Man overboard pick up

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gus

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There are various ways of recovering a 'casualty' but how fast can you turn your boat around and be alongside the casualty? Under motor or sail in calm to moderate conditions? Has anyone tried to see how fast it can be done in emergency?
 
I have never done it, but I do think there is a balance between doing it quickly, and getting it right first time. There is no point rushing, and missing the MOB or injuring them.
 
About 2 minutes or less if all goes to plan and close hauled. MOB, tack without touching sheets, engine on, main sail out and sheet dumped (on my boat), reverse back under power, nudge forward if required, boat ends up on top of MOB. I have done this manoeuvre many times on fin keels and deep forefoot hulls. Never tried on a modern hull shape. Picked the method up on a boat handling course many moons ago.
 
Crazy-Diamond said:
I have never done it, but I do think there is a balance between doing it quickly, and getting it right first time. There is no point rushing, and missing the MOB or injuring them.
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True about rushing but only to stop an escalation such as damage caused by a spinner wrap, crash gybe or sheet around the prop, for example. Speed is of the essence as it is very easy to lose sight of the MOB, plus cold shock and drowning risks.
 
My yacht club have arranged a MOB recovery demonstration in the river. Perhaps not quite the same as open choppy water but better than nothing:

"Have you a plan for recovery of the casualty if there is a man overboard from your yacht? Have you ever tried out your chosen recovery method with a real person?
The Club is organising a man overboard event on Saturday 11th May in the pool off the entrance to the Tavy. High water is at 11:10 BST 4.6 metres.
A volunteer in a dry suit will jump from your boat to be rescued.
There will be a briefing in the clubhouse from 09:30 and boats will be assigned a time slot for their recovery attempt. Spectators are welcome and the event may be filmed. This is a unique event which may prove invaluable for crews taking part. "
 
RYA ran a series of events many years ago including motor boat handling in which one round was MOB recovery it was most informative
Maybe time to rerun?
 
Appledore said:
My yacht club have arranged a MOB recovery demonstration in the river. Perhaps not quite the same as open choppy water but better than nothing:

"Have you a plan for recovery of the casualty if there is a man overboard from your yacht? Have you ever tried out your chosen recovery method with a real person?
The Club is organising a man overboard event on Saturday 11th May in the pool off the entrance to the Tavy. High water is at 11:10 BST 4.6 metres.
A volunteer in a dry suit will jump from your boat to be rescued.
There will be a briefing in the clubhouse from 09:30 and boats will be assigned a time slot for their recovery attempt. Spectators are welcome and the event may be filmed. This is a unique event which may prove invaluable for crews taking part. "
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Make sure the volunteers are wearing plenty of protective equipment

BOB the RYA dummy was covered in battle scars
 
I doubt very much I'd be able to get Milady back on board if she couldn't help herself, so plan B if she can't get up the ladder because of cold or rough water would be to go into the flubber and get her into that, wrap her up and wait for the lifeboat. If I go over the side, I wouldn't guarantee that Milady would be able to get back to me, let alone get me on board, so my best hope is that she remembers that I have no life insurance and my pension dies with me, and gets the RNLI on their way PDQ
 
There is no definitive answer to the OP's question, because the differences in handling characteristics of boats. Here is a link to the way the the RYA (and national sailing associations in other countries) recommend that a boat is manoeuvred in order to pick up an MOB safely and expeditiously. It's called the Quick-Stop;

https://www.rya.org.uk/knowledge-advice/cruising-tips/boat-handling-sail/Pages/man-overboard.aspx

It is essential to practice this manoeuvre so that everyone knows their role and what to do in the event. The first thing to do is to luff up and tack immediately, leaving the jib untouched, dump the mainsheet as the bow comes through the wind and then push the tiller to the boom (turn the wheel away from the boom). The boat should now be pretty much stopped, upwind of the casualty and drifting downwind towards him. With any luck you will be in a position to throw a line to the casualty, but, if this is impractical, throw all the usual stuff off the back of the boat, check for ropes in the water, start the engine and circle back around, to approach the casualty upwind, on the windward side. Meanwhile crew will have dropped/rolled the jib. The approach should be made at very slow speed so that the wind will halt the vessel beside the casualty, because you will have to SWITCH OFF THE ENGINE before you reach his vicinity.
There is no reason to try to do the manoeuvre under sail as the engine will help you do do it quicker and more reliably. Crew must be practiced and adept at gybeing the mainsail under control, and safely, as in such a stressful situation you don't want the further complication of head injuries or rig damage.
Practising the MOB Manoeuvre under sail is also highly recommended as;
A. Your engine won't start
B. There is a rope around the prop
C. The ability to approach any object at slow controlled speed on a Close Reach is something which is essential for the purposes of, under sail, picking up a mooring or going alongside a quay, a pontoon or another boat.
 
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gus said:
There are various ways of recovering a 'casualty' but how fast can you turn your boat around and be alongside the casualty? Under motor or sail in calm to moderate conditions? Has anyone tried to see how fast it can be done in emergency?
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It is a requirement to demonstrate picking up a MOB in every skipper exam in my location. If you fail you don't get a skipper ticket that simple.

