Life lines and jack stays

[grankin]

>If you want to try a more realistic MOB drill, try lobbing a coconut overboard mid Channel and not losing it.

We had an inflatable Danbuoy washed off the boat in big seas, we lost sight of it in a few minutes. I couldn't believe it, if it had been an MOB one of us would still have been turning the boat round. Moral of the story: don't go overboard.

Too true. When I was a Coastie, we had a MOB drill, with a dummy tossed overboard. One does not get a 26-foot Monomoy surf boat launched with a bunch of seaman apprentices very quickly. We managed to find the dummy and get it aboard - but I think it may have drowned, were it human.

Every time I get on a new boat we have a lesson in what to do, and it is astonishing how many think the business of one person never taking eyes (nor pointed finger) off of target is silly. When/if they say so, they get put straight firmly and sharply, that it is a duty not to be shirked in even the least way.