MOB in a self-tacker with an inexperienced crew

Buck Turgidson said:
What exactly do they need to know in order to deploy a life sling and motor/sail in a circle with a self tacking jib?
1) how to open a Velcro flap and throw the contents over the side.
2) how to start the engine, put it in gear and take it out of gear
3) how to turn the wheel/tiller

that’s it.
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I would suggest that is not it. I am assuming you are referring to the harness on a line type rescue sling here.
Just chucking the rescue harness over the side is only part of it. Firstly one has to get it to the MOB & tests have shown that it does not go straight to the centre of the circle but follows the boat because of the way the rope runs in the water It will take several circuits at least & for an experienced crew to do that takes practice.
Then even if the MOB does manage to catch the harness he/she has to get into it, or hold on whilst being pulled to the boat. Have you ever tried pulling a load on a silliy little 6mm line 25 metres long? I have ried it whilst doing safety boat duty in a RIB. It is not easy & often the RIB goes to the MOB rather than the MOB to the RIB so you get an idea of the pull. The yacht is probably bouncing along at 3 kts at the same time because the crew do not know how to stop it.
Regardless of letting all the sheets go, my boat ( which has a self tacking jib) does not just sit still. It goes off like a scalded cat every so often. It will not, for instance, heave too with an experienced skipper at the helm.
So--- with the greatest of respect-- I think you need to work out the practicalities of your ideas before you go too far
 
Daydream believer said:
I would suggest that is not it. I am assuming you are referring to the harness on a line type rescue sling here.
Just chucking the rescue harness over the side is only part of it. Firstly one has to get it to the MOB & tests have shown that it does not go straight to the centre of the circle but follows the boat because of the way the rope runs in the water It will take several circuits at least & for an experienced crew to do that takes practice.
Then even if the MOB does manage to catch the harness he/she has to get into it, or hold on whilst being pulled to the boat. Have you ever tried pulling a load on a silliy little 6mm line 25 metres long? I have ried it whilst doing safety boat duty in a RIB. It is not easy & often the RIB goes to the MOB rather than the MOB to the RIB so you get an idea of the pull. The yacht is probably bouncing along at 3 kts at the same time because the crew do not know how to stop it.
Regardless of letting all the sheets go, my boat ( which has a self tacking jib) does not just sit still. It goes off like a scalded cat every so often. It will not, for instance, heave too with an experienced skipper at the helm.
So--- with the greatest of respect-- I think you need to work out the practicalities of your ideas before you go too far
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If you harden your main sheet without adjusting the jib, what happens if you turn into wind and leave it there?
 
scotty123 said:
No, we performed the drill as prescribed & recovered the casualty.
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this is nothing to do with yacht master MOB recovery. I can do that, I've got a little blue book that confirms it.
this is about someone(lets assume a single non sailor on board) who has no experience and the skipper going overboard.

Your post a few pages back requires the novice to be able to ease two sheets, one at least of which is on a winch. Start the engine, steer the boat to remain abeam the wind, operate the engine in forward and reverse whilst keeping the boat abeam the wind and then if they eventually drift back onto the skipper, do something else to get a line to them.

Mine requires them to chuck something overboard and turn the wheel in one direction.


I teach idiots to fly aeroplanes for a living. I know which I think has the better chance of success ;-)
 
Daydream believer said:
I would suggest that is not it. I am assuming you are referring to the harness on a line type rescue sling here.
Just chucking the rescue harness over the side is only part of it. Firstly one has to get it to the MOB & tests have shown that it does not go straight to the centre of the circle but follows the boat because of the way the rope runs in the water It will take several circuits at least & for an experienced crew to do that takes practice.
Then even if the MOB does manage to catch the harness he/she has to get into it, or hold on whilst being pulled to the boat. Have you ever tried pulling a load on a silliy little 6mm line 25 metres long? I have ried it whilst doing safety boat duty in a RIB. It is not easy & often the RIB goes to the MOB rather than the MOB to the RIB so you get an idea of the pull. The yacht is probably bouncing along at 3 kts at the same time because the crew do not know how to stop it.
Regardless of letting all the sheets go, my boat ( which has a self tacking jib) does not just sit still. It goes off like a scalded cat every so often. It will not, for instance, heave too with an experienced skipper at the helm.
So--- with the greatest of respect-- I think you need to work out the practicalities of your ideas before you go too far
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I've tried this.

The technique that works is this: keep turning left!

aim for the target and miss. Turn left until you can aim for the target and miss again, turn left and aim for the target and miss.

Keep doing that and the target will get the line.


If you have someone who has zero experience then all they need to do is throw something and keep trying to get back to the target.
I tried this the first time I took my 15 and 11 year old daughters sailing and without further intervention from me they wrapped a line around my mOB fender first time.
 
Daydream believer said:
I do not know what Cardiff Bay is like, but on the east coast I am based on the River Blackwater, (but there is the Orwell & Stour for some). I would either take an experienced sailor along, or at least stay in the river. There is plenty to do & see. No need to be a hero with beginners as it would probably only frighten them anyway.

I wear a PLB & carry 10 mini flares on the LJ. I would show the crew how to start the engine & use the radio at minimum. Instructions are on the back of the chart table lid. If I was separated I would just set off the PLB, Fire off flares every so often, ( hoping I did not drop any) & I know that there is a good chance the boat would run aground after a while so the crew would get help eventually. I could put the hand held VHF in my jacket if I wanted to.

In the river I could survive for a couple of hours- I know because I have spent hours in it whilst windsurfing & dinghy sailing. I would not expect to be taking beginners in early season in cold conditions. There is a good chance I might end up on a sandbank, I have in the past.
People watch the river & hopefully I should be seen eventually, as would a boat doing odd things.
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I just simply have no PLBs but tell the mostly inexperienced guests we sail with that only two things are guaranteed to kill them - the boom hitting their head and going overboard. So as we don’t encourage (but do allow) harnesses to be worn except in very rough or nighttime conditions it’s up to them to stay alive. Seems to work so far and although I am fairly sure I could get back to a MOB from being under sail, I am certain that my sailing partner of 33 years could not so my plan is to remain on board.
 
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