Hove To COB Procedure

[Tempest]

Crew Overboard Techniques

Here's the two most taught techniques, and discussion regarding the advantages or disadvantages of each.

[smackdaddy]

We practiced the quickstop COB method yesterday. Winds were about 20knots, gusts to 25, waves minimal. We were cruising on a reach under a reefed main and a 150 and chunked "Captain Limbaugh" over the leeward side (a 2' piece of "noodle" with a rope and weight to keep it in place).

We did the quickstop to a heave-to after shouting MOB and telling everyone to hang on. We stopped the boat just fine, leaving "Limbaugh" about 20' downwind off our quarter. At that point, it would have been easy to toss a line over and, assuming the COB was conscious and mobile, we could have had him back on board in under 2 minutes. Very cool.

However, I was surprised at how quickly we drifted away from him - even hove-to upwind. So, since he was out of boathook range, we brought the tiller across and sailed back around - then hove to about 2' away and picked him up easily. It took 5-7 minutes. (My last turn was a little too close to him - should have left a bit more room. Sorry for the barnacle burn dude.)

When we pulled him in he was still going on, and on, and on about he "hoped that I failed" as a sailor and how he really needed a few painkillers...just a few. Don't know what that was all about.

Anyway, my wife and kids were paying close attention to the whole thing and we talked through what the sails/tiller/etc. were doing, what we needed to do to get back to "Limbaugh", etc. So, it was really a good exercise. And the best thing was that now the boys want to try it themselves. It's a game! They've been somewhat ambivalent about sailing to this point. So it's great to give them something to shoot for...and run over. It is "Captain Limbaugh" after all.

Good times.

[lancelot9898]

I'm not really sure that the hove to method would be very efficient depending on how well your boat heaves to. Mine would forereach about 1 to 2 knots and would probably be away from the COB depending on how quickly we hove to. The quick stop method seems more practical and since the smack man was able to accomplish it proves that anybody can do it.

Originally Posted by smackdaddy

When we pulled him in he was still going on, and on, and on about he "hoped that I failed" as a sailor and how he really needed a few painkillers...just a few. Don't know what that was all about.
.

[smackdaddy]

Originally Posted by lancelot9898

I'm not really sure that the hove to method would be very efficient depending on how well your boat heaves to. Mine would forereach about 1 to 2 knots and would probably be away from the COB depending on how quickly we hove to. The quick stop method seems more practical and since the smack man was able to accomplish it proves that anybody can do it.

Heh-heh. Now THAT'S the truth.

I mentioned in my post that I was surprised at how quickly we "drifted" away from the COB while hove-to. Now I understand, we were actually still reaching away at a knot or two.

One thing we didn't do in the Quickstop method (which we'll practice next) is blowing the sheets when we get to the COB. We just hove-to. Sheeting out the genny and main on arrival is part of the procedure - and something that makes a lot more sense now. Next time.

Thanks for the feedback and the hideous innuendo lance. Have I shown you my barnacle burn technique?

PS - Here's a link to what we were practicing - except we let ours go off the leeward rail to up the difficulty. Pretty cool.

Quick Stop - WMV

[Boasun]

Note Smackdaddy; I would have used Galley hand Pelosi or bilge rat Reid for Man over board drill. And if they got ran over by the helmsman/woman under training, then it would have been no great lose at all... We might even get a medal of Freedom for it.

[smackdaddy]

Boasun, I've taken GalleyHand out once. And man she's got a foul mouth - when her dentures are in anyway. My kids were in a state of shock by the time I chunked her overboard (before I know anything about rescue techniques).

How about Sarkozy? Or John Howard? I bet those guys can cuss.