Man overboard, short handed recovery.

[Quandary]

It will be mounted on the pushpit (no transom, remember), all nicely packed in its case, with a deployment rope dangling out of it to just above water level. Since it's held together by velcro, one good tug should release it.
Or at least, that's the plan. What does the panel think?
Basically, though, if I go overboard I expect to die.

Uber. My opinion (for what its worth) is that you need to do more work on the deployment mechanism, to make it accessible; you would surely need to react quickly and swim fast to get to it if the boat is moving. I appreciate that the thing must avoid fouling anything else.
My Laser 13 dinghy had, among other Laser innovations, a line round the after part of the boat which ran right around under the gunwhale as a emergency grab line, it fell in loops from gripping eyes up under the gunwhale so could be reached at the sides as well as the back. It worked too, but the hull was much closer to the water.

 

[Deleted member 36384]

With a line pass it down, through your sling / strop, bring it back up and make off to the cleat on the beam (or just fasten to you). Take the standing part over the boom top, pass it through the centre of the other cleat on opposite beam (or block on the toe rail) and straight to the sheet winch. She then winds you up to the top of the guard wires. It doesn't get much simpler. It will hurt.

If you had a removable stanchion or opening guard wires it would not hurt so much.

 

[Quandary]

Perhaps once you have determined a method and tried it out you could make up a quick look prompt card that would remove the mystery and instil familiarity. Such simple methods are powerful aids. As a result of this post I will do this for my method.

Good idea, I am glad I asked now, I have a panel on the bridge deck below the traveller where a brief note could go permanently.

 

[Quandary]

With a line pass it down, through your sling / strop, bring it back up and make off to the cleat on the beam (or just fasten to you). Take the standing part over the boom top, pass it through the centre of the other cleat on opposite beam (or block on the toe rail) and straight to the sheet winch. She then winds you up to the top of the guard wires. It doesn't get much simpler. It will hurt.

If you had a removable stanchion or opening guard wires it would not hurt so much.

'CUT' ing the guard wire lanyards should be one item on our sequence list.

 

[Quandary]

Boots
Been down to the boat for a think so here is my current plan, still too cold to try it out but definitely still open to advice

Deploy rescue sling as instructed on wallet.
Shorten up retrieval line and make up on spring cleat amidships,
Attach recovery halyard (formerly topping lift) to line using a snatch block attached to end
Detach lifelines on that side.
Wind up halyard (2-1 with snatch block)
Drag fat git on to side deck and secure.

Abbreviates to
RECOVER
SHORTEN UP AND SECURE
ATTACH SNATCH
CUT LIFELINES
HOIST
SECURE ON DECK.
( Then beat with frying pan)

Will this work? my life could depend on it (Ubergeekians answer is already noted but tell me anyway as I am looking for comment rather than approbation)

 

[sailorman]

Boots
Been down to the boat for a think so here is my current plan, still too cold to try it out but definitely still open to advice

Deploy rescue sling as instructed on wallet.
Shorten up retrieval line and make up on spring cleat amidships,
Attach recovery halyard (formerly topping lift) to line using a snatch block attached to end
Detach lifelines on that side.
Wind up halyard (2-1 with snatch block)
Drag fat git on to side deck and secure.

Abbreviates to
RECOVER
SHORTEN UP AND SECURE
ATTACH SNATCH
CUT LIFELINES
HOIST
SECURE ON DECK.
( Then beat with frying pan)

Will this work? my life could depend on it (Ubergeekians answer is already noted but tell me anyway as I am looking for comment rather than approbation)

Now how does this "Snatch" thing actually work

 

[Quandary]

Now how does this "Snatch" thing actually work

Seriously?
What I meant is to attach a Barton or similar snatch block to the end of the halyard which means the lifting load will be almost halved if the block is snapped over the retrieval line between the casualty and the deck cleat where the line is first secured.
I have a such block which we occasionally use for barbour hauling the genoa sheets when broad reaching which will be redeployed for this, I think I will be able to do a limited rehearsal and test of the geometry by getting her to lift me off the pontoon, failing that I might have to get the wet suit out.

