MOB Board drills and outside assistance.

[onesea]

I sail where we get a fair number of schools running MOB drills.

It dawned on me after yesterday one day the MOB will be real and the fender could just be incidental. Would you want that on your conscious?

Never mind that the maneuver a school pulled yesterday where they ended up with the other boat within 1 boat length. Just not necessary with 20 knots of wind and boat speed of 6-7 knots. I was running having altered to pass astern of them, they where close hauled same tack crossing my bow.

Until they shouted MOB and crash tacked. My only escape would be a crash gibe with running back stays would of probably ripped my main. Would I be entitled to compensation?

In future if a boat launches a MOB dummy within 3-4 boat lengths of me or where I can clearly hear the shout "Man OverBoard" I will treat it as a real emergency:

1) Standby to assist,
2) If appropriate launch my rife ring or smokes floats to mark the area,
3) Contact you on the radio on 16:
==== a) I am standing by to assist,
==== b) I have / have not launched a marker,
==== c) Get details no of people assistance required etc
==== d) In the event you do not respond, notify the coast guard if they have not already.

4) Whilst you are dropping sails and barking orders at each other, sail over and pick the "casualty" up,
5) If the fender and bucket look nice I will keep them,

The only reason I was certain it was a drill yesterday was because I sailed straight passed the fender/ bucket dummy and the boat deployed no life rings etc...

Am I assuming to much when I clearly hear the shout "MAN OVERBOARD"?

 

[JumbleDuck]

When one does interesting things in a glider - stalls, spins, aerobatics, that sort of thing - and essential part of the preparation is to check that there is nobody nearby, and particularly below, who might be endangered or inconvenienced. I'd have though that something similar would be sensible in a sailing school boat. Even if the instructor doesn't want to let the crew know what's coming, how hard would it be to a have a good look around before throwing out the dummy?

 

[awol]

I have the impression that in the Solent it is so crowded that a boat is always within 3 or 4 boat lengths of another!

 

[Tidewaiter2]

Nah, only like that on the RTIR and Sunday mornings orf Cowes and Pompers.

Rest of the time ok-ish unless a big Wegatta on or a Bank Holiday. No excuse for an RYA Instructor not to pull an MoB without checking- was it in the Shipping channels and was it one of those unseamanlike Instructors from UKSA by any chance.

Too many incidents over the years I have witnessed involving them, both in the Medina, and further out!

Also they particularly(and one or two other 'schools' try to duck out of paying the short stay fee at our Clubs pontoon, but are happy to use our facilities, block a space for an overnighter or Club member, them b£$%^&r off without spending a penny, except in our loos!

I'm happy to clock 'em and report to our OoD!

 

[onesea]

Strange one it was, did not look like school boat. Colored (racing) Sails it was not a boat I expected it out of I am guessing race training. It was not beginners training they where to good for that, yet did not look amateur all the gear to new but not quite matching.

It was not in a channel it was in open ish waters, away from main through fair. You frequently get schools practicing here beginning of day and end of day before they take sails down. If I recognize them as a school I try to keep out of the way. They could of just held on 2 minutes and would of been out of the way.

I felt it was strange way to pick up MOB Crash tack then drop head sail and back to casualty.

Either way if its easy to pick up and I hear the shout and in the humor it might be a race to see who gets the prize of a bucket and fender

 

[Tidewaiter2]

Strange one it was, did not look like school boat. Colored (racing) Sails it was not a boat I expected it out of I am guessing race training. It was not beginners training they where to good for that, yet did not look amateur all the gear to new but not quite matching.

It was not in a channel it was in open ish waters, away from main through fair. You frequently get schools practicing here beginning of day and end of day before they take sails down. If I recognize them as a school I try to keep out of the way. They could of just held on 2 minutes and would of been out of the way.

I felt it was strange way to pick up MOB Crash tack then drop head sail and back to casualty.

Either way if its easy to pick up and I hear the shout and in the humor it might be a race to see who gets the prize of a bucket and fender

Could really turn the key by picking up and doing CPR on the fender?
They could be new crew forming up for the season, hence lack of uniformity, or a corporate jolly perhaps doing the 'housekeeping' bit.

 

[Poignard]

When I did a day skipper course with John Goode's Southern Sailing School the final MOB drill was done with a bundle of screwed up newspaper. If you weren't quick with your recovery, the 'casualty' drowned!

 

[alant]

Nah, only like that on the RTIR and Sunday mornings orf Cowes and Pompers.

