MOB strategy for inexperienced crew

[ColinR]

I’ve mostly sailed single handed for years so my priority has been not to fall in in the first place and assume that if I do, I’m a goner. I wear a PLB which gives a glimmer of hope of being picked up in coastal waters.
Lately I have sailed with an inexperienced crew member and coming up with a MOB strategy for someone who can’t sail has been interesting. This is what I’ve come up with so far and what we have been practicing. The boat is a Victoria 30, canoe stern and fairly low freeboard amidships. I have emergency ladders amidships that can be flipped into the water, and I sometimes use them when going for a swim, so they are familiar. Of course, getting on board after a swim on a sunny day at anchor is not the same as a MOB situation. I wear a lifejacket unless in benign conditions and clip on for sail handling on deck etc.
So, I fall in. I’m wearing an auto lifejacket. 1. Crew clocks my location. 2. If under engine puts it into neutral or under sail lets go the sheets and pushes the helm down to take way off the boat. 3. Presses the MOB button on the cockpit plotter. This gives a location on the screen. 4, clocks my location again and goes below; presses the MOB button on the DSC VHF to send a mayday. Starts the engine if not on. 5. Back on deck checks my location again and motors in a circle to get downwind of me. Then slowly motors towards me to bring me alongside amidships. Uses the MOB recovery sling if necessary to get a line to me. 6. When I am alongside gets the spinnaker halyard (which is clipped to a chainplate with a snapshackle) to me so I can clip on to the lifejacket ring and helps me out of the water with the halyard winch on the mast. This assumes I can help myself to some extent and that having practiced with the emergency ladder will be useful.
Questions are; the sails will be madly flapping if there is much wind and the boat will tend to bear off and start sailing, probably at the critical moment when I’m trying to board. So, take the sails down first? I am getting the crew to practice furling the genoa and dropping the main, but I’m concerned that this could turn into a distraction. Will sending a mayday by DSC VHF and then not sticking around to respond to the coastguards call back elicit the right response from the CG? But that would not be the moment to be below deck. I have suggested taking the handheld on deck.
Anyhow, I’d welcome feedback. This is a work in progress.

 

[john_morris_uk]

I’m not convinced by motoring up to the MOB from dead downwind. If anything happens to the engine (line round prop?) the boat is not in an ideal place to get back to the casualty. Approaching under engine ‘as if you’re on a close reach’ leaves options open. Stop just upwind and allow the boat to drift down into the MOB? At least you stand a chance of getting a line/rescue kit to them.
Furling the Genoa would be extremely helpful as the loose sheet will be flogging all over the place just where you want to be working. Dump the mainsail if possible…. Otherwise the unattended boat might start sailing away and the MOB won’t be able to hang on to whatever you’ve thrown them.

it needs to be instilled in the novice that the engine MUST be in neutral when you’re next to the casualty as the last thing you need is the casualty’s foot or leg to be chopped by the propeller rotating.

None of this is easy or second nature unless you’ve practised and practised.

 

[CM74]

I'm in a similar situation, being used to single handing and now having inexperienced family on board... I'll be trying out some different manoeuvres with a fender and bucket as a "victim" to see what approaches are the most foolproof.

Current "quick actions" for an inexperienced crew suddenly left on their own are:
- MOB marker button, and DSC distress (undesignated)
- If under engine, straight to neutral then turn round with the wind roughly beam on as that lets you adjust upwind or downwind depending on which way you see them drift.
- Under sail, helm over to tack and heave to. My boat heaves to very steadily and then you have the option of motoring, or maybe furling the jib and sailing up.

The rest depends on the situation but I do have a throw line in the cockpit.

As my "crew" are so inexperienced at the moment I continue with my single handing procedure of clipping on outside of the cockpit. The only time it's not reasonably possible is when coming alongside or locking but both of those are close to ladders and shoreside help

 

[ColinR]

Very good points. I do stress to put the engine in neutral when approaching the casualty. The point about approaching as if on a close reach is a good one, also furling the genoa which is easy from the cockpit. My boat also heaves to well, being long keel helps. I am trying to keep it as simple as possible in what would be a highly stressful situation with so many variables.

 

[Spirit (of Glenans)]

First action is to dump the mainsail and put the helm down slowly and progressively, while leaving the genoa sheet untouched. when the boat stops the helm should be turned fully in the opposite direction and secured. This should leave the boat hove-to not too far from where you fell in. Care should be taken during the manoeuvre to make the initial change of tack steadily, so that the boat does not swing round in a circle and gybe. Hopefully the crew should be able to deploy your throwline and pull you in. Failing that, they should drop the main, (doesn't matter how untidily), furl the genoa, check for lines in the water, then slowly tow the line around you in a circle util you can grab hold of it, at which point they should kill the engine immediately. This will save you from being run down or chewed up by the prop.