 

[Ubergeekian]

All I am still looking for is a simple recovery method with some chance of sucess, I think my wife would feel better if she had done the best she could.

A safety line of just the right length to hold you out of the water and alongside and a Big Red DSC button are probably the best combination. In other words, don't bother trying to find a way for her to get you out of the water: find a way which lets her stabilise the situation and scream for help.

If you are unable to help yourself I really don't think there is a simple method for one not-terribly-strong person which has a good enough chance of success.

 

[PeteE]

Abbreviates to
RECOVER
SHORTEN UP AND SECURE
ATTACH SNATCH
CUT LIFELINES
HOIST
SECURE ON DECK.
/QUOTE]

Presumably when you have MOB everything has turned to****.........I can feel a nmemonic coming on...

R ig line
A ttach sling
T hrough arms
S heeve at boom
H ang on cleat
I nhaul on winch
T ake onboard

or something similar

 

[SAWDOC]

Good thread & good contributions!

Here is a previous thread on the same topic which describes the tests mentioned in one of the previous posts

http://www.ybw.com/forums/showthread.php?t=175610

the difficulty experienced in recovering a heavy MOB is very sobering.

 

[MoodySabre]

Here the link the East Coast MOB Recovery practice

Salutory stuff - it's OK to have ideas but you need to practice them - somethings just do not work well.

 

[Ricd]

I think this is dismissive of a serious risk,

On the contrary, it reflects the seriousness of going overboard ...its the last place you ever want to be, particularly if short handed...so I keep it at the front of your mind in everything I do and ensure that crew do likewise!

 

[Ludd]

I think this is dismissive of a serious risk,

On the contrary, it reflects the seriousness of going overboard ...its the last place you ever want to be, particularly if short handed...so I keep it at the front of your mind in everything I do and ensure that crew do likewise!

WHEN I have crew,my MOB briefing: Fall overboard ,you will die. I am not a good enough sailor to get back to you quickly, and I am not strong enough to pull you aboard anyway.

 

[BrendanS]

Those nice people at Jimmy Green are making me a nine-rung version of their valise ladder, and that will be my way of getting aboard if I am conscious and fairly undamaged. Otherwise I assume that I will not get back on board, though I might have a go at getting into the dinghy.

I have absolutely no faith at all in all the various slings and lifts which as long as I can remember have been invented, sold through the YM/PBO classifieds for a few months and then faded into obscurity.

Couple of points. Have you ever tried being a voluntary MOB in a dry suit. I have. I knew I was going in , and knew I'd be recovered......eventually. Without dry suit, I'd not fancy it

Have you ever tried climbing a rope ladder that is swinging free from a point above? It's very difficult, as I discovered when making tree houses and such things when a kid. Your nine rung ladder is going to be essentially the same thing.

Combine a hanging ladder with cold water, and wet clothes/oilies, you will do well to get out of the water, or even cling on after a while.. this presumes the boat is stationary. Don't even think about it, if the boat is moving at even 1 or 2 knots.

 

[William_H]

MOB recovery

We did an MOB exercise at our yacht club a while back. I posted pictures etc but can't seem to find it again.
Anyway after emphasising don't fall over.
Perhaps the most practical approach seemed to be to use a stern ladder if fitted.
First and foremost is to get a rope to the MOB. Practice throwing a rope like a jib sheet a floating rope is best. Tie a bowline loop in the end about right size for MOB to slip over head and under arms.

Most boats have a backstay and a point to attach a pulley well above the deck or a shackle or similar to pass the rescue rope through. Use the rescue rope under the arms to assist the MOB to climb up the stern ladder. ie get MOB to climb but take up the slack on the rope at each step.

For an unconcious person there are real problems. We tried the small jib tied to the rail abeam the mastand hoisted by a halyard. A big loop down into the water. This worked well until the MOB got up near the gunwhale. The foot of the jib stretched and MOB fell between the foot of the jib and the gunwhale. Multiple attacments along the foot of the jib or use of a net with multiple attachments would fix that problem.

