MOB ‘sling’ or similar

[Woody]

Originally Posted by Iron E

Why haven't you tested yours yet?

I guess I should have been more clear. I have yet to use it in an actual emergency. We perform regular MOB drills.

Originally Posted by Iron E

Other than that... your system is just a ladder. A webbing ladder that, btw is super awkward.

As shown in the photo, it is not "just a ladder". It is a sling that can lift an incapacitated person onto the boat, using a parbuckle rolling/lifting action, giving even a hand-pulled line 2:1 mechanical advantage. You can see a diagram of how that works here: https://markusnet.com/mob-rescue-net/


The ladder portion has solid metal pipe inside the webbing steps.



The boat I operate isn't a sailing vessel. No halyards are present. Instead of loaded questions and assumptions, lets just agree that different boats and situations can utilize different techniques effectively. I never meant to criticize your methods, which I know nothing of. My assertion was that gear designed for the purpose, such as your Lifesling 3, is most likely going to work better than gear that isn't.

[Love2 boat]

The only other issue is - I have never seen a person fall overboard on a calm day or without the aid of alcohol. So I would try to launch your contraptions on a calm day to practice but if I were you I would expect to use it on a stormy / wind driven wave action day.

Two different animals in my opinion - YMMV.

[Don C L]

Yeah important to practice. If you have a high freeboard boat you won't be able to reach down to attach the 4:1 block so there will have to be a knot like an alpine butterfly in the line from the Life Sling about 4 or 5' up to clip on to. Then you have to haul from the boom or from an arch if you have one. Otherwise a halyard has to be brought around. And you'll need a boarding ladder that you can climb from floating in the water, not just from a dinghy, in case you need to go in the water yourself to assist. Also, good to have a 4:1 to with a block with a cam cleat.
I've also seen photos of folks using a sail, with tack and clew lashed to the rail, in the water to capture an MOB and brought up with a halyard, much like the recovery ladder showed above, but I haven't tried that.
Oh and good to practice with those rope boarding ladders from the water... I find them impossible.

[thinwater]

Originally Posted by ChrisJHC

Lifeslings are great for getting the MOB back alongside the boat.
Actually getting the MOB on board is more difficult - particularly if you are the MOB and your wife is trying to recover you by herself.

I would look at a MOB recovery sling or net to make it simpler for one person to get you back on board.

Not to be snarky ....


Yes, hauling an MOB up is not easy, but my daughter (5'0", 50 pounds lighter) can haul me up. In weather it would be harder, but she was not straining and would have the advantage of adrenaline.



Have you act6ually used a net singlehanded? Have you used one in waves? I have never seen video of one being used singlehanded. With any waves it sounds like a huge tangle. Remember, you are also managing the boat, no one at the wheel.


If there is crew or the MOB can help, maybe.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xBFq30yEpTY

. Not that there were no waves and there were multiple people helping. You don't fall off when there are no waves.



I call BS on this as a singlehanded methods until I see support. A singlehander needs to keep it simple.

[Don C L]

I think the only option for a singlehander, who presumably is still hanging on the tether of the harness, is a long rigid ladder that is easily deployed from the water. Is there another way?

[Iron E]

Originally Posted by Don C L

I think the only option for a singlehander, who presumably is still hanging on the tether of the harness, is a long rigid ladder that is easily deployed from the water. Is there another way?

Properly placing Jacklines and sizing the tether correctly should prevent a singlehander from having to consider this scenario.

[Iron E]

To me, the Lifesling is almost perfect. If you've ever picked up a skier, you can deliver the lifesling.

If someone doesn't have the strength to hoist the MOB on deck with the winch, they can do as Don suggests and put together or buy 4:1 or 5:1 tackle.

This is another thought. Please let me know if this is a bad idea, as I've never tested it, but an electric winch handle or drill attachment may assist in hoisting an MOB.

Personally, I wouldn't use an electric winch. I watched someone rip their main in half with an electric winch they claim was "Stuck."
If that's the case, an electric winch sticking could take the victim to a whole new level of danger.

As far as the recovery ladder contraptions, Putting all fouling issues, deck clutter and rope ladder climbing considerations aside, I doubt that anyone will be able to perfectly navigate their sailboat and contraption next to any unconscious victim in anything other than ideal conditions. As was pointed out above, people don't normally fall from boats in ideal conditions.

[davil]

Originally Posted by boatsisboats

Hello.
I’m looking for practical solutions to retrieve a MOB by myself.
If my wife or I were to go overboard and we hit our head or become overly fatigued, we need a way to haul the other aboard. We have planned and practiced getting the boat back etc, but haven’t found a good solution for hauling back aboard assuming the MOB is not much help.
I’ve seen a couple of products that you can deploy to electric winch someone aboard, but they can be complicated or require calm seas.

What good methods have you seen. A product or your own sling method? Halyard or ???

Thanks for the ideas

Trevor

what kind of boat do you have?
and where do you plan on sailing?
open waters?
lakes?

[RobertL]

You might want to check out the „Catch and Lift“ system by MS Safety.
A truly one handed rescue system which I have tried out. Works flawlessly and without muscle power so that my wife could rescue me as well single handedly.

[Cheechako]

Originally Posted by boatsisboats

@wholybee thanks. Thats a good tip. I have a Seaco which has similar capabilities.
I appreciate the modification

Wondering if anyone else has specifics from first hand experience?

