MOB and other drills

[GreenLake]

What kind of "drills" or more general "emergency procedures" do you practice?

MOB, righting from capsize, heaving to?

[kokko]

add reefing under weigh

[K.C. Walker]

I perform a lot of hat overboard drills...

[Skippa]

I often toss a fender overboard and coach my crew how to retrieve the "MOB". I make them take control and explain that if I am in the water I cant hlep much.
Rapid anchor deployment is done a couple times a year.
Fetching the bouy or dock under sail only is a regular exercise.
When I get about 50 more two liter bottles, capsize and recovery will practiced. I have done it with a few other small boats but havn't had the DS over yet.
When I have new crew aboard, one of the first things I demonstrate after getting underway is that simply realeasing the main and jib sheet although noisey, puts the boat in neutral.
Kevin

[GreenLake]

I perform a lot of hat overboard drills...

I've done one of those myself, also a dinosaur overboard. (don't ask).

[GreenLake]

add reefing under weigh

Goes nicely from a "hove to" position.

Haven't tried it in really high winds, though, mostly just when taking sails in early to have a more leisurely time.

[algonquin]

We do practice MOB and other emergency drills in Feather. I feel quite confident that if the need arise I could save someone from a dire situation.

Personnel flotation devices are required to be worn by all on board.

In thinking about it, if I was the one to go into the drink and there was a brisk wind, I would be paddling for quite sometime.

Looks like this season I need to make sure that my passengers and crew will at least be able to douse the sails and turn about if I’m the one over the side.

[brucybaby]

Great topic. Sadly, i've practiced no drills. Other than having required life jackets, etc. on board and practicing 'heaving to' a couple times, I've been pretty remiss. This year I plan on reefing. reefing while under way and MOB. That whole sailboat accident thing has really opened my eyes.

[Baysailer]

I know this isn't a drill but I never use a tiller tamer. It may be a paranoia and not have much merit but I have this fear of going over myself and watching my DS grcefully sail away.

[brucybaby]

Slightly off topic, I know but.... That reminds me of my first dip with the Widgeon. LMAO! In my excitement I pushed her off the trailer and she kept right on going! Fortunately in warm water and very light winds. I was able to dive off the trailer and barely grab the rope that was supposed to be tied to the dock. Hoping the event slipped by anyone's view I looked up to find a throng of onlookers laughing and applauding. I now always triple check to see that my boats are secured to something....a dock, the trailer... anything that doesn't move! Yes, I've played my lucky card several times.

[Alan]

In 20-plus years of canoeing and kayaking, we've always worn lifejackets, every time. Over-cautious, maybe, but it does give a sense of reassurance.

By the way, brucybaby, you're not alone. A friend of ours and her husband like to entertain themselves, after they're done boating for the day, by watching other people launch and retrieve. She told me about a guy who ended up swimming after his boat but couldn't catch it - fortunately, a couple of other boats corralled it for him.

[GreenLake]

By the way, brucybaby, you're not alone. A friend of ours and her husband like to entertain themselves, after they're done boating for the day, by watching other people launch and retrieve. She told me about a guy who ended up swimming after his boat but couldn't catch it - fortunately, a couple of other boats corralled it for him.

Looks like we'll need to add "launch drill" to the list.

Rule one: secure the painter..

[GreenLake]

In 20-plus years of canoeing and kayaking, we've always worn lifejackets, every time. Over-cautious, maybe, but it does give a sense of reassurance.

I wouldn't rate the wearing of PFDs in a dinghy as over-cautious. Unlike a big keel boat, there are no realistic alternatives. You can't tether yourself to the boat, I mean, you can, but you definitely shouldn't.

And with a heavy boom, as on the DS, you can get knocked unconscious - even though the boom is high enough that you'd need to work at that a bit.

A PFD is no panacea, and no substitute for exercising caution, but if you wear it all the time, it's there when the "short chain of circumstances" has landed you in a situation.

[Jett]

Thinking of hats overboard reminded me that you should always wear a hat you don't care about...then you'll never lose it. I have an old Philly Eagles cap that I wear sailing. I live in CO. Have no idea where it came from. Never have lost it, though it went overboard once and as I was smiling at the thought of finally seeing the old thing in the drink, realized that it was still floating, so I practiced MOB and grabbed it. I don't know how may Broncos and Rockies hats I've lost over the years. Somewhat like these teams, the hats often sink right away after the (sailing) season begins....

Seriously, we should give some thought to what else might go overboard (aside from us humans) in the event of capsize. My wife practiced WOB once in our DS1, unintentionally when sailing alone, and only got the boat upright after some help from others who came to her rescue. But she lost a new droid phone and a few other important things (such as pics of me?). Anyway, we now give much attention to what's not going to float when heading out (even though we sail keel boats these days that are less likely to capsize), and either leave it behind or secure it before leaving. And as to PDFs, they are always on while we're on the water.

[Jett]

P.S. That's PFDs, I believe.