PLBs and MoB/AIS Transponders?

[Simi 60]

As a single hander myself I have a simple rule.

"If I fall overboard I am dead" so...don't fall overboard.

How???

Never pee over the railing. That is a great way to fall overboard.

One hand for the boat....always

Avoid going onto the foredeck. If it is necessary in anything but 100% benign conditions use a jackline and harness like the sail boaters do.

Yep and if you have to, slide on your bum.

 

[Dougcole]

Have you ever tried to hang onto a line, even a knotted one, even at 3 knots? If you are really strong, you can hang on till about 5 or 6 knots but will quickly drown in the bow wave your head makes. When we where young and strong and foolish we used to try this behind a ski boat trying to see if we could body surf. I'd strongly recommend you try this before depending on it to save your life.

You have to put your head down, after that it's easy. Lift your head up and it is darn near impossible to hold on.


Lift your head up just long enough to grab a quick breath as needed as you pull yourself along the line back to the boat. Getting back on board is much tougher.


We used to do this all the time for fun on sailing trips. If you keep your head down you can hang on for a really long time with not too many issues. That's assuming you aren't injured, hypothermic etc.

 

[OldDan1943]

or at least tie yourself with the line for "recovery" of what the fish dont eat.

 

[Hippocampus]

Harnesses attach just above belt level in the front. Many reports of deaths with people on the 6’ umbilical as they drown being dragged alongside the boat even when several feet above mean water level due to the wave they themselves make. Our rule has always been go forward on the windward side. More likely you will fall onto the boat. Also don’t use the 6’ tether unless your jacklines are amidships.
Now coastal. Just bought a rescue case by crew saver. Will serve for fire or sinking. MoB remains a problem. Trying to find a spot for the MOM-8a where it will fit and drop cleanly into the water.

 

[bowball]

Have you ever tried to hang onto a line, even a knotted one, even at 3 knots? If you are really strong, you can hang on till about 5 or 6 knots but will quickly drown in the bow wave your head makes. When we where young and strong and foolish we used to try this behind a ski boat trying to see if we could body surf. I'd strongly recommend you try this before depending on it to save your life.

+1

 

[localboy]

We have one PLB. It is stored in our “oh, ****” bag which is always readily available in case we need to abandon ship. I consider it our EPIRB.

The issue for us is cold water. We’ve discussed cutting the dinghy free and using it as a life-raft, of sorts. Of course this is assuming we have the time and ability to do so. Being in the dinghy is better than being in the water.

Life vests are equipped with strobe, small aerial flares, smoke and small knife. Our ditch bag has flares/launcher and electronic distress light, water proof VHF, along with other “survival gear”. If you’re in the water for any length of time the odds of survival are minimal. I joke with my wife [with the life vest] “at least you’ll find my body”. We don’t venture outside underway and have no fly bridge etc...our boat is so small we literally keep an eye on each other; where we gonna go?:lol: As a result falling overboard while underway is not really an issue.

 

[OldDan1943]

On nuclear subs, there is a wandering in-deck rail to hook on to.
They used to use a belt type harness but changed to a step in and shoulder harness.
Rumor was, the force of a wave could cut a guy could cut a guy in half.
Then there were 2 pieces to retrieve.

 

[Davil1]

We have one PLB. It is stored in our “oh, ****” bag which is always readily available in case we need to abandon ship. I consider it our EPIRB.

The issue for us is cold water. We’ve discussed cutting the dinghy free and using it as a life-raft, of sorts. Of course this is assuming we have the time and ability to do so. Being in the dinghy is better than being in the water.

Life vests are equipped with strobe, As a result falling overboard while underway is not really an issue.

========================
C-Dory 25 one of my "on the list" when I transition to trawler.
Out of curiosity, since falling under way is very unlikely, what scenario you anticipate to need to abandon your vessel?

 

[localboy]

========================
C-Dory 25 one of my "on the list" when I transition to trawler.
Out of curiosity, since falling under way is very unlikely, what scenario you anticipate to need to abandon your vessel?

It would be something catastrophic. Hitting something submerged etc. One of my main concerns is hitting a submerged “widow-maker”. Lots of logs in our waters; we boat in the Salish Sea up into Canada. Gasoline engine, so there is always the risk of fire. We carry 100 gallons under the cockpit sole and usually have a small 1.5 gallons (gas can) for the dinghy outboard. Again, I’m very careful about storage.

The boats are surprisingly seaworthy and I have utmost confidence in the quality. I’m serious about confirming weather, tides etc and don’t take unnecessary risks, but things can still happen.

 

[Davil1]

It would be something catastrophic. Hitting something submerged etc. but things can still happen.

===================
agree
I sail a 30 ft Cape Dory and as single handler do not have the option to go over.
Always, of the school of stay with your boat as safer than even a life raft if you can.
Back late 90s when cruising entertain the idea of positive flotation but eventually did not.
Now looking at trawlers like yours, perhaps something like this
https://floatpac.com/product/lift-bags/
an idea.
Should not be a major undertaking to find a tube of compressed air??

 

[mvweebles]

Out of curiosity, since falling under way is very unlikely, what scenario you anticipate to need to abandon your vessel?