Thanks again

I've done a day of testing and being in the water in Puget Sound using a Lifesling. We were lucky and had a fairly windy day also, which is probably more "real world". The hard part is getting dead weight onto the boat once along side. Training usually involves using a main halyard to lift the person. It needs pre planning. Rigging a 4 part tackle to the boom and stabilizing the boom may be needed if you try a 4 part tackle from the boom. An electric winch might be a good solution. Lifting with a 4 part tackle is still quite difficult.

[Iron E]

Originally Posted by RobertL

You might want to check out the „Catch and Lift“ system by MS Safety.
A truly one handed rescue system which I have tried out. Works flawlessly and without muscle power so that my wife could rescue me as well single handedly.

That's an interesting idea. Using a sea anchor against the boat's prop/propulsion to pull and hoist an MOB.

Here are my concerns:
1. The force used to pull the MOB to the boat and hoist them - It doesn't seem controllable and could possibly lead to injury. If I'm manually pulling someone to the boat and manually lifting them, I can always stop, slow down, let them readjust, etc. If they were in the Catch and Lift harness incorrectly or a line is around their arm or neck, once that sea anchor is deployed, they're dragging in no matter what.

2. The prop - I'm concerned that there's an MOB in the water being pulled to a boat using its prop, I'm also thinking that there may be a possibility of the sea anchor catching the prop and pulling the MOB under in the worst case... fouling the prop in the best case.

Just a couple of thoughts.

[thinwater]

Originally Posted by thinwater

Not to be snarky ....


Yes, hauling an MOB up is not easy, but my daughter (5'0", 50 pounds lighter) can haul me up. In weather it would be harder, but she was not straining and would have the advantage of adrenaline.



Have you act6ually used a net singlehanded? Have you used one in waves? I have never seen video of one being used singlehanded. With any waves it sounds like a huge tangle. Remember, you are also managing the boat, no one at the wheel.


If there is crew or the MOB can help, maybe.

. Not that there were no waves and there were multiple people helping. You don't fall off when there are no waves.



I call BS on this as a singlehanded methods until I see support. A singlehander needs to keep it simple.

Correction. Not a singlehander all the time, but singlehanding AFTER your crew falls off. The point is that most sailors will be recovering the MOB by themselves, with no assistance. Nearly all the training videos and devices always show multiple crew, which is not always realistic. You need to turn the boat, return to the MOB, stop the boat, and recover them without help or anyone at the wheel. It's a one-person job.


For the most part, a singlehanded MOB just needs find inner peace.

[thinwater]

Originally Posted by Iron E

That's an interesting idea. Using a sea anchor against the boat's prop/propulsion to pull and hoist an MOB.

Here are my concerns:
1. The force used to pull the MOB to the boat and hoist them - It doesn't seem controllable and could possibly lead to injury. If I'm manually pulling someone to the boat and manually lifting them, I can always stop, slow down, let them readjust, etc. If they were in the Catch and Lift harness incorrectly or a line is around their arm or neck, once that sea anchor is deployed, they're dragging in no matter what.

2. The prop - I'm concerned that there's an MOB in the water being pulled to a boat using its prop, I'm also thinking that there may be a possibility of the sea anchor catching the prop and pulling the MOB under in the worst case... fouling the prop in the best case.

Just a couple of thoughts.

Yeah, everything he said. Sounds scary, but maybe I'm wrong. The thing to remember is that it is likely to be very rough and hard to control. I don't think I have the nerve to try it under realistic conditions.



I should try it. I've got all the parts.

[Don C L]

Originally Posted by thinwater

Correction. Not a singlehander all the time, but singlehanding AFTER your crew falls off. The point is that most sailors will be recovering the MOB by themselves, with no assistance. Nearly all the training videos and devices always show multiple crew, which is not always realistic. You need to turn the boat, return to the MOB, stop the boat, and recover them without help or anyone at the wheel. It's a one-person job.


For the most part, a singlehanded MOB just needs find inner peace.

Yes. I've thought the same thing of those videos. And you need to keep your eye on the MOB all the while too. I have my kids throw everything that floats in the water too along with the "MOB" to aid in keeping them visible when we practice. And what was mentioned by Cheechako is right too. 4:1 is a bare minimum.

[RobertL]

Originally Posted by Iron E

That's an interesting idea. Using a sea anchor against the boat's prop/propulsion to pull and hoist an MOB.

Here are my concerns:
1. The force used to pull the MOB to the boat and hoist them - It doesn't seem controllable and could possibly lead to injury. If I'm manually pulling someone to the boat and manually lifting them, I can always stop, slow down, let them readjust, etc. If they were in the Catch and Lift harness incorrectly or a line is around their arm or neck, once that sea anchor is deployed, they're dragging in no matter what.

2. The prop - I'm concerned that there's an MOB in the water being pulled to a boat using its prop, I'm also thinking that there may be a possibility of the sea anchor catching the prop and pulling the MOB under in the worst case... fouling the prop in the best case.

Just a couple of thoughts.

My 2 cents...
My take on a MOB situation: the less that is needed to do, the better, since keeping an eye on the MOB, maneurering, etc. is enough of a challenge. No runing for halyard lines, winching etc. (who is controlling the boat whilst your winching?)

The lines on of the C&L float, so no prop tangle. Adjusting throttle speed is how you determine how fast a person is pulled in.
I feel the most critical part is getting the person back on board. Needing to rig a 3:1 line using the boom (probably swinging about in wind/waves) is not something one usually has "at hand" when it is needed.