the container. If a snarl occurs during deployment, it usually can be coaxed out with a couple of tugs. If a tack-to-recover type maneuver is used, the Lifesling is not deployed until the tack has been completed and the return to the victim begun.

If the Lifesling is deployed using a modified quick stop, theres’ a jibe involved and reducing speed becomes imperative. Center the mainsail early, and as the boat bears off, furl or drop the jib. Reducing sail area is key, because once the victim slips on the horseshoe float, dragging them through the water can be fatal. If the jib has already been furled or dropped, turning the boat to windward and dropping the mainsail halyard will stop the boat in its tracks. Once the boat is stopped, the victim can be hauled or winched in, and a ladder, swim step, parbuckle or halyard can be used to bring them back aboard.

The fully-crewed race boat faces a very different challenge. There’s an ample number of able crew available, but the boat will likely need to be quickly slowed down prior to any rescue maneuver. This is especially true of a modern lightweight racer that simply can’t shift from a planing reach to a quick stop turn in a boat length. Consequently, the first part of their recovery maneuver is a counter-intuitive sprint away from the victim. Because of this inevitable and distressing separation, the appeal of locator beacons and direction-finding equipment has gained ground among racers, as has religious use of harnesses and jacklines.

USING THE ENGINE

No extra points are given for rescuing a victim under sail. It’s true that a spinning propeller is dangerous, but far more lethal is the boat that never gets back to the person in the water. Starting the engine, keeping it in neutral, and after checking for lines in the water, using it as needed to help control the final approach, is prudent seamanship. In some shorthanded scenarios, a Lifesling rescue under power may prove to be the best option available. Naturally, the engine needs to be in neutral as the final approach to the victim is made, and as soon as contact is made, the engine should be shut off.

THE FINAL APPROACH

All too often, in the rush to quickly return to the victim, the boat sails right by the person in the water at three knots or more, making rescue both dangerous and unlikely. The helmsperson and sailhandlers work in conjunction to slow down during the final close reach approach to the victim, arriving with about a half-knot of boat speed. On the ocean, the pitching movement can kill forward motion too soon. Conversely, in flat water, the helmsperson must start slowing down much sooner. This is why practice should take place in all conditions in which the vessel will sail. Ideally, a sailboat completes a rescue maneuver by nudging alongside the person in the water, a line secures the contact, and they scurry aboard on a swim step or ladder. More often, however, a rescue Quoit, life ring or boat hook is needed to make contact. A thrown Lifesling or life ring can cover short distances, but if neither is available or the distance is greater, a rescue Quoit like the Marsars 2-in-1 , can be put into action. Weighted at the end with a floating ball, a rescue Quoit is preferred over a one-shot throw rope for this purpose because it can be more easily re-deployed. Regardless of what device you use to make contact, all crewmembers should practice using it.

CIVILIAN SAILORS AND MIDSHIPMEN

Training makes a big difference, and after observing both the USNA midshipmen and members of the Philadelphia Sailing Club execute crew-recovery maneuvers, some important observations can be made.

Both groups quickly learned to cover the requisite aspects (shout, throw, steer, fix) of the recovery drill. The biggest common problem was simultaneously keeping track of vessel movement, true wind direction and the person in the water. Many misjudged the true wind, and attempted to return to the victim on a deep reach, making slowing down impossible. It was interesting to note how quickly some of the sailing club members adjusted to the J/37’s responsive helm. Its ability to turn on a dime surprised sailors accustomed to more traditional sailboats. The bottom line: It takes a familiarity with close-quarters boathandling to place the boat where it belongs in MOB maneuvers.

Another important variable noted was leadership. The best helmsmen displayed both an ability to effectively steer and lead, informing the crew what would happen next, and who should have a lead role in each aspect of the recovery.

One of the key issues stressed by USNA’s Rugg was that the practice conditions were optimum, in broad daylight, flat seas, and fair weather. He also noted that because the participants knew the exercise was a drill, they didn’t experience the usual shock and stress. He emphasized that only through periodic training with a regular crew can you be fully prepared for an actual event.

The Philadelphia Sailing Club members found that the quick stop maneuver—while suited to youthful midshipmen at the Naval Academy and appropriate for many “round-the-buoys” sailors—is not always the best bet for everyone. On one hand, it keeps the crew closer to the person in the water. But it requires an abrupt stop, a jibe, and can be complicated by double-digit speeds, spinnakers and running rigging like backstays and preventers. Shorthanded crews are certainly better off with a Lifesling. Regardless of the recovery process chosen, its vital that all crew members are on the same page and have spent time training together with a specific maneuver.

