Yachting Monthly (March) MoB article.

[Roberto]

Yes well , i understand that making the Distress call pronto , before real recovery operations take place , is a safety action , as the On Board person just might get into difficulties themselves , so requiring help , so making a Distress call First is surely the best action to take ; in the circumstances it might be the ONLY time to make such a call , when the Crew are all OK and able to make THE call

Also, with DSC one may press the distress MOB button 1+1 times, then after the acknowledgment take the mic and say "mayday MyBoatName - crew is two persons - one is overboard I am alone I have to maneuver, confirm Mayday man overboard", surely not the textbook procedure, but: 1.SAR authorities have a confirmed distress with its position (and type), and 2. VHF MOB distress calls will mark a position on the display with automatic GoTo, indication of bearing and distance, same as MOB button on a gps.
In coastal/A1 areas I think the risk/reward of spending a few seconds to make the call, especially with a cockpit remote microphone, is difficult to beat by anything else. Should I fall, that's what I told my young daughters to do first; wife is no problem she would push the Auto button on the autopilot and keep going with happy smiles of relief.

 

[Never Grumble]

Reading all of this it just makes me more aware of the need to stay onboard at all costs. Although we have practised my wife's manoeuvring skills mean I am likely to be in the water for sometime, not only that but with the sails flapping, I can just imagine the panic onboard. The handheld VHF has no DSC function. There's certainly loads to consider.

 

[Capt Popeye]

Might add my further thought and observations ; if the MOB is able to swim towards the Boat then they will need a way of firmly holding onto it , in safety ; a quick look at most boats and there is Nothing to hold /cling onto ; most stern folding ladders wil be , err , folded , as the craft is underway (or was) ; maybe a Climbing Net flung over the side (nearest the MOB hopefully will at least enable the MOB to stay with the Boat and not get lost n the waves ; with a MOB hanging onto the Boat maybe the Crew can breath a little knowing that the MOB is still with them : so not having to Sail the Boat round and round searching for them plus sailing the Boat safely ; Hopefully the MOB Life Jacket will assist the wearer in holding on OK to the Boat /Net ? by keeping the MOB heads up in the water

Yes the MOB sittuation is very dangerous with a minimum crew plus even more dngerous with an inexperienced or child crew ;

 

[thinwater]

Might add my further thought and observations ; if the MOB is able to swim towards the Boat then they will need a way of firmly holding onto it , in safety ; a quick look at most boats and there is Nothing to hold /cling onto ; most stern folding ladders wil be , err , folded , as the craft is underway (or was) ; maybe a Climbing Net flung over the side (nearest the MOB hopefully will at least enable the MOB to stay with the Boat and not get lost n the waves ; with a MOB hanging onto the Boat maybe the Crew can breath a little knowing that the MOB is still with them : so not having to Sail the Boat round and round searching for them plus sailing the Boat safely ; Hopefully the MOB Life Jacket will assist the wearer in holding on OK to the Boat /Net ? by keeping the MOB heads up in the water

Yes the MOB sittuation is very dangerous with a minimum crew plus even more dngerous with an inexperienced or child crew ;

Agreed.

Lifesling. They are not holding the boat, but they are connected by a rope. VERY common on US cruising boats.

Also, a boarding ladder than can be pulled down from the water is an ISO and ABYC requirement. If you do not have one, get with the program.

 

[Capt Popeye]

Agreed.

Lifesling. They are not holding the boat, but they are connected by a rope. VERY common on US cruising boats.

Also, a boarding ladder than can be pulled down from the water is an ISO and ABYC requirement. If you do not have one, get with the program.

