Overboard

[wizard]

Hello,

My wife and I are considering becoming liveaboards for a while, perhaps do the "Loop", etc.* We have attended a couple of Trawler events, and continue to study the subjects of boat selection, USPS courses, etc.

One qustion that has come up, is the possibility of one of us falling overboard, unknown to the other, at least immediately.* It seems like a real issue, particularly if one of us is taking a nap or otherwise distracted, and the other falls overboard while underway.

Is this an issue of concern, and is there any sort of electronic device that would act as an alert?

Thanks -

Mike

 

[psneeld]

wizard wrote:
Hello,

My wife and I are considering becoming liveaboards for a while, perhaps do the "Loop", etc.* We have attended a couple of Trawler events, and continue to study the subjects of boat selection, USPS courses, etc.

One qustion that has come up, is the possibility of one of us falling overboard, unknown to the other, at least immediately.* It seems like a real issue, particularly if one of us is taking a nap or otherwise distracted, and the other falls overboard while underway.

Is this an issue of concern, and is there any sort of electronic device that would act as an alert?

Thanks -

Mike

*here's one..

http://www.westmarine.com/webapp/wcs/stores/servlet/ProductDisplay?catalogId=10001&storeId=11151&partNumber=11954955&langId=-1

but there are at least several more if you search.

I just use the keep track of one another system...except for night watches...then the electronics does a better job*

 

[Tony B]

The 2 things that put us both at ease is

*1). Make sure your wife REALLY knows how to read a GPS and how to use the radio/radios for calling USCG or any other emergency sercice.

* 2). At night or when alone at the wheel, wear a self inflating life jacket.

 

[Steve]

Give some thought to how whoever goes overboard will get back on board. It won't be easy, especially in anything other than flat water.
Steve W

 

[markpierce]

Stay inside the pilothouse (that doesn't include the flying bridge)*unless your mate is awake and has you in sight.


-- Edited by markpierce on Saturday 4th of February 2012 10:41:57 PM

 

[Delia Rosa]

We had a friend who, although a very experienced sailor, never thought the rules regarding life jackets and water safety applied to him. *One night several months ago, within a half mile of his mooring, he fell overboard. *His body was found on the beach the next day.

 

[FF]

For most of the loop one could simply walk ashore , or at least paddle to a standup place.

STEPS on the stern , with the ladder folding so the first step or two are well underwater, is a great concept.

 

[rwidman]

Tony B wrote:
The 2 things that put us both at ease is

*1). Make sure your wife REALLY knows how to read a GPS and how to use the radio/radios for calling USCG or any other emergency sercice.

That's something that does concern me because my wife does not know any of this except how to follow a pre made route on the chart plotter.

I'm not sure I can teach her what she needs to know.* Just saying "push this knob, then turn this one" isn't going to cut it, she's not going to remember.

I wish I could get her to understand this stuff but I don't think it's going to happen.

*

 

[psneeld]

rwidman wrote:Tony B wrote:
The 2 things that put us both at ease is

*1). Make sure your wife REALLY knows how to read a GPS and how to use the radio/radios for calling USCG or any other emergency sercice.

That's something that does concern me because my wife does not know any of this except how to follow a pre made route on the chart plotter.

I'm not sure I can teach her what she needs to know.* Just saying "push this knob, then turn this one" isn't going to cut it, she's not going to remember.

I wish I could get her to understand this stuff but I don't think it's going to happen.

*

I used to tell my kids when they were younger these three things as I DIDN'T want them learning too much about the radio. *

If you have a DSC Radio and it's registered AND connected to the GPS...all she should have to do is push the "red distress" button.

I would also teach her to push the EPIRB/PLB button.

My third instruction would be to shut down and drift or drive in circles slowly or drive it up on a sandy beach and wait

 

[twiisted71]

I have no idea about the pricing of this thing but if you are seriously concerned about MOB situations this may something to consider.

http://www.manoverboardsystems.com/general-purpose-man-overboard-rescue-system.html

As has been said, I try to have both of us in the same area when underway. One thing I have begun to give serious consideration to is some of those inflatable suspenders.