CONCLUSIONS

We went into this project hoping to find a recovery procedure that could be given a “one size fits all” nod of approval. U.S. Sailing favors the quick stop. For their constituency, sailors aboard fully-crewed, highly maneuverable race boats, it makes a lot of sense. But even the pro racer sees problems when their boat speed approaches that of a planing Boston Whaler. Under such conditions the prospect of an abrupt turn into the wind spells big trouble.

Shorthanded crew cringe at the thought of the quick tack and impending jibe just when their crew number has been reduced by half. Add to this the challenge of coming alongside and nimbly getting hold of your partner before the bow falls off, and the prospect of being lost at sea turns into the potential of being pushed down by the boat. In short, the quick stop has its merits, but it does not rise to the “one size fits all” rescue technique. That’s why U.S. Sailing’s Training Committee includes reach-tack-return (figure 8) maneuvers and under-power Lifesling approaches in their textbooks.

The figure 8 and its tack-to-return cousins eliminate the jibe and are easier to accomplish, especially in heavier winds, but there are several inherent pitfalls. The most significant is the initial necessity to sail away from the victim. It’s tough enough to minimize this dangerous separation in optimal conditions. However, in 20-knot winds at 0300, keeping the separation distance to just a few boat lengths is impossible. A two-minute spinnaker takedown can leave a victim a quarter-mile away.

Each iteration refers to sailing off just a couple of boat lengths, but in real life, a windy, dark, storm-tossed night at sea can tally up more boat lengths of separation than desired. Losing sight of the person in the water is a big deal and the helmsperson must be ready to execute the tack in a timely fashion.

A key moment during the “tack-only” maneuvers occurs when the vessel is head-to-wind, midway through the tack, and the victim’s location is noted. At this point, the helmsperson can carefully note the true wind. The most common problem in all types of recoveries is found in the final approach when a helmsperson has not maneuvered far enough downwind and must approach on a beam reach that eliminates the ability to de-power the boat.

The fast return and the deep beam reach, with all sails up, may be fine in lighter winds and flat water, but not in heavier conditions. This is why Volvo Ocean racers and many other high-velocity ocean racing programs use electronic beacon technology.

Vessel design plays a big role. The long keel, high directional stability of a classic cruiser means it won’t spin on a dime, nor will it bleed off boat speed quickly. The deep high-aspect ratio foils of a modern race boat deliver the nimbleness needed for the final approach, and can accelerate and decelerate quickly. However, the easy-to-steer race boat may have luff-tape sails that are hard to douse and harder to keep from going over the side. The bottom line is that each boat differs and how a rescue maneuver is implemented must take underbody design and deck layout into consideration.

Ultimately, sailors need to test each of the alternatives, not just on a light-air Sunday afternoon, but at sea in varying conditions and at night. A fender lashed to a milk crate with a strobe tethered to the makeshift Oscar can play the role of a person in the water. After these sea trials, settle on the technique that best fits the handling characteristics of your boat and the skills of your crew. Let each person take a turn at different responsibilities, except of course, the “victim” who is sent below to think about what it would be like in the water. Finally, recognize that preventing an overboard incident is the only alternative that comes with a back-on-board guarantee.

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Safeguarding Sailors via Passage Guardian

Tim, glad to find you at PS. Your insight is so appreciated. PS is the place for knowledge and candor, not readily available from other sources. Hope you have found a long term cruise with PS. But, please don’t neglect Lady K.

Starting the motor for the increased maneuverability power provides should be a first choice and should have been mentioned earlier in the article. Drop the sails and motor. Perhaps if you are in a race and value finishing over your crew member’s life, then the under sail techniques that make up the majority of the article may be useful. Otherwise the positive control engine power offers has advantages.

The Lifesling or similar is your best choice because it connects the MOB to the boat with a rope at a distance. Every boat should have one. The article’s instructions are dead on. The instructions printed on the Lifesling cover are not. The button hook (right angle) turn will bring the rope to the victim.

As noted, wearing your PFD is bound to increase the chances of rescue. Adding a water activated strobe costs only $20.

Wearing a handheld VHF may also be useful. The person in the water can alert below deck crew and direct the boat. It is much easier to see a boat than a person’s head.

Most of us sail near land where the resources of the Coast Guard and harbormasters are quickly available. The sooner help is summoned, the less the casualty will drift away from a known location. If contact is lost, a immediate Mayday is warranted. It can always be cancelled if recovery is made.

Getting crew back on the boat can be challenging. Swim ladders may become dangerous in rough seas. The Lifesling block and tackle or a halyard to a winch used midship may be safer.

Really? No discussion of PREVENTION. Nor immediately heaving to?

For most husband and wife cruising crews a crew overboard is very unlikely to be recovered, dead or alive, so prevention must be absolutely front and centre and to not include it is giving false hope. As such a sailor, my wife and I both understand this viscerally and begin every passage with a discussion of the importance of NOT FALLING OVERBOARD.

