Suddenly Single Handed

Jill ClementApril 2013

This might be you…

Then Now

Or maybe this?

Medical EmergencyMOB

Sailing Skills

What WOULD you do? Really.

Think About, Learn How, Practice

What is the very first thing to do?

Panic

CONTROL THE BOAT OR ATTEND THE VICTIM?

MOB - Control the boat so that you can get to the victim

Injury – Take a deep breath and assess: Can the boat drift for a few minutes without imminent

danger? NO? Turn on the engine and get to a safer spot, then put the engine in

Neutral.

YES Let all your sheets fly and everything boat will stop. This is noisy

and chaotic so try it.

Heave To – takes a bit of practice, but much calmer on board

Turn on the engine and keep it in neutral.

Assess the Situation

2013 survey conducted by Dr. Andrew Nathanson of RI Hospital and published in the journal Wilderness and Environmental Medicine separately reported injuries in dinghy’s vs. keelboats.

In the study 71% of reported injuries occurred on keel boats. On keel boats, the upper and lower extremities accounted for 78 percent of all injuries, with

another 11 percent occurring on the trunk. The most common causes of the injuries were trips and falls, being hit by an object, or being

caught in the lines. Of the 70 most serious injuries reported, 25 percent were fractures, 16 percent were torn

tendons or cartilage, 14 percent were concussions and 8 percent were dislocations. The majority of severe injuries were to the head, knee, leg and arm. Heavy weather was considered a contributing factor in 36 percent of the severe injuries. Also of note, seven percent of the injured sailors reported that they consumed alcohol within

two hours of sustaining an injury. Nathanson says, "While the effects of alcohol are dose-dependent, even low levels of alcohol use while boating is a potential problem."

Nathanson reports that the survey also indicates falls while on board boats can likely be reduced by improved footwear and better anti-skid deck surfaces, less cluttered and more ergonomic deck layouts and adherence to the sailing maxim "one hand for the boat, and one hand for yourself." The researchers also recommend protective head gear, padded spars and higher boom clearance as potential changes that can reduce sailing injuries.

Sailing Injury Study

(Probably) Minor Injuries: slow the boat and AssessFalls are the most common cause of injury aboard

Blow to the head? Check pupils, nausea, dizziness indicate that you need help or at least to get to land asap.Possible back or neck injury? Do you know how to stabilize the neck and spine? Cuts Swelling – ice (assess for a potential break)Serious insect bites Sunburn Is your first aid kit ready? How about your pantry? Do you keep pure Aloe, Cayenne or black pepper, meat tenderizer and vinegar on board?

Medical EmergencyBasic First Aid Knowledge is Critical

Nothing says romance like taking a first aid course together

Learn How To: Slow down blood loss – direct pressure/pepper? Tie a tourniquet Immobilize an arm or leg Using an epi pen

Keep a Well stocked first aid kit in a prominent spot

Know how to use the VHF Pre-program your phone with Coast Guard

number

Minimal First Aid Skills

Instead of that romantic getaway weekend, why not take a first aid course together?

Assess and call for help FIRSTHeart Attack or Stroke (FACE) CPR by yourself – Red Cross advises breathing only Dehydration - Increased thirst, dry mouth and swollen

tongue, weakness, dizziness, palpitations (feeling that the heart is jumping or pounding), confusion, sluggishness, fainting. Caffeine is a diuretic.

Heatstroke (symptoms/treatment) Hypothermia – (signs of) get and keep victim

horizontal – do not offer the victim alcohol, do not rub skin.

Medical EmergencyBasic First Aid Knowledge is Critical

Nothing says romance like taking a first aid course together

Minimally, define when you’ll don pfd’s in worsening conditions

Install a jack line and use safety harnesses outside the cabin

Consider towing the dinghy Do not pee over the side or rear of the boat. Even if no

one’s looking… Man Overboard (MOB) is the root cause for 80% of all

deaths at sea. The VAST majority of MOB victims are men (see previous bullet)

Man OverboardAn Ounce of Prevention

• In the study sited earlier only 30 percent of the sailors who responded reported wearing a life jacket.

• The US Coast Guard reports that two thirds of recreational boating deaths are caused by drowning.

• Surviving a fall overboard is doubled when the victim is wearing a PFD.

Most non-racers don’t practice MOB response; much less with the first mate at the helm.

Most MOB recovery methods assume at least 3 people are on board.

To be confident of a positive outcome both captain and mate should be competent at being both the victim and the rescuer

In real life emergency the victim is likely to be: In heavy water-sodden clothing, Coughing and spluttering from salt-water in the lungs Potentially on their way to hypothermia (recent

studies show longer in-water time than previously believed)

Possibly unconscious

Man Overboard (MOB)

Man Overboard (MOB)It’s You

• Make yourself visible (hood on)• Mirror/whistle in your pocket• HELP position to preserve body heat• Grab a flotation object• Look for LifeSling in the water, swim

toward the rope ahead of the float, if you

are able.

If you are on the boat: Hit the MOB button on GPS (or ID

opposite heading on the compass) Toss Floatables

Quiz

Man Overboard (MOB)You are suddenly Single Handed

Does it float? Can you see it in the

water? Debris Trail theory

Toss What Floatables?

Where is the Victim?

