Man Overboard at 12 Knots with One Adult Left Aboard
You are skipper of a 7 m cabin boat cruising at 12 knots with two adults and two children aboard. The wind is 15 knots from the starboard quarter, with 1 m chop. One adult goes to the stern to recover a fender and falls overboard without a lifejacket. He is wearing dark clothing and is 20 m astern before you realise. The remaining adult is not a confident helmsperson. The children are alarmed. You have a throw bag, a boarding ladder, an engine kill switch, GPS with MOB button, VHF and lifejackets. Visibility is good and there is another boat about half a mile away. What are your first actions, and how will you recover him?
1. What are your first actions in the first 30 seconds?
Read the worked answer
First 30 seconds: shout “man overboard” and point at him; press the MOB button on the GPS; throw the throw bag or a lifebuoy just upwind so it drifts to him; reduce throttle to neutral and keep him in sight. Do not lose visual contact. Assign the other adult as spotter and tell the children to sit down and stay put. Then turn back: a Williamson turn (hard over one way, then hard over the other) works when the person is still in sight and the boat has run on; a simple immediate turn may be better if he is close. Keep the prop clear and approach slowly.
2. How do you approach and recover him without making the situation worse?
Read the worked answer
Approach from downwind and downsea so the boat shelters him and you do not drift onto him. Put the engine in neutral before he is alongside, and ideally stop the engine or keep it out of gear while recovering. Throw a line, get him to the boarding ladder or stern platform, and lift with two people if possible. Treat for cold shock and hypothermia: get him out of the wind, remove wet clothing, wrap him, and call Coastguard if he is confused, unconscious or injured. If he cannot help himself, use the ladder and a loop under the arms, but do not put a rescuer in the water unless trained and necessary.
3. The remaining adult has to helm while you recover. What do you tell them, and what are the main risks?
Read the worked answer
Give short, clear instructions: “steer toward him, keep him on the starboard bow, slow down, neutral when I say.” The skipper should stay with the recovery if possible; if not, the helmsman must approach into wind and sea at low speed. The main risks are losing sight, prop strike and a second person going over. Call Mayday or Pan Pan if the person is unconscious or not recovered quickly. The children need one clear task - keep them seated and quiet, not helping with lines.