Preparing for the Worst: Man Overboard

[casampson]

After sailing in the strong wind and extreme chop of Buzzards Bay on Sunday afternoon, I have been giving a lot of thought to what would happen if someone on my boat went overboard. It could happen easily enough. Do I have the equipment and skill that would be needed to rescue that person? I don't know. And what would happen if I fell overboard, leaving an inexperienced crew member on my boat alone without a clue as to what to do? The chance of my rescue would be minimal, and the life of the person left on board might be in jeopardy.

I know that I have a lot to learn, and I know that there are countless references available on this topic, from YouTube videos to books on seamanship to Coast Guard classes. I intend to learn through all of these resources. But I thought I would start here, on this forum.

What do you do, as a minimum, to prepare for a man overboard situation? How do you practice, and how often? Do you have a discussion on what to do in the event the unthinkable happens with your guests when they first come on board?

The first thing I am going to do is invest in a life ring. I am going sailing tomorrow mid-day with a guest, and I am planning to go out and purchase it before we go.

Thanks in advance for your contributions.

Chris

[JD-MDR]

I like to practice man over board drill wen I have my 9 and 13 yr. old niece and nephew. They think its fun. We can do it inside the harbor on days when we are short on time and my Dad likes to go 91

[Dick Kobayashi]

In some ways too horrible to think about. But I did think about it.

- In some ways retrieving the person overboard is not the problem, keeping the person in the water afloat and not in a panic state is. I told all my passengers that their job was to relax and stay afloat if overboard. That getting on board will not be instant and that they should not panic.

- consider how you will get someone on board who is exhausted. Harder than it might seem.

- call 911 of the sea most likely you will need help.

- consider a life sling. Much written about them.

All this argues for life jackets at all times, a rule I did not follow.

But relax, in all the years I have been on the bay I have not read of one incident of loss of life from a person overboard from a sailboat. Quite a few from power boats of various kinds, though. While our waters can appear rough we rarely have waves over 2-4 feet. But as a friend observed , in a small boat there can be a big difference between 2ft wave and a 4ft wave.

[Chrisa006]

During one of my Certifications we did lots of MOB drills. It takes about 10 minutes if things all go right which means a life jacket is not an option. If you are alone a PLB is the only other thing that shouldn't be an option.

[John Stone]

After sailing in the strong wind and extreme chop of Buzzards Bay on Sunday afternoon, I have been giving a lot of thought to what would happen if someone on my boat went overboard. It could happen easily enough. Do I have the equipment and skill that would be needed to rescue that person? I don't know. And what would happen if I fell overboard, leaving an inexperienced crew member on my boat alone without a clue as to what to do? The chance of my rescue would be minimal, and the life of the person left on board might be in jeopardy.

I know that I have a lot to learn, and I know that there are countless references available on this topic, from YouTube videos to books on seamanship to Coast Guard classes. I intend to learn through all of these resources. But I thought I would start here, on this forum.

What do you do, as a minimum, to prepare for a man overboard situation? How do you practice, and how often? Do you have a discussion on what to do in the event the unthinkable happens with your guests when they first come on board?

The first thing I am going to do is invest in a life ring. I am going sailing tomorrow mid-day with a guest, and I am planning to go out and purchase it before we go.

Thanks in advance for your contributions.

Chris

You have already received some good advice. And I suspect you’ll get a lot more. All will be tried and true.

However, I’ll offer a slightly different perspective. This sounds trite but I think it is as true as the day is long. Don’t fall off the boat. I tell everyone, to include myself, out loud sometimes when it’s dark and I’m offshore singlehanding—“The world ends at the edge of the deck.” What does all that mean? It means do all you can to keep people on board. Rule number one, stay on the boat. Rule number two, see rule number one.

I personally am not a big fan of life jackets or harnesses—nearshore or offshore. Yes I have on occasion worn them and I will again but for very specific reasons. To me, life jackets are a different discussion and I would just say depends on the situation and the person but ultimately you decide what makes you feel best.

Some other things:

1. Don’t sail in conditions that are beyond your ability. And don’t take inexperienced people out on windy days. Work up to more difficult and challenging conditions. Read. Rehearse. Execute. Critique.

