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Old 09-15-2021, 07:47 AM   #7
Hippocampus
Guru
 
City: Newport, R.I.
Vessel Name: Hippocampus
Vessel Model: Nordic Tug 42
Join Date: Jul 2020
Posts: 3,891
Mom -8
Lifesling
Winch or multipurpose block and tackle
Throwables
PLB or AIS any time you’re outside. Harness if sloppy.

Tap MOB on plotter. Blow horn to get everyone up and focused. Drop MOM-8. Do these three things immediately.
Stop boat and keep eyes on MOM. Once another is aware of situation they become sighter. If a twosome cruising think about drift. Approach MOM-8 from leeward trying to sight MOB.
Use life sling to recover making use of mechanical aid if necessary.
Wife wanted a course to teach her before blue water passages so we hired 2 captains (husband and wife). In block island sound on a pleasant day they dropped fluorescent markers in the water to practice MOM. Light chop with no appreciable swell. Lost them all. That was with 4 people on the boat, in daylight and knowing we were doing MOB drills.
They also tried to do practice recoveries with us at anchor. Not even underway. Boat has a swim platform. Found out without major effort on the part of the MOB unless they have use of all four limbs to be able to use the swim ladder there’s no way you’re going to recover a MOB without a mechanical aid of some sort. Forget a seaway. Even in moderate conditions there’s no way my 100lb wife is going to recover me if I’m tired, in shock or have injured a limb.
Have less concern offshore than coastal. Offshore you aren’t casual. You think before you act. It’s the momentary brain fart that scares me. The SAS course teaches it one way. Others another. But you need to do the what if’s for your boat and it’s usual crew.
Will note in the past some commercial fisherman wouldn’t allow their kids to learn how to swim. You fall in the water odds are you’re dead. Life jackets just give you something to bury.
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