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What happens after you fall off your boat.

33K views 108 replies 54 participants last post by  seattle sailor 
#1 ·
I am just curious here. I think we all know falling off a boat means certain death. So we have jack lines and harnesses to keep us attached to the boat. This makes us feel safe and comfy. But what happens after you fall overboard. I imagine hanging on the side of the boat not being about to get back aboard. Has anyone tried jumping over the side while at anchor to see if they could get back on board. I hear people talking about their jack lines and harness a lot, but no one ever talks about getting back on deck after you have put the jack lines to the test.

Pete
 
#3 ·
Sometimes adrenaline makes something that seems impossible very possible.
 
#4 · (Edited)
IMHO...If your jack lines/teather allow you to fall over board in the first place they are rigged wrong and not worth the effort clipping into them in the first place...and give you just something else to trip over which may be the cause of you going overboard to begin with....if that the case rig them right so you cant or get rid of them.
 
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#5 ·
Getting back on board is just hard depending how you were being hanged by the side of the boat. There was a report that they found an abandoned boat with a dry corpse hanged on the side.

1. being physical fitted helps
2. carry a knife to cut the tether may work so you can work yourself toward the stern side.

I hate to think about this. But it does worry me.
 
#6 ·
Not a problem at all on my boat... if you're tethered in, you' can't fall of except at the very aft end of the boat...and getting aboard is pretty simple due to the really low freeboard at the ama nets...
 
#7 · (Edited)
maybe you should intentionally fall off while someone is on your boat to assist if you cant get back in? rope ladder in the cockpit along the rail wouldnt take up too much space and you could probably grab it from the drink and hook it to a winch, depending on if you can swim back to the boat (how fast can you swim?).

How to tie rope ladders with animated knot tying help | Wonder How To

How to Make Knots for a Rope Ladder: Knots & Knot-Tying Instructions | eHow.com

Can I Make a Rope Ladder Using Constrictor Knots? | eHow.com
 
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#9 ·
maybe you should intentionally fall off while someone is on your boat to assist if you cant get back in? rope ladder in the cockpit along the rail wouldnt take up too much space and you could probably grab it from the drink and hook it to a winch, depending on if you can swim back to the boat (how fast can you swim?).
Probably not likely to work... at all. Freeboard and all that... Can't reach the winches from the side of our boat at all if you're in the water. Yes, I can haul myself out in swim trunks, but don't think it would be possible in foul weather gear, or if the boat was moving much at all... have you ever tried pulling yourself against 5-7 knots of current or simply dragging behind a ski boat? It's tough even if you're very strong in warm water and swim gear.
 
#8 ·
This thread make me think about the scene in Master and Commander when they are rounding the horn and lose that guy overboard. "Swim man swim!" I don't think those old galleons move very fast but there was no way that guy was catching up.
Fears in the back of my mind as I prepare my adventures: Lightning, Whales, and falling overboard.
 
#10 ·
Yes, we swim off the boat all the time. Sugar scoops and a ladder.

Yes, people have boats with high tops and no ladder. Stupid in my mind, with no reservations. The stories of sailors not being able to get back on in calm waters are pitiful.

Yes, we have intentionally gone over and then hoisted the person back (me) while motoring at 4 knots. Not fun, but not bad. Actually, I could always do it un-aided, but I like rock climbing. I also had my crew crank me up without help (Lifesling). This is a very worthwhile test, since the sugar scoops are pretty bouncy when it's rough. Sugar scoops should not be discounted, though; we found they worked fine in most conditions, but the boat's heading may need adjustment (beam or run vs head-to-wind).

Yes, the tethers should be short, but in fair weather we run them long (they are used for solo deck watches). Thus, it is worth testing.
 
#11 ·
Pulling yourself against a water current is pretty hard. Just think of the force you're against walking through waist deep water.

If I could get to the stern, the open transom and telescoping swim ladder would make it relatively easy. Getting there would be the problem.
 
#13 ·
Interesting story, related to the general topic...

The Derelict
 
#14 ·
Other factors come into play too... are you alone? is the boat on autopilot or balanced and sailing itself? or will it round up and "stop" unattended? Can the ladder (if present) be deployed by someone in the water?

Recently watched "Open Water 2" - a chilling scenario where half a dozen people end up swimming off a largish drifting yacht with significant freeboard - and no one remembered to deploy the ladder first. Unable to climb aboard, no anchor down, in the story ultimately most perished... not a classic movie by any means, but the first half hour we had a sick feeling that such a boneheaded move would be actually quite easy to accidentally do....

