Roger Long wrote:
This is always a good time of year to think over your standard
operating procedures and decide what changes could increase your
safety and boating enjoyment. Here's a link to the description of one
thing I'm going to do differently this year:

http://home.maine.rr.com/rlma/Strider0603.htm#lifesling

Which brings up one of those questions without a clear-cut answer that
usually set off nice long newsgroup threads. What is the best way to
get the sopping wet idiot who went over the side back on board after
you've dragged him back to the boat with the lifesling?

I can't see myself paying a hundred and twenty bucks for seventy
dollars worth of blocks and line just because they come in a cute
little bag. I do want to have something dedicated and always stowed
in the same spot so I can teach people how to use it and do it myself
while panicked in the dark.

I've got an adjustable backstay so there is a nice convenient
attachment point well up the stay and just within reach. The reverse
transom on my boat makes it quite conducive to dragging someone aboard
that way. I'm trying to decide whether to make tackle to keep in a
nearby locker to clip on the backstay above the adjuster legs or to
just put a single block on a short whip with a snap shackle and run a
line to a deck winch. Tackles can tangle and be a lot of work to
extend when you are in a hurry. The single line could probably be
unobtrusive enough that it could be stoppered off with light stuff and
instantly ready for use. OTOH it might mean teaching someone how to
tail and crank a winch at an awkward moment. With the tackle, I could
go down the boarding ladder and pull and assist at the same time if I
was the only one remaining aboard.

With a sea running and the boat pitching, the stern is probably too
dangerous; especially with the boarding ladder down. In that case, I
probably would opt for the spinnaker halyard and a midships retrieval.
I'd be using a winch in any event in that case.

What's your vote for the stern retrieval, three part tackle or line
coiled and ready to be led to a sheet winch?

Assuming the MOB is not unconscious, I would go for a self-assisted midships
recovery, using the vang if it is a rope-tackle type, but if a solid rod
vang possibly clipping on the storm jib at the tack and using a halyard on
the main sheet winch. This would form a rough sling.

People in the water invariably panic and forget that the leg muscles are 3
times stronger on average than the arm muscles. It helps a lot if an ankle
can be wedged behind a stanchion to supply the muscle power, with the crew
(if available) lifting the arms/shoulders.

I once recovered a guy who pitched over the foredeck during a tack whilst
racing. We had completed the tack but our speed was much reduced, and the
guy simply grabbed a stanchion (on the leeeward side) and I sheeted in and
bore away slightly. The wind was quite strong and the boat almost stopped,
the lee rail went under. I then let go everything and luffed up and the guy
was back on board so quickly he claimed not to be wet, and resumed his place
in the cockpit.

OK, we were lucky. Everything went like clockwork, and the boat's hull did
the lifting, but it goes to show that if this all happens during a tack,
when the boat slows, then little or no extra assistance is required. Watch
out for this happening many times during the Americas Cup Races, and see how
quickly they recover the unfortunate crew member,(and hopefully go on to win
the race!).


Dennis.