2. Attentively helmsmanship. This might be the most important consideration for keeping crew on board. Keep your head out of the cockpit (looking at for the most part unimportant instruments) and pay attention to the the wind, the water, the sky, and other boats. Anticipate everything that is going to happen so you don’t find yourself in an unanticipated maneuver that causes the boat to suddenly lurch or sharply heel, etc. Uncontrolled gybes are probably the number one reason crew go overboard on a sailboat...except maybe foolish gymnastics while docking. The boom is a killer. Learn how to gybe and use those preparatory and execution commands every time.

3. Learn how to gybe your boat. Day and night. Light air and a lot of air. Smoothly. Without drama.

4. Have your boat set up for quick and easy reefing, which does not require all lines led to the cockpit. Know how to reef your rig and be able to do it without ever leaning over the life lines.

5. Make sure the life lines AND the stanchions are strongly attached to the boat and can withstand the sudden weight of a grown man falling against them. Also, don’t allow you or your crew to lean on the lifelines as an aide to maintaining balance. Bad idea. That does not of course include grabbing hold as you move forward and aft.

6. Know which halyards are which so if you have to drop sails you, or your crew can do it fast, without delay.

7. Have a boarding ladder that works. If the victim is conscious climbing up the ladder is the fastest easiest way to recover a person in the water. Have a sling or a line (know how to tie a bowlin) available.

8. Know how to make a distress call.

9. Practice MOBs in various conditions as a matter of course. Always conduct a hot-wash critique after conducting drills so people can complete the learning cycle.

If you do 1-5 you’ll likely never have to do 6-9.

I’m sure others will list the things I forgot.

[Cathy Monaghan]

I have gotten into the habit of rigging the jacklines before leaving the dock. We may not need them, but we have been caught in situations when we wished we had set them up earlier. So now they are always set up before heading out. This is just one simple step in helping to keep people onboard.

[sgbernd]

I agree with casampson, stay on the boat. I am not a big fan of life vests or harnesses but require them on crew when the first reef goes in or after dark. Each vest contains a strobe and a whistle. My feeling is that if you go overboard, it is very likely the end, so just don't. That said, I've been sailing since 1979 and never known anyone who fell off or was on a boat where somebody fell off, although there are stories in the sailing press from time to time. It is usually the racers rather than the pleasure cruisers.

I would add the following comments;

1) When using the outdoor head (males), kneel against the stern, leeward rail. Do not stand. You can't fall over while kneeling or get clonked in the head with the boom.
2) When moving about on deck in rough conditions, keep your centre of gravity low (crouch or kneel and crawl if required) and keep at least one hand for the boat. Go forward on the windward side so if you fall, you fall into the boat rather than out. People generally do this instinctually.
3) After dark, anyone leaving the cockpit (to reef, secure a sail, etc.) must have a spotter. Plan your trip forward before you start. Obviously this doesn't work when single handing.
4) Finally and most obvious, don't invite the clumsy, the careless, the clueless, the drunk, the obese, etc. who are likely to get into trouble due to lack the situational awareness, physical strength, balance, etc. If you do invite them, do so only in clement weather.

-Steve

[Neil Gordon]

I agree with rule number 1... STAY ON THE BOAT!

That said, if someone does go overboard, on your boat or someone else's, there are several steps to the recovery:

1 - Don't lost sight of the person in the water.
2 - Toss over things that float. This helps the person in the water and also gives you a trail to follow back to them.
3 - Maneuver your boat for recovery. We practice this often, i.e., every time we encounter a mylar balloon or the like.
4 - Secure to the (side of) the boat.
5 - Recover. A ladder works if the person can assist. Halyards and winches help, too. If you've gotten to step 4, call for help if you need it.

Passengers should get a safety briefing before getting underway.

[fmueller]

I sail solo mostly. I always wear my pfd. Clipped to it is my water proof west marine hand held vhf. So is my ACR rescue link mini epirp with velcro. If I have guests I always demonstrate how to start the motor and how to deploy the life sling. I always have two west marine seat cushions in the cockpit for tossing.

Instructions are simple. Toss the cushions. Toss the life sling. Release the sails. Start the motor. Circle back around using the motor. Ignore the sails but watch out for the boom.

I don’t try to teach which way to loop around. Too confusing. Just the caution about the boom and that the sails are going to make a lot of noise. For complete newbies I might demonstrate with a cushion overboard.

About staying on the boat. My Dad was a very cautious man. He got swept off his Hinkley one day by the boom - the main sheet simply jumped the jam cleat just as he was going forward on the leeward side of the boat. His guests for the day fortunately knew enough about boat handling to come around. Dad was a strong swimmer too.