Our club had a presentation from a round-the-world singlehander last year.. when asked if he wore a lifejacket his response was no... the only reason for a lifejacket in his situation was to keep a pistol from sinking... if he fell over and the boat was sailing away he may as well use it.......
 
#15 ·
Unfortunately, this is all too common. Four people on a a sailboat owned by one of their parents did this not too long ago. The two women survived miraculously, the two men didn't. The boat wasn't anchored. They didn't have any PFDs on.... and all four decided to go swimming... Darwin award winners...

Recently watched "Open Water 2" - a chilling scenario where half a dozen people end up swimming off a largish drifting yacht with significant freeboard - and no one remembered to deploy the ladder first. Unable to climb aboard, no anchor down, in the story ultimately most perished... not a classic movie by any means, but the first half hour we had a sick feeling that such a boneheaded move would be actually quite easy to accidentally do....
 
#16 ·
What are your thoughts (anyone) on trailing a floating line while sailing? Say, 50 or more feet of line with a knot every 18" or something like that.

If you fell over the side while underway, would it go by so fast you wouldn't have a chance to swim over and grab it? I suppose that is a question of how long would such a line need to be in order to be useful.

It certainly would help eliminate the "we forgot to put the ladder down" fatalities - at least you would have a chance to try to pull yourself up using the trailing knotted line.

And of course you'd have to remember to pull it in before firing up the engine.
 
#17 ·
Unless you have it tied so that it turns the boat head to wind and disengages the sails and/or engine, don't bother. If the boat is doing more than a knot, you won't be able to hold onto the line for very long, much less pull yourself back up to the boat and climb back aboard. At anything over two-and-a-half knots, the wake you make going through the water hanging onto the line will likely drown you anyways...

What are your thoughts (anyone) on trailing a floating line while sailing? Say, 50 or more feet of line with a knot every 18" or something like that.

If you fell over the side while underway, would it go by so fast you wouldn't have a chance to swim over and grab it? I suppose that is a question of how long would such a line need to be in order to be useful.

It certainly would help eliminate the "we forgot to put the ladder down" fatalities - at least you would have a chance to try to pull yourself up using the trailing knotted line.

And of course you'd have to remember to pull it in before firing up the engine.
 
#19 ·
What happens after you fall off your boat?

You get wet? Seriously, nothing good...I have ended up in the water in late fall when a small boat that I was sailing capsized. A rescue boat came along side to try to rescue me and just getting myself out of the water in my wet clothing was extremely difficult. You cannot believe how heavy wet sailing gear can be. It took several attempts. The first few times I tried to do it in one quick lift. The weight of thw water trapped in my foul weather gear was too much. Ultimately, I had to lift myself a little at a time so that the water could drain before hauling myself up further. Frankly, it was totally exhausting and if you were single-handing you still need to be able to sail well enough to get home.

As a general rule, when I am single-handing I wear an inflatable harness and I try to use the jackline that is on the weather side of the boat, which in theory should keep me from being able to fall over the lee rail. I have slipped on occasion and slid down the deck, and the teather worked keeping me from sliding out under the lifelines, but I still am not completely convinced you would stay aboard if you took a fall on the foredeck or in all situations. (I do have zig-zagged lines rigged at the foredeck to help with sail changing and slippage.)

If you do go over, a teather can be a help, if you are in good physical condition (but can also be a hinderence) Years ago, I experimented with climbing out of the water while wearing a harness and teathered to the boat. I was able to reach up and support my weight on the teather with one hand, make a small loop in the teather below my hand to grab onto and used that arm to reach the rail. I then was able to work my way into a position where I was ultimately able to hook the stern rail with my foot and get aboard. (I was in a little better physical shape back then) On the other hand the teather kept me from reaching the transom where there is a boarding ladder that is a permanent part of the boat. (Now that I am a sexagenarian, I am not so sure that I could do that today and as I write this, I think that I should probably experiment with this again next summer.)

Jeff
 
#20 ·
Mount a 12v truck winch with a radio control in the boat. Run the winch line up to a block a ways up on the mast where it can "see" the stern. Wouldn't need to be more than four or five feet up.

Carry the remote in a waterproof baggie on your person.

Connect your tether to the winch.

If you fall overboard, maneuver yourself behind the boat, push the "IN" button on the remote through the plastic.