Second, immediately heaving to is also something we practice. We very seldom fly a spinnaker and certainly never in true winds much over about 12 knots. We do sail under poled out headsail and end-boom preventer often and the boat heaves to very well with both set. It also heaves to very well in power reaching configuration, and very quickly. The boat is a 1970’s design fibreglass 47’ fin keel masthead cutter weighing 13 ton. One of us can heave it to within a boatlength of the other throwing a fender overboard and yelling man overboard! When someone does fall off a boat you need to IMMEDIATELY stop sailing away from them, hence the critical nature of the immediate heave to.

I appreciate race boats doing 15-20 knots with an assy aren’t necessarily thinking about heaving to immediately, but their assy ceases to matter the moment a crew member is overboard. Getting the boat stopped as quickly as possible is the critical job and they have enough crew to get the kite off however they can, intact or in pieces, it doesn’t matter. What does matter is stopping the boat as quickly as possible. Even modern raceboats will heave to under main alone and crews are well advised to practise this.

Good article. We have been discussing this as we have been sailing this summer. This has prompted us to take some time and go through a resue dill in the next few days. But, one thing that I do not think was stressed enough . Do not leave the boat . Period . I beleive that should be the mantra of all cruising sailors . I sail with my young family, 4 and 7 , and partner mostly . We sail all year long in the Pacific Northwest. Mostly benign weather , but sometimes quite lonely in the off season . We have strong permanently rigged 5000 lb jacklines made of uv resistant webbing There are two permanent attached lanyards attached to the jacklines with prussic hitches on each side of the cabin top running forward from the cockpit to the bow . Two more in the cockpit . Everyone wears crotchstrapped harness lifejackets at all time when under way . Kids are always tethered when under way and wear lifejackets whenever near water . Adults tethered whenever in anything less then perfect calm conditions when they are leaving the cockpit . Yes we have all sort of equipment . A Handy Billy that is normally our boom vang that can be shifted in less then a minute to hoist someone out of the water . An overboard pole , strobes in the life vests etcetera. But first and foremost , no one goes overboard . If its dark, put on a lanyard . If its rainy or windy or a bit of a sea or the winds coming up , put on a lanyard . And use proper 5000 lb rated mountaineering carabiners. The sailing quick release shackles are , in my opinion, dangerous and not rated for the stresses that can be encountered. I have read of several times when sailing shackles have let loose . Never heard of a double action rated carabiner breaking or being disconnected . I was trained in industrial safety , including fall restraint , arrest and rescue. It is better to be prepared then to worry . Thanks again for the article.

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Man overboard: How to react and safely recover your crewmate

• October 31, 2019

How quickly you react in a man overboard situation can be critical. Pro navigator Mike Broughton gives his top tips and explains how technology can help

An image taken by the author during trials of using an infra-red camera to find a MOB

Turning a yacht around after a person goes overboard (MOB) and heading back in the right direction to retrieve them isn’t always easy when you’re taken by surprise, particularly at night. As navigators we need to employ all the help available to us, and be able to use any electronic tools instantly.

Sadly, there have been MOB occurrences when the technology has been available and not deployed, or not deployed correctly. The obvious solution is to practice MOB drills.

Coming from a military aviation background I’m used to placing a great emphasis on practising emergencies. To survive military flying training you need to be able to maintain a cool head when things are falling apart. The focus is on developing ‘automotive actions’ to a crisis. Learning the correct initial actions to an emergency is essential for a pilot as these first actions are carried out in seconds.

‘Subsequent actions’ are carried out in a longer timescale, and often with the help of flight reference cards. These can also help confirm those vital ‘initial actions’. I can still remember how to shut down both engines of a Sea King in mid-air in the event of a fire, some 25 years since I last flew that type of helicopter! Sailors can also learn from this method of training.

Different MOB drills are needed for different yachts, depending on wind strength, sea state, number and experience of crew, point of sail, boat speed and time of day. There is good reason why the RYA doesn’t specify a single way to execute a MOB recovery. However, whatever type of yacht you sail, there are still some ‘initial actions’ for MOB that can be standardised.

The subsequent actions will vary depending on the conditions mentioned above. Practice helps a great deal, but even talking through these actions when alongside will help. Not many people go out and practise MOB drills at night.

Searching for a MOB in the dark is never easy. Apart from AIS PLBs, one of the best new ways of showing your position is to utilise ultra-bright LED flares. They are mesmerisingly bright. They last five to six hours and can easily be switched on and off like a torch. I’ve also trialled using an infrared camera.

Using technology

Modern technology can now help in an MOB situation more than ever before, from wearable transmitters that activate an alarm when a crewmember is out of range, to personal locator beacons (PLBs). Crew can now activate the MOB button not just on the chartplotter but also on a smart watch.

