MOB ‘sling’ or similar

[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

[Iron E]

There's more than one way to skin a cat, but the LifeSling is a pretty well-known and trusted device.

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

[wholybee]

I have a lifesling on the stern rail which serves as the harness. For actually getting someone on board, I have a 4:1 tackle on a halyard, which I leave rigged and attached to a rail. The 4:1 tackle is easier to work than a winch because you can be anywhere on the foredeck and have it in your hand. I have found that I also use it a lot for other things, now that it is always there. For example, to deploy or retrieve my dingy from the foredeck.

[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

[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.

[leecea]

We have a Lifesling but it would require a conscious and somewhat mobile MOB. They have to get to and/or grab the line and then get the sling over their head and (hopefully) their inflated PFD.

If the MOB is unconscious and floating in their PFD, I'm not sure what you can do unless you have a third person who can go overboard, attached to the boat, and clip a tether to the MOB.

[hugosalt]

Having located and rescued a barely conscious swimmer from another boat, can testify
very difficult to haul in a MOB even with 2 on board, without a plan, practice and equipment.
Prompted me to make a recovery sling/net/ladder out of 2" tubular webbing with 1/4" dyneema inside webbing. Picture approx. 7' of 12" loops. Top attaches to slotted toe rail
with soft shackle. Slightly weighted bottom sinks to 3 or 4' below waterline and (bottom)
has a line attached that leads back aboard. If MOB cannot help themselves on ships ladder or loops then line attached to bottom of loops is attached to 4:1 tackle either on boom bail or to a halyard and MOB is captured in sling/net and hauled in like a fish in a net. (also has short line to secure/snap on to MOB) as this fish cant slip away.
Best with 2 or more on board, difficult but doable with one.
Sounds complicated but simple and can deploy in 30 seconds.
We sail all winter here in Northeast US with very cold water.
If any interest can take pic next time on boat and try?? to post.

[psk125]

Like @ Hugosalt, we realize that getting a MOB back on deck is not easy. We use a parbuckle MOB tarp that I had a sailmaker build for us. It is an isosceles triangle of sailcloth with two sides about 15' long and the third about 8'. (The right size for your boat will depend upon your freeboard and the distance between your stanchions.) We clip the short side between two stanchion bases at the forward end of the cockpit. The third corner has a line spliced to it. We take the line under and outboard of the MOB once they are alongside, (That's what the Lifesling is for - getting them alongside.)then lead it back to a cabin top winch. This wraps the tarp around the victim, keeping them close to the boat. Cranking the winch lifts the victim up the side of the boat until they roll out onto the deck. The mechanical advantage of the winch (20:1? 30:1? - it depends upon the size of your cabin top winches) is essentially doubled by the parbuckle. A 10-year old should be able to bring a heavy adult aboard with this setup. There are no halyards that you have to get from up forward. (And do you really want to lead the spinnaker halyard out around the shrouds and back to the stern where you're dealing with the victim?) There are no 4:1 tackles you have to retrieve from down below. No harness is necessary; the tarp keeps the victim wrapped tight next to the boat. We stow our MOB tarp in the lazarette so it can be set up in about 15 seconds by one person. We had it made out of sailcloth instead of netting because that way it can be used as a crash mat to cover a hole if we hit something.

[Woody]

I recently purchased this


https://marine.the-justgroup.com/sho...covery-ladder/


product for a boat that I operate. I am very pleased with the design, quality and price. I think it is an excellent tool for the purpose and it seems like it could be set up in a few different configurations.



I have yet to use it and hope I never will.

[boatsisboats]

Hey all, thanks very much for the good MOB ideas. Good ones here that seem like they will work.

We have broken this issue down into 3 (2 1/2) parts after this discussion:
1- call MOB, have a sighter, throw anything off the boat at them that can float- namely the Seaco. Seaco is good as it requires that you just flip open the door. One hand. It drops, inflates as a sea anchored John buoy. The MOB can grab onto it if possible. They could be hoisted by a halyard while inside of the ring, but that’s fine if they are conscious and able.

2- the only thing I really like about the Lifesling is the idea that during phase 1 (above) the ‘ring’ is teThered to the boat with floating line and is quick to deploy. On a passage or any real sea state though, it seems like it would be mostly ineffectual. We have a yellow float ring on both sides for throwing. I think I will butterfly wrap 100’ of float line to one of them that is kept in a pouch. This may be elective to use. At 8knots you are moving at 13’ per second. So you have only 7 seconds to deploy and hope it is behind them. That’s slim.
And I’m still a little concerned about wrapping the prop in larger seas.

3-getting an MOB on board can be extremely difficult even if conscious and able. I really like the ideas above from @Woody and @PSK125. Will likely buy the justgroup recovery ladder. And I really like the 4:1 tackle idea too.

For those that have a recovery sling type of option, where is that when you sail? At the mast?

The next larger issue is what of these actions or products can then add to the trouble? Trying to minimize the ‘issues’- like wrapping the prop trying to deploy a line, or falling over trying to bring someone back over the life lines.
There should be a database of sail accident debriefs.

Thanks very much

[Iron E]

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.

It seems so strange to me that you have a sailboat equipped with winches, halyards, a boom, a boarding ladder, and maybe a dinghy, but you need to devise something else completely to bring someone onboard.

