Man overboard maneuvers

San Jose State University SJSU ScholarWorks Faculty Publications Kinesiology 1-1-1989 Man overboard maneuvers Shirley H. M. Reekie San Jose State University, [email protected] Follow this and additional works at: https://scholarworks.sjsu.edu/kins_pub Part of the Kinesiology Commons Recommended Citation Shirley H. M. Reekie. "Man overboard maneuvers" Sail (1989): 23-25. This Article is brought to you for free and open access by the Kinesiology at SJSU ScholarWorks. It has been accepted for inclusion in Faculty Publications by an authorized administrator of SJSU ScholarWorks. For more information, please contact [email protected]. BUILDING SAILING SKILLS _ _ ______,II Man-overboard maneuvers Good sailing is a continuous process of building basic skills. Shirley Reekie discusses the fundamentals and d escribes what to do if a c rewmember falls overboard A good skipper should be a good boathandler. If a crewmember ends up in the water, those on the boat must take decisive steps to retrieve that person. Knowing what to do in that situation is a fundamental part ofgood seamanship for all sailors on all bodies of water-not just those who sail offshore. Fortunately, a manoverboard situation is not an everyday occurrence. Practicing a recovery, using partially filled plastic milk jugs tiro together as trial "victims," can enable those on board to get a crewmember aboard safely and quickly; should the need ever arise. This is particularly important because every manoverboard is a potentially dangerous event. Hypothermia, a weakening condition caused by exposure to cold ~'liter over time, is the greatest threat when someone falls overboard. man-overboard pole on a larger boat) to mark the site and give the person something buoyant to hold on to. Stopping the boat next to the victim requires practice, too. Whether you stop to windward or leeward depends on sea and wind conditions, boat type, into the wind after seeing someone fall overboard. This stops the boat's forward progress and enables the crew to proceed back to the victim. After passing head-to-wind, leave the jib cleated to windward so that it helps push the boat around on the new tack, and you can bear off and return to the victim. • Inspection for prevention Several simple precautions can reduce the chance of one of your crew's falling into the water. If you have guardrails, pulpit, and lifelines, check to see that they are secure and in place. In dinghies, a common cause of falling overboard is a breaking hiking strap, tiller extension, or sheet. Check yozs periodically for signs of wear, espedully ulall the attachment points. If you're sailing on a larger boat in heavy weather, make sure all crewmembers wear safety harnesses. ~- • Recovery procedures Several rescue maneuvers are widely accepted, and the one that is best for you depends on sea and weather conditions. Just remember that getting the boat back to the victim as quickly as possible is most important. We are assuming here that the person in the water is conscious and not seriously injured. Whenever a person falls off a boat, whoever notices the event should shout "man overboard" and immediately throw an inflatable cushion (or and the reboarding technique you choose. The "quick-s top" method has become a generally accepted procedure for recovering a crewmember who has fallen overboard. The idea of t he quick-stop maneuver is to stay close to and maintain sight of the victim. The procedure is to quickly turn the boat This method also works with the spinnaker up. Simply head the boat into the wind, ease the spinnaker pole forward to the headstay, and tighten the pole downhaul. When the spinnaker begins to come aback and reaches the spreaders, let the spinnaker down with the halyard. It should fall mainly on the deck (Fig. 1). Drifting m ethod. After shouting "man overboard" and throwing a flotation device, sail onto a beat, keeping ~ when it reaches the spreaders Figure 1: The quick-stop method stops the boat close to the victim. Downwind, douse the spinnaker after heading into the wind. Upwind, simply turn the boat into the wind and then tack over for retrieval ·~ c~ reach. Head into the wind a little, and ease the sheets to stop the boat close enough to the victim that you can come alongside. Come-about method. Whenever a gybe is too risky, especially on a sailing dinghy, this method is a good alter· native. First shout "man overboard" and throw a flotation device. Withou: either coming about or gybing, sail on a broad reach for about 5 boatlengths. Keep close watch on the victim because it may be hard to relocate the person once you lose sight