My understanding is that even warm, healthy people cannot always lift a
waterlogged and weakened crewmate back into a boat.
I think at some time in the not too far off future we should have a Potter
Yachter session that focusses on how to handle man overboard situations. Maybe
we could actually put someone in the water in a wetsuit and try getting them
back out both with and without their assistance. The technique I'd really like
to try is the one where you drop the mainsail into the water and use it as sling
to lift the victim (This may be the ONLY time you'd rather not have sail slugs).
That should cover even the worst of situations. Another technique involves
rigging a sternline up to the jib fairlead/block and having the victim stand
(requires some degree of consciousness) on it as a footrope. Using the jib
tackle, and a winch if you have it, the line can be tensioned and the victim
raised to a point where you can get the weight of their torso over the gunwale
and pull them in.
I'd also like Francesca to learn a routine that would at least stop the boat
promptly in case I fall out. Learning how to get back and retrieve me would be
even better!
Dave Kautz
P-15 #1632 Tilly Lucy
Palo Alto, CA
______________________________ Reply Separator _________________________________
Subject: Re: Harness attachment points for P19?
Author: Non-HP-JBlumhorst (JBlumhorst@aol.com) at hp-boise,mimegw7
Date: 4/8/99 4:03 PM
I
>From what I heard from folks at Alameda Marina, that news report was wrong.
My rigger raced in that one and sailed his boat into the surf to tow a
disabled J24 away from the rocks on one of the islands. The deceased was a
friend and customer of my sailmaker.
This was the story at the memorial service. All the racers attended.
The skipper's PFD did indeed deploy. The water was 45 degrees or so. His
crewmate was able to climb back aboard, but the deceased was not and was
unconcious within 5 minutes. While the crewmate was climbing aboard, the
skipper was being dragged behind the boat at several knots speed on top of
the water at the end of his tether. The crewmate reeled him in using the
tether with great effort, tried to lift him aboard, but wasn't able to get
him up over the side. He was too weak from the cold and the effort.
By then (10 or 15 minutes elapsed time), the coast guard was alongside and
told the crewmate to let the tether out. The coast guard dropped a man
overboard, got the skipper secured in a sling and pulled him up. He never
regained conciousness and was DOA at the hospital.
Judy B.