[JD-MDR]

the boom and that the sails are going to make a lot of noise. For complete newbies I might demonstrate with a cushion overboard.=

About staying on the boat. My Dad was a very cautious man. He got swept off his Hinkley one day by the boom - the main sheet simply jumped the jam cleat just as he was going forward on the leeward side of the boat. His guests for the day fortunately knew enough about boat handling to come around. Dad was a strong swimmer too.

I been wondering about those cam cleats on my mainsheets. I rigged a new track alongside my tides marine track for a storm sail. and I haven't figured out how I am going to secure the boom. I'm sure there will be times that I will use the storm sails on my trip from Hilo HI to Kodiak AK. Sometimes those lows up there come three and four at a time back to back

[John Stone]

As I read through these great posts I am reminded of few more tactics I use on my boat. I generally don’t go to the leeward side to go forward unless there is some issue there that has to be dealt with. That’s why I rerigged the preventer so I can release it from the cockpit without going to the low side. You not only have the boom upwind of you, you can be washed through the life lines as Fred relates happened to his Dad. That’s pretty scary.

Also, I don’t pee over the rail if the boats underway. I think it puts men in an unforgiving position. You are leaning over the side, probably the leeward side at that, and not holding on to the boat. It’s just foolish to me. Instead, I use a method I learned from one of Don Street’s books. Cut the bottom off a container (like a Clorox bottle). Glue the cap on. Tie a lanyard through the handle and secure to the stern pulpit. Pee in the container while still in the cockpit and pour the contents over the side. Then, toss the container over the side so it is washed out. Retrieve it via the lanyard and stow on the fantail or aft cockpit ready for use.

I removed the grab rails from the cabin top. In its place I ran line from the gallows stanchion through holes I drilled in the dinghy chocks and secured the end to the mast. The line is about four inches above the cabin top so I can always find it. I can also clip my harness onto it if I’m wearing one. If you have cabin top grab rails avoid stowing the boat hook or oars against them on the inboard side like so many do. The problem with stowing there is it blocks your fingers from grabbing hold of the rail.

I would not expect others to do it but I went to a lot of trouble and work to install those 7” tall bulwarks. The difference in security over a toe-rail has to be experienced to be believed. One thing you can do is avoid the risky habit of stowing gear like water and fuel tanks on the side decks. It makes moving about the boat cumbersome, can put you off balance, and adds obstructions to entangle your safety tether.

The moral of the story is to make the wrong thing hard to do. So, avoid doing things that put you or your crew at risk of falling off or getting knocked off the boat.

The last thing I can think of to mention is a story I read by a RORC offshore instructor who told his students the only they they needed to know how to do if someone falls off the boat at night is how to wave goodbye. Pretty sobering.

My philosophy remains don’t treat the symptom—treat the cause. Stay on the boat.

[fmueller]

John,

Agree about going forward on the lee side ... but I think it was to free a twisted block ... and that's when the sail lurched ...

funny coda: he lost his hat ... his friends got him a new one and embroidered inside was "ducks swim, sailors duck"

[John Stone]

John,

Agree about going forward on the lee side ... but I think it was to free a twisted block ... and that's when the sail lurched ...

funny coda: he lost his hat ... his friends got him a new one and embroidered inside was "ducks swim, sailors duck"

Copy. I have had to go to the lee side for things like that. Sometimes it can’t be helped. The life of a sailor. Glad it had a happy ending. We should all be so lucky. Love the hat anecdote....

[David Morton]

3. Learn how to gybe your boat. Day and night. Light air and a lot of air. Smoothly. Without drama.

That whole list is great advice from John and I am the first to believe he is right about the lethality of an uncontrolled boom. So, one rule I might add to his list is:

10. Don't gybe when you can tack, when in uncomfortable wind, especially in the absence of a rigged preventer or boom brake.

David

[John Stone]

3. Learn how to gybe your boat. Day and night. Light air and a lot of air. Smoothly. Without drama.

That whole list is great advice from John and I am the first to believe he is right about the lethality of an uncontrolled boom. So, one rule I might add to his list is:

10. Don't gybe when you can tack, when in uncomfortable wind, especially in the absence of a rigged preventer or boom brake.

David

David, concur. Good addition. I’ve done that myself.