Man Overboard Question

jneely · Post by **jneely** » May 14th, '06, 11:48

Whenever I sail my CD 27 by myself I always tie myself to the mast using a Sospenders harness/floatation device and a rope that is just long enough to allow me to work at the bow. I was thinking the other day that if I should somehow fall overboard this rig would keep me afloat and tied to the boat, but that I would be hard pressed to get myself back on board. I am considering installing a swim ladder at the stern, but I don't like the looks of them and I would have to use a much longer (and unwieldy) rope to allow me to reach the stern. I would be interested in hearing any suggestions regarding this problem. Thanks for all replies.

tartansailor · Post by **tartansailor** » May 14th, '06, 12:29

I made a rope ladder as described in "The Marlinspike Sailor" by Hervey Garrett Smith.
It lays on the gunwale within easy reach of a mob.
Dick

Gary M · Post by **Gary M** » May 14th, '06, 13:34

I like a little weather helm. I've done an experiment with my boat by throwing a cushion overboard, then letting go of the tiller. The boat rounds up, hoves to, and drifts down on the cushion, or at least pretty close to the cushion.

Gary

Russell · Post by **Russell** » May 14th, '06, 17:10

I have emergency boarding ladders on both port and starboard that I hang overboard. They are made by plastimo and come in a small pouch designed to be lashed off the side, you pull a tab and the ladder falls out. Of course you never know how well something like this works until its too late. I always wear a tether and am at all times clipped on to either a padeye in the cockpit or the jacklines when working on deck. Singlehanders cant be too careful, even on the calmest days.

This is the ladder I mentioned:

http://www.plastimousa.com/safety_ladder.htm

Neil Gordon · Post by **Neil Gordon** » May 14th, '06, 17:33

Gary M wrote:I like a little weather helm.

Even if you're tethered, you want the boat to round up and stop. Be especially careful with autopilots.

Sea Hunt · Post by **Sea Hunt** » May 14th, '06, 21:30

I do not yet own a CD so please take my comments with a healthy dose of skepticism.

My only experience is 30+ years of climbing aboard different types of boats while wearing/carrying scuba gear. There is probably not a lot of crossover relevant information.

Once I do own a CD I will be single handing almost all the time and have given thought to MOB (Me OverBoard) issues. From what I have read, once overboard whether tethered or not, task loading multiplies exponentially. Climbing aboard after a swim on a calm day can be difficult - depending upon your physical condition, weight, type of ladder, etc. The stress (and fear) of the MOB situation makes it even more difficult to climb aboard.

I read somewhere where it can be difficult under calm conditions to climb aboard a rope/strap type ladder. The movement of the ladder, its natural unsteadiness, etc., make it very difficult except for the most agile among us. I am not in that group - at least not anymore. The probably forward movement of the sailboat further complicates reboarding.

I have been looking at a drop down s/s ladder that appears to be stable, solid, and durable. The website is:

http://www.mysticstainless.com/page2.html

I first saw this on another CDSOA discussion "thread". The website says it has a 300 lb capacity. This is reassuring for those of us who no longer have the "washboard six pack abs" that my god daughter is so fond of these days.

There is one issue. How to deploy it? My thought would be to have the bottom section "snap in" to some type of retainer on the upper section with a long rope attached with a bowline on the outboard end of the rope. You pull the rope and it snaps out of the retainer and deploys.

I am sure there are a lot of flaws with this idea and they will, hopefully, quickly be addressed in responses.

Greg Ross · Post by **Greg Ross** » May 14th, '06, 21:51

Have to agree, getting oneself aboard in calm waters on a Rope Ladder is a challenge. My new Ericson I31 will have these Perko/ W&C type steps installed on the external rudder;
http://img.villagephotos.com/p/2006-1/1 ... s40pct.JPG

Neil Gordon · Post by **Neil Gordon** » May 15th, '06, 05:21

Sea Hunt wrote:The stress (and fear) of the MOB situation makes it even more difficult to climb aboard.

Don't forget the water temperature. You lose strength in your extremities quickly.

MOB exercises show that recovery is almost always difficult and the person in the water often is not able to help (and may have been injured in the going overboard process). It seems critical to stay on the boat in the first place.

