Single handed MOB drill

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GromitTheDog

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Hi All,

I've searched through the forum and not found any answers.

I am chartering for the first time with my partner, in Greece. She is new to sailing but has just done a Competent Crew course
I'm wondering what short-handed drill to practice for MOB, for her to do alone, should I jump overboard.

There are a few problems, for example going below to press the MOB button on the VHF is probably not an option until the boat is stopped and/or pointing back at me.
I will however, be bringing a portable VHF with GPS, just for this.
She'll also not realistically be able to sail around, furl the headsail and approach in a standard MOB drill.

Basically, the goal to stop the boat ASAP, near to me, and have issued an MOB distress call.

So, what would your approach be?


(close hauled to broad reaching)
heave to and stop boat to windward of MOB;
Start engine in neutral (should now be drifting down to MOB)
(MOB button on radio if possible, or VHF mayday from handheld)
Cut/furl Jib , if possible. Ignore the main.
Motor to MOB, as needed.
Drop swim latter.

(downwind)
heave to and stop boat to leeward of MOB;
Start engine in neutral
Cut/furl Jib , if possible.
Sheet in the main to stop the boom swinging.
Motor up to MOB
(MOB button on radio if possible, or VHF mayday from handheld)
Drop swim latter

What are your thoughts?

thanks
 
best not fall overboard in the first instance.What did your instructor teach you when your gained your quals
 
Welcome to the forums! Your attention would be better directed towards ways of not falling off. If the charter boat doesn't have jackstays fitted, you could take webbing jackstays with you and harnesses (although you'll get some strange stripes in your suntan).
 
We tried MOB as a club exercise. My wife could not lift victim with 4:1 mainsheet blocks, or lift me from deck with spinaker halliard winch. The instructor/victim lend us his 6:1 handy billy block and tackle and we fixed it high using halliard then pulled him on board ok. I bought one next day!

When my wife fell overboard in harbour it took 4 of us to pull her back on board (CDYC members; many thanks).

If you are in water for any length of time and its not warm you will not have strength to get up ladder if in soaking clothing.

57% of those who fall in water drown according to stats, though that includes drunks and non-swimmers. Use safety harness, teach your crew the basic drill and try not to fall in.

Avoid pointless deck work in troubled seas sea, crawl forward if needed, one hand for ship and one for yourself as the saying goes.

Just remember to enjoy the sailing
 
Couple of point to add to the drill you mentioned above.
I'd be inclined to let the mail and jib sheets go and as long as you keep an eye ic case the boom swings across you should be fine. Saves time furling them.
If upwind of the casualty it may be difficult to stop or slow the boat enough to pick them up so if there is much wind I think I would motor past them then approach into the wind. Much easier to stop the boat alongside then.
Check over and practise a bit with your MOB gear before you need it - lifebelt, horseshoe, throwing line or whatever.
Getting off a Mayday is important but can take time. How about repeated sounding of the foghorn if there are others nearby? Recognised distress signal and can be done while attending to other things too.
And as others have said - try not to fall in in the first place!
Enjoy your trip.
 
I don't know if others are the same, but my boat will not heave to with a full genoa up. The head sail area must be reduced first. I have found, however, that sailing performance is quite satisfactory with a working jib sized sail - so perhaps just keep a few rolls in the head sail and follow the not falling off advice above!
 
Humblebee said:
Couple of point to add to the drill you mentioned above.
I'd be inclined to let the mail and jib sheets go and as long as you keep an eye ic case the boom swings across you should be fine. Saves time furling them.
If upwind of the casualty it may be difficult to stop or slow the boat enough to pick them up so if there is much wind I think I would motor past them then approach into the wind. Much easier to stop the boat alongside then.
Check over and practise a bit with your MOB gear before you need it - lifebelt, horseshoe, throwing line or whatever.
Getting off a Mayday is important but can take time. How about repeated sounding of the foghorn if there are others nearby? Recognised distress signal and can be done while attending to other things too.
And as others have said - try not to fall in in the first place!
Enjoy your trip.
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Use the KISS principle (keep it simple stupid).

Train her to pull in on the mainsheet & centre boom, wheel hard over & kept over, nothing else to complicate situation. Boat will simply turn almost in its own length, not leaving vicinity of MoB. When panic over, she throws you a line attached to boat & hopefully get you back to boat. In spite of any waves, any sugar scoop may be the only way 'you' can fight back onboard.
 
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scotty123 said:
Use the KISS principle (keep it simple stupid).

Train her to pull in on the mainsheet & centre boom, wheel hard over & kept over, nothing else to complicate situation. Boat will simply turn almost in its own length, not leaving vicinity of MoB. When panic over, she throws you a line attached to boat & hopefully get you back to boat. In spite of any waves, any sugar scoop may be the only way 'you' can fight back onboard.
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That's very similar to my instructions/ I have a life ring/danbuoy attached to a floating line attached to the boat and if you just sail in a circle around the MOB to encircle him.

A electric winch or windlass can help to get the MOB back onboard.
 
Rogershaw said:
That's very similar to my instructions/ I have a life ring/danbuoy attached to a floating line attached to the boat and if you just sail in a circle around the MOB to encircle him.
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Tried that 7 times in our club drill and we never got line caught on MOB. Indeed only once got line within grabbing distance. All right we were in a long keeler so bigger circle than some but others were disturbed when we reported this back. Boat hook worked well but obviously thats a bit more dangerous to casualty if approaching in rolling seas
 
scotty123 said:
Use the KISS principle (keep it simple stupid).

Train her to pull in on the mainsheet & centre boom, wheel hard over & kept over, nothing else to complicate situation. Boat will simply turn almost in its own length, not leaving vicinity of MoB. When panic over, she throws you a line attached to boat & hopefully get you back to boat. In spite of any waves, any sugar scoop may be the only way 'you' can fight back onboard.
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Absolutely spot on. For those that havent tried it its well worthwhile. I show this to people every course and most are surprised how easy it is.
 
JumbleDuck said:
You're dead. Don't fall overboard.
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If you have not practiced this in rough weather, Jumble sums it up nicely.

For starters, what works on one boat will not work on another. Second, experienced crews often fail. It aint' easy and require intimate knowledge of how the boat handles. I've learned how to do this with many boats, but I'll be the first to admit it took months of experience with the boat and hours of practice to dial it in. This is one of the most demanding skills you will learn.

With a new-to-you boat and inexperienced crew, the best bet is to chuck stuff that floats in the water, drop all sails, and start the motor. The other possible plan is to teach heaving to or just throwing the wheel over and keeping it there, and hoping you can swim fast (which you will NOT be able to do in an inflated PFD--try it!).
 
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And since you'll probably be towing a dinghy, tie a bucket to its painter arranged so that the painter can be slipped and the dinghy will 'sea anchor' itself. You can at least climb into that if she can get it near you.
 
thinwater said:
the best bet is to chuck stuff that floats in the water, drop all sails, and start the motor]

Quite! I was chided on my Coastal Skipper for sailing to the "casualty" which I had done. Instructor said "how you going to explain it to relatives and coroner if your fancy sailing leaves your mate dead! Use Engine" I then got everyone to drop sails and started engine and bore away and did it again so he simulated rope round prop to teach me a lesson in humility.

KISS. Flogging sails risk only money - get that engine on .
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oldmanofthehills said:
... KISS. Flogging sails risk only money - get that engine on .
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This is probably only half true. Many boats, particularly lighter boats, will get pushed around so much by flogging sails that they must either be used or doused.

My other theory is that so long as you have thrown the MOB something that floats (and hopefully they are dressed for the water temperature), it is better to take an extra 1-3 minutes to square everything away and get it right on the FIRST pass. It will be faster than the frantic 3-4 passes we so often read about. Stay close and take the time it takes... working with a purpose! But no sloppy mistakes or flogging sails. How long does it take to furl a jib and drop a main (but not put it away)? It wouldn't take me 2 minutes working alone.
 
Not seen a mention of deploying a danbuoy. An inexperienced single crew cant con the boat and also maintain eyball on the MOB. Chucking a danbuoy in may help relocating the MOB?

As stated she has to practice the agread actions/manouver if you both are to have any confidence in her ability.
As also stated take extra precautions against going overboard.
 
Last year, mid summer, good weather, warm, no waves, motoring off mooring got mooring rope around prop.
Skipper, fit scuba diver stripprd to his underpants and went over the side with the brad knife. It took 2 attempts but he got it clear.
The boading ladder reached a couple of feet below the surface but he could not get his foot onto the bottom rung.
Thankfully we had the inflatable with us so he hawled himself into it and from there back on board.
It taught us a very good lesson. Don't go overboard. Ever.
 
ronmarson said:
Last year, mid summer, good weather, warm, no waves, motoring off mooring got mooring rope around prop.
Skipper, fit scuba diver stripprd to his underpants and went over the side with the brad knife. It took 2 attempts but he got it clear.
The boading ladder reached a couple of feet below the surface but he could not get his foot onto the bottom rung.
Thankfully we had the inflatable with us so he hawled himself into it and from there back on board.
It taught us a very good lesson. Don't go overboard. Ever.
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Other lesson. Get a boarding ladder that you can climb.
 
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