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Crew Overboard Rescues
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The Magnitude of the Problem
In an average year, about 600 boaters die in recreational boating accidents. Approximately 80% of these deaths are by drowning, demonstrating that water can be a very hostile environment for the unprepared boater. Boaters end up in the water as a result of falling overboard, capsizing, collisions with objects and other boats, and sinkings. Once a person enters the water, it is paramount to get him/her out of the water before hypothermia or drowning occurs. More boaters could be saved by the use of improved crew overboard (COB) techniques and gear.
The Crew Overboard Challenge
Flotation
There are a variety of challenges to rescuing a person from the water. Perhaps the most critical is time: victims don't stay afloat nearly as long as you'd think, because of rough seas, bulky clothing (including shoes and boots) no swimming ability; intoxication, Sudden Drowning Syndrome, injuries sustained during the accident, and exhaustion.
The answer to staying afloat is simple: wear flotation appropriate for the type of boating. Unless the victim has been fatally injured, proper flotation can keep a victim alive until rescued, sometimes even after the victim has succumbed to hypothermia. This is so basic that many of us overlook it in search of more complicated, technical solutions. Wearing flotation is the primary solution.
The boat doesn't return
In some circumstances, such as with single-handers, the boat cannot, or does not, return to pick up the victim. Solo boaters must wear harnesses to ensure that they are not separated from the boat. There are other reasons: the remaining crew does not know that a person has gone overboard, the boat is sailing under a combination of sails or equipment which make it difficult to reverse direction (poled-out genoas, spinnakers, unreefed sails, drogues), or the crew does not have the skill to handle the boat. While each case is different, the likelihood is that if you are rescued, it will be by your own boat and crew. Harnesses, and skilled crew members, are part of the solution.
Inability to find the victim
In many cases it's difficult or impossible to locate the victim in the water. Various studies have shown that once visual contact with the victim has been lost, the chances of finding the victim are greatly reduced. COB methods which assume a rapid return to the victim cannot guarantee that this will always be possible. Winches override, sails jam in sail tracks, engines don't start, and victims may not be found on the first pass.
While COB accidents occur in all weather conditions, large seas and reduced visibility, especially at night, may cause the crew to lose sight of the victim almost immediately. There are two strategies to deal with this: the victim must make himself as visible as possible to rescuers, and the boat must stay in the vicinity of the victim. To increase personal visibility, strobes, SOLAS tape, flares, and other devices must be carried and used. To stay in the vicinity, a trained crew must be capable of maneuvering which does not involve sailing too far away from the victim.
Inability to make contact with victim
Even when the boat comes alongside the victim, it can be difficult to make contact. In rough seas, even experienced boat drivers have a tough time coming close, but not too close, so that contact can be made. In some cases, the victim may be near some object or hazard which precludes the boat's returning to him.
Devices such as throw rope bags, heaving lines, or the Lifesling can be used to bridge the gap between rescuers and victim, and reduce the risk of injury posed by approaching too closely.
Hypothermia
The abnormal loss of body heat to the environment, or hypothermia, occurs rapidly because water absorbs heat about 25 times faster than the equivalent-temperature air. Hypothermia causes loss of motor skills, judgement, and eventually consciousness, then death. While cold water (less than 60°F) acts much more quickly than warm water, hypothermia can be a threat in waters less than 85°.
Many COB techniques fail to account for the fact that a victim rapidly loses the ability to self-rescue as hypothermia progresses. Even strong swimmers, and individuals trained in survival methods, will gradually lose their ability to swim, think, use ladders, communicate, tie knots, or hang on.
Inability to re-board
While many COB techniques deal with the boat's path through the water as it returns to the victim, few have addressed the need to have a foolproof method to re-board. The use of ladders, swim steps, lifting devices, or other crew members to bring a COB back onboard puts both the victim and the rescuer at risk in most cases.
Maneuvering Techniques
Most boaters describe their COB technique by one of the following generally accepted maneuvering methods. Each has its advantages and disadvantages, and its advocates.
Figure Eight:
Taught by ASA sailing schools for years. Sail away from the victim on a beam reach for 5-7 boat lengths, tack, and drop back onto the same track or lower. Approach the victim from leeward, round the boat into the wind to slow down and make contact.
Advantages: Boat is under control the entire time, and does not jibe. Crew has time to react. Distance sailed away allows speed control on approach.
Disadvantages: Boat sails too far away, and can lose sight of victim.
Fast Return:
Taught by Modern Sailing Academy in Sausalito, CA. If upwind, boat goes to a beam reach, then tacks in a few boat lengths. If reaching/downwind, boat heads up to a close reach and tacks. In both cases, as boat crosses the eye of the wind, helmsman cries BANG!, so that a reference of the boat when it is head to wind vs. victim is established. Boat continues to tack and leaves jib aback, and either reaches off to drop behind victim, or continues slightly upwind to victim. As boat gets close, helmsman stuffs boat into wind, eases the sheets, and sails slowly by victim.
Advantages: Short time before boat is beside victim. Maneuver is similar upwind and down. No jibing.
Disadvantages: Can be so quick that speed is not under control. Crew must be ready all the time. Must sail close by to make contact.
Quickstop/Lifesling:
Taught by US Naval Academy Sailing Squadron, Sailing Foundation, US Sailing, and others. Involves throwing flotation immediately, tacking with jib aback, and circling victim. If crewed, drop jib on downwind part of circle. If short-handed, deploy Lifesling by dropping in water. If single-handed, leave jib strapped in. Continue in circle around the victim until 1) you come alongside, or 2) victim gets Lifesling. Stop the boat, drop sails, haul victim to boat, cleat off. Arrange lifting tackle, or use a halyard and a powerful halyard winch, to hoist victim out of water.
Advantages: If crewed, rescue takes about 2 minutes, upwind or down. If single-handed, rescue takes 4-20 minutes, but works well if remaining crew has modest boat handling skills.
Disadvantages: Requires jibing. Requires Lifesling if short handed. Multi-step process is not as quick as the Fast Return.
Conclusions
Having participated in hundreds of mock rescues, in various conditions, we have the following conclusions and recommendations:
1. You cannot depend on throwing flotation to the victim in the water, or deploying gear in close proximity. pfd's drift faster than a person can swim in winds over 10-15 knots. Crew members have to wear flotation at all times-period.
2. Rescues where the helmsperson takes control and directs the rescue are much more successful. Leadership makes a giant difference. Talking and explaining what would happen next REALLY allowed the crew to do the right thing. Basic communication contributed to the success of the recovery.
3. You must practice rescue skills to be good at them. Panic is a common reaction when a person falls overboard, and the best way to deal with panic is to drill your crew so that they a) know what to do instinctively, and b) have confidence in the process.
4. Knowing how to handle a boat make a significant difference. It's important to be aware of boat speed and turning ability, and to be comfortable maneuvering a boat close by someone in the water.
5. Crew overboard recovery is a combination of a) returning to the victim, b) making contact, and c) getting the victim back on deck. When you compare methods and techniques, make sure that they address all three aspects of the problem. Partial, inadequate solutions abound. We believe that the Lifesling is the best overall solution.
Source: www.westmarine.com
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