Steve Laume · Post by **Steve Laume** » May 15th, '06, 06:02

Neil, you are so right about the cold water aspect of the problem. We white water kayak here in CT where most of the good run off is in the colder months. We came close to losing a guy a few years ago. He was an experienced boater that had a good roll and so had not swam out of his boat for years. He dressed warmly with a dry top, gloves and hood but just fleece on his legs inside the boat. Well he got into a "keeper" and did have to exit his boat. He was still stuck there for a while just without the boat. There was some panic involved but the major problem was that after a very short time his legs just would not function to swim. We got him flushed out and another swimmer to him with ropes to help them in. The cold water will steal your ability to help yourself very quickly. It was a major wake up call to everyone who was there that day, Steve.

jneely · Post by **jneely** » May 15th, '06, 10:18

Thanks for all the replies. Some good food for thought. I like the "Me Overboard" description.

Cathy Monaghan · Post by **Cathy Monaghan** » May 15th, '06, 11:01

Note the emergency boarding ladder hanging near the stern of our boat. It doesn't look too bad hanging back there. Just click on the photo for an enlargement.

<a href="http://i4.photobucket.com/albums/y117/C ... .jpg"><img width="540" src="http://i4.photobucket.com/albums/y117/C ... 6.jpg"></a>

RMeigel · Post by **RMeigel** » May 15th, '06, 15:17

http://www.westmarine.com/webapp/wcs/st ... artial/0/0

Those of us with Cape Dory 27s enjoy a lower freeboard than others. For me this swim stirrup works fine for reboarding. I made sure to adjust it in the water. Too high and you can't get your foot in it, too low and it doesn't function. I tie it around a stantion in the cockpit area and can reach up to get it from from the water. As with anyother reboarding ladder, you have to get to it first. If your tether is caught and holding you to another part of the boat you won't be able to get to it.

Joe Myerson · Post by **Joe Myerson** » May 15th, '06, 16:13

I haven't tested it yet, but when I'm sailing singlehanded in conditions that warrant setting up jacklines and wearing the tether, I've lowered my transom-mounted swim ladder.

I have even, on occasion, strung a length of floating poly line from the stern pulpit near the ladder. Frankly, I'm pretty dubious about how useful the ladder would be if I actually went over the side. Do any other CDers use their transom ladders as a climb-aboard backup?

--Joe

Oswego John · Post by **Oswego John** » May 15th, '06, 17:34

Hi Joe,

As for using a transom ladder, no. I tend to go along with Robin, as I've usually went with a swim ladder about midship to the side of the cockpit.

Have you or anyone noticed how life seems to be a never ending series of tradeoffs? The older you get, the more often you seem to make them.

What seems to be of more importance to each of us in our individual stage of life? Will we choose aesthetics or safety? Do we want the sharpest, sleekest looking craft in the marina? How many of would consider marring the profile of our yacht with the addition of some clunky looking piece of safety apparatus? I know of and read about some people who are offended just by the appearance of an outboard motor hanging on a transom. Ugh, how gross, how terribly gauche.

Well, I'm at the point in life where safety is of prime importance both to myself and others. I'm not into making statements of fashion or style anymore. Functionality is my byword in this day and age.

Years ago, I could vault myself over the coaming without the help of any device or ladder. Today, I feel that it would be 50/50 chance of my clambering aboard with a hard ladder, forget a rope ladder. Years ago I could grab hold of and pluck a swimmer out of the water with sheer strength. I would be hard pressed to do that today. I don't want to be an alarmist, but honestly ladies, what can you do in a physical manner to help bring your man aboard?

I am giving some serious thought to installing some sort of swim platform behind my transom.This bolt-on, removable platform will include a hinged ladder resting on the platform surface which can be readily reached to fold down into the water and provide several rungs below the surface..It will also include one or more grab bars to assist in pulling oneself aboard.

Will a platform be displeasing to the eye? Who cares, certainly not to myself. Beauty is only in the eye of the beholder. When it comes to a choice between aesthetics or functionality for myself and family, functionality and safety win hands down. My fashion making statements are long gone.

FWIW
O J
PS: I have read that the vast majority of recovered, male, drowning victims had one thing in common. Their fly zipper was open. Think about it.

RMeigel · Post by **RMeigel** » May 15th, '06, 17:48

Me thinks it is the equivalent of mounting a cheese grater in anything but the most benign conditions.

The Cape Dory Board

Man Overboard Question

Man Overboard Question

Rope Ladder

A little weather helm is a good thing.

Re: A little weather helm is a good thing.

Panic and Stress debilitating

Don't forget the cold

Cold water

Photo of emergency boarding ladder

Swim boarding stirrup

Built-in swim ladder ?

TRADEOFFS

Transom ladders