Clever boat instrument systems can also translate that information onto other displays that is easy to interpret. If you have AIS transposed onto your chartplotter or navigation software then it can pick up an AIS PLB. Some activate an audio alarm but it helps to know what to expect.

In last year’s RORC Caribbean 600 race , when the 53ft catamaran Fujin capsized at night, I was navigating on a Ker 56 reaching at 20 knots. I’d gone below to download weather data and could hardly hear myself think as the noisy carbon boat crashed through waves. But I heard a beeping sound coming out of the back of the laptop so I checked my power leads and struggled to find reason for it.

About to give up, I scrolled through several weather programmes and discovered it coming from the Adrena navigation software and found my only clue to Fujin ’s plight – an AIS PLB and a round red circle on the chart about three miles ahead.

Unable to transmit a Mayday or recover their grab bag in the windy conditions, a Fujin crewmember had initiated his AIS PLB. This was their initial alert. With an AIS PLB there is no boat name showing, so my initial suspicion was that we were looking for a single person in the water – but instead found a capsized catamaran with the whole crew waving torches hoping we’d see them. From this PLB activation a full recovery operation was launched and Fujin was eventually saved.

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If you are overboard in the water, understanding how to activate your PLB or automatic identification system (AIS) transmitter is imperative. Some are set up to activate with your lifejacket and some people (me included) like to have my AIS PLB in my pocket should I happen to ‘sin’ and not wear a lifejacket when sailing in warm waters.

Knowing how to summon help on your VHF radio should also be part of your pre-sailing safety brief. Showing your crew how to push the distress button to utilise the digital selective calling (DSC) is a rapid way to send details of your identity and position.

Due to the annoying number of false alarms, if you press the red button in anger then you need to be ready to authenticate the message with voice or repeat the signal to give the coastguard the confidence to act on a genuine alarm.

Immediate man overboard actions

• Call out ‘Man Overboard’ to alert the rest of the crew
• Drop a lifebuoy/danbuoy/jonbuoy
• Get a crew member to point at the person in the water (where the helmsman can easily see them)
• Press the MOB button on chart plotter/smart watch
• By day, throw an orange smoke cannister (have one in easy reach of the helm), at night throw a floating torch
• Start your recovery manoeuvre

About the author

Mike Broughton is a pro race navigator who has won many titles including World and European championships. He is a qualified MCA Master to captain superyachts and previously had a successful career in the Fleet Air Arm flying Sea King and Lynx helicopters.

First published in the October 2019 edition of Yachting World.

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Man overboard: prevention and rescue

Don’t let the cry of “Man overboard!” send you into a panic. You can react swiftly and calmly by learning what to do if it happens, but your best option is to learn how to prevent it in the first place.

People fall overboard even during perfectly calm conditions. Those who aren’t in good physical shape may not withstand the shock of being tossed in the water. Wearing a life jacket could be critical to their survival.

How to prevent falling overboard

If you must be on deck during dangerous conditions, use a tether and jack line. While underway, do not allow passengers to stand in small boats or sit on foredecks, gunwales, engine boxes, seat backs or transoms. Bare feet have poor traction; wear deck-gripping shoes instead.

Keep your weight low and close to the centerline when moving around in a small boat. Equip your sailboat with through-bolted lifeline stanchions. In bad weather, have crew members wear harnesses and attach to jack lines when on deck. Watch crew members, and frequently check to ensure all hands are accounted for. Finding and recovering a man overboard can be difficult, especially in poor visibility or in rough water.

In the pre-departure briefing, make sure everyone aboard understands what to do in the event of a man overboard, from initial alarm call to recovery and aftercare. Practice man overboard retrieval under normal conditions in calm waters away from boat traffic. Your throwable flotation aid makes an excellent teaching aid to simulate a man overboard, allowing you to practice maneuvering your boat alongside and recovering the man overboard. Toss a life jacket over the side while moving to see how long it takes to stop the boat, turn and retrieve someone lost overboard.

Rescue procedures

In the event of a man overboard situation:

• Shout “Man overboard!” and make sure the helmsperson hears you. If available, press the “MOB” key on your GPS, which will guide you back to the location you were at when the key was pressed. Be sure the retrieval object you will toss into the water is tied to the boat.
• Assign someone to point at the person in the water and never let the victim out of sight.
• Stop the boat immediately; on a sailboat, drop the sails, and start the engine.
• To avoid running over the man overboard, approach against the wind and waves or current. Carefully come close aboard, or alongside, the person in the water. Shift into reverse to stop forward motion.
• Turn off the engine in gear to keep the propeller from turning; propellers can easily injure someone in the water. It’s safer to trail a life jacket on a line astern and circle the person in the water until the victim can grasp it.
• In a boat with low freeboard, bring a person aboard over the transom, but be alert to the presence of hot outboard motors, exhaust pipes and carbon monoxide. This recovery method can be dangerous during high seas, sending water into a low freeboard vessel, especially one with the stern pointed into the seas. Be aware that a pitching stern could slam down on someone in the water, especially from the overhanging aft section of some sailboats.
• In boats with high freeboard, use a swim platform or ladder to retrieve the man overboard. You could also rig a sling, rope ladder or knotted line. As a last resort, send a strong swimmer over the side to help a weak person in the water, ensuring that the swimmer wears a life jacket and has a safety line attached.

