Man Overboard

Man Overboard Recovery

There is an old saying that the first job of the captain is to "keep the water out of the boat and keep the crew in the boat". Sailors will chuckle at this, but the recovery of a man overboard (MOB) can be extremely difficult. Having the proper skills and gear to find, recover and administer first aid to a MOB is crucial.

The following checklists are oriented towards Coastal, ICW and Offshore sailing, but Daysailers should also consider how they would recover a person in the water and get them back into the boat.

Equipping Your Boat for MOB Recovery

	Item	Link to Detail
Prevent a Man Overboard (MOB) Situation
	1" webbing jacklines rigged from the bow cleats back to the cockpit on either side of the boat
	1" webbing jackline rigged around the perimeter of the cockpit for the watch stander to clip into
	Suitable handholds and grab bars located at various points on deck
Locate the MOB
	MOB pole, strobe light, horse shoe buoy and drogue tied with 30' of polypropylene line.
	Dye markers in cockpit
	Helmsman's fanny pack containing strobe, dye marker and flares. Worn by the helmsman and passed along to the next person when the watch changes.
	PFD's retrofitted with extra reflective patches on shoulder areas, strobe light and whistle.
Recover the MOB
	Lifesling recovery system, "MOM" unit, or similar .
	5:1 block and tackle with 150' of line for hoisting MOB back on board.
	Suitable halyard or fitting on main boom to attach the lifesling to.
First Aid for the MOB
	Dry towels and blankets
	Heat reflecting "space blanket"
	Cabin heater

Links to Outside Resources

The following links provide links to further reading, manufacturers websites and more information on "how to".

	Item	Link to Detail
Equipment Reviews
	BOAT/US Foundation review of MOB equipment	Link

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