Solo sailor saved by a PLB

[kof]

Solo sailor rescued after eight hours in rough seas off remote Northern Territory coastline - ABC News

Got tossed overboard, couldn't make it back and 8 hours later was picked up by the Australian Maritime Safety when they were notified his PLB went off. He was 23Km from his boat when rescued.

New years resolution - Always wear a PLB.

Lucky, lucky boy.

 

[Adios]

So he was in the water for 3 hours before the liferaft was dropped? Has anyone tried a lifejacket that has a spray hood? Not having water splashing in your face for hours on end sounds like a great idea

 

[doris]

Has anyone tried a lifejacket that has a spray hood? Not having water splashing in your face for hours on end sounds like a great idea

If you go on the water and feel you have need of a life jacket/raft think about doing a sea survival course. A life jacket without a spray hood is half useless. I'd be surprised you an even buy one today

 

[kof]

Spray hood is a must. I threw out 10 older lifejackets (!) and upgraded to much better , modern ones all with integral spray hoods, lifting strops and more. We learn from our experiences and lifejackets have come a long way.

If you go on the water and feel you have need of a life jacket/raft think about doing a sea survival course. A life jacket without a spray hood is half useless. I'd be surprised you an even buy one today

 

[Adios]

If you go on the water and feel you have need of a life jacket/raft think about doing a sea survival course. A life jacket without a spray hood is half useless. I'd be surprised you an even buy one today

A course to practice these things and learn proper techniques sounds like a good idea, doing something for the first time in a half arsed way during an emergency never ideal

Hoods don't seem to be that common still in the regular priced end of the market. I tend to shop midrange as I need 5 of everything, but I'll have to give it some thought

 

[LadyInBed]

New years resolution - Always wear a PLB.

Better idea to clip on so you don't end up in the water in the first place!

 

[Adios]

Better idea to clip on so you don't end up in the water in the first place!

I saw a boat for sale that had a loop of webbing hanging off around every guard rail stanchion so he had a way to climb back on board if he was being dragged along having fallen over. Not a bad idea. I guess he might have been selling the boat as he'd realised the ultimate safety measure was just to stop sailing.

 

[LadyInBed]

I saw a boat for sale that had a loop of webbing hanging off around every guard rail stanchion so he had a way to climb back on board if he was being dragged along having fallen over. Not a bad idea. I guess he might have been selling the boat as he'd realised the ultimate safety measure was just to stop sailing.

Suggest you give it a try, virtually impossible with a boat doing 3+ knots.

 

[Ningaloo]

A course to practice these things and learn proper techniques sounds like a good idea, doing something for the first time in a half arsed way during an emergency never ideal

Hoods don't seem to be that common still in the regular priced end of the market. I tend to shop midrange as I need 5 of everything, but I'll have to give it some thought

I learnt so much on my sea survival course. I strongly recommend it to all. Not just those going offshore.

As for lifejacket hoods, these now seem to be getting the attention that crotch straps started to get 20 years ago. And about time!

You don't need to spend a fortune. Look at the Kru ADV which have light and hood for under £100.

Oh, and my Kru lifejacket also has a pocket for my PLB.

 

[Adios]

Suggest you give it a try, virtually impossible with a boat doing 3+ knots.

Well I've always assumed it would be a nightmare, and for those webbing hoops to work you'd have to end up in exactly the right place so probably a silly idea, other than the trip hazard and hassle of the things that is my chief reason not to clip on in normal conditions, slow waterskied to death. Will help providing a body for the family though I guess and save search expenses. Having the jack stays running closer to the midline of the boat would solve this, but they are invariably by the gunwales so to have enough slack to reach anything there is enough slack to go over the side a fair way.

 

[Adios]

I learnt so much on my sea survival course. I strongly recommend it to all. Not just those going offshore.

I like the idea a lot. Can't imagine it won't apply to any water.

You don't need to spend a fortune. Look at the Kru ADV which have light and hood for under £100.

Oh, and my Kru lifejacket also has a pocket for my PLB.

this one? Kru Sport 170 ADV Lifejacket - Includes Light & Sprayhood no mention of a pocket.

This one has but for a fair bit more Kru Sport Pro 170N ADV Lifejacket: Buy the Kru Sport Pro ADV Today

 

[V1701]

So the question is would he have survived if he'd have been clipped on and gone over and been dragged along? Solo I have no jackstays fitted but will clip on in the cockpit or at the mast, e.g. and always wear an LJ and a PLB. I figure if I go overboard I have a better chance of surviving (though still not great) if I'm not being dragged through the water by the boat. I don't see the point of clipping on to a jackstay if it's not going to prevent me from going overboard, and the jackstays on most boats that I see would not do that. By the sounds of it I really should invest in a better LJ with a spray hood. Different matter if the boat is not being sailed solo but (and IMVHO) I still think jackstays that don't stop you from going overboard are very questionable...

Rule of thumb whenever under way: If I go overboard I'm a goner...

 

[Adios]

I still think jackstays that don't stop you from going overboard are very questionable...

And they all are like that aren't they. It makes more sense as you say to clip on when you get where you're going, on the mast or some point in the centre of the foredeck, for when your hands are doing something. Getting there both hands are usually free to hold on unless one is needed to untangle a safety strop from a foot or something half way along, then you're hanging on by one hand defeating the object.

Some of the risk of harnesses can be mitigated by carrying a one hand opening knife but can it be gotten out and used quickly enough. Maybe not.

 

[kof]

Jackstays should be as close to the centre line as possible and the harness lines as short as possible. Stopping you from going over the rail is really important because, as you say, it would be almost impossible to climb back onboard again and a knife might be the only solution.

And they all are like that aren't they. It makes more sense as you say to clip on when you get where you're going, on the mast or some point in the centre of the foredeck, for when your hands are doing something. Getting there both hands are usually free to hold on unless one is needed to untangle a safety strop from a foot or something half way along, then you're hanging on by one hand defeating the object.

Some of the risk of harnesses can be mitigated by carrying a one hand opening knife but can it be gotten out and used quickly enough. Maybe not.

 

[LadyInBed]

It makes more sense as you say to clip on when you get where you're going

Both
Baltic Safety Line - 3 Hook | Force 4 Chandlery

 

[Adios]

Jackstays should be as close to the centre line as possible and the harness lines as short as possible.

Have you ever been on a boat where it was set up like that? Spray hoods are the problem and they're not the strongest things to rely on when going around them so the stays are run too far outboard to be able to prevent going over. Without a hood could clip onto something running along the cabin roof before leaving the cockpit.

 

[kof]

Yes. Mine.

Have you ever been on a boat where it was set up like that?

 

[Adios]

Yes. Mine.

Any others?

 

[PhillM]

Any others?

Yep. mine too. Spent a lot of time and some money adding centreline jackstays and working out how to use a short teather.

Glad to hear the guy was saved. I always wear a Lj and I too have a spray hood and plb on it.

 

[Adios]

Yep. mine too. Spent a lot of time and some money adding centreline jackstays and working out how to use a short teather.

Glad to hear the guy was saved. I always wear a Lj and I too have a spray hood and plb on it.

OK I'm doing this and a PLB, expensive but useful thinking going on on this forum.

How do you get around the spray hood though? (the boats not the LJs) I suppose I could have a tether that stays attached to the stays and is hooked for keeping until needed at the edge of the sprayhood. I'd then hook onto that before leaving the cockpit. That would make it longer than ideal though. But i suppose could have that until get around, then hook the shorter tether and leave the longer one there until on the way back. Seems like a good plan