Man overboard recovery systems and techniques

[m chappelow]

Originally Posted by JamesF

No thanks! The killcord can get in the way enough as it is, and that's only a loose connection. There's also the capsize problem — in the unlikely event, etc, I'd rather not be tied on.

Depends on circumstances & type of boat but for me, main point is stopping a person going over in the first place ,
if you have to clip on with something such as a high freeboard pilot cutter a central jackstay wire running fore/aft or the like is a better option ,
so clipping on prevents/captivates you from actually going over the side rather than going over and then getting dragged through the water especially at speed .

[chewy]

I wouldn't fancy been clipped onto something that had the potential to capsize, if its rough enough for you to clip on its rough enough for you to capsize!

[Paul Glatzel]

We recently invested in two Seasafe “Hypo Hoist RIB” MOB recovery slings to fit to the two main RIBs that we use. We had figured for some time due to the number of people that we have recovered in recent years that the RIBs should be fitted with a decent system.

Man Overboard - Hypo Hoist - RIB

We did for a while carry the orange builders netting (gets brittle and is difficult on your hands) and also figured that a fishing net would work well and whilst we had also figured on getting a sail manufacturer to make us some seeing these at Seaworks last year just led to a quick & simple order.

They come with three eyes alongside the long edge so we have spliced lines on and attached fitments in the RIBs and also spliced a long line onto the handle end. We have tested them and they seem to work but it certainly isn’t fun being recovered!

Someone observed that the easiest way to deal with a MOB is i) Never let it happen – totally agreed ii) Drag them out as rapidly as possible once alongside – mostly agreed.

The reason for a MOB system in my eyes is:

1) If only two people on board a single person cannot (usually) lift a person out
2) If we happen upon persons in the water or respond to an incident (which is what usually happens) then it is possible they are i) hypothermic ii) Suffering from hydrostatic squeeze and in both cases a horizontal recovery is recommended.

Regards, Paul

[JamesF]

Depends on circumstances & type of boat but for me, main point is stopping a person going over in the first place

It's a difficult trade-off — to be prevented from going overboard in normal use, or be free to escape quickly in the worst case scenario. Personally, I know of two capsizes and no instances of falling overboard, but others will obviously have different experiences.

I seem to recall (vaguely) the outside helm position on the Severn class lifeboat having harnesses, but of course it'd be a dangerously long way to fall from there, and the boat's self-righting (although I can't say I'd enjoy being dragged around like something in a washing machine).

How about toe-straps — might they take enough energy out of the bounce to keep most people on board in that sort of incident? If you don't mind the extra deck clutter, that is.

The hypothermia/hydrostatic squeeze point is a very good one. I hadn't really realised that virtue of rolling somebody in, despite only having done the RYA first aid course again last weekend. That particular system looks pretty compact as well.