In a sailing vessel with no power, sail toward the wind when approaching the victim. If the boat has a centerboard or daggerboard, lower it all the way to stabilize the boat. In larger sailboats, try to pull the person onto a sail lowered into the water. Use the sail as a sling and roll the person into the boat. If you have one, a winch makes this task easier. You can purchase man overboard retrieval equipment that’s especially effective for sailboats.

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Man overboard procedure: How to safely recover an MOB casualty

Someone falling overboard is a very worrying situation, so it’s important to know your man overboard procedure off by heart.

There are so many factors that affect how serious it could get: water temperature, sea conditions, location, age, fitness, clothing, whether they are wearing a lifejacket .

By far the best solution is to try and prevent anyone falling overboard by briefing crew on simple things such as holding on, wearing appropriate footwear, not leaving the cockpit underway, wearing a lifejacket. All of this helps, but sadly it does still happen.

So, what should your priorities be if and when it does? How do you position the boat to get back to them, and if you are boating as a couple, how do you get your partner safely back aboard?

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I can’t stress enough how strongly I advocate practising your man overboard procedure, otherwise you won’t know how to cope when an incident happens.

Your first action should be to slow the boat down, not in a mad slam-the-throttle-shut way, but with a swift reduction of speed. Now locate the MOB, they should be behind you and adjacent to your wake.

Once you spot them, keep a close eye on them at all times – if you’re alone in anything more than flat seas you can lose sight of them remarkably quickly.

Your wake acts as a beacon, so make the best use of it while it lasts. Needless to say if you can’t spot them almost immediately, consider putting out a Mayday call or pressing the MOB button on your chartplotter and/or DSC-equipped VHF marine radio .

Assuming you can see them, turn the boat back towards them. You are going to use the wind to drift down towards the casualty, so turning upwind now (i.e. into the waves) will save time.

The 28ft Windy we used for this video drifted beam-on to the elements in an F4 wind at over a knot, so allow for at least 10m upwind as a minimum, even more if it’s windier. This will give you time to judge the boat’s drift and grab a boat hook and line to assist with the recovery.

The only reason I would ever consider starting closer than 10m away is if there is almost no wind or the casualty was face down. Aim to keep the boat beam-on to the wind and waves, with the casualty level with the helm.

You can use small clicks of ahead or astern to keep that position but be wary of using the engine when close alongside them. As you drift closer try to judge their movement and yours so that the MOB ends up alongside at the lowest point on your craft, usually the stern quarter.

I find a boat hook is the best thing to grab them with, then I like to pass a line round them and tie it off so I can’t lose them again. Now is the time to turn the engine off if there is any danger of it being knocked into gear.

Wet people are very heavy, so getting them out can be a challenge. If the casualty is able to assist, then deploying the bathing ladder or rigging a line from a cleat with a loop in it that acts as a step is your best bet. You could also use the hydraulic bathing platform if you have one or even get them to stand on the anti-cavitation plate of a large outboard motor while you raise it.

If they can’t help then you will have to drag them onto the platform. Keep your centre of gravity low as the last thing they need is for you to fall in too. If you can’t get them out quickly, then that Mayday call will be essential.

Jon’s step-by-step man overboard procedure

1. Calmly reduce your speed. Slow the boat down, using your wake to help spot and locate the MOB. Then turn upwind to come back around towards and to windward of them.

2. Bring the boat to a standstill. Stop at least 10m upwind of the casualty and roughly in line with the helm position. The boat should be parallel to the waves with the wind blowing across it. Here, I am indicating the MOB with the boat hook.

3. Let the boat drift towards them. Control the boat’s drift so the MOB ends up alongside its lowest point. Crucially, the boat is sheltering them from the wind and waves.

4. Grab the casualty. Once they are almost alongside use a boat hook to grab the MOB. Note how I am keeping my centre of gravity low to ensure I don’t fall in.

5. How not to do it! My body position is too upright, the weight of a person pulling on the hook could drag me overboard. I should be crouching right down.

6. Connect them to the boat. Having pulled them close to the ladder, use a line to secure them to the boat before attempting to lift them out just in case they fall back in.

