Using the Lifesling to save your mate.

HistoryMany documented deaths in Crew Over Board

(COB) situations.Common factors The Sailing Foundation of Seattle designs a

dedicated COB rescue system – the Lifesling

Problem SolutionVisibility Quickstop

Flotation Lifesling

Retrieval Lifesling

Lifesling designFlexible horseshoe float with 20 lbs.

buoyancy.

125’-150’ floating line

Draws closed around COB for hoisting

Soft case, hard case and inflatable versions

CrewOverBoard!

Crew Overboard!The overriding priority: keep the COB in

sight.Throw a cushion or another buoyant object.Alert crew, if any; designate COB “watcher”.Push GPS “MOB” button

STOP THE BOAT!

Quickstop -- 1

Stop the Boat: Quickstop Maneuver1. Head to windward, luffing the sails and

stopping the boat.2. Deploy Lifesling (making sure it is attached

to the boat).3. Turn through the eye of the wind, without

tacking the jib sheets.4. If the mainsheet is run out, pull it in to a

close-hauled position5. Sail past COB, gybing as necessary.

Quickstop -- 2

Stop the Boat: Quickstop Maneuver

6. Circle the COB , without touching the sheets7. Watch the Lifesling line –don’t run over it!8. Watch the COB – don’t run over him!9. Circle until the COB has the Lifesling.

Quickstop --3

Quickstop – after making contact with the COB STOP THE BOAT by heading into the wind (towing the COB is very dangerous). As soon as the COB has the Lifesling over his

head, drop the sails. Jib first – keeps boat head to wind. If hanked-

on, tie it down to keep it from jumping up the forestay.

Then drop the main.

Keep lines out of the water

Securing the COBPull the COB in with the Lifesling line.

Pull to the windward side—this is rougher on the COB but the boom and mainsail will be out of the way.

Pull the COB as close as possible to a midship or cockpit cleat, and cleat off the line.

The most critical part of the rescue is over!

Recovering the COBGet out the hoisting tackle. Attach the lower end temporarily to a lifeline, or directly

onto the loop at the end of the Lifesling line.Identify a free halyard—most commonly the main

halyard—and attach the fall end of the tackle.Run the fall through a genoa sheet lead block to a sheet

winch.Hoist the halyard at least 10’ off the deck and cleat it

off.Attach the lower end to the Lifesling line loop (if not

already attached).Undo the cleated Lifesling line and hoist the COB

aboard.

Recovering the COB: CaveatsYou have the time to work safely, as the immediate

danger of drowning or hypothermia is past.

Make sure the tackle’s fall comes from the upper block.

Make sure the hoist is led outside the lifelines.

Hoist the upper block at least 10’ off the deck so the COB will clear the lifelines.

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coffee break(10 minutes)

After the break, please follow Bryan to the hanger for

the hoisting demonstration.

Can you hoist your partner with a 3:1 purchase tackle? 4:1?

questions?

Is your Lifesling securely tied and seized to the boat?

Do you have a readily accessable tackle with enough line to go from near the water to 10’ off the deck, and lead fairly to a winch?

What problems do you foresee using these techniques on your boat?

Preparing in advanceRead literature, watch the video, take a class Get the gear on the boat, correctly installedDock exercise: with a MOB in the water or in

the bottom of a dinghy alongside, hoist and drop the sails, rig the tackle, and hoist the MOB aboard.

At sea: practice MOB routine with a dummy (a fender tied to a bucket). Practice with a live MOB only under safely controlled conditions.

Preparing in advanceRead literature, watch the video, take a class Get the gear on the boat, correctly installedDock exercise: with a MOB in the water or in

the bottom of a dinghy alongside, hoist and drop the sails, rig the tackle, and hoist the MOB aboard.

At sea: practice MOB routine with a dummy (a fender tied to a bucket). Practice with a live MOB only under safely controlled conditions.

Preparation checklist:Lifesling and retrieval line in sound condition.Line tied and seized to a hard point, with UV

protection.At Lifesling end, line tied in a loop long enough to go

from the water to the rail, securely knotted and seized.

Lifesling packed correctly.Hoisting tackle handy, long enough to extend from

the water to 10’ off the deck, with the fall leading fair to a winch.

Every crewmember must practice annually.

Tradewinds Sailing QuickstopMany of the case studies are from reaching on

inland waters such as Puget S0und, San Francisco Bay, etc.

But tradewind cruisers are likely to be in different conditions:Sailing a broad reach or dead downwind20-30 kn. of wind, 5-15’ seasGybe preventer on the boomGenoa on the spinnaker pole, possibly

wing-and-wing, or a spinnaker flying

Downwind Problems

•big seas

•Steering is locked by AP or a windvane

•gybe preventer rigged to boom

•genoa on a pole

Downwind QuickstopProblem: Solution:• big seas

• steering is locked by AP or windvane

• gybe preventer rigged to boom

• genoa on a pole

Quickstop!

unlock steering

release preventer after starting turn to windward

release genoa sheet as soon as sail starts to backwind

Downwind Quickstop sequence:1. Push MOB button, throw floating objects2. Disengage windvane or AP steering.3. Start turn to windward.4. Cast off genoa sheet as it starts to backwind.5. Cast off gybe preventer as main starts to

backwind.

Downwind Quickstop, cont’d

5. Cast off gybe preventer as main starts to backwind.

6. Deploy Lifesling.

Downwind Quickstop, cont’dThe boat will now be in irons, downwind and off to one

side of the COB. With most of the jib rolled in, continue the turn and sail close-hauled toward the COB.

Steer to pass upwind of the COB, then fall off and gybe. Steer tight circles until the COB has the float.

