In terms of sailing safety, recovering a person overboard is always challenging given the stakes involved. There is no miracle solution, but numerous maneuvers can be used depending on the situation and the type of vessel.
Today, in recreational boating, this type of accident represents a significant risk in CROSS statistics, especially in coastal areas.
It is therefore the skipper's responsibility to choose the procedure that best addresses the human, material, and environmental constraints of each situation.
When a person falls overboard, every second counts. However, the greater the stress, the harder it is to act effectively.
The only way to acquire the right reflexes is to systematically practice recovering a person overboard in as many different sea and wind conditions as possible.
- alert the other crew members by loudly and clearly announcing "MAN OVERBOARD!"
- immediately throw the lifebuoy and the floating light to the man overboard
- assign a crew member to maintain constant visual contact with the man overboard, often the one who witnessed the fall
- assign a crew member to press the MOB button on the GPS to mark the geographic position of the fall
- assign a crew member to alert the rescue services by holding down the Distress button on the VHF and making a distress voice call on channel 16
The skipper must then decide on the recovery maneuver best suited to the situation's constraints, such as:
- condition of the man overboard (conscious, injured, unconscious...)
- sea and wind conditions
- condition of the boat
- crew's ability to maneuver
The skipper then selects the best possible option considering these constraints to initiate the maneuver, with the aim of avoiding any secondary accidents and ensuring the safe recovery of the man overboard.
Warning
None of the maneuvers described in the following paragraphs guarantees 100% success in recovering the man overboard.
The success of the operation depends on a fluctuating range of environmental, human, and material constraints, the assessment of which is the sole responsibility of the skipper. It is evident that extreme weather conditions can significantly complicate the recovery of a man overboard in coastal or offshore areas.
After the man overboard falls:
- Head upwind using the engine
- Once the boat is three lengths to windward of the man overboard, tack without shifting the jib (as in heaving to)
- Bear away to a beam reach and continue on this course for a distance of three boat lengths
- Bear away to a run and continue on this course for 2.5 boat lengths. During this downwind phase, furl or lower the jib
- When the man overboard is 2.5 lengths abeam of the boat, gybe (with the mainsail already centered along the boat's axis) to head upwind towards him
- Adjust speed using the mainsheet and engine
- Stop leeward of the man overboard to throw a recovery line
- Put the engine in neutral to avoid any risk of propeller rotation
- Hoist the man overboard back onto the boat
Advantages
Invented in the United States in 1987, the Quick Stop method works in the widest range of weather conditions (it has been successfully tested in winds up to 30 knots). It is therefore very useful for all sailors to know.
Disadvantages
Difficult to execute if the engine is not operational
In strong winds, throwing the recovery line windward to the man overboard can be challenging
This maneuver requires good sailing and boat handling skills.
Variation of this maneuver
Make a second pass around the man overboard while trailing the recovery line to facilitate its grasp by the man overboard.
The boat should then be stopped by heaving to, allowing the crew to bring the victim aboard. The recovery line should be a buoyant harness-type line attached to a minimum 40-meter floating bright-colored rope.
After the man overboard falls:
- Sail slightly upwind of them on a close reach or broad reach
- Tack to heave to, steering towards them
- Adjust the boat's trajectory using the helm (from a beam reach to a broad reach) and by controlling the tension on the mainsheet
Note: Each boat drifts differently when hove to, depending on its keel type (keelboat or centerboard), sail area, sheet tension, and center of effort. Practice this maneuver to understand the boat’s drift characteristics.
Advantages
- Quick and easy way to stop the boat
- Facilitates communication with the man overboard
- Can be a preparatory maneuver to reassure the man overboard, assess the situation, and organize the crew before deciding on a definitive recovery maneuver
Disadvantages
- Requires a minimum of practice to control the boat’s trajectory, especially timing the tack to anticipate the drift towards the man overboard when hove to
Variation of this maneuver
There are three types of heaving to under sail: full heave-to, active heave-to, and linear heave-to. It is possible to alternate between these types and fine-tune the maneuver to return to the man overboard.