The real issue is when you only have 2 crew on board and one goes overboard. What procedure would you use.

I have a lifebuoy attaches to my boat with floating line and I just put the helm hard over to sail around the MOB so I can get him/her within the circle of floating line ending head to wind then pull the MOB towards the boat for recovery with halyard on the either side of the boat.
 
A lot of interesting answers although mainly directed to the manoeuver under sail. It is something worth thinking about and even practicing, both under sail and motor. My last big boat 12m, was very maneouverable with quite a large rudder and motoring at 7 knots I could back alongside the casualty in - would you believe - 18 seconds! It all depends on your boat and how you learn to handle it. Just practice as it might be useful someday.
 
Rogershaw said:
It is a requirement to demonstrate picking up a MOB in every skipper exam in my location. If you fail you don't get a skipper ticket that simple.

The real issue is when you only have 2 crew on board and one goes overboard. What procedure would you use.

I have a lifebuoy attaches to my boat with floating line and I just put the helm hard over to sail around the MOB so I can get him/her within the circle of floating line ending head to wind then pull the MOB towards the boat for recovery with halyard on the either side of the boat.
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The OP is asking how fast you can get back and alongside the casualty, not how to pick up the MOB. How fast can you get back to your casualty, you can state the conditions for the time? It's an interesting question.
 
Rogershaw said:
It is a requirement to demonstrate picking up a MOB in every skipper exam in my location. If you fail you don't get a skipper ticket that simple.

The real issue is when you only have 2 crew on board and one goes overboard. What procedure would you use.

I have a lifebuoy attaches to my boat with floating line and I just put the helm hard over to sail around the MOB so I can get him/her within the circle of floating line ending head to wind then pull the MOB towards the boat for recovery with halyard on the either side of the boat.
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That works when the casualty is conscious and capable of holding onto the line. It has been found that it's quite difficult to haul up a fully grown(/overweight ? :) ) man in waterlogged gear. What works better is a 4:1 or 6:1 tackle attached to the end of the halyard.
 
Under power - in any vessel - Williamson Turn. Everyone should practice this. It's dead easy and only takes a moment:

1. MOB
2. Note heading and immediately put the helm hard over towards the side the MOB is on.
3. When the heading has altered by 60 degrees, put the helm hard over the other way.
4.When you are 20 degrees short of the reciprocal of your original course, helm amidships, engine to neutral
5. You should stop next to the MOB

Try it.

More here

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Man_overboard_rescue_turn#Williamson_turn
 
I ran a specific MOB recovery course about 25 years ago., based on reach-tack-reach. Started one evening ashore. Next day went practical, with two very fit wetsuited teenagers as victims. Practical started alongside pontoon, just on "how to lift". Then underway under sail, in a modern 37-footer sailing yacht. I shadowed in a RIB. No engines allowed as too dangerous for deliberate use of real practice MOB.

After most of a day practicing, about two to three minutes was good, assuming "victim" was playing as conscious. Unconscious much longer, as with a high-freeboard boat you just HAD to put a second person in the water on a line.

At the supposed "end" of the training exercise, sailing home in about F2-3 under spinnaker,, one "victim" (pre-warned) quietly slipped overboard from the stern. It took five minutes for the remaining crew to notice he had gone, by which time they were quite a long way away. Fifteen minutes more to pick him up...……

Have also personally practiced crash stops in a variety of boats, including with a big hefty RN diver as the "victim". On that occasion a modern 45 ft race boat just would not do it, even with engine assistance. Two RYA Examiners also failed, which made me as a 'instructor under assessment' feel better about failing. Switching to an older long-keeler it worked like a charm, no engine needed.

Getting back to the person should be absolutely guaranteed, and pretty quick unless you have a spinnaker set. Actually lifting him/her out if incapacitated is the problem.
 
gus said:
There are various ways of recovering a 'casualty' but how fast can you turn your boat around and be alongside the casualty? Under motor or sail in calm to moderate conditions? Has anyone tried to see how fast it can be done in emergency?
Click to expand...
How far are you from the casualty when you discover they are not aboard? Chucking the fender tied to a bucket is one thing, going below for some kip between watches and not hearing the crew member go over the side as they have a pee is something else.
 
Had a HOB last weekend. That is hat overboard. Always a good opportunity to practice the frrst part of MOB and it comes without warning. Especially under sail. Practice and looking out for the hat is the most important part. The second part of MOB is getting the person back on board. This depends on the boat the larger the boat the harder it is. Stern ladder is the best bet IMHO. There are many other methods of course. ol'will
 
There are many methods of recovery of the 'casualty' which are probably well discussed, however the first priority is not loosing sight of the casualty then getting back to them in the most effective and quickest manner. Different boats and their characteristics require different methods of handling so it is well worth finding out what is best for your particular vessel, be it under sail or motor. If under motor the use of the propwalk to rapidly turn the boat can be very useful in helping to spin the boat around.
 
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