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Yachting Monthly

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Man overboard: tactics that really work for couples

• Toby Heppell
• June 12, 2020

The YM team get wet to see how well the MOB process works for shorthanded sailing. Here are our findings...

A man overboard is one of the biggest fears for most sailors. Are you prepared for a shorthanded retrieval? Credit: Richard Langdon/Ocean Images

Even close to shore this can be a potentially fatal situation, which is why MOB manoeuvres are included in many training courses and exam situations.

Though many examiners for Yachtmaster have their own areas they like to focus on in an exam – the syllabus being too wide-ranging to cover everything in a single exam setting – MOB always features.

It’s also a good demonstration of boat-handling ability as well as a key safety manoeuvre.

Many of the suggested steps to get back to an MOB, however, assume more than one crew left aboard, which is of little use to the vast majority of us who spend our time sailing two-up.

We decided to test the MOB process on a relatively calm day in the Solent. Credit: Richard Langdon/Ocean Images

The question is, what happens when there is just one person left on board?

Is it possible to carry out the whole procedure to the letter, or are there non-essential or even dangerously distracting elements that should be omitted from your man overboard procedure if it’s just you on the boat?

We decided to spend a day on the water interrogating the MOB process from incident to having the casualty safely alongside.

Of course once an MOB is alongside there is still work to be done to recover them fully back onboard, which we will address in another article, but for the purposes of this article we are going to examine the boathandling procedure and techniques that are often overlooked by shorthanded crews.

AIS/MOB options: It is worth considering an AIS MOB beacon on your lifejacket if you are sailing shorthanded. Credit: Richard Langdon/Ocean Images

Ahead of the day, the key areas we were interested in were: the speed in which we were able to return to the casualty; distance between the casualty and the boat at any given time; and suggested actions that might hinder returning to the casualty if needing to return to them singlehanded.

Most of us will be familiar with the basic steps suggested to get back to a MOB, to sail away on a beam reach and return to the casualty on a close reach, controlling the sails and raising the alarm at the same time.

However, as each step of the process is laid out in so much detail, we wondered if this level of detail is in itself a hindrance, being overcomplicated for a situation that is, by its nature, fluid and stressful for a single sailor left on board.

When in the midst of a manuoeuvre to return to a casualty, there is a lot of information that needs to be remembered in a time of high stress.

We wondered if there were any steps that could be dropped or simplified to make things more intuitive for a lone crew member.

Starting point

To ensure we were using a robust man overboard procedure that most sailors will find familiar, we turned to the RYA recommended method for Yachtmaster candidates.

Pointing at the MOB is one of the key processes of MOB recovery. Credit: Richard Langdon/Ocean Images

This broadly breaks down into two sets of instructions; one for the skipper of the yacht and one for the remaining crew, as follows:

MOB process – Skipper

• Sheet in the mainsail and heave-to in order to take the way off your boat.
• Pass buoyancy to the casualty and mark with a dan buoy.
• Instruct a crewmember to point at MOB.
• Retrieve any warps from the water and start the engine.
• Furl or drop the headsail.
• Make ready the throwing line.
• Manoeuvre the boat downwind of the MOB, keeping the MOB in sight.
• Approach the MOB into the wind, so that the mainsail is de-powered.
• Pick up the MOB on the leeward side, aft of the mast.

MOB process – Crew

• Shout ‘man overboard’ to alert crew.
• Press the MOB button on the GPS.
• Throw a life buoy and dan buoy to the MOB. Mark the MOB with a buoyant smoke flare.
• Allocate a crewmember to point at the MOB in the water.
• Send a DSC distress alert and a Mayday.
• Keep pointing; don’t lose sight of the MOB.
• If the motor has been started,
• Prepare a throwing line.
• The skipper will bring the boat alongside the MOB, with the boat pointing into the wind and the propeller stopped.
• Get a line around the MOB and get them aboard.

Even a cursory glance at this list of processes reveals it would be nigh-on impossible for a single person to perform them all.