 

[capnsensible]

I've been fortunate enough to practise this stuff literally thousands of times.

Keep it simple. For an all competent crew course, you can show them how to start the engine before leaving the dock. As in actually get each one to do it. You can show them what the mainsheet is. Call it whatever you like. Show them a very basic mayday call.

When you first go out and hoist or unfurl the main, re show what the mainsheet does. Unfurl and roll up the genoa a couple of times. Get them all to have a go and see it doesn't matter at all where tha wind is coming from.

Show them how to stop the boat under sail or power. Very important. Heave the mainsheet in tight!!!!!! Never ever release it. They must not have the boom banging about.

And the key is quick stop, no messing. Engine to neutral, helm hard over. Or tiller to boom, or top of wheel away from boom. Hold it and go round incircles. Stay near mob. That's basic first actions and will save you. Get vhf call out.

The rest needs practice. Do it loads early. I do......it might be me that falls in!

Something to ponder. Motoring upwind to recover casualty is essential. No messing with boom. Keep it hard in.

I've tried allsorts Different boats, crews, sea states yadda yadda. Happy to discuss based on that experience. Its one of my favourite boat evolutions as it brings so many things together. Gimme an hour and I can get all the crew to be capable....but not expert.

In my opinion of course!

 

[ColinR]

First action is to dump the mainsail and put the helm down slowly and progressively, while leaving the genoa sheet untouched. when the boat stops the helm should be turned fully in the opposite direction and secured. This should leave the boat hove-to not too far from where you fell in. Care should be taken during the manoeuvre to make the initial change of tack steadily, so that the boat does not swing round in a circle and gybe. Hopefully the crew should be able to deploy your throwline and pull you in. Failing that, they should drop the main, (doesn't matter how untidily), furl the genoa, check for lines in the water, then slowly tow the line around you in a circle util you can grab hold of it, at which point they should kill the engine immediately. This will save you from being run down or chewed up by the prop.

Well yes, if I were the one left on board, instantly heaving to is probably what I would do and my boat heaves to well. But asking a non sailor to do a sailing manouvre might not work out very well.

 

[R.Ems]

I am not an instructor just a YM, but it seems a great idea to first launch a danbuoy ideally, but even cockpit cushions, anything light coloured which will float for a few minutes.
There's so much going on, the stressed and overloaded crew will probably lose sight of you, especially after going below to send a DSC distress.
A hand held DSC radio on a bracket the cockpit might help.
But as said above, hands-on practising is best.

 

[capnsensible]

I am not an instructor just a YM, but it seems a great idea to first launch a danbuoy ideally, but even cockpit cushions, anything light coloured which will float for a few minutes.
There's so much going on, the stressed and overloaded crew will probably lose sight of you, especially after going below to send a DSC distress.
A hand held DSC radio on a bracket the cockpit might help.
But as said above, hands-on practising is best.

Stop the boat first or you are just leaving a trail of stuff that won't be near the mob. Try it!

 

[R.Ems]

Stop the boat first or you are just leaving a trail of stuff that won't be near the mob. Try it!

Surely the sooner you chuck the danbuoy, the closer it will be to the MOB?

 

[capnsensible]

By the time anyone gets a danbouy or anything else ready to throw, you will be a long way from the mob. Stop the boat and go back to them. By this time your flotation kit of whatever kind has a realistic chance of helping the mob.

You can demonstrate this to your crew. I use a fender well secured to a coiled and well knotted dock line to simulate the mob. Chuck it in whilst sailing at, say, five knots and see how long it takes to chuck in a Danbury or horseshoe lifering. They will be a long way apart but you get to practise recovery twice.

 

[Stemar]

There's so much going on, the stressed and overloaded crew will probably lose sight of you, especially after going below to send a DSC distress.

+ lots.
A DSC handheld would avoid the need to go below and lose sight of the casualty who, I presume will be you. I think that if I went overboard with incapable crew, I'd like to be able to call for help myself with a PLB. I'd rather they stopped the boat and waited for the cavalry, rather than trying to recover me. I'd hate to survive the swim to be run down and minced by a panicked rescuer

 

[ColinR]

I've been fortunate enough to practise this stuff literally thousands of times.

Keep it simple. For an all competent crew course, you can show them how to start the engine before leaving the dock. As in actually get each one to do it. You can show them what the mainsheet is. Call it whatever you like. Show them a very basic mayday call.

When you first go out and hoist or unfurl the main, re show what the mainsheet does. Unfurl and roll up the genoa a couple of times. Get them all to have a go and see it doesn't matter at all where tha wind is coming from.

Show them how to stop the boat under sail or power. Very important. Heave the mainsheet in tight!!!!!! Never ever release it. They must not have the boom banging about.

