MOB Precautions on a (Very) Small Yacht

[William_H]

Safety lines

Just one more thought. When changing jibs you might consider a harness with 2 tethers. Attach each to the back end of the bow rail near the deck. One tether each side. This should give you enough room to do the job but still you can not go over either side. Also consider stowing a small jib in the anchor locker if you have one. In case wind comes up. Perhaps putting the larger jib back in the same place if possible.
This all saves opening front hatch to get new jib/stow old or moving from bow o stern with a jib in hand.
(resist those dreadful roll up jib things that every one else has) good luck olewill

 

[Little Rascal]

(resist those dreadful roll up jib things that every one else has)

Haha, thanks Will. I am resisting! I've seen how well she handles under my beautifully cut working jib

I am working on some kind of jib downhaul so I can at least drop the foresail from the cockpit (back the jib,free the halyard, downhaul to tidy up)

 

[Seajet]

Little Rascal,

I agree, avoid roller headsails on our size boats !

Netting on the forward guardrail section would be v helpful with a foresail downhaul, have often thought of fitting one myself but just leg it to the front or get crew to do it...getting crew to hold out the leech of a part lowered sail when ghosting on downwind approach to moorings/ berths is fun too.

Also on my similar boat I've found a blade jib with a good slot actually works better, more versatile & much more visibility, than a big overlapping genoa in all but the lightest winds.

 

[Giblets]

I have a jib downhaul fitted.

Will get pics over the weekend to show how it was done.

Have also just bought an almost new roller reefing kit, and sail and mainsail!

 

[Little Rascal]

Also on my similar boat I've found a blade jib with a good slot actually works better, more versatile & much more visibility, than a big overlapping genoa in all but the lightest winds.

Andy, I think that's one of the refinements of the (later) A22, I'd guess that the 7/8 rig gives you a bigger more powerful main. I'm a bit undercanvassed without my genny in less than F3/4... (I bet the Squibs don't have that problem )

Will get pics over the weekend to show how it was done.

Thanks Giblets, much appreciated.

 

[reginaldon]

Just one more thought. When changing jibs you might consider a harness with 2 tethers. Attach each to the back end of the bow rail near the deck. One tether each side. This should give you enough room to do the job but still you can not go over either side. Also consider stowing a small jib in the anchor locker if you have one. In case wind comes up. Perhaps putting the larger jib back in the same place if possible.
This all saves opening front hatch to get new jib/stow old or moving from bow o stern with a jib in hand.
(resist those dreadful roll up jib things that every one else has) good luck olewill

Being an octogenarian with dickey knees and a 19' Caprice with no guardrails, I must admit to fitting one of those 'dreadful roll up jib things'!

 

[BAtoo]

Andy, I think that's one of the refinements of the (later) A22, I'd guess that the 7/8 rig gives you a bigger more powerful main. I'm a bit undercanvassed without my genny in less than F3/4... (I bet the Squibs don't have that problem )
Thanks Giblets, much appreciated.

Squibs are not the most over-canvassed boat going, and, under the Class rules, are not allowed to reef (standard mainsail has no reef points). Gets interesting over F5, fortunately plenty of string to pull & de-power

 

[LittleSister]

Excellent thread, and a lot of good suggestions. (Seajet's hand rails have got me thinking.)

The routeing of jackstays is tricky on a small boat. A central one forward from the cockpit is good, but a sprayhood will make this difficult. On our current boat a central jackstay would also make it difficult to get past the inboard shrouds.

My view is that auto-inflate lifejackets are a mixed blessing, especially if single-handed. An inflated lifekjacket will make it very difficult to swim, and seriously restrict your mobility and ability to climb onto the boat or help someone lifting you (which is why sea-kayakers wear buoyancy aids but not lifejackets). I have a manual lifejacket and even if I'd gone over the side I would not inflate it unless I was convinced I was stuck in the water. I have to take the chance that I will not be knocked out as I went over the side. Also don't forget to have spare gas canisters (or lifejackets) - if you've gone over the side once, you don't want to be stuck without one afterwards.

 

[Little Rascal]

My view is that auto-inflate lifejackets are a mixed blessing, especially if single-handed. An inflated lifekjacket will make it very difficult to swim, and seriously restrict your mobility and ability to climb onto the boat or help someone lifting you (which is why sea-kayakers wear buoyancy aids but not lifejackets). I have a manual lifejacket and even if I'd gone over the side I would not inflate it unless I was convinced I was stuck in the water. I have to take the chance that I will not be knocked out as I went over the side. Also don't forget to have spare gas canisters (or lifejackets) - if you've gone over the side once, you don't want to be stuck without one afterwards.