If the person is wearing a harness or at a pinch using a rope bowline under the arm pits a person is most easily hoisted out by using a spin halyard (or jib) and whisker pole (or spin pole) on the spin pole atachment. With a short pole the MOB can be hoisted over the rail quite easily. However many lifejacket with harness attachments would not be suitable for hoisting as a simple crutch strap might be very uncomfortable. We did not find using the boom very easy or satisfactory.

Some advocate a rope ties between bow and a winch at stern slung around near the water line. A MOB is meant to stand on the rope holding the gunwhale and the rope is tightened. We found keeping a grip on the rope with the feet difficult and it hurt the feet without shoes. This method may work well in a big sea. as the MOB would be lifted on each wave. generally we didn't like this method.
Strangely freeing the lifelines seemed to be a low priority as MOB can be dragged over or under the lines.

The important thing is to think about and talk about MOB and what you will do. Try a few methods but do have your crew practice finding and throwing a rope ASAP. Actual recover over the side is a lot easier on sm,all boat and more difficult on larger. olewill

 

[Ubergeekian]

Couple of points. Have you ever tried being a voluntary MOB in a dry suit. I have. I knew I was going in , and knew I'd be recovered......eventually. Without dry suit, I'd not fancy it

Does capsizing a dinghy count?

Have you ever tried climbing a rope ladder that is swinging free from a point above? It's very difficult, as I discovered when making tree houses and such things when a kid. Your nine rung ladder is going to be essentially the same thing.

Good point. My assumption is that the dynamics will be different when I am essentially weightless in the water. However, this is certainly something to try out, either on the mooring one day (it worked on the Goblin!) or in the pool. Thanks.

 

[AliM]

I'll repeat myself...
Try it!

It may be scary for your wives to think about it, but it's good fun, particularly in a group, and it is very reassuring afterwards.

Boys: Be as rigid as you like in your instructions and mnemonics, but until you've tried it, you don't know what works best. I think I'd go further (as one of those SWMBOs) - the fact that you are giving inflexible instructions about "what should be done" is one of the more intimidating factors in the whole thing. Work it out together, through trial and error, and she will be much happier.

If the stronger and more experienced (probably male) member of the pair goes overboard in poor conditions or is unconscious, the chances of recovery are slim, but the one left on board will have to try their utmost, using all means they can think of. That is not the time to find out that your well-thought-out plans do not work!

 

[Plyn]

When 2 of my friends dinghy capsized, they were unable to right it, and they were unable to get back on board their boat as they did not have a boarding ladder. Sadly one of them died. The other managed to get ashore, but was very close to death.

 

[Canopy Locked]

MOB from a MoBo

Slight fred drift as previous posts refer to sailing boats and being able to use the winches and height of mast/boom.... but what are the forumites views on the best recovery method for a 30ft MoBo with no bathing platform?

Can understand the comments about the difficulties of using a rope ladder but would a combination of say an emergency rope ladder coupled with something like an Oscar sling enable one person to get another (concious) person back on board over the side or would the vote be for a fixed, fold down boarding ladder, with stand off legs, at the stern?

Interesting thread... I did a sea survival course and realise the huge difficulties of getting into a life raft..... how much greater it would be trying to get back on to a boat where the gunnels are 1m above the waterline?

Sobering thought really

 

[Quandary]

Thanks to everyone who responded, I will take the advice about reviewing the technique in practice in an easy manner and also about making a accessible list of the most effective sequence. I am now more convinced about keeping the harness lanyard straps attached to the lifejacket. I also intend to clearly mark the sling rope where it should be made off as if it is too short it looks as if it may not allow a high enough lift. I will think also about changing to the Spinlock lifejacket with its thigh straps.
In the end though, I agree with those who advise that I should continue my life long policy of staying out of the water, so will try to make more use of the jackstays.
We helped a old boat through the canal last week which had 30" lifelines, my wife who was on deck handling the lines was impressed with the real security they offer compared to most modern boats.