How Do Couples Cruisers Fall Off Boats?

[Wotname]

Yep, not funny but then again, Gallows Humour?

[thinwater]

Interestingly, most of the examples are with one person on deck, often leading to fatalities. I suppose that is in large part due to the fact that successful recoveries are grossly under reported.


I'm most curious about couples MOB and how successful recoveries were accomplished.

[thinwater]

Originally Posted by CarlF

There was a case a few years ago on the ARC race with two brothers double handing a boat. Weather was good. As I remember the story, one fell overboard and was being dragged by his harness pinned to the side of the boat. His brother was actually able to talk to him but not able to get him up.

The brother finally cut the tether. By the time he got the sails down and got back to his brother -- he was dead from drowning likely from being dragged.

I always wonder about two things when I hear this type of scenario:

1. Why not stop the boat by heaving to? Takes only seconds. The MOB won't be comfortable, but he'll be on the high side and not drowning. Then move to step (2).
2. Why not attach a halyard or line to the tether and cut the jackline loose. Then either hoist (halyard) or float the MOB to better location for hauling aboard.

[GetawayMirage24]

Cpt. Pat, Ann Cate & everyone else who shared the precautions the they DO TAKE! I couldn’t agree with you all more! When you take any and all reasonable safety measures for conditions and circumstances, and don’t need them, worst consequences of maybe being hot, uncomfortable, restricted or other reasons citing for not taking these measures might be that one of these folks chuckles at you when they see you, but at least you are giving yourself the best chances to come back to your family and friends safe and sound, and to continue your cruising adventures.

“Bravery” and hubris used to justify not taking reasonable precautions is highly overrated, especially when it ends up costing lives, not to mention potentially putting Coasties and Search and Rescue personnel at risk when things do go bad. Stating that one has never needed to take recommended safety measures or has always been fine simply with “one hand for the boat and one hand for yourself” doesn’t mean you are good, it means you are lucky. **** happens! Sudden wind shift, errant wave, gear failure, mistakes by crew (including yourself!) or any number of other things can quickly go wrong and easily become fatal!

I singlehand my Mirage 24 on Lake Ontario and we get some pretty heavy weather and sea states here and have been thankful on a number of occasions for Precautions I have taken.

Great video Cpn. Pat! What boat are you sailing there, and what helmet do you use in rougher conditions?

[CassidyNZ]

Originally Posted by GetawayMirage24

When you take any and all reasonable safety measures for conditions and circumstances, and don’t need them, worst consequences of maybe being hot, uncomfortable, restricted or other reasons citing for not taking these measures might be that one of these folks chuckles at you when they see you, but at least you are giving yourself the best chances to come back to your family and friends safe and sound, and to continue your cruising adventures.

I guess when you’re out there on a small boat in tough conditions for a day or two then wrapping yourself in layer upon layer of safety gear makes some sense. Seems to me you don’t do intercontinental trips that take months and often two or three weeks in one stretch. Then hot, uncomfortable, restricted soon enough becomes a royal PITA.

“Reasonable precautions” does not require the simultaneous and continuous application of every safety device known to man. The best chance of coming back to family and friends safe and sound is to go to the wharf, take a long, loving look at your boat and then going back home.

I take reasonable precautions as I see them. So far it has seen me and all the folks on my boat complete many thousands of nm without a single life threatening situation - that’s more than I can say about driving from my home to visit the same family and friends.

[Mike OReilly]

The definition of what is a reasonable precaution is as varied as the definition of best anchor. It very much depends on the boat, crew and conditions. Prescribing a one-size-fits-all approach is only justified in laws and regulations. It doesn’t necessarily have much to do with individual reality.

[thinwater]

Originally Posted by Mike OReilly

The definition of what is a reasonable precaution is as varied as the definition of best anchor. It very much depends on the boat, crew and conditions. Prescribing a one-size-fits-all approach is only justified in laws and regulations. It doesn’t necessarily have much to do with individual reality.

Exactly. My kit ranges from nothing much of the time, to pretty much everything when singlehanding, mid-winter, at 17 knots. Like comparing a tricycle in the driveway with a motorcycle at the track.


---


But the original jist of the thread related to what problems a couples boat might face in the eventuality of an MOB.

• Is the other crew available for instant response or down below, perhaps not aware you are gone?
• Even if the crew is nearby, they are likely not at the wheel, making crash stop procedures irrelevant.
• How do you control the boat while trying to physically make contact and hoist the MOB aboard?
• There are probably differences is strength or skill between the two crew members.

[boatman61]

Originally Posted by Dave_S

I've always figured that the person in the water can see the boat (or any boat) much better than the person on the boat can see the person in the water. I think a waterproof laser pointer attached to each vest might be better than anything else.

You would be surprised.. many moons ago I was on a Leander Class Frigate headed for the Caribe from Gib..
Halfway across one of the engines started overheating so we stopped for 6hrs while a fix was achived.
It was a calm day so the off duty watches were told those who wished could go for a swim.. the gangway was lowered and a bunch of us dived in.
I powered away from the ship.. maybe 300metres, lay floating on my back a few minutes then went to swim back to the ship.. No ship.. did a 360.. No ship.. Panic.
Then the top of the mast appeared followed by the radar then the rest of the ship.. So Happy.
This was what people call glassy calm.. now add wind and waves to that ever present swell rarely noticed from deck level and you will find glimpses of the boat will be as brief as glimpses of a head.. if your looking in the right direction.