Hi there Mr T ; thank you ; re the boarding ladders usually afixed to the sterns ; few years ago we were on scene (very luckily) of a Fella that had tried to Board his Boat from a small dinghy ; something happened and he fell in the water , the folding Boarding Ladder (folded) was securely tied off at the top so he had no way of reaching it from the water ; he was very exhausted when we came accross him ; luckily we were in a Safety Boat with a re moveable side to it ; so he was easily dragged aboard our boat ;

But it was alarming to see that the Boarding Ladder was still tied off

 

[Roberto]

Climbing Net flung over the side (

Speaking of climbing/cargo nets, this derived device seems clever
The Markusnet – Markus Lifenet


on one side there are three floaters, on the other a stiff hoop which sinks and keeps the end of the net open. The net is not flat it makes a sort of "bag", so once the casualty is inside it can be lifted without the person falling out of the net.
A video about the various ways of using it, it might also double as emergency ladder, or adapted to recover the person in semi-horizontal position (or leave it there as shark bait). By the number of Youtube visits I doubt it is very widespread -never seen one- it looks interesting though

 

[zoidberg]

Also, a boarding ladder than can be pulled down from the water is an ISO and ABYC requirement. If you do not have one, get with the program.

I favour this. However, do be warned.....

Some widely-distributed 'emergency ladders' secure to the rear rail/pushpit tubing using simple nylon/plastic snaphooks. They've been known to fail in service, dumping THIS casualty unceremoniously back into the water.

Close-run thing

The problem was due, probably, to UV degradation and that I was many kilos beyond the plastic clips' rating.... due to water-saturated clothing and pockets.

The products are still being sold in chandlers without modification.

 

[thinwater]

I favour this. However, do be warned.....

Some widely-distributed 'emergency ladders' secure to the rear rail/pushpit tubing using simple nylon/plastic snaphooks. They've been known to fail in service, dumping THIS casualty unceremoniously back into the water.

Close-run thing

The problem was due, probably, to UV degradation and that I was many kilos beyond the plastic clips' rating.... due to water-saturated clothing and pockets.

The products are still being sold in chandlers without modification.

Wow. The rating should be tons, not hundreds of pounds. (I believe ISO requires 24KN for the suspension members (steps can be weaker).

 

[Juan Twothree]

Some years ago our lifeboat was tasked to check on a yacht which had been anchored in the same spot for a couple of days. We found the sole occupant dead in the water astern of the yacht, attached by a harness.

It appeared he had fallen in, but couldn't reboard, despite a folded-down ladder on the stern.

The bruising on his lower legs (he was wearing shorts) suggested that he hadn't spared any effort trying.

 

[Stemar]

When it comes to boarding/MOB ladders, I'm fairly convinced that this is the best type, fitted so the bottom of the top part at the waterline

Even then you're going to struggle if kitted out for a cold wet sail

 

[anoccasionalyachtsman]

When it comes to boarding/MOB ladders, I'm fairly convinced that this is the best type, fitted so the bottom of the top part at the waterline

Even then you're going to struggle if kitted out for a cold wet sail

We had a thread covering ladders a while back, and in it I expressed my view (based on unfortunate experience) that those aren't even close to deep enough. As much attention needs to be paid to handholds above too. My guess is that 1.2m is probably ok, but that the stern ain't the place you want to be boarding most boats.

 

[mjcoon]

When it comes to boarding/MOB ladders, I'm fairly convinced that this is the best type, fitted so the bottom of the top part at the waterline

Even then you're going to struggle if kitted out for a cold wet sail

And especially (as articles on the subject always mention) if fitted at the stern and wave action is turning it into a steam/water hammer. If amidships permanent fitting would be a problem with parking...

 

[Stemar]

ways mention) if fitted at the stern and wave action is turning it into a steam/water hammer. If amidships permanent fitting would be a problem with parking...

So we're back to our starting point - stay on board! A point reinforced by a rich racing sailor I read about who issued his crew with ballasted jackets, rather than floating ones. Whether it was so they'd die mercifully quickly, or so he wouldn't have to waste time going back for them is open to debate

 

[Beneteau381]

You bring up a good point. Don't become a casualty. For example, the first rule of confined space rescue (inside fuel and chemical tanks) is that the attendant NEVER goes in the tank to help the downed worker. Most of the time, far more than half, he becomes a second casualty. Last year my company had a double fatality with that cause. FYI, the toxic agent in the tank was nitrogen. It had been purged and there was simply no oxygen. They knew better. They had meters and a ventilator hose 10 feet away. They just took a short cut. Never underestimate a confined space, including unventilated bilges.

The first action the attendant is to perform is to summon help. In principle, the second act is to winch the worker out (in the prior case the attendant paniced and could not operate the cable winch, which was in perfect working condition).

