Man Overboard! - Lifting a Person Back on Board » Yachts & Boats

The main in the situation called "Man Overboard" that falling usually happens unexpectedly and at the most inconvenient moment.

Instructions how to lift a person back on board are generally included in the structure of all navigator courses of fullsize and small size ships. It is taught there commonly that helmsman should simply steer the ship to the place of falling. Completely dressed man in reality becomes clumsy in the water, it's difficult to grasp him, and his weight would be enough to drag his rescuers away in the water. So, how to lift a fallen person back on a little motorboat, especially if only one person was left in it?

Advices For a Person Overboard
An advice for the one who has fallen overboard: do not try to grab anything which can draw you under the hull. Towage overboard at a high speed is even more dangerous, than the falling overboard itself.
You should yell that the team would know: there's a man overboard. Raise your hand as high as possible in the water. Your task now is to remain quiet and help to find yourself out. Inflate your life jacket so that it lifted you overwater. Very cold water takes your breath and induces you to breathe more frequently, but this will be over. If your team is rise to the occasion, you will not stay in the water for too long.
Man Overboard - Lifting a Person Back on Board

Do not try to swim on a vast water aquatorium, you will only dissipate your energy in vain. Take a position, shown on the picture, to save body's warmth. This will allow you to increase the safe time of staying in the cold water by one-third.
If you discovered traumas in your body (fracture etc.), let rescuers know of this, so that they did not harm you when lifting you up.

Victim with a Kill-cord
If steersman has fallen overboard, he had also to take the kill-cord away with himself. This would stop the boat. Some engines can be started manually, but the majority requires duplicate cord. Make certain beforehand that a spare cord is situated close to the console, and the team knows how to use it.

Don't Lose the Victim!
The man who has fallen overboard passed out of sight. This happens quickly, especially on a motor boat. Someone from the team must constantly watch the victim. If you are alone - turn to the place of falling, trying not to take your eyes away from the one who has fallen out.
If you have the least doubt in the happy end of an incident – give the signaling on the radio and call the rescuers out by a mobile phone.

Approaching a Man Overboard
The closer you are sailing to the place of falling, the less speed should be. The man in the water fears the most to be ran over with a boat, especially if it is a large one. Therefore a steersman must not steer the bow straight on the fallen person. Keep your boat from the windward side from a man in the water and drift to him, not forgetting to yell: "Don't worry, we are sailing to you".

Man Overboard - Lifting a Person Back on Board

Is an Engine Stopped?
The man's feet in the water almost inevitably appear under the boat hull, therefore the engine can be left working only under severe conditions - in a stormy sea or close to the waterside stones, where it is necessary to manoeuvre, to rescue the boat the same as the fallen overboard person. Sometimes it is more expedient to through a rope's end to the victim (if he is able to hold it) and tow him off to the safer place, where is possible to stop the engine to lift the person fallen overboard.

Standard Lifting Procedure
Use anything available that may help you in this situation. Hold on to the boat with one arm, place your knee firmly on a side in the middle of the boat's length. Help the victim with another hand if he is able to get aboard himself.
Another way: pulling the victim who is lying on his back in the water. The lack of this way is the limited possibility of the victim to help to lift him back on board.

Person Overboard! - Lifting a Person Back on Board Man Overboard! - Lifting a Person Back on Board

Lifting a Man Overboard at the Rough Water
Lifting procedure of the victim in the cool weather from the windward side can be over by the boat capsize. Therefore it is better to sail to the person and lift him back on board from the leeward side.
Slow down approximately 50 meters to the victim and approach him by motor jerks, stop the engine right before the contact. Turn a rudder hard-a-port at the last moment of the approach with a starboard, steering the stern closer to the rescued.

Lifting a Man Overboard by an Engine
It is possible to lift a man from the water on the boats with a large outboard motor or turning gasoline pump using the mechanisms of these devices. The victim should stand on a cavitation plate, to hold tight to the engine or swimming platform until the device will be raised. The special caution is required here so that not to allow sliding off or jamming of body parts. This method can also be used for self-rescuing, if the tilt button is duplicated from the engine side.

Helpful Hints
If the life jacket is inflated, it is better to let the air out of it before lifting the person back on board. It is easier to pull the person overside with a life jacket without an air, but hold him tightly and don't let him slip.
If you still did not succeed to drag the victim back on board – try to let the part of the air out of a side tube. The boat buoyancy will not worsen over this, but the side will lower towards the man in the water. This will facilitate the lifting procedure.
You can put a strop for the leg of the victim into the water. But do not overstrain yourself at that (it is possible in the moment of superexcitation).

In a Deadlock
If you understand that any attempt is beyond your strength use the USB-radio to call rescuers. Do the same if an accident turns into an evident distress. Sudden cooling or hit can cause heart attack of sensitive people. If you don't have a radio then start a rocket, give other prescribed signals of distress to draw attention of passing boats. Motor-sailing yachts can be considered the most suitable rescuers, as they have the complete set of "Man overboard!" equipment, their spar can be used as cargo booms, block and tackle for lifting of victim from the water.

Picture
On the left: one can put a strop for the leg of the victim into the water.
On the right: the victim stands on a cavitational plate, holds tight to the engine or swimming platform until the device is raised. This method can also be used for self-rescuing, if the tilt button is duplicated from the engine side.

The Main Rules of the Situation "Man Overboard!"
1. Don't lose the victim from the sight, especially on a waterway.
2. Don't panic yourself and calm the person who has fallen overboard.
3. Stop the engine, sailing close enough, and drift with a side. Start the engine only when the man is on board.
4. Call rescuers if you have any doubts concerning normal state of the man overboard or if you can not help him yourself.

Practice Makes Perfect
If you missed a season on the water - train the crew in the situation “Man overboard” by a fender, thrown into the water. You can even consider possibility of lifting a real member of the crew from the water. If the water is warm (and an engine is turned off) why not to try it? Make sure it would be not too dangerous, even if you linger! It is better to do this under supervision of a competent expert.