New MOB item

[dlandersson]

New MOB item - I can see getting a couple.

[Be Free]

Calling back to the earlier thread, it's like a "Ray Line" with loops. I can see where that could be an improvement. I can also see how you could be dragged by your heels if you slipped similar to a runaway horse with your foot caught in the stirrup.

My main take-away watching it was that he's probably 20 years younger than I am and in significantly better shape and he's struggling to get back on board. I'm not saying I could not do what he did, but I will say that I don't want to have to find out.

These discussions have encouraged me to plan for at least one last-ditch type of self rescue before I go out of sight of land again.

[NiceAft]

If that fella was wearing a self inflating PFD, I don’t see him having any success in getting beck on that boat.

I have a dinghy called a Phantom; similar to a Sunfish. Turtling the dinghy is not unusual. Wearing a self inflating PFD makes it difficult to slide back up on the boat. In my youth, I did it easily. In my seventies, not so easily. Imagining trying to get up the side of a Mac while wearing an inflated vest, all the while fighting the resistance of flowing water, I don’t think success is to be expected.

[Jimmyt]

It was interesting to hear the video mention keeping your tether short enough to prevent you from going overboard (right out of Bill’s playbook).

[Be Free]

The short tether is not my idea. I'm just repeating a good idea I got from someone else. Left to my own devices I would have made it eight feet long and then drowned while being dragged alongside the boat after going overboard.

Just for grins I went to YouTube to see if there was any more info on the original post. The comments could have been lifted right out of our other thread:

• Stay on the boat

• Keep your tether short

• Almost no one would be able to climb back into the boat

• Stay on the boat (that one was mentioned multiple times)

• Maybe when I was younger but I'm probably too old now

Seriously though, getting back onto a moving boat without help is not trivial. Most of what you can do (like this device) only moves the needle from "impossible" to "almost impossible". I've followed a lot of threads on other forums but they all essentially boil down to "be in very good shape and be incredibly lucky".

This video was a MOB exercise. It was done under ideal conditions simulating a self-rescue but the poster was very clear that even with the support of the crew that you did not see it was still dangerous. The device is better than nothing; I'm not knocking it. "Nothing" = almost certain death. "Anything" = slightly less certain death.

In the real world he would not have fallen off the boat and grabbed hold of the rescue device immediately. He probably would have gone in head-first and landed in an unpredictable position in relation to the boat, possibly have been stunned, and almost certainly disoriented when he it the water.

He mentions in the description that the boat was going 5.5 kts. At that speed if I fell off the bow of my the stern of the boat would be passing me by in less than 2.75 seconds. That's not much time to get your head above water, get your bearings, and then catch hold of something hanging from the side of the boat. Falling off anywhere else would shorten the time proportionally. If there is any significant wave action (high probability if you just left the boat unexpectedly) the time to get oriented and the difficulty of acquiring the rescue device increases quickly. Now imagine doing it in the dark.

In other discussions it has been suggested that a long floating rope trailed behind the boat could be useful and I don't dispute the point. It is also a fouling hazard for the rudders and outboard so it is another risk that you have to weigh. Keep in mind though that every 28' of rope only gives you another 3 seconds to find it once you are behind the boat. You also have to be able to pull yourself back to the boat and then do something similar to the video in order to get back aboard. (Don't forget the dark scenario)

My suggestions:

• 1. Stay in the boat. Don't fall off the boat. Don't get in the water unless the boat is anchored and even then have a plan.
  
  Do whatever it takes to follow this suggestion. All other suggestions are less effective and only apply if you have found yourself in non-compliance with #1.

• 2. Stop the boat. I don't think anyone would argue that it is easier to get into a moving boat.
  
  If you are under power and you have the safety lanyard attached to your PFD (you all do that right?) then the engine will stop when you go overboard, greatly simplifying the act of getting back in the boat.
  
  If you are under sail it gets more complicated. I mentioned in a previous post that, while I've not tested it, it is my firm belief that my would turn itself to windward and go into irons fairly quickly if I were to upset the balance of the boat by going overboard. It might take a bit longer on a run but I think it would still stop fairly soon.
  
  Will it stop close enough that I can swim to it or will it blow sideways downwind faster than I can swim? I don't know and I really don't want to find out the hard way. (Stay in the boat).

• 3. Get back in the boat.
  
  I keep my boarding ladder rigged so that it can be lowered by a swimmer and I've not found it to be difficult to enter through the transom with the ladder down. Anything you can do, including the device in the original post, that would help you get back in the boat is on the table for this one.
  
  I've boarded boats from the water both with and without SCUBA gear in rough conditions. I have come aboard bloody and I've often been grateful for the help of others to assist the boarding in rough weather.
  
  It is not a "given" that you will be able to do this alone under all conditions or that you will not hurt yourself in the process. (Play it safe and stay in the boat)

Just in case someone does not see the common thread here: The best self-rescue is the one you don't have to do. The second best (by a very large margin) is to do it on a boat that is not running away from you. Your last option (catching a moving boat) is so bad that you really don't ever want to do it unless the only other option is certain death. Try very, very hard not to put yourself in the position where certain death is a realistic option.