The other point is not to panic or rush. Taking 20 seconds to clear your head is nearly always smart. Had the attendant taken 20 seconds to read the instructions on the winch, the worker would likely have had nothing more than a pounding headache.

On a work boat in Angola oil field, broken AC pipe, tank empty but full of freon gas, one unconcious inside, engineer made call and went in with rope on his body. He managed to get a rope on the casualty before passing out. They were lucky.

 

[westhinder]

When it comes to boarding/MOB ladders, I'm fairly convinced that this is the best type, fitted so the bottom of the top part at the waterline

Even then you're going to struggle if kitted out for a cold wet sail

That’s basically the set up we have. Ours has a short line on the part that hinges down, so you can operate it from the water. Experience shows us that it is too short to be used comfortably, but it will work if you’re not already exhausted.
BUT, as has been mentioned, in a seaway it will be a hazard to the person in the water. The conclusion can only be: stay on board, at all costs, unless the sea is a mirror and you want to go for a swim, and even then only when someone is watching you.

 

[thinwater]

ISO and ABYC both require a minimum of 22 inches in the water, with the strong recommendation that 34 inches is better. 22 inches is not enough for injured, tired, or elderly swimmers. I've had 22-inch ladders on 4 boats. 3 of them I lengthen to 34 inches, and it was better. I've left the ladder at 22" on my F-24, and is not nearly as nice, but it's a sport boat and only my grown daughter and I ever use it, so it is just enough.

Boarding the stern can be sort of up-and-down, particularly from a dinghy. Swimming it is just a matter of timing, as any diver knows (catch it on the rise and climb).

• With the PDQ we pull the dinghy parrallel to the hulls but inside, attach dedicated mooring lines, and step onto the swim platform, using the davit tackle for balance. Same with kayaks, but no lines and just balance.
• On my F-24 trimaran we put the bow of the kayak under the beam and step/climb up. Safer in waves, because there is nothing to hit.

My point is that we never use a ladder to get out of a tender, only when swimming. For multihulls it's not really the best way.

 

[penberth3]

Might add my further thought and observations ; if the MOB is able to swim towards the Boat then they will need a way of firmly holding onto it , in safety ; a quick look at most boats and there is Nothing to hold /cling onto.......

Yes the MOB sittuation is very dangerous with a minimum crew plus even more dngerous with an inexperienced or child crew ;

For planning purposes you should assume the MoB is unable to do anything at all. And what's your simple and foolproof way of getting +100kg deadweight back on board, on your own?

 

[Stemar]

For planning purposes you should assume the MoB is unable to do anything at all. And what's your simple and foolproof way of getting +100kg deadweight back on board, on your own?

"Mayday - Mayday - Mayday."

And hope I can get the casualty attached, head out of the water and that they live long enough for help to arrive. If I can get a lifting strop round them or clipped to their harness, then try and lift them with the boom and topping lift, but I wouldn't call it 100% foolproof. I was reminded today how quickly I run out of puff with abnormal exertion, and that was just treating the hulls and underside of the deck with oxalic acid. I'm knackered!

 

[thinwater]

For planning purposes you should assume the MoB is unable to do anything at all. And what's your simple and foolproof way of getting +100kg deadweight back on board, on your own?

Lifesling and a winch. Not that hard. Getting the dead weight hooked up is hard.

Another thing to consider, which I have seen in a Clipper video (done stupidly IMO): Get a crewman into a dry suit, harness, and long tether. Have him enter the water to do the hook-up. It may be the only realistic way. But that relies upon having at least 2 people on board and one of them being a very strong, comfortable surf swimmer. I grew up in the surf, so I'm comfortable with getting knock upside down, but many are not. Yes, this risks the "second causallty" rule and should be evaluated with extreme caution and a realistic consideration of the conditions and crew skill set.

 

[zoidberg]

Get a crewman into a dry suit, harness, and long tether. Have him enter the water to do the hook-up.

That's what S&R helo crewmen do - and they require lengthy specialist training. And maintain a level of physical fitness very few of us could now demonstrate. Go ask your lifeboat crew what they think of such an idea....