‘Non-specific gender person’ overboard !!

[Bav34]

I’ve been on too many Diversity courses /forums/images/graemlins/tongue.gif

Right, I’ve been sailing for 30+ years, my Yachtmaster qualifications confirm that I can pick up a fender under sail….as long as it is attached to a bucket (!) … and I imagine that in that time ( lots of cruising and racing) I have seen or experienced most things that can go wrong on a boat..

However SWMBO and I cannot agree on the FIRST thing that you should do if you are two up and one topples over the side. She insists that reading my Life Insurance Policy is relevant …. I need to know that I can operate the stove without her /forums/images/graemlins/smile.gif

I don’t need lectures on ‘’always stay clipped on’’ etc. thanks. I sail in the real world where we kit up according to the prevailing conditions … i.e. night time never on deck without using a harness etc etc but I would appreciate your input given the following which can be adapted to most points of sail:

Conditions: Wind F4 …beam reach …. 7 + knots.

Boat on Autopilot, one crew on watch, other dozing/reading in cockpit.

For WHATEVER reason, person on watch leaves cockpit … perhaps just to tighten topping lift which has been annoying them. Haven’t we all done it? Then SPLASH… over they go.

What is the absolute first thing that you would do given the following set up ?

From the stern, the boat has:

Lifebouy/danbouy/throwing line.

Genoa reefing line

Wheel currently on Autopilot. Wheel also has a locking knob, useful for heaving to etc

Instruments including GPS repeater.

Engine controls on steering binnacle ….engine 100% reliable

Genoa winches

Main sheet held by jammer on coachroof

Down below: GPS linked to VHF/Radar/Yeoman plotter/cockpit.

Just as a thought starter, the boat is sailing fast, throwing floating aids is a great idea but what if they miss, but if you dash below to hit MOB you are going to be a long way from the casualty.

The PBO forumites were great giving me advice on sailing round GB and in fact have helped make up my mind for me regarding ‘over the top’ or through The Caledonian Canal.

Thought I’d give you guys a go /forums/images/graemlins/cool.gif
Thanks

 

[AndrewB]

Do you mean ....

... what "non-specific gender person"-oevre should you first perform?

 

[Bajansailor]

Hit the stand-by button on the autohelm, tack, and heave to.
Then assess the situation.

 

[flaming]

Tack, don't touch the sheets (so back the jib) and sail close to the casualty at slow speed. Hand them (note HAND, not throw) the lifesaving gear and danbuoy etc. The reason for this is that survival times increase massively with the gear.

After this you have a choice. You can now either prioritise a mayday call or a rescue attempt. There are valid arguments for both. IMHO it depends on conditions and location. In calm weather I'd go for a pick up, rolling the jib, starting the engine and approaching head to wind. In rougher stuff, where I thought there was a posibility I'd miss my first pass I'd now stop the boat as much as possible and hit the DSC button. If a handheld's availiable I'd grab that to talk to the coast gaurd from the cockpit.

Things to think about when deciding what to prioritise.
1. Are you sure you can get back to the casualty in the conditions?
2. Were they injured in the process of going overboard? If so I would definately prioritise a mayday to get the chopper in the air ASAP.
3. If you do get back to them is the person left on the boat able to get the casualty back on the boat by themselves, or are you going to need assistance anyway?
4. How close to help are you? If you're a long way offshore can help actually reach you in time to make any difference? Sobering thought.

 

[Lynette]

Crash stop.

Then make contact with the casualty (shout, torch). The other stuff you suggest then follows, according to conditions. That locking nut on your wheel could be helpful when you are hove-to.

If you are below when they go over and have lost contact, I would also add, double check your heading immediately as you'll need it to search back. Its easy in the panic to get disorientated.

(P.S. I agree totally with bajansailor and flaming, who got in before me).

 

[DJE]

Right I'll have a go then:
Release genoa sheet.
Furl genoa.
Turn off autopilot.
Tack on to reciprocal course.
Hit MOB button.
Check for lines over side.
Start engine.
Mayday if radio close to hand or casualty not in sight.
Sheet main in tight and manouvre under power.
Throw lifebouy on first pass past casualty.
Return and stop boat close upwind of casualty to drift down on to him.

Edit:
Blimey 3 posts above me while I was writing that.

 

[flaming]

[ QUOTE ]
Right I'll have a go then:
Release genoa sheet.
Furl genoa.
Turn off autopilot.
Tack on to reciprocal course.
Hit MOB button.


[/ QUOTE ]

Only issue with your plan is by the time you've furled the genoa on your own and tacked the boat you will be a very long way from the casualty. Figure a minute on your own. At 6 knots you'll be over a cable away. Try it with a fender. And a head is very hard to spot in waves. Wheras if you heave to straight away and get the gear to the casualty then you are much closer to them, you keep them in sight and they are much more visable if you lose contact.