Downwind Quickstop

Questions?

What would be different on your boat?

Staying attached to the boat!

JacklinesRun from bow to 6’ from stern.

Should keep COB from going more than waist deep.

Should have moderate stretch to minimize peak loads.

Strong enough to handle 4000lb. tether load

Jackline layout

jacklines on Sequoia

jacklines on Sequoia

cockpit jacklines

Jackline materialsMaterial Pros Cons3/16th “ 1x19 316 wire rope

Easy to useNo UV degradationRequired by ISAF

Very low stretchRolls underfootSwages can corrode

½” dacron double-braid

InexpensiveEasy to rigGood UV resistance

Rolls underfootOther lines may be mistaken for it

Spectra or Dyneema Tubular webbing

High strengthOK UV resistanceLays flat on deck

ExpensiveVery low stretchRequires stitched loops

1’ polyester tubular webbing

Lays flat on deckModerate stretchOK UV resistance

Requires stitched loops

Jackline material no-nosMaterial: Cons:Nylon tubular webbing

Polypropylene webbing or rope

Weak (3600 lb. )Too stretchyPoor UV resistance

Weaker than nylonVery poor UV resistance

Chest HarnessesAvailable in plain harness or as part of

inflatable vest

Must be comfortable

Tether must attach to both D-rings on harness

Best with whistle, light, and reflective tape

Tethers6’ long max., 4000 lb. min. breaking strength.

Boat-end clip should be safety type (Kong clip or Wichard Safety clip).

Chest end must be releasable under load (snap shackle).

The most likely proximate cause of drowning.

HypothermiaDefined as a core temperature less than 95°F.

Loss of consciousness begins at 90°F.

Death occurs when core temperature drops below 86°F.

Hypothermia from Immersion

Minimizing hypothermia in the waterLayer of fleece, wool, jackets, hats, gloves all help

Foul weather gear (traps air, minimizes “pumping”).

Wet suit or survival suit (the best choice).

Keep your extremities out of the water.

Minimize exertion.

What you can do if you find yourself in the water:1. Inflate vest, if worn. Cinch up any straps at

wrists, legs, waist, or hood.

2. Minimize exertion. Don’t try to swim to shore.

3. Get onto overturned boat or any flotsam.

4. Assume HELP position in water.

Treating hypothermiaDO DON’TGet victim into dry clothing

or blankets. Heat from core:

Warm, sweet drinks if conscious.

Breath steam (100-110 °F).Heat pads or hot water

bottles to chest area.Keep victim horizontal,

quietCall for medical aid if victim

is unconscious or confused.

Don’t assume victim is thinking clearly

Don’t apply heat to the extremities.

NEVER GIVE ALCOHOL!

Don’t move victim.

Severe hypothermiaRequires hospitalization for best chance of

recovery.

When checking pulse, check for at least 40 seconds as heartbeat may be very slow.

Mouth –to-mouth breathing may be used to assist victim’s own breathing.

Drowning from hypothermiaClear lungs and airwaysIf no respiration or heartbeat, begin CPR.

Rescue breathing will add warmth to victim’s core.

Warm victim slowly.

Remember, the victim isn’t dead until he is WARM and dead!

How to search for a missing crew when you have lost contact with them.

Search Options

1. GPS Man Overboard function.2. GPS track back option.3. Spiral search pattern

Search Options

1. GPS Man Overboard function. For typical marine GPS, hold down

mark button. This creates a mark labeled “MOB.” GPS then shows a heading back to

COB.

Search Options

2. GPS back track. If plotter is making a track record,

turn and follow back along the track Useful even if you don’t know when

the crew went overboard. Usefulness impaired by long track

interval, strong winds or current.

Search Options

3. Spiral search:A course of 90°turns that traces a path with a constant distance between adjacent legs. The longer the search continues, the larger an area it covers.

spiral search pattern1. go 1 unit, turn right.2. Repeat3. Go 2 units, turn

right.4. Repeat.5. Go 3 units, turn

right.6. Repeat.7. Continue pattern.

8. Each unit is a constant distance or time based on visibility.

Estimated position of COB

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2

32

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4

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5

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6

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etc.

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Spiral search example:Say that certain visibility is about 25 yards.

Twice this (or 50 yards) becomes 1 unit of distance.

5 knots = 2.8 yards per second. (1 nm/hr=0.56 yd/sec)

One unit of time will be 50/2.8 = 18 seconds.For simplicity, let one unit= 15 seconds, or slow

down a little and let one unit = 20 seconds.So go 20 sec. N, 20 sec. E, 40 sec. S, 40 sec. W, 60 sec. N, 60 sec. E, 1:20 S, 1:20 W, etc.

Search tipsTry to make one search unit no more than the

distance between swells.Furl the sails and motor (after checking for lines in

the water!).Search slowly enough to allow a careful scan.If your plotter is convenient to the helm, turn on

tracking with a very short interval (10 seconds) to make a reasonable record of the search.

In less than full sun, have a spotlight handy, particularly if the COB has any reflective strips on his clothing.

Stay attached to the boat!

SIYC Summer Safety CruisesCOB Hoist and Cruise

August 1-2Hadley’s LandingTheme: Tropical

TreatsHost: Ed and Sarah ,

S/V Hokuloa

Come check out your Lifesling gear and practice hoisting a real, live wet sailor aboard!

Astoria Cruise and COB Boathandling Practice

August 15-16Tongue Pt. lagoonTheme: Cruiser’s

PotluckHost: volunteer needed

Take a longer cruise down to Astoria and try out your Quickstop under controlled conditions. This will be an anchoring cruise with excellent kayaking and shoreside exploration.