It is also possible to heave to from any point of sail, including downwind courses. A particular consideration when using a spinnaker: it should be completely released at all three points before attempting any recovery maneuver. Lowering a spinnaker might waste valuable time and risk losing visual contact with the man overboard.
After the man overboard falls:
- Bear away to a broad reach to sail downwind of them for approximately four boat lengths
- Head upwind on a close-hauled course, quickly trimming the sails to maintain boat speed
- Tack
- Sail towards the man overboard
- Test the luffing of the mainsail: if it luffs, maintain course; otherwise, bear away sharply for 1 to 2 lengths, then point back towards the man overboard. Repeat the operation until the mainsail fully luffs when the boat points directly at the man overboard.
- Adjust speed using the sheets to stop the boat windward of the man overboard.
Advantages
Allows recovery of a man overboard when the propeller is fouled or the engine is inoperable.
Avoids the risk of an uncontrolled gybe
Facilitates speed regulation, making it easier to control the stopping point of the boat
Disadvantages
Requires good knowledge of the maneuver by the crew
After the man overboard falls:
- Bear away to a broad reach to sail downwind of the man overboard
- Furl or lower the headsail
- After covering approximately four boat lengths, return to a beam reach aiming for an imaginary line located 2 to 5 lengths downwind of the man overboard, corresponding to the distance needed for the boat to come to a complete stop
- When the wind vane points towards the man overboard, turn head to wind
- Stop next to the man overboard, ensuring the engine is in neutral
Advantage
Relatively easy to perform with some practice, due to the precision provided by the use of the engine.
Disadvantage
Requires quickly furling or lowering the headsail to turn head to wind towards the man overboard
Relies on knowing the boat's stopping distance based on its weight and the sea and wind conditions
If none of these methods is ideal, they should be tested and practiced to allow skippers and their crews to develop the essential reflexes needed to master these maneuvers.
All these methods have been designed and tested... the goal being to achieve reflexive actions in their execution.
Finally, knowing your boat's behavior in various sea and wind conditions is a crucial key to successfully executing any man-overboard recovery maneuver.
- To prevent the risk of falling overboard, equip your vessel with as many safety devices as possible
- On a sailboat, using the boom and its tackle can help recover an unconscious man overboard and position them in the recovery position in the cockpit
- A halyard attached to a winch can also assist in lifting the victim at water level back onboard
- A swimmer from the crew can rescue an unconscious victim without a life jacket; this rescuer must be secured to the boat with a sufficiently long rope or tether
- Some yachts are equipped with a swiveling crane arm, usually used for lifting the tender, but it can also be used for man-overboard recovery
- Placing a harness on an unconscious man overboard is easier than fitting a foam life jacket
- Wearing a life jacket or buoyancy aid is strongly recommended for any nautical outing to increase buoyancy in case of a fall
- When wearing a life jacket, attach the crotch strap to avoid being in an uncomfortable position
- At anchor, do not leave children unsupervised outside. Ideally, have them wear a life jacket suitable for their age and ability to stay afloat
- While moving around the boat, it is wise to stay clipped to the lifeline with a tether equipped with carabiners
- Regularly practice man-overboard recovery drills, using a fender as a dummy swimmer
- Circle around the man overboard with a floating line attached to a foam life jacket, similar to recovering a water skier
- Recovery craft like a tender with an outboard motor or even a paddle-equipped kayak can assist in recovering a man overboard
- During the final recovery maneuver, the bow thruster can be a valuable tool for aligning the bow correctly
- On a catamaran, if the helm station is starboard, it is preferable to recover the man overboard near the starboard hull
- To better locate a man overboard, it is preferable to throw an IOR pole rather than a lifebuoy or horseshoe buoy with a floating light
- For solo sailors, there are pulley-equipped tethers to help climb back onboard unaided
- If visual contact is lost, use the heading provided by the "MOB" button on your GPS to return to the man overboard
- Once on location, use the compass to grid search the area at a consistent speed and time
- In regattas, the risk of falling overboard is higher due to the sportier use of the boat, making wearing a life jacket mandatory
In terms of sailing safety, recovering a person overboard is always challenging given the stakes involved. There is no miracle solution, but numerous maneuvers can be used depending on the situation and the type of vessel.
