MOB off a MOBO

C

Cathy*

Well-Known Member
Joined
27 Nov 2013
Messages
522
Location
Portsmouth
Visit site
Apparently 1 out of 8 sailors will go overboard at some point. I don't know the figures for motorboat owners but I'm sure it isn't unheard of. We carry a couple of horseshoes and long throw-ropes which I don't always remember to get out before going anywhere but must make more effort. A few weeks back we jumped off our boat while on a buoy in Babacoombe Bay. The swim ladder felt a bit short to me for getting back out.

Have you practised recovering a MOB with a person?
 
I practise with a fender, I wouldn't try it with a person. Too risky, and when I worked at sea commercially, saw more accidents happen that way. What concerns me most but don't see an equitable way round it, was if I was solo (which is unlikely) and I fell off, I would not be able to access the swim ladder because the tender is on top of it. But would rely on not being in the water for so long that I would be unable to haul myself up via the side of the platform. Of course with a real MOB, pickup would neccessitate use of the tender, which is probably better anyway and can be dropped off the swim platform from the cockpit in seconds.
 
We didn't do it with the engine running, we were on a buoy. I wanted to know how difficult it would be to get someone back onto the boat so doing it with a fender wouldn't have helped. I drive a rhib for divers so the mechanics of picking up are very similar but it's very different when you have fins on.
 
You could never pick an adult out of the water solo. A old gent fell off the pontoon here earlier this year. The water taxi driver could hold him but it took another 5 minutes for 3 RNLI crew to heave him out. 4 big fellows to lift one 70 year old man to pontoon height. Apparently it's the clothes that once wet add quite some weight.
http://www.dailypost.co.uk/news/nor...9128265?fb_ref=Default#ICID=sharebar_facebook
 
I fell off my boat not long after I had bought it.
Landed on the pontoon - it hurt quite a bit.


.
 
In anything other than millpond conditions this looks like a nightmare scenario on many boats,I think if they are incapacitated.Deflate the tender,maybe.
 
BruceK said:
You could never pick an adult out of the water solo.
Click to expand...

We were anchored up in the sun the other day & I went for a swim from the boat. This inspired the young lad on the yacht next to us to do the same. My friend watched him swim around for a bit, then move to the back of the yacht where he realised there was no ladder! His girlfriend had to winch him out using a sheet with a loop in it which he stood in and one of the yacht's winches. Took about 15 minutes apparently. Lucky for him that his better half was the practical type!
 
TheOrs said:
We were anchored up in the sun the other day & I went for a swim from the boat. This inspired the young lad on the yacht next to us to do the same. My friend watched him swim around for a bit, then move to the back of the yacht where he realised there was no ladder! His girlfriend had to winch him out using a sheet with a loop in it which he stood in and one of the yacht's winches. Took about 15 minutes apparently. Lucky for him that his better half was the practical type!
Click to expand...

If you fell off the boat you'd probably have deck shoes on. Try swimming in shoes it's nothing like barefoot.
 
When we do charters I always take the tender off the bathing platform and have the passerelle ready to haul out any MOBs using our Rapid Marine tender lifting straps. A 2 second job to make a big loop using the double rear strap and the clip carabinas. It's never happened and I hope it never does but one of those "what if" scenarios I wanted to find a quick solution for.

We also have a swim ladder on the Princess 50 which doesn't require a flap to open on the bathing platform so can be deployed with the tender in situ. Some boats require a "door" to be opened which can't be done with the tender sitting on top.

2 horse shoe life rings and a (more useful in my opinion) throwing line are standard requirements for coding.

Henry :)
 
Did a recovery some years back on the non-tidal Thames when a canoeist capsized and got into trouble. That was hard enough in flat calm conditions and a bathing platform that was only a couple of inches above water level.

Hadn't thought about it until Henry mentioned the passerelle but I could probably rig something similar to work with my Cooney cantilever davits that would make life much easier in such a situation.
 
I recommend everyone goes swimming off the back of their boat and has a look at how difficult it is to get back on.
You can put a bit of rope on a ladder to pull it out, if in the water but do look as some are easier than others.
Another length of rope at the back,near the ladder to help, hold on to , pull yourself up with, when getting out the water .
You need to look to see on your boat where you can put it, to help .
If a MOB while underway call for help. Mayday or PAN PAN, If the casualty is hurt or unconscious you will struggle to get them out the water.
 
I occasionally fall out of the Supacat; all part of the fun in that kind of boat. To get back on board, I use the anti-ventilation plate of the (stopped) engine as a step, which works very well. Worth remembering for smaller mobos with outboards or, presumably, outdrives.

Pete
 
You must log in or register to reply here.

Share this page

Top