Download our Sailing Booklet in PDF Format - Safety On The Water

Man overboardPrevention is better than cure!Ensure all actions and safety precautions have been taken to prevent someone falling overboard.■ Practice MOB drills by day and bynight in all weather and seaconditions using a bucket and fender(see pages 19 and 24).■ Always wear a lifejacket and aharness that is correctly clipped onwhen going on deck at night or infoul weather.■ Taking a ‘leak’ over the side ispotentially dangerous. If you can’t faceusing the heads, a ‘bucket-and-chuckit’is far safer.■ Make sure you are holding on tosecure fixings on the yacht at all times.One for you and one for the boat.21Held by a harnessIf the person overboard is still securedby a harness, stop the yacht immediatelyand recover them using the lifeline. Youmay need to cut the guardrail lines toget them back on board.Practical tip from the MarineSafety Working Group“Recovery of a man overboard is not an easy task at the best of times, evenon the lifeboat with special equipment and trained crew it can take time.Be careful if you do decide to pick them up on the leeward side, foulweather gear can act like a drogue in the water and, with a bit of wind,the leeway on the yacht will soon run them over and push them under theboat. It is often safer to pick them up on the windward side if it is blowingand keep them alongside with either a boat hook or line.22