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Old 10-12-2021, 15:41   #1
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VHF Mayday MOB message format

Hello, I am studying for the RYA SRC/VHF certificate at home online and I understand that the format for the distress call and what needs to be included in the message - part of which includes number of people onboard.

What I am not clear about is when transmitting a mayday for man overboard, would this be the number of people still onboard or do you also count people who started off onboard but are now in the water?

Thanks
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Old 10-12-2021, 16:21   #2
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Re: VHF Mayday MOB message format

Interesting question.
I would guess that POB should match the Persons Manifest, so the number of persons that the vessel left port with.

In a MAYDAY you need to give the vessels position if you give the "estimated" position of the MOB you could argue that a PAN-PAN should be called.
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Old 10-12-2021, 16:21   #3
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Re: VHF Mayday MOB message format

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Originally Posted by PM Farr View Post
What I am not clear about is when transmitting a mayday for man overboard, would this be the number of people still onboard or do you also count people who started off onboard but are now in the water?
You write-off the people in the water as already dead, so the total number is (those still aboard - any gingers) = souls remaining.

More seriously, when calling mayday for an MOB where the vessel itself is not in danger, I would specify the number of people in the water as that's the vital information and you don't want to retrieve only two if three went in. If you're in the middle of nowhere, and the vessel itself is also at risk, then you should count everyone a rescuer might need to allocate space for.

However, for your test, I'm guessing an instructor might prefer "the number of people that should be aboard", but wouldn't fail you for giving the number remaining. For discussion: what if the PIW was from a different boat?

Per the ITU radio regs, the distress message consists of:
the distress signal “MAYDAY”;
– the name of the vessel in distress;
– the call sign or other identification;
– the MMSI (if the initial alert has been sent by DSC);
– the position, given as the latitude and longitude, or if the latitude and longitude
are not known or if time is insufficient, in relation to a known geographical
location;
– the nature of the distress;
– the kind of assistance required;
– any other useful information. (WRC-12)


Note that a headcount isn't actually in there. In olden times I've heard it said that a PAN PAN would be more appropriate as the ship itself is not in distress, but referring to the current regs we see: "32.9 The transmission of a distress alert or a distress call indicates that a mobile unit[2] or person[3] is threatened by grave and imminent danger and requires immediate assistance." Footnote 3 says "In this Article, where the case is of a person in distress, the application of the procedures may require adaptation to meet the needs of the particular circumstances."
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Old 10-12-2021, 16:48   #4
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Re: VHF Mayday MOB message format

I dunno what the 'proper" format would be but I'd try to make it clear as possible.

POB=persons on board
MOB=man over board

So perhaps the format would be 'x' POB and 'y' MOB as way of describing the actual situation.
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Old 10-12-2021, 17:14   #5
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pirate Re: VHF Mayday MOB message format

We have a man overboard situation...
Six crew, 4 onboard and 2 in the water..
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Old 10-12-2021, 17:19   #6
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VHF Mayday MOB message format

I’m an ex RYA VHF instructor.

An MOB in cold waters is most definitely a mayday it is not a PAN PAN. ( it’s both grave , the MOB could easily die and imminent , it’s happening right now )

Secondly don’t get too rigidly hung up about persons on board ( avoid the term crew ). In your radio call simply state the normal number of people on board then in the nature of your distress mention you have an MOB( or MOBs ) and provide details

You will find that the coastguard radio station will actually ask you for all the information again anyway ( ie he will ask you how many people on board , the nature of your distress etc. ).

Don’t sweat the procedure. Ensure the “ pro-word is restated multiple times , ensure the yacht name and position are supplied immediately after the mayday.

Then follow on with the remaining details. Keep the mayday as short as possible

Obviously if you are DSC equipped you will activate a “ specific DSC distress “ call before the voice procedure.
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Old 10-12-2021, 22:31   #7
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Re: VHF Mayday MOB message format

As mentioned above, this is the formal structure of a distress message (and a MOB is a distress message in any kind of waters)
Per the ITU radio regs, the distress message consists of:
the distress signal “MAYDAY”;
– the name of the vessel in distress;
– the call sign or other identification;
– the MMSI (if the initial alert has been sent by DSC);
– the position, given as the latitude and longitude, or if the latitude and longitude
are not known or if time is insufficient, in relation to a known geographical
location;
– the nature of the distress;
– the kind of assistance required;
– any other useful information. (WRC-12)

So, in the sentence "the nature if distress"
you state the MOB situation, e. g. 'Two persons overboard in B7 sea'
In the sentence "Any other useful info" you may add anything you think is useful, like colour/size of your boat, number of people remaing e. g. "only one person still onboard"
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Old 10-12-2021, 22:59   #8
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Re: VHF Mayday MOB message format

Quote:
Originally Posted by requiem View Post
You write-off the people in the water as already dead, so the total number is (those still aboard - any gingers) = souls remaining.

As a red-head, I find this hilarious!
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Old 11-12-2021, 00:59   #9
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Re: VHF Mayday MOB message format

Greetings and welcome aboard the CF, Paul.
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Old 11-12-2021, 01:32   #10
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Re: VHF Mayday MOB message format

MOB is life in danger and always Mayday and not PAN. The person is part of your crew, even in the water.
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Old 11-12-2021, 02:24   #11
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Re: VHF Mayday MOB message format

Quote:
Originally Posted by SeanPatrick View Post
As a red-head, I find this hilarious!
Why?
If you consider those in the water as dead, there is ni need for Mayday call...
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Old 11-12-2021, 02:36   #12
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Old 11-12-2021, 02:51   #13
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Re: VHF Mayday MOB message format

Surely no confusion.
Man overboard you shoule be able to recover, unless it's a single hander fallen overboard - in whichncase a man overboard is a superfluity.
Perhaps training inpicking up a man overbaord would be advisable - my sons aged 11 and 9, put the boat about and picke up my cap, which had been knocked off my the boom, which had also stunned me.
No respecter of persons, the younger one, with the boathok trod all over me - but they got the hat on the 3rd try.
Alex the elder went over twice, Ants the more sure footed only once , that after dinner at the Quay in Wareham, he'd drabbed a mooring tope and would not let go, even when on dry land.


So man-overboard, keep your shame to yourself and haul them back aboard, IMHO no need for a PAN at all - a discreet message to RNLI operators on VHF 28 or 31 - depends if you have a watch office locally.
So the number of people, useful if you're abandoning ship but irrelevant if you've just been carelsss.
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Old 11-12-2021, 07:59   #14
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Re: VHF Mayday MOB message format

Quote:
Originally Posted by meirriba View Post
Why?
If you consider those in the water as dead, there is ni need for Mayday call...
You will be accused of failure to provide assistance. Only a medical professional is aloud to declare a persons death.
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Old 11-12-2021, 10:35   #15
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Re: VHF Mayday MOB message format

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You will be accused of failure to provide assistance. Only a medical professional is aloud to declare a persons death.
Sure.
I have just responded to the joke post that suggested not to count those in the water in the Mayday call.
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