MOB - a work in progress

  As much as we love the “Figure 8 or Quick Recovery Method” that we did many times in sailing school...it is just not feasible with our sail arrangement.  With a 135% head sail and in-boom main....blowing the jib, quickly dropping the main and throwing the boom over is not possible or safe.
  John and I took a heavy weather sail class with John Neal in Alaska and he drove this point home with demonstrations on his own 46 HR.  Fortunately he has an alternative method that is also used by Annapolis Sailing School.

Here is the ROUGH outline:  Most of this is simultaneously going on so steps are just to help with memorization.

1) The spotter is still EVERYTHING!  Yell MOB!  Whoever is closest to the helm - Hit the MOB red button on the Chart Plotter.

2) Throw Stuff:  We have a Horseshoe Buoy on the starboard rail and type IV floatation cushions in the cockpit to throw overboard.
But the best thing to throw ASAP is in the Lifesling located on the port stern.  Inside the case is both  a Dan Buoy and the Life Sling.  Toss both.

3) Helmsman turns into the wind, slows the boat and starts the engine.  Next turns to circle the MOB dragging the Life Sling around the MOB.
There is also a MOB feature on our handheld VHF radios - if you are near one when you hear the call for help - press the button for 1 full second to activate the feature.

4) Crew simultaneously lowers main and furls in genoa sheets.  We can’t drop our head sheet, our Gennie takes time to furl.  At night I like sailing with the lines in position for lowering the main to save time whether there is a MOB or unexpected wind change.

5) Goal is to stop and catch the MOB amidship and have line connected before dragging MOB to transom swim platform.

6). If MOB is unconscious we have a sling onboard that allows us to lift a MOB with the main halyard.

PLEASE men!  The number one cause of MOBs is men peeing overboard!  So at night use a pee jug (I will happily provide a wide mouth Nalgene bottle) and stay in the cockpit!