How to Do a Man Overboard Drill on a Sailboat

A man overboard is one of the most common causes of injury and death in sailing. Unlike a powerboat, a sailboat can't just whirl around to pick the man up. The crew must follow a choreographed set of steps to control the boat and get the victim. Follow these steps to do a man overboard drill on a sailboat.

Instructions

1. Make a plan. Before you set out to sail, every member of the crew should know the man overboard plan for that boat, on that outing. Each crew member should be assigned a position. The person on helm should remain on helm, one other crew member becomes a spotter and any others contribute to the sailing of the boat and preparing for unforeseen eventualities.

2. Practice the boat maneuvers first. One of the most difficult parts of the man overboard is handling the boat in a way that gets it to the victim in a short amount of time. Start with a basic figure eight maneuver the uses two tacks to return the boat through the wind, around the victim and put the boat windward of the victim in the water. (See the related eHow article, "How to Do a Figure Eight Maneuver on a Sailboat.")

3. Throw a life vest. To begin the drill, throw a life vest when none of the crew are expecting it. If no one notices, shout "Man overboard!" Begin the drill by assigning a crew member as a spotter and then making use of the other crew to sail the boat or keep watch for other vessels. If the drill simulates a life threatening situation, get one of the crew to man the radio.

4. Add chaos. Having a nicely planned man overboard drill is a solid first step to being prepared. However, you won't always be able to do a figure eight (say, for instance, if there's an obstacle ahead). So, perform the drill with unusual circumstances, such as running downwind with a spinnaker flown, in light or heavy winds or with multiple victims.