We're supposed to be having fun here and it's really not that hard to Stay In The Boat™.

[NiceAft]

This thread

( viewtopic.php?t=5992 )

Is a cousin to New MOB Item

[Gotro]

That reminds me when I was in my 20s we used to hang a rope behind the Hobie cat and the game was to jump in the front of the boat and grab the rope at the back of the boat and try to pull yourself back to the transom of the Hobie cat and climb on the boat we called it Navy seals. But none if us are in our 20s any more . Don’t fall off the boat.

[Gotro]

Maybe a very good option would be to have a handheld radio clipped to your jacket so as to call in your position while you watch your Macgregor sail away. I don’t know that I would like to be tethered to the boat that could be a drowning situation. It would probably hard to get a knife out of your pocket and cut the rope as you’re being pulled along.

[dlandersson]

Like this?

It was interesting to hear the video mention keeping your tether short enough to prevent you from going overboard (right out of Bill’s playbook).

[NiceAft]

It seems the most common sense advise is “Stay In The Boat™.

How appropriate that DECKEE just sent this.

PREVENT FALLING OVERBOARD: DECKEE’S TOP TIPS

The best way to stay safe on a boat is to avoid falling overboard at all costs. Retrieving someone from the water is a big challenge, especially for sailors - it takes a while to turn a boat under sail around.

Plus, if someone falls into the sea and the rest of the crew don’t notice, it’s very hard to find them, as they quickly become a tiny spot on the water.

It’s much easier to develop habits that will make it very unlikely for you to fall out of the boat. Prevention is crucial when it comes to boating. Here are our top tips to prevent falling overboard.

1) WEAR BOAT SHOES

It’s easy to slip on a boat, as the deck can often get wet. Wear boat shoes - they provide the grip you need to avoid falling. You can lower the chances of falling overboard if you make your deck non-skid.

2) MAINTAIN THREE POINTS OF CONTACT AT ALL TIMES

Avoid moving around the boat while it’s underway. If you have to get up and do something while you’re boating or there’s a wake at anchor, grab hold of a handle or something solid and maintain three points of contact at all times. This is why boats that feature numerous handrails are considered more seaworthy.

3) WEAR A HARNESS AND TETHER

Wearing a life jacket is fundamental to keeping you afloat, should you fall overboard. However, to prevent it from happening all together, you should also wear a harness and tether while the boat is moving.

Attach your tether to clip on points, so if you lose your balance, the tether and harness will keep you tied to the boat. If the tether becomes too short as you move around, sit down, hold onto a handrail, and secure the tether to another clip on point.

On sailboats, clip into the jackline to move around the deck.
Interesting that tether length dangers are not mentioned.

4) STAY ALERT AT ALL TIMES

It’s easy to get distracted on a boat, especially if you’re out on the water with your friends or family. However, being alert is crucial. You need to be aware of your surroundings, even if you’re not the captain or skipper. Noticing a big wave or wake will help you prepare for impact.

5) KEEP YOUR CENTRE OF GRAVITY LOW

When moving around a moving boat, don’t stand up fully. Keep your centre of gravity low, so you have better balance.

6) MAKE SURE THE WEIGHT ON BOARD IS WELL-DISTRIBUTED

If the weight on your boat is not well-balanced, the boat can be less stable and, in the worst case scenario, capsize. In both cases, you have a high chance of falling into the water. So before you set off, make sure the weight is well-distributed.
7) TRY TO PREDICT THE BOAT’S MOVEMENTS

Try to guess how the boat will move, based on how the water looks nearby. This way, you can hold onto a handrail or something solid before a big wave sends the vessel on a big roll.

So while you’re sitting or moving on the boat, look around you and at the water every now and then to avoid getting up just before the boat moves abruptly.

TAKE WAKES HEAD-ON

When there’s a big wake, it’s best to take it head-on, rather than from the side. A wake from the side can send the boat into a big roll, making it a less stable platform to be on.

9) WHEN TURNING, GO SLOW AND ASK EVERYONE TO SIT DOWN

When a boat turns , the waves will hit its hull from different directions, making it roll. To minimise this effect, take turns slowly. Ask everyone on board to sit down and hold on before you turn, so they have less of a chance of falling.

10) ON A SAILBOAT, NEVER STAND UP FULLY BY THE BOOM

On a sailing boat, you should always watch out for the boom. This can swing and hit you in the head, making you fall overboard and lose consciousness at the same time. This is extremely dangerous.

Lay as low as you can when you’re in the boom’s swing radius. Never stand up in the cockpit or on the deck near it. It’s also useful to rig a boom preventer or to install a boom brake on longer trips, so the boom can’t swing as much.

These are our top tips to prevent falling overboard. Prevention doesn’t take much effort, but it’s fundamental to keeping you safe. The more risks you take, the more dangerous the situation becomes. It’s easier to develop good habits than to perform a rescue. Stay safe out there!