Self Inflating devices

Approx.$399$120-$300

Approx.$1000

Visibility Aids

Approx.$199

Take a deep breath. Take another deep breath. You have more time than you might think if the

water is reasonably warm. Stop or at least slow down the boat – be

prepared for noise if you luff all of the sails Turn on the engine, in neutral. Stay in the cockpit if you can. Drop the sails OR let them flap around?

CAN you drop the sails (do you know how and can you physically do it)

What can you do alone? Roller furler? Flailing genoa sheets are very dangerous if you are on

deck.

Get to the Victim – with Engine

Take a deep breath. Throw floatation of any sort Turn the boat up into the wind and throw floatation

overboard, including the LifeSling (if you have one) Turn back toward the victim (let the jib/genoa backwind) Circle the victim until he can grab a rope (or the LifeSling) Cleat the rescue rope. Head up into the wind and drop the main. Let the headsail

fly or roll it in if you have time. Recover the victim with a halyard (through a block & to a

winch) Best case scenario:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?feature=player_detailpage&v=akvdg_OQEhQ

More realistic scenario:https://www.youtube.com/watch?feature=player_detailpage&v=stqveg0TYvA

Sail to the Victim Using a LifeSling

Getting the Victim Back On The BoatVertical Recovery

No Lifesling?• Tie a large bowloin into

the end of the halyard.• Toss the end to victim,

who slips the loop under their arms

• Using genoa winch, raise victim out of the water.

A 5:1 tackle block will hoist a 200 lb person with only 40 lbs of lifting effort

Horizontal Recovery

MOB Mat Sea Scoopa

DIY• Recovery of injured

victim• Best position for

hypothermia

Start the engine and put it in neutral First Aid as needed Look for hypothermia Attend to the boat – consider anchoring

Expect to feel jumpy, angry, weepy from adrenaline

Victim is Back on Board

Prevent – What can you do to prevent accidents and injuries? Look at your boat with a critical eye Handrails, non skid rugs/stair treads, potential

missiles in the cabin, cockpit clutter, jack lines, ladders, proper clothing near the companionway

Prepare - Talk through scenarios first aid class, first aid kit, blankets, MOB equipment

and drills, time at the helm, radio awareness, labels Practice skills – heave to, stopping the boat, lower

sails, deploy the anchor, etc

Prevent & Prepare

Despite your level of preparedness accidents and injuries will happen. Be Prepared.

What should you do first? Call for help Bring the boat under enough control so that

you are free to deal with the victim Assess the victim and render first aid

There’s been an accident – now what?

The right answer of course is…

Things to take into account: weather, traffic, hazards, the victim…

it depends …groan

Let sails fly and drift for a bit Heave-to Continue (or begin) to motor to where you can get

help Beach the boat in a populated area – beach

(probably not the optimal choice)

Bring the Boat Under ControlStop the boat in such a way that you are not in greater danger

Come about without touching any of the sheets

Keep the rudder in come-about position (tighten it down)

Adjust the main until the boat is making very little forward progress (1-1.5 kts)

If seas are very rough consider reefing

You will very gradually slip sideways to windward

(main is trying to turn you upwind, headsail is trying to turn you downwind. Rudder is helping the headsail. Forward progress is mostly the keel in action.

Heave to

Calling for Help

Who Can Help?

US Coast GuardHarbor Master Private

Towing Service

Signals to get help

Wave Arms

Use radioUse flairs/ hoist a

distress flag.

Radio BasicsMayday comes from the French

“venez m’aider” meaning

“come help me”

Every Boat should have a documented Radio Procedure readily available

Call Towing service or the Coast Guard on your cell, or by radio (cell may be faster)

While calling a local police station may connect you with the harbor master, 911 operators do not have direct transfer to the Coast Guard

May or may not bring your boat back to your home port, depending on your contract. READ it Carefully

May not provide service if you are in your home port. The issue of salvage rights (if you can, drop an anchor

regardless of the depth of the water) As a general rule, the USCG aids people, not boats. A towing service membership more than pays you back

for numerous years of membership with one call.

If you need to get off your boat…A Word About Towing

Know the basics of anchoring Where is the anchor and how is it attached

to the boat? How does the windlass work? How do you

turn it on?

Deploying the Anchor

Do a quick physical (or even virtual) walk through of your boat

Do both of you know where safety equipment is? Where is the first-aid kit? Is it up-to-date and ready

for a head injury, serious cut, immobilizing a limb? Is there a simple first aid book in there?

Where are the flares? Do you both know how to use one?

Look for areas to improve cabin and cockpit safety A large number of cabin related injuries are due to projectiles. More safety rails in the cabin

Make up a radio procedure sheet and post it AT the radio

Significantly increase helm time for first mate

Before the sailing season starts…

Adrenaline is not a substitute for knowledge and practice.

DO – figure out how to stop the boat. Discuss MOB

Talk through what equipment you have and how to deploy it.

Walk through – can you both actually use your current equipment successfully – alone. If not, you might as well throw THAT

overboard. Actually do a drill.

Large and easy ‘victim’ (dinghy, old pick up buoy)

Slow Motion or do an Add-A-Step approach

Baby Steps

Don’t – announce MOB drill and immediately jump overboard to simulate the ‘real thing.’

Questions/Discussion

Use the MOB feature of the GPS Head into the wind Heave to Drop the mainsail and the headsail Start and Operate the Engine Deploy MOB recovery equipment Tie a bowline knot Deploy the anchor Practice basic first aid

Do you Know How To: