prv
Well-known member
Not at sea, but I've used one at a paintball site that I think was actually a marine buoyant smoke. Plastic cap off, pull a ring underneath it. Wasn't that tricky, which is fortunate since I was being shot at at the time
Pete
Two-handed MOB - do what first, then what next?
- Thread starter Babylon
- Start date
Not at sea, but I've used one at a paintball site that I think was actually a marine buoyant smoke. Plastic cap off, pull a ring underneath it. Wasn't that tricky, which is fortunate since I was being shot at at the time
Pete
Daydream believer
Well-known member
If you are 2 handed & 1 falls in then the trouble with hitting the DSC button is that the coastguard will be asking loads of questions. If the radio is below you have to engage autopilot & go below for some time. By which time you will have certainly lost sight of MOB. Certainly you will have alerted CG but i would be unhappy about being out of close range of MOB. If one has managed to heave too then this may not be far from MOB but not all boats heave too OK.
prv
Well-known member
Daydream believer
Well-known member
So then it could get treated as a false alarm.
Surely The point of DSC is that you get a mayday call straight through to someone within range that you can talk to plus they get position instantly as oposed to the usual chatter of people asking for radio checks on 16. Presumably recipient will want to confirm authenticity of mayday
I expect there will be a clamouring to tell me i am wrong!!
Suppose I ought to do some brushing up on DSC because this post has shown i am not totally sure!!
nickd
Member
A tip I have picked up, and it has worked when practised on every boat I have tried it on.
Is to immediately throw boat into a tack and lash the wheel or tiller over hard, as the boat goes through the tack sheet the main in hard leave the foresail, the boat will now start gently spinning pretty well on the spot and hopefully drifting on the tide in the same direction as MOB. You now have time to work out what to do, throw lines etc without getting too far away from MOB.
Try it
Is to immediately throw boat into a tack and lash the wheel or tiller over hard, as the boat goes through the tack sheet the main in hard leave the foresail, the boat will now start gently spinning pretty well on the spot and hopefully drifting on the tide in the same direction as MOB. You now have time to work out what to do, throw lines etc without getting too far away from MOB.
Try it
fireball
New member
Or past them...
Pete
Eitherway - it will at least give another reference point that you can pass to the CG - and if the MOB does manage to grab it it'll be a lot easier to spot ...
D
Deleted member 36384
Guest
There are dyes that are remarkably effective at staining the water and remaining non dispersed. I have pumped them into oil wells to find leaks and they survive to come through as one luminous mass. That would be a useful thing to throw overboard as an immediate first action to mark the spot.
fireball
New member
Not until it has been investigated ...
... as demonstrated by a DSC alarm triggered up the Medina river (Cowes) and Solent CG doing everything they could to find out what was going on.
That's why I'd hit the button asap - ideally it would be followed up by a voice call - but it starts the process. I suppose if I've got my handsfull then I could easily follow it up with a "Mayday Mayday Mayday <boatname> Man Overboard" as it confirms it's an emergency and not accidentally set off - whilst not completely confirming the tie in with the DSC call and the voice there will be a correlation. I know it's not standard protocol and I haven't stated everything including inside leg measurement, but tbh - at that point I probably just want the cavalry to be called.
Again - with a cockpit fistmike it makes DSC and voice calling possible without too much hassle ... IMHO every vessel should have the VHF within grabbing distance of the helm.
prv
Well-known member
I believe ChanelYacht has said in the past that they will still respond to a DSC mayday where they can't raise the boat on voice. It would be useful if he could step in here to confirm either way.
If I had the extra second or two to designate the alert as "Man Overboard" before sending, perhaps that would help them realise that I may not be available to answer immediately.
Even if it does turn out that the Coastguard won't task a lifeboat without a voice confirmation, the early call will get their attention and let them get the preliminaries under way, the included position will pinpoint where to start the drift modelling, and they may do a Mayday Relay to alert other boats that might be in the area. Within five minutes of that DSC alert, I should either have the casualty on board, secured him alongside but struggling to retrieve from the water, or have lost sight of him and be starting a search pattern. In any of those three cases I now have time for at least a brief voice call with the Coastguard to let them know what's happening.
Pete
Babylon
Well-known member
That's a very good point.
Whilst my first urgent preoccupation would be in getting back to the casualty, I might then be faced with the additional difficulty in recovering him/her from the water (no LJ, too weak to climb up the stern, unable to secure a lifting-line to him/her in bad weather without risking myself, etc) - at which point assistance from the CG/RNLI or another vessel in the vicinity could make all the difference.
Although hitting the DSC panic-button can be done in a trice, dealing with an immediate follow-up voice transmission wouldn't be amongst my first actions.
NUTMEG
New member
Just read the instructions on the tin. Remove cap and throw in the water. Ignites after 5 seconds following immersion.
Reckon even I could manage that. I can open a can of IPA in less then 5 seconds!
I think the hand held ones take a bit more fiddling. This is a floating wotsit!
Reckon even I could manage that. I can open a can of IPA in less then 5 seconds!