Here are some rules.
Don't Fall Overboard.
Never give up a handhold.
If solo, (or even a sailing couple), make use of jacklines, harness, and tethers when leaving the cockpit.
Finally, Don't fall overboard.

[Woody]

While I agree that all of those tools could potentially be useful in a MOB situation, there is a reason that professionals use purpose built equipment for rescue. A resourceful and motivated person could cobble together all sorts of rigs that might or might not be effective, but they will always be inferior to a well designed tool. No doubt, you can climb your mast with a halyard tied around your waist, but it's obviously much safer and more effective to use a harness or bosun's chair.


As to your rule of "Don't fall off the boat", I think I can see the value in emphasizing that to passengers/crew that aren't really aware of the dangers of that situation. Beyond that, "just follow the rules" is not an acceptable approach to safety. I would like to think that's not what you are really arguing for. If everyone just "followed the rules" there would be no need for life jackets, helmets, seat-belts, chainsaw chaps, guards over spinning machinery, etc.

Originally Posted by Iron E

It seems so strange to me that you have a sailboat equipped with winches, halyards, a boom, a boarding ladder, and maybe a dinghy, but you need to devise something else completely to bring someone onboard.

Here are some rules.
Don't Fall Overboard.
Never give up a handhold.
If solo, (or even a sailing couple), make use of jacklines, harness, and tethers when leaving the cockpit.
Finally, Don't fall overboard.

[Iron E]

Originally Posted by Woody

While I agree that all of those tools could potentially be useful in a MOB situation, there is a reason that professionals use purpose built equipment for rescue. A resourceful and motivated person could cobble together all sorts of rigs that might or might not be effective, but they will always be inferior to a well designed tool.

I can't see where grabbing my halyard and using a winch at hand is "Cobbling" in any sense of the word... on the other hand, I kind of chuckled to myself thinking about telling someone in the water to hold on while I get out my sling contraption set it up in 30kt winds and 2-meter seas.

You've admittedly never used that thing in an emergency; how would you know if any other way was inferior?

[Woody]

Originally Posted by Iron E

I can't see where grabbing my halyard and using a winch at hand is "Cobbling" in any sense of the word... on the other hand, I kind of chuckled to myself thinking about telling someone in the water to hold on while I get out my sling contraption set it up in 30kt winds and 2-meter seas.

You've admittedly never used that thing in an emergency; how would you know if any other way was inferior?

Perhaps your plan to use a halyard and winch makes sense on your boat, in your given scenario. It doesn't really make sense to argue when boats and situations can vary widely, including freeboard, number of crew available, the weight and size of the person in the water, and the conditions, as you pointed out.

The sling can be sold with a mesh sleeve, so that it is mounted in place, ready to use with just a pull of a line. In my case, it is ready at hand with a line pre-attached. I simply clip the caribiners into the pre-mounted hard points and its ready to use. I'm comfortable with the plan for it's use and it fits my purpose well.

I think it's disingenuous of you to suggest that since I haven't rescued someone with it before, I can't know how suitable the solution will be. I would agree that real world testing is the best method. That's why we plan, practice, and perform drills.

I'm not going to prod you about what you plan to do with your halyard, because I assume you have a sensible plan worked out. I assume you have a way to deal with the fact that your halyard is located away from the helm, and that you still have to attach it to a person in the water somehow, who may or may not have a harness on, or be incapacitated. Apparently, they won't need to wait around while you take down your sails to free up the halyard either. I'm sure you won't injure them when your running bowline under the armpits constricts around their chest, assuming you can reach down into the water to get in into place.

Let's not make assumptions. I'd be interested to hear about your MOB practice, if you want to share and compare. Again, my argument was that specialized tools will outperform tools designed for a different purpose. There are many things that can work and given the differences in situations, there isn't a one size fits all solution. The key is planning and practicing with whatever you intend to use. The details are important.

[Iron E]

Originally Posted by Woody

Perhaps your plan to use a halyard and winch makes sense on your boat, in your given scenario. It doesn't really make sense to argue when boats and situations can vary widely, including freeboard, number of crew available, the weight and size of the person in the water, and the conditions, as you pointed out.

The original question was for a couple. My wife and I fit the scenario and are quite confident with our solution.

I think it's disingenuous of you to suggest that since I haven't rescued someone with it before, I can't know how suitable the solution will be. I would agree that real world testing is the best method. That's why we plan, practice, and perform drills.

Please re-read. I didn't say that. You commented that I was somehow cobbling something together that was inferior to your "well-designed tool." I just asked, how would you know? My opinion is "SOS Ladder" just looks like something to foul.
Both my wife and I have been in the water to test our plan/system. Why haven't you tested yours yet?

I'm not going to prod you about what you plan to do with your halyard, because I assume you have a sensible plan worked out. I assume you have a way to deal with the fact that your halyard is located away from the helm, and that you still have to attach it to a person in the water somehow, who may or may not have a harness on, or be incapacitated. Apparently, they won't need to wait around while you take down your sails to free up the halyard either.

You realize that's a Halyard in your picture holding your system in place to lift a COB right?
Other than that... your system is just a ladder. A webbing ladder that, btw is super awkward. I'll stick with my boarding ladder if seas permit.

Our Lifesling3 is a harness/ It has attachment points to clip the halyard to, no extra sling, harness or bowline is required.