Clipper: MOB Pacific
- Thread starter Talulah
- Start date
ChrisE
Active member
"
Derry~Londonderry~Doire crew member, Andrew Taylor (46) from London was rescued from the Pacific Ocean in the early hours of this morning after falling overboard. He went over the side at 23.43 UTC last night in rough weather and was sighted again at 00.55 UTC before being recovered at approx. 01.13 UTC this morning (13.13 local time, 30 March).
The incident happened in rough weather with 35 knots of wind and clear visibility in daylight. Skipper Sean McCarter reported that he was working with Andrew on a sail change near the bow when he went over the side. Sean immediately went back to the helm, stopped the yacht and initiated the MOB (man overboard) procedure.
Race Director Justin Taylor explained: “In these conditions a man overboard is swept away from the boat very quickly and visual contact can be lost in the swell. We have a well-rehearsed procedure to mark the position, stop racing and engaged the engine to search for and recover the crew member as quickly as possible.
“An hour and a half is a very long time to be in the water in these conditions but a combination of his sea survival training and seven months at sea as well as wearing a life jacket and dry suit will have contributed enormously to his survival"
Excellent work and one lucky fellow!
z1ppy
Well-known member
one lucky fella but full marks to the crew for following procedure and getting him back on board. He needs to be doing the lottery this week!!
CFarr
Member
+1
If I am ever unlucky enough to go overboard then I'd like a large well trained crew to come to my rescue please.
Well done all aboard.
30boat
N/A
Bloody hell it's a lot harder to recover a MOB than one tends to think.Good thing it was in daylight.I could feel the stress in my gut as I watched.
SteveSarabande
Active member
I wonder why he wasn't clipped on
30boat
N/A
Yep,I wonder too,now that you mention it.
Sailingsaves
Well-known member
He seemed to be the only one with a dry suit / survival suit on.
Was it just luck (for him that he was wearing it at the time)?
The others do not seem to be wearing them.
Glad life jackets have that colour bladder.
Was it just luck (for him that he was wearing it at the time)?
The others do not seem to be wearing them.
Glad life jackets have that colour bladder.
Last edited:
prv
Well-known member
I think some are and some aren't. Bear in mind that the suits in question look a lot like normal oilies at first glance, we're not talking about black rubber diving suits here.
Incidentally, 20/20 hindsight and all, I can't help thinking they'd have done better to throw the guy a line to keep in contact, and then simply lowered him the hook to clip on, rather than winching someone else into the water. The casualty seemed to still be alert and able to do that, and the additional swimmer just added hassle and confusion while the casualty drifted around unsecured.
Swimmer ready to go if needed very sensible, but they seemed to have decided on a plan and were determined to carry it out regardless of the actual situation...
Pete
Sailingsaves
Well-known member
I still have my throwing line (from when I sold my wee cruiser) and I keep it in my dinghy.
With many MOB situations where the casualty is as capable as this one was, I often wonder why throwing lines are not deployed; maybe I lack the experience to understand.
I did wonder about the video made by the Clipper guys.
One minute a lady is doing the proper pointing job, next we jump to a radio mayday (procedure incorrect? was lat and long given as second point?) then we are back on board again.
If it wasn't for the sight of the poor chap I would have thought the whole thing contrived, but can see that Clipper have simply edited the video as a promo piece (nought wrong with that).
Hope the chap has no long lasting effects.
He wasn't wearing a suit I sold alas (I sold some to Clipper crews at discount before they set off), but I am glad he had a suit on and not just oilies.
Hope all the crew of all Clippers have a great time and can keep up with the strain _ I know I am no longer fit enough to shift those heavy foresails etc.
flaming
Well-known member
The press release states he was, but it failed.
However the report of the message to the rest of the fleet says
So it looks like it's possible he had thought he was clipped on, but maybe had missed the jackstay, or hadn't quite shut the clip, or some other sort of human error in clipping on.