I've been thinking about this too.

As a sea kayaker there is absolutely no way you can wear an auto LJ... It would inflate within about two minutes of getting in the boat I do keep a lot drier in the Europa but Could easily get enough water over to set it off...

 

[Seajet]

Little Rascal,

don't know if you're aware but the 'Hamma' ( sp ? ) type auto lifejacket trigger was designed with this particularly in mind, racing boat crews sitting on the rail were complaining of lj's going off when they took waves over themselves.

These triggers make the things a fair bit more expensive, but not outlandish as they last a good while.

I have conventional salt tablet style triggers on my KRU lifejacket / harnesses, and was jolly glad of it when I managed to turn my tender over at the mooring last year.

I suspect I was a lot more tired than I'd realised, after a very cold sleepless night and a lot of messing around trying to rescue a chums' sunken engine etc.

After 40 years I managed to put a foot wrong - it's a reasonably stable 8'6" round bilge grp dinghy, on the light side...

I felt I was lucky in having plenty of racing dinghy experience, so being in the water under an upturned boat didn't alarm me much, but I think it could be jolly traumatic for anyone not used to such things.

I already had the guardrails unclipped - and I do emphasize to everyone reading, pelican hooks at the pushpit end of the 4 guardrails is one of the best bits of kit I've ever fitted for any price, extremely useful for getting in & out of the tenders, or even at pontoons, let alone MOB.

Last I saw pelican hooks were available in 2 types, either with an eye one shackles to the spliced eye in the guardwire ( requiring the right length wire & shackles ), or an end one gets swaged on direct; Seateach at Emsworth had them last time I checked for someone.

These are chunky stainless steel jobs, not to be confused with the frankly pathetic little brass things intended for small spinnaker poles one sometimes sees on guardrails, which I wouldn't trust on a boat in the bath !

When I found myself in the water, I had a very fit if inexperienced chum in the cockpit, so was able to direct him how to undo the snapshackle on the bottom of the mainsheet and pass it to me to clip on; I hadn't given him the usual safety briefing as we were 'just crashing out on board' while working on refloating his sunken boat !

Being clipped on took off a great deal of pressure, even in the 1-2 knot tide I was struggling to keep hold of the boat.

We found the mainsheet went 'chock a block' with the purchase fully pulled in, with the boom too low to get me back aboard - despite the Anderson's low freeboard aft.

Rather than mess about explaining how to adjust it all, I made my way to the transom where there's a folding step; I was acutely aware of the tide, if I'd let go there was no chance of getting back to the boat and I'd have had to swim a long way to anything solid ashore, all nearby was very soft deep mud.

The transom step saved the day, but it was very hard work climbing back over the pushpit; as I'd always suspected, the gps antennae, dinghy outboard bracket & divided backstay were in the way, on the other side the lifebuoy, danbuoy & holder are obstacles, difficult to avoid this.

It turned out I was the 4th experienced club member to go overboard there while getting in or out of a tender.

One of the others was alone and ended up downtide hanging onto another mooring when he was spotted & rescued, while another went over from his tender in a wide bit of the harbour in mid-January, despite his lifejacket he reckons he was freezing up & going under when by a miracle a passing marina workboat spotted him...

Everything they say about it being difficult to get back aboard is if anything understated !

One method I'd try if offshore would be unhanking the headsail and putting it over the side to parbuckle the casualty aboard; this would either have to be done aft, or one really needs pelican hooks at the forward end of the guardrails too.

Singlehanding, I trail a long thin line led over the pushpit to the autopilot, the idea being to dislodge it and hopefully stop the boat, but even with my low freeboard I seriously doubt one's chances of getting back on; a rigid boarding ladder left within reach might be the only hope, if one doesn't have a fixed transom ladder.

Folding transom step; obviously requires a serious backing pad with penny washers or stainless plate on top of wood, worth its' weight in gold !

