MOB safe options

[jalmberg]

Having just completed an Atlantic crossing with my wife, our assumption was, if you fall overboard, you are dead. With that in mind, we always tied on, even in the cockpit, with the short strap whenever possible. We have to go on deck often to reef, switch from wheel to windvane steering, and to do daily inspections. Practice moving around on deck safely is essential.

We did have AIS beacons for our life jackets. These trigger a very loud alarm on our VHF as soon as they are deployed. The VHF is on 24/7 when sailing. However, I knew my wife would probably never find me. She maybe had a 50% chance of me finding her, depending on conditions.

It is not hard to stay on a boat at sea, even in a gale. Especially in a gale, since you are thinking hard about safety. Just focus on that when offshore and forget the gizmo approach to sailing. It is all marketing, IMHO.

Nearshore, obviously, is different. We still tie on, but the chance of being rescued when there are many boats around, in calm weather, is completely different, and an AIS beacon might be really useful.

I am more skeptical about personal EPIRBS.

[deblen]

https://www.practical-sailor.com/saf...e-mob-recovery


https://cruisingclub.org/article/man...rthanded-crews


https://www.yachtingmonthly.com/sail...-couples-72293

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9GeC6ShmTb4

[Cynara]

I'm not going to read all the posts

We had a firm rule. Nobody leaves the cockpit without the other person being awake.

Not going to keep you from falling over keeps the off watch from worrying

[boatman61]

Originally Posted by deblen

https://www.practical-sailor.com/saf...e-mob-recovery


https://cruisingclub.org/article/man...rthanded-crews


https://www.yachtingmonthly.com/sail...-couples-72293

Now try it in 3-4 metre sea's.. and 25-30 knots of wind..

[Franziska]

Originally Posted by boatman61

Now try it in 3-4 metre sea's.. and 25-30 knots of wind.. [emoji3]

There is another system which may work better in rough conditions.

It's a sling which you place under the POB arms.
A swim line goes from there to a block at the boomend (boom is at about 90 to ship centerline. On the end of the line is a parachute style anchor.
You carefully drive away from the drag device and the line pulls them up to the boom end.
Not sure, but an automatic shackle at the boomend to fix the survivor once they are up would help perhaps.

The system is commercially for sale but I do not recall the name of it.

[A CheeseHead]

An experience with being overboard in cold water:

I'm a dinghy sailor and, as I expect to be in the water eventually, I wear a PFD. While racing big boats in Chicago, I once got teased for being a Lands' End Cover Boy (older sailors will get this) for wearing the PFD. I told them (1) I'd be faster getting to the bow to fix something and (2) alive if I tripped & fell off, whereas they'd likely be neither. Next race they were wearing PFDs.

I once once separated from the boat while racing 470s on Lake Pewaukee in April. The water was 45 F, and I was in it for about 45 minutes before getting picked up by the Harkens in the crash RIB. I felt great, full of life ... but was unable to climb into the RIB. Cold water can kill you quickly. That's when I started wearing a wetsuit while racing 470s.

[boatman61]

The thing is, all these are tested/demonstrated in flat water and modest winds.. not the sort of conditions out there.
In my youth serving aboard HMS Aurora we were sent from Gib Squadron across to Antigua where there were elections and fears of riots if the Premier retained power.
Mid Atlantic we stopped for 6hrs while some work was done to one of the engines... it was a beautiful day with just a whiff of breeze and a Free Swim for off watch personnel was called.
The gangway was lowered and a bunch of us charged down and dived in.. I powered away from the ship in a crawl and after a couple of hundred metres flipped on my back and just floated.
Unfortunately I have an active imagination, also being a TAS operative I had listened to the sounds of the deep many times on the hydrophones.. in a short while the fact I was floating in water 2 miles deep or more began creating monsters so I flipped over to swim back... but there was no ship... I frantically spun in a 360, no ship.. Panic began to set in..
Then... Thankfully... the mast appeared on the horizon, then the radar and funnel and then the ship..
The long lazy swell was maybe 3 metres, enough to hide a 37ft frigate..
Now imagine that with 30kt winds across the predominant swell building wind waves striking your quarter or bow pitching you as you preventer your boom and rig the device, then manouver to the MOB if you can spot him.. on a mono it's likely he be more concerned about being smashed by the boom than concentrating on the sling as the boat pitches and rolls.. a cat not so bad but still much time wasted setting up then finding the victim again.
The best is the lonf line off the stern with the floating sling..
Find the MOB then throw the line and sling off the stern and do a closing loop so he/she can grab it then heave to and winch them in to the stern where hopefully there is a swim ladder/platform.
Unconscious.. then it's all down to the skill of the individual Skipper getting close enough to gaff them.
Upwind your in danger of being blown onto and over them, downwind, can you move fast enough from the helm to the beam to hook them before being blown away out of reach.
Plus the prop presents a big threat as well if its spinning.
Easy with big crews but even they can and have failed.. 1 + 1 it's bloody hard.

[Cynara]

Crewing on a boat Santa Barbara to king harbor race the foredeck person on another boat went overboard. Popular race lots of boats around plus the coast guard. They saw him fall over. Never found

[Peeew]

I treat risk of falling overboard as a likely death sentence. But I also have practiced recovery in various conditions to even the odds a bit. Every boat is different. I don’t believe at all that a cat is better for this or that a roller main is dangerous. It’s all a matter of practicing something that works. Everyone likes their boat. Many newer boats have big swim platforms that are pretty much at water level, which helps. Many autopilots are linked to MFDs that are capable of a search pattern and compensate for set and drift in an expanding pattern. Could help if the crew left on board knows how to use it. A personal PLB will reliably notify SAR organizations quickly and might stir up fast action. A lot of course will depend on where you are. Lasers etc as mentioned are a great idea. Electronics help too.
Having control lines led to cockpit will mean fewer trips out of the cockpit. I think the best plan is to practice and see what works on your boat. And maintaining safety rules ( nobody leaves the cockpit at night when alone on deck etc) properly being tied to the cockpit helps.
There of course is no way to achieve zero risk but everyone can take measures to reduce risk enough for the mental comfort of crew.

[Happ]

Originally Posted by Dave_S

There are MOB alarms that will sound off if the device moves out of a pre-set range I.e. fall over. I'm not crazy on the idea of turning the boat, particularly if sailing. Maybe turn into the wind ?

I'm a big fan of laser pointers on life jackets, the MOB is more likely to know where the boat is to point the laser at the boat than the boat is likely to know where the MOB is. I am in the minority with that idea, every time I bring it up I get shot down on here. So it's just me and the Australian Navy that like lasers for MOB 🙂🤣🤣🤣🤣😂🙂

Dave the logic is sound for sure. My concern is when pointing the laser at the boat you are running the risk of it hitting someone in the eye. I’d be curious how the Australian Navy addresses that?

[macieknan]

To fight a false sense of security that inevitably comes after nothing happens to you in the cockpit after a period of time, I try remind myslef that falling offbthe boat is not that much unlike falling of a high-rise.

Tethering rule is by far your best friend. Most MOB is probably folks taking a piss

[Cynara]

Your not going to blind anyone with a lazer, unless you try

[davenrino]

Quote:
Originally Posted by goboatingnow
Plbs are body recovery systems.

Originally Posted by slipaway

As with any of these options it all depends on the circumstances and environment. PLBs used in a warmer climate with a MOB in a lifejacket offer a reasonable opportunity for rescue. In a cold climate or no lifejacket not so much. The PLB also can serve as an EPIRB should there be an abandon ship situation (the PLB and EPIRB are functionally equivalent the difference being battery length, antenna height).

I agree. Here in Hawaii the water is over 80deg right now and the Coast Guard is very responsive. You are usually not more than a 30 minute helicopter flight once launched from anywhere in the Islands. I do have a PLB in my PDF.

[noelex 77]

Welcome to the forum Brenmuhl.

The most important factor is not to fall overboard. The systems and procedures that prevent a MOB situation occurring in the first place are by far the most valuable.
The second most important factor is to have crew who can effect recovery.
The third most important factor is an AIS MOB device. This is the killer technology for MOB recovery.

As others have mentioned, a PLB is of limited value for a MOB situation, but it is invaluable in other emergency situations so consider having one attached to your harness/ lifejacket.

[deblen]

Originally Posted by boatman61

Now try it in 3-4 metre sea's.. and 25-30 knots of wind..

You are correct. The possibility of a successful MOB recovery diminishes with the square of the sea conditions & the number of crew able to help.

The towed line/lifesling/lifering is perhaps the better first step.