I think it was BoatUS stats that cited collision such as partially submerged shipping container; and fire.

Peter

 

[Davil1]

Recently the Cruisers Forum had a thread on falling and not surprisingly a big percent of those falling and able to talk about fell either from boat to dock and vice versa as well as falling from dinghy trying to board their boat and the opposite.
Personally, all the times I fell into the water were at the dock on either direction, and it is not easy to even lift the body to the dock, never mind the boat.
Couple of years ago transferring from the boat to the dinghy, could not lift myself into the inflatable dinghy, nobody was aware of my predicament, fortunately was a greasy, slimy, tar covered steel ladder.
Bottom line, you are more likely to find yourself in a precarious situation (too confident, fewer precautions) than offshore in rough seas more likely will be tethered and extra cautious.
Something to think about.

 

[DDW]

You have to put your head down, after that it's easy. Lift your head up and it is darn near impossible to hold on.


Lift your head up just long enough to grab a quick breath as needed as you pull yourself along the line back to the boat. Getting back on board is much tougher.


We used to do this all the time for fun on sailing trips. If you keep your head down you can hang on for a really long time with not too many issues. That's assuming you aren't injured, hypothermic etc.

Depends on speed. 2-3 knots I can probably breath well enough and pull myself back to the boat only to discover I can't get back on board. 7 knots, a normal trawler cruising speed? No way. How fast were you going when you did this?

 

[ksanders]

Recently the Cruisers Forum had a thread on falling and not surprisingly a big percent of those falling and able to talk about fell either from boat to dock and vice versa as well as falling from dinghy trying to board their boat and the opposite.
Personally, all the times I fell into the water were at the dock on either direction, and it is not easy to even lift the body to the dock, never mind the boat.
Couple of years ago transferring from the boat to the dinghy, could not lift myself into the inflatable dinghy, nobody was aware of my predicament, fortunately was a greasy, slimy, tar covered steel ladder.
Bottom line, you are more likely to find yourself in a precarious situation (too confident, fewer precautions) than offshore in rough seas more likely will be tethered and extra cautious.
Something to think about.

I agree!

Yesterday walking down the dock i passed a boat and noticed their boarding ladder had a nice loop of line on it. Just perfect so that someone in the water could reach it and deploy the ladder.

I noticed this because I have a similar line on my swim step to help get on board as my boarding ladder is only from the swim step downward.

 

[koliver]

I agree!

Yesterday walking down the dock i passed a boat and noticed their boarding ladder had a nice loop of line on it. Just perfect so that someone in the water could reach it and deploy the ladder.

I noticed this because I have a similar line on my swim step to help get on board as my boarding ladder is only from the swim step downward.

The standard we use for our YC safety Checks is 12" from the swim grid to the water. Any more and a re-boarding ladder (or other device) is required. This means that if there is a ladder attached to the transom, it would need to be deployed (reached) from in the water.

 

[diver dave]

On a dink. Step on the anticavitation plate to get dry. I’ve seen countless folks who need help boarding an inflatable otherwise.

 

[Comodave]

I agree!

Yesterday walking down the dock i passed a boat and noticed their boarding ladder had a nice loop of line on it. Just perfect so that someone in the water could reach it and deploy the ladder.

I noticed this because I have a similar line on my swim step to help get on board as my boarding ladder is only from the swim step downward.

On our last boat the ladder was very heavy and virtually impossible to deploy from in the water. I added a line to allow you to pull it down into the water while you were in the water. Added a snap by the edge of the swim platform to keep the line within easy reach from the water. Our new boat the ladder isn’t virtually impossible to deploy from the water, it is actually impossible. We are adding a swim platform extension this winter and it will have a ladder mounted on the bottom of the platform extension.

 

[OldDan1943]

They do make "rope" ladders to assist getting back on to the RIB from the water.
I think I bought mine from WM.

 

[localboy]

Recently the Cruisers Forum had a thread on falling and not surprisingly a big percent of those falling and able to talk about fell either from boat to dock and vice versa as well as falling from dinghy trying to board their boat and the opposite.
Personally, all the times I fell into the water were at the dock...

Ditto. Luckily the only time I’ve fallen was at the dock...into the water in Everett. Not even on my boat but a buddy’s who had “just waxed it”. The only thing hurt was my pride...and an iPhone and prescription glasses. I actually did not try to fight it, because hitting the dock itself would’ve been worse. I sorta just fell in and didn’t try to recover or save my pride. I was able to climb up via a stranger’s boat that had a nice swim step. It was a definite eye-opener.

 

[rslifkin]

I should test if I can flip the latch on my ladder from the water. I think I can, but I'm not 100% sure on that. I do know that even with the swim platform only 6 - 8" off the water, it takes a lot of upper body strength to get up there without a ladder.

 

[OldDan1943]

I should test if I can flip the latch on my ladder from the water. I think I can, but I'm not 100% sure on that. I do know that even with the swim platform only 6 - 8" off the water, it takes a lot of upper body strength to get up there without a ladder.

and that is why builders are mounting the swim ladders on the underside of the swim platform, secured by a nylon strap.
I have yet to install a nylon line. Not sure if a line would be better or a stainless grab bar.