of him. Head up to a beat briefly, and then come about and return on a reach (Fig. 2). The victim may have floated downwind, so he should be directly ahead of your boat now. Slow tho boat and fine-tune you r approach by adjusting the sheet and heading up slightly. If you misjudge your approach, try the sequence again. Fall off onto a broad reach on the opposite lack from the first; then repeat the procedure. approach ing the victim from the opposite side. overboard i l 3 li ~- g ~ - a careful watch on the victim. Come about and keep the jib cleated on the new windward side. Get under way briefly, and then let out the mainsheet, at the same time pushing the tiller to leeward. The boat is no"v "hove-to" and drifts sideways toward the victim. You control its forward motion by easing out or trimming in on the mainsheet. The gybing method can work well because the skipper can turn the boat around quickly without gotti ng too far 24 Figure 2: Avoid gybing in heavy air by tacking to change your course. Your course resembles a figure eight and places you safely next to the victim on a close reach. Stop the boat by luffing the sails from the victim. Do not try it unless you are certain you and the boat can gybe easily. Shout "man overboard" and throw a flotation device. Have someone keep close watch on the victim (if you have crew, always detail one of them to do this job only), and sail back to windward for about 5 boatlengths. This g ives you tho upwind distance that you lose on the gybe. Now bear away from the wind and gybe, and approach the victim from a - -~ ~ • From water to deck While maneuveri ng the boat back to the victim requires skill, so does haul· ing the victim aboard. Again. assess the situation to determine what is lxlst for you and your boat. On dinghies with little freeboard. pull the victim in to windward mw the gu nwale, forward of amidships. to keep the boat luffing up. Hauling o•:er the transom with the wind abeam and the sails luffing increases the chance that the boat will fall off and start sail- ~&Jk®£ Figure 3: To get a conscious crewmember aboard, make a stirrup by leading a sheet with a loop in it through a jib fairlead. Secure the bitter end with a stopper knot so that the loop acts as a step ing with weight at the stern. Here's where you mig ht consider taking down the sails. To pull someone aboard, grasp under the armpits from the rear on the windward side of the boat. Keeping the boom and sails to leeward helps balance the boat. You might find it easier to roll the victim aboard horizontally over the gunwale. On larger boats with more freeboard, you can he lp the victim get aboard with a swim ladder. Or you can make a stirrup by tying a bowline in the jibsheet and knotting the sheet on the inboard side of the block or fairlead (Fig. 3). On larger boats, a purchase system, such as a boomvang and the support of the boom over the water, can help you lift someone from the water. One end of the tackle is attached to the boom, which has been eased out over the water, and the other end attaches to a s ling holding the victim . This gives you greater lifting power, and the boom enables you to swing the victim aboard. In these cases, you want to approach the victim to windward to put the boom lower and closer to the victim. You might have another crewmember, wearing a personal flotation device (PFD), go into the water to assist. Be certain this person has a lifeline attached to the boat. Practice all these methods and learn which are most effective for you and your boat. Have your c rew practice, too, in case you, as skipper, fall overboard. Practice always makes your crew more confide nt in their abilities, and they will be better prepared for any type ofsailing. y . Shirley H.M. Reekie is the author of Sailing Made Simple, published by Leisure Press, Champaign, Illinois. SAIL DECEMBER 1989 ©Jl~ lli©©Jk 000 At boat and yacht donations The URI Foundation is seeking power and sail boats to aid in expanding and maintaining instructional, recreational and competitive programs at t he University. The distinct character of the URI Foundation's Boat Donation Program is clearly recognizable. • Acknowledged by the I.R.S. as a reputable foundation benefiting University programs. Donations to the URI Foundation are tax deductible according to schedules established under tax regulations. Expert legal and tax consultation is available for conference with the prospective donor and his/her attorney, financial advisor, or broker. • Recognized internationally for its support of ocean management and marine related activities. 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