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I'm adding this exchange to this post as it is titled better.
Of course this won't happen in calm seas. And the trouble with your method is
that while you're winching him up from within the cockpit, he is swinging
helplessly and crashing against the topsides as the boat rolls. If you were to
rig and operate the lifting device just above the MOB, you could not only see
what you were doing, but also control that swinging if need be while operating
the lift with the other.
I should explain better what we do. We do have a life sling which
came with the boat, but have not practiced with it.
Incidentally I read tonight somewhere (magazine probably but don't
remember which one) that the best way to get someone aboard is to have
4 or 5 husky adrenaline fueled crew members who will grab the person
and haul them aboard. And Bob's comment was that it must be a
surfboard or a rowboat because even very strong people rescuing a
little person could not get anyone into our boat using that method
because for one thing, they couldn't reach down to water level to get
him without falling in themselves. Their arms just would not be long
enough.
In a MOB situation, we are doing the drill we learned at Annapolis
sailing school, rounding up with the MOB on the lee side of the boat
and the boat hove to pointing into the wind. So the boat would not be
rolling appreciably.
We use the main halyard - we can do that because we have a behind the
mast roller furling main. We run it via a snatch block to the jib
winches, which are in the center of the boat just a little behind the
mast, and are also near the gate in the lifelines. I can winch my
husband aboard this way even though I'm not very strong. And he can
winch me aboard even though I weigh more than he does.
We also use jacklines if it is at all rough - clipping on before
leaving the cockpit and/or we just don't go out on deck if it is
rough. We also wear auto inflate PFDs 100% of the time when underway
even if it is in the ICW - regardless of the weather and people making
fun.
wrote:
For MOB, we have something rigged up that goes from the mast to the
jib winches and that allows me to winch my husband aboard or vice
versa.
"Steve" wrote:
The short answer is, a rail mounted block won't get the MOB over the
lifelines. If he us unconcious or weak he most likely won't be able to
assist himself.
Remember you must be prepared for the heaviest person to go MOB while the
lightest is left to winch him back on board (250+lb and 100 +/- wife).
I don't like the LifeSling and have heard that people who are just
practicing with it (West Marine sponsored class) have a lot of trouble
making the system work.. There has to be a different way.. I only have one
because a 'gung-hoe' surveyor put in down on the recommended equipment list
which my insurance force me to get. (Waste of money for a singlehander)
However the LifeSling instructions require a that the lifting point be 10ft
above the rail (or maybe that was the deck edge) so you can get that
lifeless body inboard over the lifelines. The boom end is the only place on
most boats that will work and then you will have to lift the boom with the
topping lift. If you have ridgid boom vang, your scewed. A halyard is the
only realistic point that might give you the 10 ft.
I believe that the LifeSling also require that the line from the lifting
tackle be lead to a winch.
The whole lifesling system makes a lot of assumptions that aren't there in
the real world.
If you have a lifesling and have never gone through a West Marine course
(designed to sell, guess what??) then at least get it out and rig it up just
once for a good laugh.
Too often, now, I see the life sling bag/mount replacing the throwable
floatation device. ..
We are currently using the throwable floatation devices to sit on.
grandma Rosalie
S/V RosalieAnn, Leonardtown, MD
CSY 44 WO #156
http://home.mindspring.com/~gmbeasley/id2.html