 

[Woodsong]

Delia Rosa wrote:
We had a friend who, although a very experienced sailor, never thought the rules regarding life jackets and water safety applied to him. *One night several months ago, within a half mile of his mooring, he fell overboard. *His body was found on the beach the next day.

*that is heartbreaking!

 

[Steve]

A ladder on the transom or swim platform is great for climbing aboard in calm conditions, but in any sort of chop or weather the platform could be like a huge flyswatter, and you know who is the fly. unless someone very capable is still on board I really don't know what can be done, deploying the boom to hoist someone will take lots of time and strength . We carry a Lifesling on the deck if it can be gotten out and caught by whoever is in the water maybe just hold them alongside the boat till help arrives. If the person on board could drop the dinghy that would be a help too.
I try to be very careful especially offshore but accidents do happen. . we wear life jackets out side in weather or offshore.
We do have written instructions on calling for help or mayday printed out next to the radio.
Steve W.


-- Edited by Steve on Monday 6th of February 2012 09:10:31 AM

 

[Woodsong]

Steve,
I couldn't agree more about the ladder. I think you and I chatted about this a while ago but first thing we did on our Monk was change out the swim ladder from the old style that hinged up from the top of the platform and placed the ladder up against the transom when stored up, to a ladder that we mounted underneath the swim platform and could be deployed from within the water. Cleared up the platform and made it safer. We are going to do the same thing on our new boat asap.

 

[koliver]

rwidman:
I wish I could get her to understand this stuff but I don't think it's going to happen.

Ron:

Same problem, on occasion, as my high-school education and my wife's (of 40yrs) differed in one significant respect. She shied away from the hard sciences, I shied away from the arts. So when I ask her to do something with the boat that comes naturally to me, she approaches the task with little or no understanding of the basics, or how things work, and usually has to ask me for assistance (even if this is something she does frequently) and once the task is complete, has no understanding of what she has just done. This is definitely not a male/female thing, as I know several other couples who have the same experiences, and some of those have the guy simply not understanding, as he is the one ill equipped by his basic education or aptitudes.

I concluded long ago that I should just grin and bear it, as it is too late to make such basic changes to her makeup.

On following the GPS route, I will get it set up, the computer or plotter will display our position and the route, so all she has to do is correct the course to stay relatively close to the line. I don't expect, nor would I want her to start setting up routes on her own. She did get her Radio operator's certificate, and she can read lat and long from the instruments.

 

[Per]

Steve wrote:
A ladder on the transom or swim platform is great for climbing aboard in calm conditions, but in any sort of chop or weather the platform could be like a huge flyswatter, and you know who is the fly. unless someone very capable is still on board I really don't know what can be done, deploying the boom to hoist someone will take lots of time and strength . We carry a Lifesling on the deck if it can be gotten out and caught by whoever is in the water maybe just hold them alongside the boat till help arrives. If the person on board could drop the dinghy that would be a help too.
I try to be very careful especially offshore but accidents do happen. . we wear life jackets out side in weather or offshore.
We do have written instructions on calling for help or mayday printed out next to the radio.
Steve W.



-- Edited by Steve on Monday 6th of February 2012 09:10:31 AM

*one time i was recovering a towed dinghy while underway, had to reach ropes in the water etc, so i had to get on the swimdeck, there were some medium size swells and definitively can say it would not be easy at all to climb up the ladder (i did not fall in), and another huge consideration would be the proximety of the props.

 

[rwidman]

Steve wrote:We do have written instructions on calling for help or mayday printed out next to the radio.

On the surface, one would think that would take care of it, but you have to assume some level of knowledge.* For instance, do you have to specify to turn the radio on first, and if*so, how?*

Having a remote mic, on mine, the proceedure is different at the flybridge or the lower helm.* Then of course, there's setting the volume and squelch controls.* It's hard to understand the concept of "squelch" without knowing a little about radio signals.

The DSC emergency button on the radio doesn't do much unless the GPS is also on and has been on long enough to aquire a position.

I'm thinking a wife would have an easier time learning from a stranger, prefferably female than from a husband.*