 

[William_H]

Life jackets

Hi Seajet. Your long description is I am sure appreciated by all forumites. The whole question is serious and worthy of consideration.
Re lifejackets. The inflatable ones have become very popular around here in recent years. I however don't think they are that good. They do tend to imobilise you when inflated and are useless if you are unconscious or stunned unless they have auto inflate. Which introduces further problems of inadvertent inflation or added cost and maintenance needs.
I use the buoyancy aids as a an LJ which is worn when the weather is a bit rough. Which also corresponds to a need to keep warm. They are good for swimming in but no good for unconscious in not keeping the head out but at least keep you afloat. Yet I get criticism from authorities, they seem to be obsessed with inflatables.
Anyway regarding getting back on the boat. I am fortunate in having warm water which means swimming around the boat often. (necessary to keep it clean). This gives plenty of opportunity to practice getting onto the boat. It also means if you can't do it you do something about it. I can only recommend to my UK friends that you just try it. Firstly I think the shock of hitting cold water is something you need experience so it is not so much of a shock if it happens by accident and secondly it will help you to get organised for climbing back on board. MOB is a real danger. good luck olewill

 

[VicS]

Little Rascal,

don't know if you're aware but the 'Hamma' ( sp ? ) type auto lifejacket trigger was designed with this particularly in mind, racing boat crews sitting on the rail were complaining of lj's going off when they took waves over themselves.

These triggers make the things a fair bit more expensive, but not outlandish as they last a good while.

I have conventional salt tablet style triggers on my KRU lifejacket / harnesses, and was jolly glad of it when I managed to turn my tender over at the mooring last year.

I suspect I was a lot more tired than I'd realised, after a very cold sleepless night and a lot of messing around trying to rescue a chums' sunken engine etc.

After 40 years I managed to put a foot wrong - it's a reasonably stable 8'6" round bilge grp dinghy, on the light side...

I felt I was lucky in having plenty of racing dinghy experience, so being in the water under an upturned boat didn't alarm me much, but I think it could be jolly traumatic for anyone not used to such things.

I already had the guardrails unclipped - and I do emphasize to everyone reading, pelican hooks at the pushpit end of the 4 guardrails is one of the best bits of kit I've ever fitted for any price, extremely useful for getting in & out of the tenders, or even at pontoons, let alone MOB.

Last I saw pelican hooks were available in 2 types, either with an eye one shackles to the spliced eye in the guardwire ( requiring the right length wire & shackles ), or an end one gets swaged on direct; Seateach at Emsworth had them last time I checked for someone.

These are chunky stainless steel jobs, not to be confused with the frankly pathetic little brass things intended for small spinnaker poles one sometimes sees on guardrails, which I wouldn't trust on a boat in the bath !

When I found myself in the water, I had a very fit if inexperienced chum in the cockpit, so was able to direct him how to undo the snapshackle on the bottom of the mainsheet and pass it to me to clip on; I hadn't given him the usual safety briefing as we were 'just crashing out on board' while working on refloating his sunken boat !

Being clipped on took off a great deal of pressure, even in the 1-2 knot tide I was struggling to keep hold of the boat.

We found the mainsheet went 'chock a block' with the purchase fully pulled in, with the boom too low to get me back aboard - despite the Anderson's low freeboard aft.

Rather than mess about explaining how to adjust it all, I made my way to the transom where there's a folding step; I was acutely aware of the tide, if I'd let go there was no chance of getting back to the boat and I'd have had to swim a long way to anything solid ashore, all nearby was very soft deep mud.

The transom step saved the day, but it was very hard work climbing back over the pushpit; as I'd always suspected, the gps antennae, dinghy outboard bracket & divided backstay were in the way, on the other side the lifebuoy, danbuoy & holder are obstacles, difficult to avoid this.

It turned out I was the 4th experienced club member to go overboard there while getting in or out of a tender.

One of the others was alone and ended up downtide hanging onto another mooring when he was spotted & rescued, while another went over from his tender in a wide bit of the harbour in mid-January, despite his lifejacket he reckons he was freezing up & going under when by a miracle a passing marina workboat spotted him...

Everything they say about it being difficult to get back aboard is if anything understated !

One method I'd try if offshore would be unhanking the headsail and putting it over the side to parbuckle the casualty aboard; this would either have to be done aft, or one really needs pelican hooks at the forward end of the guardrails too.

Singlehanding, I trail a long thin line led over the pushpit to the autopilot, the idea being to dislodge it and hopefully stop the boat, but even with my low freeboard I seriously doubt one's chances of getting back on; a rigid boarding ladder left within reach might be the only hope, if one doesn't have a fixed transom ladder.

