Man Overboard

By Ted McDermott

Sometimes it’s a storm. Sometimes it’s a collision. Sometimes, though, it’s something as simple as a dirty windshield that leads to a man overboard event. Take Kriss Anderson’s case, for example.

As she writes in Saved by the Jacket, the National Safe Boating Council’s collection of true on-the-water stories, she and a couple of companions were cruising downriver on a nice day. Everything was fine and easy, except for the salty spray that was obscuring their windshield. So, she did the natural thing: “I took a towel and spray bottle of window cleaner and worked my way up to the windshield on the narrow gunnels of the boat. Having done a fine job cleaning the window, I turned to go back aft to the cockpit.”

The next thing she knew, she had slipped, fallen and slid over the side of the 28-foot cabin cruiser. On her way down, she scraped herself on the boat. She landed in the water on her back. Nearby, a pair of propellers turned beneath the water

Luckily, Kriss, a member of U.S. Coast Guard Auxiliary and an experienced, savvy boater, did a smart thing: she used her feet to push herself away from the vessel.

The skipper did a smart thing too. He saw her back there, adrift in the water, and immediately yelled out, “Man overboard!” In so doing, he took the first step in executing the proper procedure for a man overboard event and ensuring Kriss’s rescue.

Should someone go overboard from your boat, do what her skipper did and yell that phrase as loudly as possible. Then, point to the person in the water. It’s vital that you lock your eyes on them and never, no matter what, take your eyes off the person in the water. If it’s night, use a flashlight.

Next, throw a floatation device, ideally a Type VI device such as a life ring or horseshoe buoy, to the victim. Tossing it underhand is best, as the device will go farther than it otherwise would.

Then stop the boat, check your headings and turn the boat around 180 degrees. Some GPS units have a Man Overboard Button, which provides you the return course back to the spot where you first pressed it. Without this technology, just add or subtract 180 from your course and steer there. Approach the swimmer so that he or she is upwind of the boat.

If you have a floatable retrieval line, fasten one end to a secure railing and toss the other end to the person requiring rescue. The victim should position the loop under his armpits, so he can be pulled to the side of the boat and hefted up into the vessel.

Luckily for her, Kriss Anderson was wearing a lifejacket when she fell into the river, and she easily was able to swim back to the boat from a few feet away. If you find yourself distressed in the water with or without a PFD, there are some things you can do to increase your chances of survival.

Though you’ll probably do it anyway, it is good to shout and try to attract attention when you fall overboard. Once you are in the water, try to let the crew know where you are by putting up a hood, splashing water or waving your arms.

Do not swim after the boat, but do swim to any floating device that’s thrown into the water. Trying to catch up with the boat can make it more difficult for your potential rescuers to keep track of your location. Then, wait as calmly as possible for the boat to circle and return. When it does, look for a retrieval line or throw rope.

All of these steps help, but the most important thing you can do to increase your likelihood of surviving such an event is simple: wear a PFD.

By wearing a lifejacket, Kriss Anderson survived going overboard without much grief. By yelling “man overboard” and cutting the engines, her skipper helped keep her rescue simple. If they hadn’t handled themselves so well, it’s easy to imagine how sticky the situation could have become.

It may seem unlikely that someone will go overboard from your boat, but it is always a possibility. Sometimes it begins with something as simple a dirty window. Follow the above steps, and you may ensure that it ends with a successful rescue.