The top priority in an emergency is to get back to the person in the water immediately. There is no standard manoeuvre for this, but rather different variants. We show you what these are and explain the advantages and disadvantages of each.
Only very few people die overboard while sailing. In Germany, one hand has usually been enough to count the number of victims each year. One reason for this pleasingly low number, which statistically makes sailing one of the safest hobbies of all, is that people simply rarely fall overboard. This is because only a few people go out in really tough and dangerous conditions. The majority of these are experts who know how to manoeuvre and secure themselves on the yacht. In addition, the forecasts and warnings have become so reliable that major weather surprises are becoming increasingly rare.
However, it is much more likely that someone will fall overboard in moderate conditions, when the sun is shining and the sea is calm. Underestimation, carelessness and even alcohol are then the causes of the involuntary swim. To prevent this from ending tragically, the crew remaining on board should know what to do. The greatest danger for the person in the water is that the yacht moves too far away from them and the crew cannot find them again. Even in light conditions, a few dozen metres is enough if, for example, it is late afternoon and the person disappears into the backlight.
However, there is no one-size-fits-all recipe for the right manoeuvre, which should be clear to every skipper. In many cases, man-overboard manoeuvres are still taught under sail, which are also important. However, modern yachts generally have reliable and powerful engines and are very manoeuvrable due to their short keel. In addition, setting and hoisting sails is quicker and easier today and, above all, possible from the cockpit.
Under these conditions, one procedure is particularly suitable: the immediate quick stop, regardless of whether the yacht is on an upwind or downwind course, and the immediate starting of the engine. Whether the sails are then recovered first or the boat is immediately steamed to the person in the water with the cloth set, and whether the sails remain tight or are thrown loose, depends on the type of boat and the particular situation. A completely different manoeuvre may also be expedient, for example if there is no engine or only a weak outboard motor available. However, precisely because the equipment is so different and because there are so many different types of sailing boat, you should practise with the respective yacht once per season or per charter holiday in order to know which manoeuvre is the right one. After all, the statistics should remain the same.
Lars Bolle
Chief Editor Digital