Rest of the time ok-ish unless a big Wegatta on or a Bank Holiday. No excuse for an RYA Instructor not to pull an MoB without checking- was it in the Shipping channels and was it one of those unseamanlike Instructors from UKSA by any chance.

Too many incidents over the years I have witnessed involving them, both in the Medina, and further out!

Also they particularly(and one or two other 'schools' try to duck out of paying the short stay fee at our Clubs pontoon, but are happy to use our facilities, block a space for an overnighter or Club member, them b£$%^&r off without spending a penny, except in our loos!

I'm happy to clock 'em and report to our OoD!

I had a YM Examiner pull one for YM candidates in an exam, in the main channel, 2 reds south of Aunt Betty, in Poole Harbour, with masses of yachtie traffic + a strong spring ebb. He wasn't monitoring Poole Harbour Control either, so had no idea if a ferry or any other merchant traffic was entering past the chain ferry.

 

[Uricanejack]

I sail where we get a fair number of schools running MOB drills.

It dawned on me after yesterday one day the MOB will be real and the fender could just be incidental. Would you want that on your conscious?

Never mind that the maneuver a school pulled yesterday where they ended up with the other boat within 1 boat length. Just not necessary with 20 knots of wind and boat speed of 6-7 knots. I was running having altered to pass astern of them, they where close hauled same tack crossing my bow.

Until they shouted MOB and crash tacked. My only escape would be a crash gibe with running back stays would of probably ripped my main. Would I be entitled to compensation?

In future if a boat launches a MOB dummy within 3-4 boat lengths of me or where I can clearly hear the shout "Man OverBoard" I will treat it as a real emergency:

1) Standby to assist,
2) If appropriate launch my rife ring or smokes floats to mark the area,
3) Contact you on the radio on 16:
==== a) I am standing by to assist,
==== b) I have / have not launched a marker,
==== c) Get details no of people assistance required etc
==== d) In the event you do not respond, notify the coast guard if they have not already.

4) Whilst you are dropping sails and barking orders at each other, sail over and pick the "casualty" up,
5) If the fender and bucket look nice I will keep them,

The only reason I was certain it was a drill yesterday was because I sailed straight passed the fender/ bucket dummy and the boat deployed no life rings etc...

Am I assuming to much when I clearly hear the shout "MAN OVERBOARD"?

Joking aside. I suppose if you are close by its better to assume its real until proven otherwise. No harm done. Just a red face. Rather than assume its a drill and find out later it wasn't.

Some years ago an RCN training vessel. dropped a smoke float. few Oscar and pulled a Williamson turn close in front of me. I thought it was most likely a drill. I was pretty sure actually. I can be awkward at times. I called them on 16, got no reply. It appealed to my sense of humor. To call coast guard radio station and ask if they were aware of any scheduled MOB drills in the area. I reported what I had seen.
I was officially tasked by RCC. to proceed directly to scene and investigate and assist if possible.
So I did arriving just as they were getting there boat in the water. but I got there first.

I was able to report to RCC it was just a drill.

The RCN vessel was a bit annoyed. He gave me a telling of for interfering with his drill. RCC gave him a telling of for not informing them.

 

[Sandy]

4) Whilst you are dropping sails and barking orders at each other, sail over and pick the "casualty" up,

Not sure if that is the best technique? I've always found that a barking crew is from the L/Cpl Jones School of "DON'T PANIC, DON'T PANIC". A MOB drill executed quietly and efficiently shows a crew who know their stuff.

I'd consider an e-mail to the Principal asking what the instructor was thinking might be in order.

 

[Talulah]

On a side note we were on the outside beakwater at Cowes on Sunday morning. Sunsail boat in front of us decided to leave with the tide instead of reversing out into tide. That was a close call. Total pillock. You could see the worry on his face.
On that note why have Sunsail removed all the Sunsail racing logos off their fleet. Has something changed?

 

[mjcoon]

Not sure if that is the best technique? I've always found that a barking crew is from the L/Cpl Jones School of "DON'T PANIC, DON'T PANIC". A MOB drill executed quietly and efficiently shows a crew who know their stuff.

I'd consider an e-mail to the Principal asking what the instructor was thinking might be in order.

I read that OP quote as taking the piss and/or making it clear that we (the observers) are ostensibly treating it as a real emergency by ensuring that orders are overheard!

Mike.

 

[Sandy]

I read that OP quote as taking the piss and/or making it clear that we (the observers) are ostensibly treating it as a real emergency by ensuring that orders are overheard!

Not how I read it