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Prepare for yachting peril: Man Overboard!

PROPER YACHTING MAN OVERBOARD PROCEDURE:
The Man overboard procedure should be explained to all passengers before they go aboard the yacht. This is because many people do not understand the very real life-threatening hazards they face while on board any yacht. For example:

On a small yacht charter the captain should have the passengers and crew gather together on the dock where he will explain both the hazards of falling overboard as well as the carefully practiced procedures the crew uses to rescue a person who has accidentally fallen overboard. At this time he will also stress the fact that everyone on board the yacht must wear a life jacket at all times. He can also explain that modern PFD's (Personal Floatation Devices) are quite comfortable to wear. He should also tell the passengers about life-threatening risks and dangers they will face should they fall off of the yacht when not wearing a life jacket.

The captain of the yacht should also explain to the passengers that a surprise man overboard drill will be conducted at some un-announced time after they are underway. He can, at the same time, explain how he has often had his crew conduct these drills at various times so they already know exactly what to do and how to safely rescue a person who has accidentally fallen overboard.

In short, this is what will happen during a man overboard drill: (1) one of the drill team will shout: "MAN OVERBOARD!" (2) He will shout the location of the person by saying for example: "Off port bow!" (3) The captain will immediately stop all forward motion of the yacht. (4) A previously appointed crewman will become the lookout who must constantly keep the person in the water in sight and tell the captain if the person is wearing a life jacket or not. (5) The rescue crew will throw life rings with lines attached to them, over the side of the yacht and toward the person in the water. (6) If the overboard person fails to grab one of the life rings, the captain will slowly maneuver the yacht in a circle in order to come alongside of the person, with the person in the water in the lee of the yacht's hull, where the crew can the help the person back aboard the yacht. (7) If the person in the water is not wearing a life jacket, then one of the experienced, previously trained crew will immediately jump in the water (with a floatation buoy) and help the person stay afloat until the rescue is successfully completed.

GUIDE FOR THE VICTIM (THE PERSON WHO IS OVERBOARD)
(1) Make noise and splash to attract attention and let people on the yacht know you are in trouble shout:
(2) "HELP! MAN OVERBOARD! HELP!"
(3) If wearing a life jacket, make sure it is securely fastened. Turn on your back to keep water out of your mouth. Keep splashing so people on the yacht will be able to see exactly where you are.
(4) Keep calm. Don't panic. Try to keep the yacht in sight so you can wave and shout in its direction to attract as much attention to yourself as possible.

PICK UP WITH A YACHT WHEN IN ROUGH WATER
As stated above, it is the captain of the yacht who must maneuver the yacht carefully to get close enough to the person in the water to get him safely back aboard. The yacht needs to be circled and then placed in a position where the victim will be sheltered in the lee of the yacht's hull for the greatest amount of safety for all concerned.

PICK UP WITH A YACHT IN CALM WATER
Again, the captain of the yacht must have anticipated and practiced the various ways to rescue a person in the water.
This is rather easy to do in calm waters, but still requires careful placement of the yacht so it is easy for the crew to help the person back aboard the yacht without injury.

Learn more about this author, Terry Weber.
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