MOB -- you

timjet wrote:
*......I can think of no reason to be on deck when under way....*

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*Dropping anchor/hoisting anchor - even electrical winch can fail.

How about "Oh crap!!!!, what was that we hit?. let me go up front and see if any damage".

How about going up front to check out the dolphins playing? Why not, the water is slick as glass. Then all of a sudden a wake from hell throws you overboard. The wake was from a ship that passed in the distance 5 full minutes ago and you paid no attention to it.

Think about all of the times you did go forward and why.

Maybe I'm more cautious because having a sailboat, I spend lots of time forward. I'm still a firm believer in setting up to not go overboard. I have had many close calls where my inflatable life jacket/safety harness with lanyards kept me on the deck. Bought that after several close calls where I hung on for dear life and pure adrenaline gave me the strength to hang on to those little wire safety rails and pull myself up. Never actually hit the water.

While some sort of engine shut down may be a good tactic, please keep in mind that*even the slightest*wind or current will likely*move*the boat across the water surface*faster than you will move*through the water.*

timjet wrote:*I can think of no reason to be on deck when under way.

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*Maybe because back there there's nothing to see?*

One or the other of us are on deck a fair amount when we're running.* To look at or take pictures of stuff from whales to mountains, to accompany the dog if he wants to stretch his legs or smell the air, simply to sit in a chair on the foredeck and watch the world go by if the weather's nice, guests like to go back and forth from the main cabin to the flying bridge (we don't operate the boat from up there but it is a nice view that guests like).* In smooth water I have even done* exterior finish maintenance while we're underway.

I saw an ad for*Alert2.* It's a man overboard alarm that is water activated.* They say you can interface it with your GPS or have it shut down your engine.

www.alert2.com

Has anyone tried one of these?

Cruising solo aboard a power boat:
*

While underway I do not leave my helm unless absolutely required.* If I need to leave the helm I bring all thrust motion to*a halt so boat is dormant in water and place engine(s) into idle and neutral.* If being away from helm is expected to require extended time - motors are turned off.* On our current Tollycraft I always have the 6-foot long swim ladder ready to be easily*pulled from water by reaching*over edge of swim deck (when piloting solo I keep it held upright with a thin/breakable cord) and I always have the ¾ inch*knotted boarding line already hanging off transom for ladder boarding assistance.* If experiencing any kind of a sea condition it takes one heck of an emergency before I would leave helm.* Also even just a fair wind could make it impossible to swim-catch the boat as it blows away.* So... main safety rule: When solo dont leave helm except for emergency that must be tended to!

BTW - Forgot to mention... I pilot from bridge 99.9% of the time... even in adverse conditions.



*


-- Edited by Art on Monday 13th of February 2012 07:39:15 AM

Larry M wrote:
I saw an ad for*Alert2.* It's a man overboard alarm that is water activated.* They say you can interface it with your GPS or have it shut down your engine.

www.alert2.com

Has anyone tried one of these?

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*Yes, that's what I was talking about - no I don't have one.* But for night or short-handed cruising they would be great.

Unless I've missed it...you can always do what sailors do and rig jack lines and clip a harness to them when out on deck

psneeld wrote:
Unless I've missed it...you can always do what sailors do and rig jack lines and clip a harness to them when out on deck

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Be very careful!* Jack-lines may keep you attached to the boat but they don't prevent you from going over.* When we were in the Pacific, a man fell overboard while using a harness and jack-lines.* His wife didn't have the ability to get him back on board.* He was dragged through the water*and drowned.*

Larry M wrote:
*

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Be very careful!* Jack-lines may keep you attached to the boat but they don't prevent you from going over.* When we were in the Pacific, a man fell overboard while using a harness and jack-lines.* His wife didn't have the ability to get him back on board.* He was dragged through the water*and drowned.*

*Let me add to my original post when I said to use jacklines and a harness.

I forgot to put in "learn how to use them". That situation almost sounds comical if it weren't for that fact that someone died.


-- Edited by Tony B on Monday 13th of February 2012 07:10:55 AM

http://abclocal.go.com/ktrk/story?section=news%2Flocal&id=8541040&cmp=fb-ktrk-article-XXXXXXXX

Over the weekend in the hood... They just couldn't get her back on the boat.

Keith wrote:
http://abclocal.go.com/ktrk/story?section=news%2Flocal&id=8541040&cmp=fb-ktrk-article-XXXXXXXX

Over the weekend in the hood... They just couldn't get her back on the boat.

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*On*1 occasion I have used the halyard and the winch. On another occasion we used the boom with the block and tackle. In both instances, the persons being rescued did not fall off of my boat.

She was probably a big girl and with lots of clothing (cold day) to weigh her down. The water was very cold yesterday and I'll bet she was unable to help herslf back on the boat. Glad everything worked out for her.


-- Edited by Tony B on Monday 13th of February 2012 08:00:22 AM

Larry M wrote:psneeld wrote:
Unless I've missed it...you can always do what sailors do and rig jack lines and clip a harness to them when out on deck

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Be very careful!* Jack-lines may keep you attached to the boat but they don't prevent you from going over.* When we were in the Pacific, a man fell overboard while using a harness and jack-lines.* His wife didn't have the ability to get him back on board.* He was dragged through the water*and drowned.*

*Not necessarily...they CAN be rigged to keep you from going over...and anyway...you ALWAYS have to be smarter than the gear you use...


-- Edited by psneeld on Monday 13th of February 2012 02:29:21 PM

psneeld wrote:Larry M wrote:psneeld wrote:
Unless I've missed it...you can always do what sailors do and rig jack lines and clip a harness to them when out on deck

Click to expand...

Be very careful!* Jack-lines may keep you attached to the boat but they don't prevent you from going over.* When we were in the Pacific, a man fell overboard while using a harness and jack-lines.* His wife didn't have the ability to get him back on board.* He was dragged through the water*and drowned.*

*Not necessarily...they CAN be rigged to keep you from going over...and anyway...you ALWAYS have to be smarter than the gear you use...



-- Edited by psneeld on Monday 13th of February 2012 02:29:21 PM

A*similar thing has happened in this area with some racers in an ocean race.* I think the fellow ultimately*cut his tether and was rescued by another boat (in any case he lived to tell). *His advice,*be sure*to rig your jacklines*such*that based on the length of*your tether you will be out of the water if you go over!** We spent a lot of time figuring out jackline location prior to sailing to Hawaii in '10.*

Pineapple Girl wrote:*We spent a lot of time figuring out jackline location prior to sailing to Hawaii in '10.*

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******* I can't even imagine doing that! I'll venture to say that I'll bet you have more open water cruising experience than 99% of the people on this forum.

:worship:

SeaHorse II wrote:Pineapple Girl wrote:*We spent a lot of time figuring out jackline location prior to sailing to Hawaii in '10.*

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******* I can't even imagine doing that! I'll venture to say that I'll bet you have more open water cruising experience than 99% of the people on this forum.

:worship:

thanks but I wasn't the navigator so it was like being along for the ride!* The first week was a like a never ending ocean race.* The second week was much better as the weather got nice.* I wouldn't want to do that long of a passage again, it is grueling on the body.*