Folding transom step; obviously requires a serious backing pad with penny washers or stainless plate on top of wood, worth its' weight in gold !

When I capsized my dinghy at the mooring and fell in I was on my own. There were some people on another boat down the creek a little way but it would have been several minutes swim against the tide to reach them.

It was fine afternoon in early June, surprisingly pleasant and not as cold I expected.

I was fortunately only wearing light clothing but no life jacket. I think if I had been wearing an automatic one I would have had to deflate it before I could have rescued myself. Boots would have been a problem!

I would have used a bight in a headsail sheet but I had already removed the sail and the sheets. I could not reach the mainsheet.
I might have been able to climb onto the outboard but it was already lifted out of the water and I was not sure that I could safely lower it from the water.

A transom step like the one you picture would not have helped. There is no way I could have got a foot on it.

In the event I was able to get a foot onto the dinghy painter which was lead round a stanchion and back to one of the winches.

I am now seriously thinking about wearing a L/J or buoyancy aid, at least when using the dinghy.

I did manage to right the dinghy before I rescued myself but it was almost totally flooded. Too small anyway to have climbed into I think

 

[Seajet]

VicS,

yes it's a major failing with rigid tenders that they can't be righted & drained like a sailing dinghy; I'm sure it could be organised, but for a price, and most people seem to skimp on dinghies to a sometimes ridiculous degree as it is !

I do think this is an area which deserves a lot of attention though; I don't know anyone who's gone overboard from a boat on passage, but I'm one of 4 who's done it from a tender just at my club...

All 4 were wearing auto lifejackets BTW, in my case I'd only just started doing that; mine is a 175 Newton job, and though cumbersome I was able to get around the boat in the water, and though a reasonably fit 50 I was glad of the buoyancy support.

I think the larger 250 Newton or whatever it is would virtually immobilise one; with m lj I suppose i could have let some air out if I had to swim for the shore, relying on topping up by mouth if I felt the need; I suspect a lot of people aren't even aware of the deflation tab and oral inflation tube ?!

The idea of this happening at night makes me cringe.

Even with a waterproof handheld VHF, I doubt anyone would hear; I still don't undestand why more affordable mobile phones aren't waterproof, then one of the MOB's at my club is very proud of his all-singing & dancing bombproof mobile, just didn't have it when he went in !

I used to carry a miniflare pack when cruising my sailing dinghies, don't have one in a buoyancy tank in the tender as I feel it would get pinched when the dinghy is ashore, not only a pain but also a dangerous weapon in the hands of lowlife.

Maybe carrying a miniflare pack on one's person is a large way towards the answer ?

It would have to be sorted to be user friendly, so that carrying it was no bother ( they're small flat packs with IIRC 10 single red star short range rockets ) and becomes second nature...

Miniflare;

 

[Little Rascal]

Maybe carrying a miniflare pack on one's person is a large way towards the answer ?

This is what the sea kayakers do. Although I have no personal experience of using them, the Miniflare 3 is small enough for a BA pocket.

 

[Seajet]

I've fired a few miniflares when training at an airfield; the 'gun' is simply a spring loaded plunger one pulls back then lets go smartly with ones' thumb, the pin hits a bullet style percussion cap on the bottom of the flare casing ( one screws the plunger onto the flare and withdraws it from the container pack first ! ).

A small amount of recoil, sharp cracking sound, and a single red star bursts a couple of hundred feet up.

One thing I have found is that these things really mean it when referring to expiry dates, tried a few old ones and they didn't work !

Like other safety kit such as knives, it would be a bad idea to forget one has this and stroll around towns or pubs with it, so a hiding place on the dinghy seems an idea, or I suppose just be very discreet.

I'm pretty sure no licence is required, but it could be deadly in the wrong hands.

In military aircraft PSP's - personal survival packs - there are also the day / night flares, which would give a more precise location once one had the attention of rescuers, but I'd think the miniflare is the one to have.

VicS,

re. the transom step I know what you mean about getting a foot up that high, but with adrenalin flowing I managed it quite easily and I'm not exactly going to compete with Angela Rippon at high kicks...

Having the solid pushpit to grab and pull on made all the difference.

A bight of rope hanging down to step on first would be a good idea; in the past I've used the rudder uphaul on my boat slackened off for this, but when I had my little drama I don't remember doing that, I was getting tired and just went for the step.