MOB Recovery using reverse - a better method?

TonyS

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Yesterday we were at Cowes 300m from the shore and 500m W of the start for the Maxi yachts. We were facing them as they approached much closer and faster than I anticipated, on a track about 50m away, together with motor cruisers, ribs and a helicopter flying low, when I looked up at the helicopter my Tilly hat was blown off right into their path! My wife was busy photographing the action. The hat was run over but still remained afloat despite the considerable chop. When the rush had passed I reversed up to the hat and using the boathook got it out first time. I have now used this technique 3 times and found it much more effective than trying to go slowly forward past it. As you go forward you cannot see it and there is relative motion between you and the object. In reverse you can bring the boat so it is stationary at the object and you are both drifting at the same speed - the object is also always within sight. Is this a better method?
I might add that we have a dinghy across the back that with one karibiner can be flopped into the water for an MOB to hang on to. In other words you can manage the whole thing single handed as we would have to in any case. We had the mainsail up but if it was really blowing it might be necessary to furl the sails.
 

Evadne

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It probably depends on how well your boat reverses, so if it works for you, it's good. On on others it will also depend on how "MOB friendly" the stern is. Remember when approaching the casualty that the prop. is at the stern (usually). Another hazard could be a wide bathing platform, slapping up and down in the swell. I wouldn't have either problem, but then reversing in a straight line isn't that easy either.
 

Channel Ribs

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I have never tried the technique with people and I doubt it would be wise in most boats, however for picking up objects it is my prefered method; as you say much better visability and control.

I guess if you did use it to recover a person, so long as you were in neutral well before there was a risk of contact, it would be ok.
 

TonyS

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I should have said I have a saildrive which makes reversing easy and the prop is well away from the back of the boat. Anyway, if the object and the boat are stationary in the water or drifting, at the time of pickup, then you will be in neutral.
 
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