Today, in recreational boating, this type of accident represents a significant risk in CROSS statistics, especially in coastal areas.
It is therefore the skipper's responsibility to choose the procedure that best addresses the human, material, and environmental constraints of each situation.
When a person falls overboard, every second counts. However, the greater the stress, the harder it is to act effectively.
The only way to acquire the right reflexes is to systematically practice recovering a person overboard in as many different sea and wind conditions as possible.
- alert the other crew members by loudly and clearly announcing "MAN OVERBOARD!"
- immediately throw the lifebuoy and the floating light to the man overboard
- assign a crew member to maintain constant visual contact with the man overboard, often the one who witnessed the fall
- assign a crew member to press the MOB button on the GPS to mark the geographic position of the fall
- assign a crew member to alert the rescue services by holding down the Distress button on the VHF and making a distress voice call on channel 16
The skipper must then decide on the recovery maneuver best suited to the situation's constraints, such as:
- condition of the man overboard (conscious, injured, unconscious...)
- sea and wind conditions
- condition of the boat
- crew's ability to maneuver
The skipper then selects the best possible option considering these constraints to initiate the maneuver, with the aim of avoiding any secondary accidents and ensuring the safe recovery of the man overboard.
Warning
None of the maneuvers described in the following paragraphs guarantees 100% success in recovering the man overboard.
The success of the operation depends on a fluctuating range of environmental, human, and material constraints, the assessment of which is the sole responsibility of the skipper. It is evident that extreme weather conditions can significantly complicate the recovery of a man overboard in coastal or offshore areas.
After the man overboard falls:
- Head upwind using the engine
- Once the boat is three lengths to windward of the man overboard, tack without shifting the jib (as in heaving to)
- Bear away to a beam reach and continue on this course for a distance of three boat lengths
- Bear away to a run and continue on this course for 2.5 boat lengths. During this downwind phase, furl or lower the jib
- When the man overboard is 2.5 lengths abeam of the boat, gybe (with the mainsail already centered along the boat's axis) to head upwind towards him
- Adjust speed using the mainsheet and engine
- Stop leeward of the man overboard to throw a recovery line
- Put the engine in neutral to avoid any risk of propeller rotation
- Hoist the man overboard back onto the boat
Advantages
Invented in the United States in 1987, the Quick Stop method works in the widest range of weather conditions (it has been successfully tested in winds up to 30 knots). It is therefore very useful for all sailors to know.
Disadvantages
Difficult to execute if the engine is not operational
In strong winds, throwing the recovery line windward to the man overboard can be challenging
This maneuver requires good sailing and boat handling skills.
Variation of this maneuver
Make a second pass around the man overboard while trailing the recovery line to facilitate its grasp by the man overboard.
The boat should then be stopped by heaving to, allowing the crew to bring the victim aboard. The recovery line should be a buoyant harness-type line attached to a minimum 40-meter floating bright-colored rope.
After the man overboard falls:
- Sail slightly upwind of them on a close reach or broad reach
- Tack to heave to, steering towards them
- Adjust the boat's trajectory using the helm (from a beam reach to a broad reach) and by controlling the tension on the mainsheet
Note: Each boat drifts differently when hove to, depending on its keel type (keelboat or centerboard), sail area, sheet tension, and center of effort. Practice this maneuver to understand the boat’s drift characteristics.
Advantages
- Quick and easy way to stop the boat
- Facilitates communication with the man overboard
- Can be a preparatory maneuver to reassure the man overboard, assess the situation, and organize the crew before deciding on a definitive recovery maneuver
Disadvantages
- Requires a minimum of practice to control the boat’s trajectory, especially timing the tack to anticipate the drift towards the man overboard when hove to
Variation of this maneuver
There are three types of heaving to under sail: full heave-to, active heave-to, and linear heave-to. It is possible to alternate between these types and fine-tune the maneuver to return to the man overboard.