I think the hand held ones take a bit more fiddling. This is a floating wotsit!
NUTMEG
New member
RNLI chappie clearly stated that a DSC will be acted upon without verbal confirmation. Never treated as a false alarm. I actually asked him that question.
Uricanejack
Well-known member
Single handed or mob handed, if you have not practiced the steps of your chosen method the chances of a successful rescue of a M.O.B are slim.
Even with a well drilled crew when the stress and adrenalin of the real event kicks in steps get missed and mistakes are often made. The better the practice the fewer mistakes.
1st thing to do to recover a M.O.B suddenly and unexpectedly single handed.
Have a plan. Both of you have discussed.
There are two distinctly different situations.
1st you see or hear M.O.B go over.
2nd you don’t and don’t know when.
Practice the plan. Several times. The better your drill the less thinking, the response is more instinctive.
Don’t panic, don’t rush. Don’t worry about which is the most important step.
They are all important for a successful rescue.
If you are suddenly single handed, you will have your hands full and lots to do.
Your first action will depend on your location, on deck down below, on the wheel on auto pilot,
Start with the closest.
Try and get them all done, you will miss some,
Keeping the casualty in sight all the time is not going to be possible, just do your Best.
Mark the position, MOB Button, Dan Bouy, Life Buoy and light, Smoke Float, Epirb, PLB,
Stop, turn, tack, gybe, Heave to,
Get Help, Call May Day, push the RED button, set of flare, smoke float.
Record V/L position, MOB button on electronics, Visual reference, Bearings,
Get sorted on deck, Sails, ropes, recovery gear, ladder, halyards, dingy. Life raft.
When sorted start engine.
Hope fully still close by, in sight, help on way, you are now prepared to assist getting back on board.
Even with a well drilled crew when the stress and adrenalin of the real event kicks in steps get missed and mistakes are often made. The better the practice the fewer mistakes.
1st thing to do to recover a M.O.B suddenly and unexpectedly single handed.
Have a plan. Both of you have discussed.
There are two distinctly different situations.
1st you see or hear M.O.B go over.
2nd you don’t and don’t know when.
Practice the plan. Several times. The better your drill the less thinking, the response is more instinctive.
Don’t panic, don’t rush. Don’t worry about which is the most important step.
They are all important for a successful rescue.
If you are suddenly single handed, you will have your hands full and lots to do.
Your first action will depend on your location, on deck down below, on the wheel on auto pilot,
Start with the closest.
Try and get them all done, you will miss some,
Keeping the casualty in sight all the time is not going to be possible, just do your Best.
Mark the position, MOB Button, Dan Bouy, Life Buoy and light, Smoke Float, Epirb, PLB,
Stop, turn, tack, gybe, Heave to,
Get Help, Call May Day, push the RED button, set of flare, smoke float.
Record V/L position, MOB button on electronics, Visual reference, Bearings,
Get sorted on deck, Sails, ropes, recovery gear, ladder, halyards, dingy. Life raft.
When sorted start engine.
Hope fully still close by, in sight, help on way, you are now prepared to assist getting back on board.
Simondjuk
Active member
Sorry, but that just sounds like a load of random actions in no particular order. A good summary of panic.
My absolute priority is to stay close to the MOB. A person in the water is as hard to find as a coconut, a lifejacket only improves things slightly. Proximity is everything.
My absolute priority is to stay close to the MOB. A person in the water is as hard to find as a coconut, a lifejacket only improves things slightly. Proximity is everything.
Uricanejack
Well-known member
Nope, Just very general, every one has a different boat with different gear and you all have different opinions about which way in what order.
The point is have a plan you both know for your boat and practice.
AntarcticPilot
Well-known member
Concerning "crash tacking", we tried it in our Moody 31 last year. That is a fin keel design, with shallow underwater profile. It worked like a dream, going from forging along close-hauled to quietly hove-to in a matter of moments. I would certainly use it in a MOB situation.
SAWDOC
Active member
We would aspire to being independent while at sea ie if a problem develops we would hope to solve it ourselves. So I virtually fall overboard a few times a season and leave the crew whoever they are, to recover my sodden likeness. Thanks to a few wise posters here who highlighted the difficulty of hauling a recovered casualty back on board, we also then attempt to lift a helpless heavy heap on board - best tackle & best method.
SAWDOC
Active member
Yes - very worthwhile exercise to undertake, which can be of benefit in many situations. Recommended
TQA
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I have just read the last couple of pages and again am seeing people forgetting to do the most important thing which is take two seconds to press the MOB button on what ever piece of electronic nav gear you are running AND DO IT FIRST.
You can only save the person onboard if you can find them.
Why do most of these lists omit this step? I am a a bit of a luddite but usually have a simple Garmin 76 running by the wheel. Do most people not have a MOB button?
You can only save the person onboard if you can find them.
Why do most of these lists omit this step? I am a a bit of a luddite but usually have a simple Garmin 76 running by the wheel. Do most people not have a MOB button?
Simondjuk
Active member
We don't have one at the helm at present. When we do, I'll still put the helm over as my first instinct, then press the button as the boat turns.