Question 1

You are approaching the skipper in the water. Wind and swell are pushing the boat. Which approach is correct?

Accepted Answer

Approach from downwind/down-swell, stopping the boat upwind of the casualty so you drift down to them — keep the propeller STOPPED as you approach within 2 metres Classic MOB approach: come up from downwind, stop the boat so you drift onto the casualty with the boat between them and the wind (providing a lee). KILL THE ENGINE or put in neutral before the boat reaches the casualty — propeller strike is a fatal hazard. In a swell this approach gives the crew the best chance to reach and hold the person.

Question 2

It is 0200 hrs. You are alone on watch, Beaufort 5, 2m swell. You hear a splash and the tether clip sounds behind you. The skipper is no longer at the helm. What is your FIRST action?

Accepted Answer

Shout "MAN OVERBOARD!", throw the horseshoe lifebuoy and danbuoy overboard immediately, and press the GPS MOB button The first 30 seconds are critical. Throw the lifebuoy to the casualty AND mark the position (GPS MOB) simultaneously. Then shout to wake the rest of the crew. In Force 5 at night you will lose a person in the water in under 60 seconds visually — equipment in the water first, radio later. The fatal error here is going below first.

Question 3

You have thrown the lifebuoy. You can just see the skipper's lifejacket light in the water. The danbuoy has not inflated. What do you do while manoeuvring?

Accepted Answer

Fix your eyes on the casualty's light and do NOT look away — point one arm at them continuously, even as you steer The pointer role is the single most important action after the initial response. Once you look away you will very likely lose the person in the dark and swell. The GPS MOB marks where they went in, NOT where the current has taken them. Visual contact takes absolute priority — even at the cost of sail trim.