Man Overboard (MOB):
– Shout ‘man overboard’ to alert the crew. – Press the MOB button on the GPS.
– Allocate a crewmember to point at the MOB in the water.
– Throw a life buoy and dan buoy to the MOB.
– Send a DSC distress alert and a Mayday.
Use your engine if necessary!!!
Manoeuvre under Sail:
- Turn away onto a beam reach and sail away. Sail away for about five or six boat lengths, ensuring that you do not lose sight of the MOB.
- Tack the vessel and then bear away to a broad reach for about 2 x boat lengths. Furl in the headsail (jib) and start the motor (in neutral).
- Point the bow at the casualty and ease the mainsail. If you are able to entirely depower the mainsail, you are ready to approach on a close hauled reach.
- If you can’t depower the mainsail, bear away for a boat length and turn up again. Once you can depower the mainsail with the bow pointing at the casualty, sheet in the mainsail and sail towards the casualty.
- Regulate speed on approach by easing the mainsail and re-trimming
- Make sure that the casualty is lined-up with the shrouds on the low side (leeward side) of the vessel.
- Bring the vessel’s leeward beam (at the shrouds) to the casualty and stop the vessel by depowering the mainsail through dumping the mainsail and the vang/kicker.
If you’re sailing close-hauled, a crash tack – putting the helm over but leaving the sheets where they are – can give the crew a useful pause for thought.