Prepare to be dragged aboard. If that thing can pull a 4200-lb pickup, it'll reel you in with no problems.
 
#21 ·
As others have said, mostly you die.

However there are exceptions read the Prue Nash story here CLICKY

I have recently bought a boat with a midships ladder which is stowed on deck while sailing. There is no way I can get back onboard without the ladder and high on the to do list is a set of permanent rear steps with a pull down telescopic section which I can operate from the water. But this only works at anchor or when the boat is drifting VERY SLOWLY.
 
#22 ·
Robert Gainer, a former member who passed away a few years ago, had a similar mishap, where he fell off his boat, yet managed—by a miracle—to get back aboard.
 
#23 · (Edited)
Oh Jeff... dont be a curmudgeon... im sure all the ladies thought you were a sex-a-genarian back then too...... :p

hmmmm TQA...wonder if there would be a way to teather to the swim ladder so that overboard=telescoping deployment, and you would still be hooked to her? the snaps/velcro/whatever keeps the ladder up (if a flip down model) would have to be pressure sensitive enough to pop... just brainstorming
 
#25 ·
I went out solo a couple of times, in nice weather, light winds and warm water. I did wear an inflatable pfd. I also pulled a 100ft floating line behind me, with a small float attached at the end.

The line was attached to the rear starboard cleat, it ran back around and over my tiller, then exited the starboard side, through the rear pushpit upright.

If I had fallen over, I would have a chance to grab the line, which should have put the tiller hard to starboard and hopefully she would have rounded up.

Hey, better than just waving goodbye. A waterproof handheld VHF would have also been nice.
 
#26 ·
Hey,

I'm not trying to be cute here, but doesn't where you are sailing have a major impact on the severity of falling off or not? For example, I sail in the Long Island Sound. I am never more than 10 miles from shore and usually less than 5 miles. Most of the time there are many other boats around and the water is not that cold. When I single hand I wear an inflatable PFD, hand held VHF and SPOT messenger device.

I imagine that if I fall off and can't catch the boat (I don't believe I will be able to and won't spend a lot of time or energy trying), I will pop the inflatable and then issue a mayday on channel 16. If I don't get a response in a short time, I'll trigger the SPOT emergency button and start swimming for land.

While I don't think the experience would be pleasant, I do believe I would survive.

Barry
 
#27 ·
Depends a lot on the air and water temps. Also, don't rely on the SPOT, since it won't work if it is in the water.
Hey,

I'm not trying to be cute here, but doesn't where you are sailing have a major impact on the severity of falling off or not? For example, I sail in the Long Island Sound. I am never more than 10 miles from shore and usually less than 5 miles. Most of the time there are many other boats around and the water is not that cold. When I single hand I wear an inflatable PFD, hand held VHF and SPOT messenger device.

I imagine that if I fall off and can't catch the boat (I don't believe I will be able to and won't spend a lot of time or energy trying), I will pop the inflatable and then issue a mayday on channel 16. If I don't get a response in a short time, I'll trigger the SPOT emergency button and start swimming for land.

While I don't think the experience would be pleasant, I do believe I would survive.

Barry
 
#32 ·
So the general consensus is to be tethered in when alone and even more so when in "difficult" conditions, whether alone or not. Always have the PFD on, which is a no-brainer in my book. Be smart about how you handle yourself on the boat when underway, well when anchored too I guess :) I have seen tethers that are 6' long and then there are the double ones that have a 6' and a 3'. When would you use the 3' tether, in the cockpit?

Edit: One other question... Go with the elastic ones or not? Reasons?
 
#35 ·
The 3' tether is a good choice if you want to stay on the boat. The elastic tethers are nice since they tend to stay up and out of your way.

So the general consensus is to be tethered in when alone and even more so when in "difficult" conditions, whether alone or not. Always have the PFD on, which is a no-brainer in my book. Be smart about how you handle yourself on the boat when underway, well when anchored too I guess :) I have seen tethers that are 6' long and then there are the double ones that have a 6' and a 3'. When would you use the 3' tether, in the cockpit?

Edit: One other question... Go with the elastic ones or not? Reasons?
 
#33 ·
Jasc—

It's a bit redneck for most sailors... ;)
 
#34 ·
Since watching that ridiculous movie "Open Water 2: Adrift" and realizing our boat had no good way to get back aboard I opted to find on of those emergency ladders. I hang it over the side from the cockpit similar to the Wichard mentioned above.

My guess is, if you're alone and fall overboard at sea you're screwed.
 
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