• 1. Starting point
• 2. Finding a process that works

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Guides Handbook at the RYA Shop Logbook at the RYA Shop Man-Over-Board (MOB) RYA Day Skipper , Coastal Skipper & Yachtmaster ™ Man-Over-Board drill for sail cruising. It’s also good to know that if one of your crew fell overboard you would know what to do: Ultimately the reason we go boating is to have fun; enjoying the freedom and exhilaration that getting out on the water provides is always the bottom line. As with any sport, however, sailing is not without its risks. It doesn’t pay to dwell too much on these things otherwise, frankly, you’d never get out of bed. Once in a while though, it pays to be prepared.   And this brings us on to man overboard: It’s not really a subject you want to ponder as you step aboard your boat for a day’s sailing. On the other hand, in the highly unlikely event of finding yourself in the water with your boat sailing away, it would be nice to think your crew could rescue you. Sailing isn’t a hugely dangerous sport, and you don’t want to scare your crew, but it pays to discuss Man Overboard. If you have a regular drill in place, then you could buy yourself valuable time should the unthinkable ever happen. This is the accepted RYA Yachtmaster™ crew drill in the event of a Man Overboard:   The skipper will bring the boat alongside the MOB, with the boat pointing into the wind and the propeller stopped.     So that’s the crew briefed, now comes the tricky bit: actually pulling off the manoeuvre. A good method of practicing is by throwing a fender overboard weighted down with a bucket or a coil of rope. Just make sure the crew don’t lose sight of the fender! If you’ve got a motor, and it works, you’re going to want to use it in an emergency, so let’s deal with that scenario first:     So that’s the crew briefed, now comes the tricky bit: actually pulling off the manoeuvre. A good method of practicing is by throwing a fender overboard weighted down with a bucket or a coil of rope. Just make sure the crew don’t lose sight of the fender!   Now comes the really tricky bit! There’s a definite art to coaxing your boat gently into the breeze and coming to a standstill alongside your target. Getting it right is a great feeling. Even if you weren’t concerned about safety, it’s a trick that’s well worth mastering and the fact is that a man overboard situation is EXACTLY the time when your motor will decide not to start, so it’s in your interests to get this one nailed down.   If your boat has a bathing platform on the transom, then you might be able to get them back aboard via the ladder. It is worth bearing in mind that in rough conditions this will be a dangerous place to attempt to recover a MOB, as there is a risk of being drawn under the stern. This is set on the side of the boat with the foot attached to the gunwale. The head is attached either to a handybilly (block and tackle) or straight to the halyard.   These are purpose built for the job. Again, you could use the halyard or, if your boat doesn’t have a solid kicker, the boom and mainsheet. Excerpts taken from To find out more about safety at sea, you can pick up a copy by going to the Articles and content courtesy of the RYA.   See the original articles at www.RYA.org.uk Back To Top All Rights Reserved 2013 - 1st ScotSail Training Ltd Trading As 'ScotSail' ® | Largs Yacht Haven, KA30 8EZ | 0845 834 0335 | TemPerfect | Links 377 IMAGES Man Overboard Rescuing a Man Overboard Man Overboard Man overboard procedure: How to safely recover an MOB casualty MOB Rescue Procedure using the Sea Rescue Sled Man Overboard VIDEO Lean to Sail Man Overboard H20 Class Powerboat Racing Man Overboard tutorial Boat argument then thrown overboard. 😱 COMMENTS Man Overboard Rescue For Powerboats If you have an MOB, the following basic procedure needs to happen immediately. To prevent confusion from impeding swift action, practice. But remember, your exact actions must depend on many variables. 1. The instant someone falls overboard, yell "Man overboard!" to alert crew to the emergency, and establish an unceasing visual on the victim. QUICKMANEUVER In this video, we're going to teach you an essential skill for any boater: the man overboard procedure. Whether you're out on the water for work or play, kno... Man Overboard! Method 1 - into the wind. Position your vessel about six boat lengths downwind and stop. Alternate between forward gear and neutral to progress slowly at minimum speed towards the casualty. One side of the boat may be preferable for the approach due to more space or a better view. Man Overboard Recovery Procedure Man Overboard Rescue Procedure. Although we should keep in mind that every situation is different, man overboard procedures are often broken down into the following areas: Initial Reaction on Board. Safety Turning the Boat Around and Returning to the 'Person in the Water' (PIW) (though I prefer the term "swimmer") Approaching and ... PDF Methods-and-strategies Guidelines for Man Overboard USPS DIGITAL MEDIA LIBRARY. -AND-STRATEGIES GUIDELINES FOR "MAN OVERBOARD"The new "MAN OVERBOARD" video shows viewers how to respond when a person falls overboard by returning their boats to the person. ten feet in less than a minute. Introduction The new "MAN OVERBOARD". video (5:55) can be useful in educational. How to safely recover a man overboard casualty Our resident boat instructor Jon Mendez explains how to recover a casualty after an MOB incident.Our How To video series is brought to you in association wit... 285 Man Overboard Procedures 285 On Plane From Drone. 285 Man Overboard Procedures. 285 Overtaking Rough Water Teaching. 285 Undocking Using Spring Line 2. 