[sailorboy1]

By far the greatest cause of going overboard is alcohol! GREATLY BY FAR!

And by far it happens on boat less than 26'.

https://www.uscgboating.org/library/...stics-2017.pdf

[Nani Kai]

Originally Posted by Pauls

My brother watched the boat disappear over the horizon.
... They reversed course and firewalled the boat. Ran for what seemed a reasonable time, stopped and yelled for him. No response, so they ran further and repeated the process. After doing this a number of times, .... It can be surprisingly difficult to see a man in the water. Sound can carry a long way over the water..... A whistle attached to the harness, PFD or whatever is a very good idea, as is a bright light for nighttime visibility.

This post notes two extremely important points in an MOB situation: Visibility and Search protocol. Over 40+ yrs of diving, 20 of which were spent as a dive boat captain, I have pulled hundreds, perhaps thousands of people out of the water. A person in the water at head level is EXTREMELY hard to see under all but the best of conditions. Usually when someone falls overboard those conditions don't exist. Whistles & lights on the PFDs are absolutely the minimum. In addition my wife and I carry water proof lasers, additional reflective tape on our PFDs as well as Nautilus Dive Alert EPIRB/VHF radio/GPS devices in our foul weather jacket pocket. (These are compact and very effective). As for Search Protocol. The number one mistake I see captains make when searching for someone down current or behind the boat is they don't go far enough. Travelling at 6kts away from an MOB you put 1 mile between the two of you roughly every 7mins. Add in current and wind and that distance might be every 5 mins. Lastly, a tip: when looking for someone at water level don't look for a person. Look for NOT ocean. It's far easier to spot an anomaly, something that doesn't look right than it is to spot a specific object, especially at a distance. Once you see the anomaly and move toward it then you look for more specifics: size, color, movement, etc. Safe sailing.

[Mike Cunningham]

Originally Posted by JPA Cate

To me, not a chuckling matter. It has to be terrifying to be trapped below and unable to free yourself and escape to the surface.

Plenty of sailors have died over the years from monohulls sinking. Boats sinking, or otherwise drowning sailors in general, while of interest, is a sad event, at least to me.

Ann

Yes I agree, a sad incident.
I wonder about someone who gets a chuckle from such tragedy.

[JPA Cate]

Originally Posted by Mike Cunningham

Yes I agree, a sad incident.
I wonder about someone who gets a chuckle from such tragedy.

Fore and Aft has since explained that he was chuckling at the irony of the juxtaposition of the cat lovers' thread, with the tragic incident. All is well, he was not chuckling at the tragedy. Horrible way to go.

Ann

[JPA Cate]

Originally Posted by CarlF

There was a case a few years ago on the ARC race with two brothers double handing a boat. Weather was good. As I remember the story, one fell overboard and was being dragged by his harness pinned to the side of the boat. His brother was actually able to talk to him but not able to get him up.

The brother finally cut the tether. By the time he got the sails down and got back to his brother -- he was dead from drowning likely from being dragged.

This is really so horribly sad. It is why, when you sail, you should ask yourself my Jim's question, "what could possibly go wrong?" Heaving to, to stop the boat right now, would have avoided dragging him under. But the guy hadn't thought about it and planned how he'd do it, hadn't talked with his bro about the possibility so far as we know.

But here's something I don't know: would it be better to heave to towards the bro, hoping the surge would keep him free of the hull; or better to heave to away from him, risking pulling him hard into the side of the boat? It is also an argument for always keeping your knife on you, accessible, too, not buried under your foulies: you might have to cut your tether.

Ann

[s/v Beth]

Originally Posted by captmikem

Well now...
You are welcome to your opinion, but I don't think I much of it. But then when people fear leaving the cockpit they tend to rationalize their fears and actions.

M

Well M,
Coming up the Straits of Juan de Fuca, 2200 with a breeze off my quarter to power the boat though a ebb. Been steering for over 36 hours, letting a newer crew member take watch. Helping to shorten the main before I go to bed.
Catabolic wind off the Olympics- completely new and brisk 25 kts, I see the boom coming and duck in time but the main sheet catches me and pins me against the radar arch. Broken humerus, dislocated shoulder and broken ribs. The force of the main would have pushed me in the water had I not tied in.
I was tied in as is mandatory for all crew above deck at night. If I had gone it the water in those conditions I would have never made it back.
Yeah, I know my boat, and I know my limitations. But I still tie in for the unexpected. I find it doesn't bother me when I consider the alternative.

[redsky49]

I know several cases where people have fallen off their boats in marinas and have had a hard time getting out of the water. I know one case where a sailor fell in at his slip and drowned. Cold water and alcohol in that case.


I was on board an anchored 50' trawler when the elderly owner fell off the swim platform while washing out a rag. This was in Georgia where coastal tides result in strong currents. His wife managed to get hold of him and kept him from being swept away. I was in the shower at the time and never heard the screams. I think we can be complacent at times, when some level of vigilance is required.


I sail with my wife. Our understanding is if you go over while underway, especially if at night, you will die. It will not be reasonable to assume you can be recovered. Despite this, we practice the "quick stop" maneuver - stop the damn boat! This at least gives you a slim chance.



Several years ago we rescued a fisherman who had fallen overboard in the Bahamas. Life sling worked that day. The thing that stuck with me was the miracle of seeing his head in the water - he didn't have strength to wave his arms - and that I turned around to take a second look at the coconut(?) floating in the water. What is it they say about drunks and sailors?


Be careful out there.