 

[jb2006]

Absolute first - auto off - crash stop - think!

 

[l'escargot]

[ QUOTE ]
Absolute first - auto off - crash stop - think!

[/ QUOTE ]
and immediate Mayday giving best known position.

 

[fisherman]

I can't possibly suggest what to do about getting sail off, reciprocating course etc. Sailing, and all that.

Many years ago two of us went overboard, (don't ask) leaving the skipper alone. Fortunately, although he was courting heavily at the time and inclined to doze, he saw us go, and returned fairly promptly. What we wanted more than anything was something to hang on to, and later we remonstrated with him for not throwing the lifebuoy immediately. He argued that the tide would have taken it away from us.(! He also often suggested that black was white). We ran a test, dropping a float overboard, he left the wheel and threw the buoy, it was close enough. Lifebuoys have luminous tape, which you can pick out from many yards away even with your nav lights. Try it. It would give you a good point of reference. IMHO.

Couple of years ago we picked up a chap who had fallen out of his boat. He was not too bad at the start, we threw the liefebuoy without the line. Then we could not get him the few feet to the boat, he would not swap to the buoy with the line. There was a chance I would have to chuck my crew in, leaving me with two to get back. Fortunately he took the other buoy.

This may sound stupid, but when you bring someone in, turn them to face the boat, they bend easier.

 

[boatbuilder]

If SWIMBO is over the side, no problem. Next stop Rio /forums/images/graemlins/smile.gif

 

[fireball]

Depending on the reaction speed then I would concur with the - throw the toys first - why else have you got them there? At the very least it gives you more things to spot than just another empty wave .... ok - don't throw both toys - leave one on deck for later....

then - condition dependant I'd probably do the crash tack, get the engine going and decide what to do from then on - depends how far you are away after the crash tack, how cold the water is and time of day.

I'm not sure that hitting the mob button would be too helpful unless you can't get the boat to stop - because you've got to dive down below to do it - although if you're going down to do the mayday call you might as well hit it...

 

[Lakesailor]

Of course this thread is showing that in the "acualité" there may be room for confusion.

If it's you overboard and the crew left up top. Then what?

 

[Woodlouse]

Resign yourself to your fate and reflect on how pretty your boat looks under sail.

 

[fireball]

I would've thought the answer was pretty obvious ....

Dig out the remote control from your waterproof pocket ... and do the crash tack from there before the boat is out of range ...

you do have a wireless remote for your autohelm?!

 

[Lakesailor]

What's an autohelm?

 

[fireball]

<whisper>Thats SWMBO to you and me</whisper>

 

[Bav34]

Interesting stuff.... thanks for taking the time. Our dilemma has always been ... do we throw the safety stuff off the back which means that the casualty MAY reach it giving time for the boat handling; do we spin the boat quickly which is a neat idea but in the the attendant flailing/change of course can you find the casualty (are they now on port or starboard?) or do we head for the GPS which altho' increasing the distance from the casualty at least gives you a point of reference to come back to.

Having read your very helpful replies I think it has to be the 'stop the boat choice' ..... it definitely gives you a chance to go for the other options immediately afterwards.

Incidentally, careless as it may seem, I did lose a crew over the side on a Round the Island Race .... spinnaker up off St.Cats. TOTALLY out of control like 99% of the people around us .... two crew went forward to tame the beastie and get a genny poled out .... one of them slipped right under the guard rails on port ..... 'luckily' harnessed on on starboard.... next roll pulled them back on board. B8llocked them for such a poor drop /forums/images/graemlins/grin.gif /forums/images/graemlins/grin.gif

 

[EdWingfield]

The absolutely first thing I would do is go to the hatch and shout, 'I say chaps, shake a leg, old George is over the side!'

 

[boatmike]

Concur that crash stop by either tacking or jybing if going downwind is the first "must do". Personally having knocked off the autopilot and put the wheel over and locked it, my next priority would be the dan bouy to mark the position. Even if a minute has passed it gives an immediate visual reference and you can at least say the MoB is probably directly upwind of it or whatever. It's very easy to get disorientated regarding the MoB position wihout a visual marker. Then unless you can easily sail back the way you want to go, release sheets, start engine and motor back to the dan bouy tracking upwind until I located MoB. I would not spend time furling genoas unless I was already under way going back to the dan bouy and had time to do so. Personally I don't think MoB buttons on GPS do very much good but if it is at hand hit the button ASAP. As a matter of interest who practices MoB using a GPS? Unless you do it is not immediately obvious how to return to the scene of the crime when the adrenaline is flowing chaps but it's invaluable if you have lost sight of MoB and Dan Bouy etc. As a last resort it gives rescue services a point of reference to start a search.
What you do next depends on your religious convictions and fondness for the MoB............