285 Undocking Using Spring Line 1. Boating Safety. Running Your Boat in Rough Conditions. Boat Handling Part III: Low-speed Operation. Safe and Comfortable Boating Begins at the Helm. Man Overboard Recovery Procedure Performing a Crash Stop. 1. When a person falls overboard, throw lifebuoy and put the helm hard over to leeward. 2. MOB swims to the lifebuoy, if possible, and holds hand aloft to remain visible. 3. The boat turns rapidly towards the wind. 4. Handling Emergencies: Man Overboard Keep the person overboard in sight. Throw him a life ring or some other type of buoyant device. Get the crew prepared for the recovery, return on a close reach, and stop the boat to windward of him and close enough to retrieve him. Bring him back on board. Sailors have developed several techniques for returning to a man overboard (MOB) and in ... PDF Man Overboard Prevention The best man overboard recovery is the one rib, or who went overboard. 10.Men, use the head below. If you are hand-steering in bad weather, use the leeward cockpit drain. Do not use a lee rail. While doing a dawn check of the boat, Dick uses the weather side to go forward. His tether is on the jackline (near left foot), and he is holding on to a shroud with one hand to make sure he does Man Overboard The exclamation 'man overboard' refers to a crew member or a passenger falling into the water and needing immediate rescue. Research by the Maritime Accident Investigation Branch (MAIB) has shown that crews have, on average, less than 11 minutes to recover a crewmate who has fallen overboard into cold water before the victim becomes ... Person-Overboard Retrieval Techniques Scribbling a lat/long position in the log or on the margin of a chart is also good practice. Perhaps the most important task of all in a person-overboard recovery is the job of continually spotting the person in the water. If there are enough hands on board, the designated "spotter" should concentrate only on this task. Man overboard: How to react and safely recover your crewmate Immediate man overboard actions. Call out 'Man Overboard' to alert the rest of the crew. Drop a lifebuoy/danbuoy/jonbuoy. Get a crew member to point at the person in the water (where the ... Man overboard: prevention and rescue Stop the boat immediately; on a sailboat, drop the sails, and start the engine. To avoid running over the man overboard, approach against the wind and waves or current. Carefully come close aboard, or alongside, the person in the water. Shift into reverse to stop forward motion. Turn off the engine in gear to keep the propeller from turning ... Man Overboard: Practice Techniques Shout "Man Overboard!". Delegate a crewmember to keep eyes on the MOB and press the MOB button on the GPS. Deploy the Lifesling immediately before you sail past the MOB. Ease the genoa or asym sheet if needed to maintain 2-3 knots. Gybe over so you end up half a boat length downwind of the MOB. Man overboard procedure: How to safely recover an MOB casualty Jon's step-by-step man overboard procedure. 1. Calmly reduce your speed. Slow the boat down, using your wake to help spot and locate the MOB. Then turn upwind to come back around towards and to windward of them. 2. Bring the boat to a standstill. Stop at least 10m upwind of the casualty and roughly in line with the helm position. Boating 101: Man Overboard Rescue Boating 101. Safe Boating. By BoatingBasicsOnline.com. Understanding the factors involved in "man overboard" incidents is a good first step in preventing them. Below are a few potential scenarios. Turbulent waters: always check the weather and try to avoid variable waters. High speed: slow down and make sure passengers stay seated. PDF Man-Overboard Retrieval Techniques And in May 2008, Practical Sailor Technical Editor and marine safety expert Ralph Naranjo compared a variety of electronic man-overboard becons and alarms. This update focuses on a key element to a safe recovery: seamanship. Our findings— some of which contradict or amend current thought on the subject—are based on analysis of a series of ... Man overboard: tactics that really work for couples Prepare a throwing line. The skipper will bring the boat alongside the MOB, with the boat pointing into the wind and the propeller stopped. Get a line around the MOB and get them aboard. Even a cursory glance at this list of processes reveals it would be nigh-on impossible for a single person to perform them all. 2. Article This is the accepted RYA Yachtmaster™ crew drill in the event of a Man Overboard: - Shout 'man overboard' to alert the crew. - Press the MOB button on the GPS. - Throw a life buoy and dan buoy to the MOB. Mark the MOB with a smoke-flare. - Allocate a crewmember to point at the MOB in the water. - Send a DSC distress alert and a Mayday. Man Overboard Procedures Remember this sequence: Shout - Throw - Stop - Lookout - Return. Shout. Cry "Overboard" to alert all on board that someone is in the water. Throw. Immediately throw the nearest available floating object toward the victim in the water, followed by a proper life ring and/or man-overboard pole. Stop. Immediately, stop the boat. Man Overboard (MOB) PowerBoat What happens when someone falls out of a powerboat? What actions should the skipper and crew take. Man Overboard Procedures Price. $4.99. Get Started. Take this Course. In this course, you will learn about the various procedures and techniques that are implemented on ships for dealing with man overboard situations. You will also learn about the different types of alarms and signals used for man overboard situations, as well as the responsibilities and duties of crew ... catamaran gulet motorboat powerboat riverboat sailboat trimaran yacht