MOB

[Mr.Completely]

I've heard this argument and both sides of it on a fair few occasions however (and I have just joing so sorry if it's annoyingly frequent and I've just done it again) I'm very curious to hear everyone here's opinions:

MOB: mayday, pan pan or nothing?

Mr.C

 

[fireball]

Depends who, what, why, when and where ...

SWMBO falling off the back of the boat whilst motoring with me onboard during the summer in calm weather - nothing - easy to recover.

SWMBO falling overboard having been hit by the boom on a dark stormy night with just me aboard somewhere offshore - mayday.

 

[RIB_imposter]

There may be no one-size fits all solution but:

MAYDAY Means that a ship, aircraft, other vehicle or person/s is in grave and imminent danger and requires immediate assistance.

PAN-PAN Means that the calling station has an urgent message concerning the safety of a ship, aircraft, other vehicle or person/s.


IMHO the only reason for delaying such a call is if doing so increases the probability of safe effective recovery. The choice of PanPan v's Mayday is dependent on the vessel, the conditions, the fitness and clothing of the MOB etc. However, the assumption on my boat is that all MOB are Mayday calls unless there is absolute confidence that the casualty can be quickly and effectively recovered.

 

[PEJ]

I was taught my PB2 by an experienced RNLI instructor (works for the RNLI training their crew as the day job) and he said send in a Mayday Call straightaway. It can always be cancelled.

 

[Nick_H]

IMHO the only reason for delaying such a call is if doing so increases the probability of safe effective recovery.

Agreed, it's always a Mayday IMO (unless of course you've stopped and the MOB is twenty yards away laughing, and swimming towards the boat), but would be madness to lose sight of the MOB whilst trying to make the call. So, my first crew would be a spotter, but if I had another spare crew i'd get them to call a Mayday. If I didn't i'd make an immediate turn and a short search, then call in the mayday if I couldn't find them in a few minutes. It's easy enough to cancel a Mayday, and the CG would always prefer to know IMO.

 

[Scotty_Tradewind]

Depends who, what, why, when and where ...

SWMBO falling off the back of the boat whilst motoring with me onboard during the summer in calm weather - nothing - easy to recover.

SWMBO falling overboard having been hit by the boom on a dark stormy night with just me aboard somewhere offshore - mayday.

I thought it could be the other way round for some with marital problems.
i.e.
Mayday for.....SWMBO falling off the back of the boat whilst motoring with me onboard during the summer in calm weather - just to give her total embarrassment
and
Nothing..... if she had fallen overboard having been hit by the boom on a dark stormy night with just me aboard somewhere offshore.