And the key is quick stop, no messing. Engine to neutral, helm hard over. Or tiller to boom, or top of wheel away from boom. Hold it and go round incircles. Stay near mob. That's basic first actions and will save you. Get vhf call out.

The rest needs practice. Do it loads early. I do......it might be me that falls in!

Something to ponder. Motoring upwind to recover casualty is essential. No messing with boom. Keep it hard in.

I've tried allsorts Different boats, crews, sea states yadda yadda. Happy to discuss based on that experience. Its one of my favourite boat evolutions as it brings so many things together. Gimme an hour and I can get all the crew to be capable....but not expert.

In my opinion of course!

Great info, thanks!

 

[Elessar]

I’ve mostly sailed single handed for years so my priority has been not to fall in in the first place and assume that if I do, I’m a goner. I wear a PLB which gives a glimmer of hope of being picked up in coastal waters.
Lately I have sailed with an inexperienced crew member and coming up with a MOB strategy for someone who can’t sail has been interesting. This is what I’ve come up with so far and what we have been practicing. The boat is a Victoria 30, canoe stern and fairly low freeboard amidships. I have emergency ladders amidships that can be flipped into the water, and I sometimes use them when going for a swim, so they are familiar. Of course, getting on board after a swim on a sunny day at anchor is not the same as a MOB situation. I wear a lifejacket unless in benign conditions and clip on for sail handling on deck etc.
So, I fall in. I’m wearing an auto lifejacket. 1. Crew clocks my location. 2. If under engine puts it into neutral or under sail lets go the sheets and pushes the helm down to take way off the boat. 3. Presses the MOB button on the cockpit plotter. This gives a location on the screen. 4, clocks my location again and goes below; presses the MOB button on the DSC VHF to send a mayday. Starts the engine if not on. 5. Back on deck checks my location again and motors in a circle to get downwind of me. Then slowly motors towards me to bring me alongside amidships. Uses the MOB recovery sling if necessary to get a line to me. 6. When I am alongside gets the spinnaker halyard (which is clipped to a chainplate with a snapshackle) to me so I can clip on to the lifejacket ring and helps me out of the water with the halyard winch on the mast. This assumes I can help myself to some extent and that having practiced with the emergency ladder will be useful.
Questions are; the sails will be madly flapping if there is much wind and the boat will tend to bear off and start sailing, probably at the critical moment when I’m trying to board. So, take the sails down first? I am getting the crew to practice furling the genoa and dropping the main, but I’m concerned that this could turn into a distraction. Will sending a mayday by DSC VHF and then not sticking around to respond to the coastguards call back elicit the right response from the CG? But that would not be the moment to be below deck. I have suggested taking the handheld on deck.
Anyhow, I’d welcome feedback. This is a work in progress.

Why is your VHF down below? Not a lot of use there. Id get that moved or get a remote mic.

My instructions to inexperienced crew are:
Stop the boat
Call a mayday
Do what the coastguard tells you.

I don’t want inexperienced and panicked people aiming my boat at me!

 

[Spirit (of Glenans)]

By a strange coincidence this arrived in my email this morning:
NEW THOUGHTS IN MOB RECOVERY — UK Sailmakers

 

[Hermit]

The midline in this video is interesting but I worry that, in a significant swell, the MOB could be dragged through the water very quickly causing breathing difficulties or even lifted out then dropped like a salmon on a rod as the boat rolls.

 

[R.Ems]

By a strange coincidence this arrived in my email this morning:
NEW THOUGHTS IN MOB RECOVERY — UK Sailmakers

A very interesting website. Although they apparently assume having some experienced-ish crew on deck, rather than a freaked-out non sailor..

 

[Neeves]

Interesting stuff

Its not worst case scenario (that would involve having an MOB at night)

But

What is the procedure when you have the spinnaker up?

Jonathan

 

[ColinR]

By a strange coincidence this arrived in my email this morning:
NEW THOUGHTS IN MOB RECOVERY — UK Sailmakers

Excellent, thanks. The mid line lift is a great idea.

 

[benjenbav]

Why is your VHF down below? Not a lot of use there. Id get that moved or get a remote mic.

My instructions to inexperienced crew are:
Stop the boat
Call a mayday
Do what the coastguard tells you.

I don’t want inexperienced and panicked people aiming my boat at me!

Completely agree. I’d add the heretical suggestion that - if in range, remind them that they can call the coastguard on 999 via their mobile.

Yes, I know that mobile coverage isn’t going to be available any significant distance offshore but, inshore with a noob who doesn’t know how to work the VHF … Everyone knows how to use their phone and it would be an awful shame to drown in the Solent whilst watching a friend shouting despairingly into an inoperative VHF set.