It is also possible to heave to from any point of sail, including downwind courses. A particular consideration when using a spinnaker: it should be completely released at all three points before attempting any recovery maneuver. Lowering a spinnaker might waste valuable time and risk losing visual contact with the man overboard.
After the man overboard falls:
- Bear away to a broad reach to sail downwind of them for approximately four boat lengths
- Head upwind on a close-hauled course, quickly trimming the sails to maintain boat speed
- Tack
- Sail towards the man overboard
- Test the luffing of the mainsail: if it luffs, maintain course; otherwise, bear away sharply for 1 to 2 lengths, then point back towards the man overboard. Repeat the operation until the mainsail fully luffs when the boat points directly at the man overboard.
- Adjust speed using the sheets to stop the boat windward of the man overboard.
Advantages
Allows recovery of a man overboard when the propeller is fouled or the engine is inoperable.
Avoids the risk of an uncontrolled gybe
Facilitates speed regulation, making it easier to control the stopping point of the boat
Disadvantages
Requires good knowledge of the maneuver by the crew
After the man overboard falls:
- Bear away to a broad reach to sail downwind of the man overboard
- Furl or lower the headsail
- After covering approximately four boat lengths, return to a beam reach aiming for an imaginary line located 2 to 5 lengths downwind of the man overboard, corresponding to the distance needed for the boat to come to a complete stop
- When the wind vane points towards the man overboard, turn head to wind
- Stop next to the man overboard, ensuring the engine is in neutral
Advantage
Relatively easy to perform with some practice, due to the precision provided by the use of the engine.
Disadvantage
Requires quickly furling or lowering the headsail to turn head to wind towards the man overboard
Relies on knowing the boat's stopping distance based on its weight and the sea and wind conditions
If none of these methods is ideal, they should be tested and practiced to allow skippers and their crews to develop the essential reflexes needed to master these maneuvers.
All these methods have been designed and tested... the goal being to achieve reflexive actions in their execution.
Finally, knowing your boat's behavior in various sea and wind conditions is a crucial key to successfully executing any man-overboard recovery maneuver.
- To prevent the risk of falling overboard, equip your vessel with as many safety devices as possible
- On a sailboat, using the boom and its tackle can help recover an unconscious man overboard and position them in the recovery position in the cockpit
- A halyard attached to a winch can also assist in lifting the victim at water level back onboard
- A swimmer from the crew can rescue an unconscious victim without a life jacket; this rescuer must be secured to the boat with a sufficiently long rope or tether
- Some yachts are equipped with a swiveling crane arm, usually used for lifting the tender, but it can also be used for man-overboard recovery
- Placing a harness on an unconscious man overboard is easier than fitting a foam life jacket
- Wearing a life jacket or buoyancy aid is strongly recommended for any nautical outing to increase buoyancy in case of a fall
- When wearing a life jacket, attach the crotch strap to avoid being in an uncomfortable position
- At anchor, do not leave children unsupervised outside. Ideally, have them wear a life jacket suitable for their age and ability to stay afloat
- While moving around the boat, it is wise to stay clipped to the lifeline with a tether equipped with carabiners
- Regularly practice man-overboard recovery drills, using a fender as a dummy swimmer
- Circle around the man overboard with a floating line attached to a foam life jacket, similar to recovering a water skier
- Recovery craft like a tender with an outboard motor or even a paddle-equipped kayak can assist in recovering a man overboard
- During the final recovery maneuver, the bow thruster can be a valuable tool for aligning the bow correctly
- On a catamaran, if the helm station is starboard, it is preferable to recover the man overboard near the starboard hull
- To better locate a man overboard, it is preferable to throw an IOR pole rather than a lifebuoy or horseshoe buoy with a floating light
- For solo sailors, there are pulley-equipped tethers to help climb back onboard unaided
- If visual contact is lost, use the heading provided by the "MOB" button on your GPS to return to the man overboard
- Once on location, use the compass to grid search the area at a consistent speed and time
- In regattas, the risk of falling overboard is higher due to the sportier use of the boat, making wearing a life jacket mandatory