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Old 14-02-2014, 22:07   #16
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Re: Man Overboard Alarms & Devices

When we start to rely on our little gadgets rather than a strict safety policy on board we open ourselves up to doing stupid things. I'm told that sailors spend money on additional safety gear based on their own depth of fear.
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Old 14-02-2014, 22:14   #17
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Re: Man Overboard Alarms & Devices

Of course the main aim is to stay on the boat. That's just common sense. That still doesn't mean that people who do everything right still don't end up in the water. It does happen, if it didn't there wouldn't be a market for them.

People have been doing stupid things long before they came along. If they help save lives
I don't see any reason why these 'little gadgets' can't be part of a good safety plan.
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Old 14-02-2014, 22:21   #18
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Re: Man Overboard Alarms & Devices

The market for these devices is based on fear, that's why people buy them it is not based on how many people it saves every year. I understand you want to everything possible to have a safe boat which is good. I read the 1st poster who talked about going for a stroll on deck while someone or his other crew member was below decks. On our boat that is not allowed. No one can be on deck by themselves without being hooked on day or night.
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Old 14-02-2014, 22:44   #19
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Re: Man Overboard Alarms & Devices

Works OK if you have enough crew to keep more than one on deck at all times.
Even then, on a dark windy night, with a lumpy sea, it would be very easy to lose sight of someone going over the wall.
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Old 15-02-2014, 01:02   #20
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Re: Man Overboard Alarms & Devices

Money can buy better health a better boat and better safety gear. If you can afford it then buy it cause it might just save your life. If you cannot then make the best systems you can to keep safe. I think some kind of night and day pack is smart. We wear safety belts in our cars for just one reason. It might save our life.
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Old 15-02-2014, 01:27   #21
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Re: Man Overboard Alarms & Devices

I'm all for safety, I sometimes have bad dreams about my wife going overboard but I have to tell you when your running downwind in 25-30 knots of wind and you go overboard the world changes pretty quick.
Your wife is going to have to get the preventer off the main, get the headsail furled, get the pole down and then try to beat back upwind in good sized seas to try and get you. The odds of this happening are pretty slim in my view.
A better plan is to do everything possible to not go overboard and that requires a very disciplined approach and the proper attachment gear. Sure if you want to spend some money on these electronic devices and on some level it makes you feel safer then by all means do it but if you take a laissez-faire attitude onboard and expect to make up for it with these safety devices its probably going to get you in trouble one day. I have always told crew on offshore passages, follow the safety rules religiously because chances are if you go overboard you are dead.
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Old 15-02-2014, 02:11   #22
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Re: Man Overboard Alarms & Devices

If you wear this device you are more likely to fall overboard because you think it can save you.

Any options to interface with an autopilot for singlehanders?
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Old 15-02-2014, 02:25   #23
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Re: Man Overboard Alarms & Devices

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Originally Posted by robert sailor View Post
A better plan is to do everything possible to not go overboard and that requires a very disciplined approach and the proper attachment gear. Sure if you want to spend some money on these electronic devices and on some level it makes you feel safer then by all means do it but if you take a laissez-faire attitude onboard and expect to make up for it with these safety devices its probably going to get you in trouble one day. I have always told crew on offshore passages, follow the safety rules religiously because chances are if you go overboard you are dead.

No argument there, totally agree. I single hand most of the time, and plan each move well in advance. I still think a PLB of some description is a good thing, and I certainly do not think that having such a device would encourage a person to take risks.
On our work boat, in bad weather, the crew wear AIS SARTS when working at the stern roller, in all the time that these have been used, I have never seen the guys take any additional risks.
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Old 15-02-2014, 02:51   #24
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Re: Man Overboard Alarms & Devices

I think with a properly crewed vessel your odds go way up but on boats sailed by couples, not so good! I remember one of our crew going over board during a race. It took 3 young and seriously strong guys to pull that guy in and when they got him in they were spent. You don't last very long in the PNW waters, often less than an hour.
I also remember a couple sailing towards Aussi and he fell over, tethered to a system a little too long. His wife was unable to deal with the weight and drag of the boat and he drug until he drowned and stayed that way until she was found.
I've met very few couples offshore that have actually tested any of their gear to see if the wife could actually deal with the weights involved in a man over board situation in smooth water much less in a blow.
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Old 15-02-2014, 04:17   #25
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Re: Man Overboard Alarms & Devices

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Originally Posted by boat_alexandra View Post
If you wear this device you are more likely to fall overboard because you think it can save you.

Any options to interface with an autopilot for singlehanders?
That's exactly what I was going to ask, thanks.

The truth is, all the procedures and harnesses in the world will not save you if you get hit by a fishing vessel or some other catastrophic event happens.
So why not buy a bit of kit that might save you.
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Old 15-02-2014, 04:26   #26
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Re: Man Overboard Alarms & Devices

Being against safety or perceived safety is like being against apple pie and Motherhood in the USA but there are huge corporations that keep reinforcing all your fears to sell you their products. 99% of the sailors will make safe and fairly uneventful passages by just using plain old common sense, just make sure your part of this group and you will have little to worry about.
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Old 15-02-2014, 04:32   #27
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Re: Man Overboard Alarms & Devices

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Being against safety or perceived safety is like being against apple pie and Motherhood in the USA but there are huge corporations that keep reinforcing all your fears to sell you their products. 99% of the sailors will make safe and fairly uneventful passages by just using plain old common sense, just make sure your part of this group and you will have little to worry about.
Very true, but why if something called an "accident" befalls you, what do you propose I wonder.
I think that's what the OP wondered too.
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Old 15-02-2014, 06:52   #28
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Re: Man Overboard Alarms & Devices

I do recognize that accidents can happen and sometimes no matter the situation your butt is cooked however many of the adventure sailing books I have read are really just ordinary everyday offshore sailing by people that were very poorly prepared so they had accidents but they were the avoidable kind however they wrote a book about it. Kinda like watching "all is lost". The point I was trying to make is that rather than thinking about a device to find someone after they have gone overboard spend your time thinking about how to not let it happen. Most of what we call accidents are really poor preparation and less than stellar application of basic seamanship. There are so many different safety devices sold in the marine industry today that you could fill half your boat with them.
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Old 15-02-2014, 07:33   #29
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Re: Man Overboard Alarms & Devices

We use the Kannad r-10 AIS (2x) and they're attached to the life vests of the one or two persons on watch at the time. It's linked to our Raymarine e125 and functions fine. We do a MOB drill every few months. Our standing rules are life vests/r-10s are mandatorily worn at night and during marginal weather during the day. I'm quite satisfied with this setup.

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Old 15-02-2014, 07:50   #30
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Re: Man Overboard Alarms & Devices

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......The point I was trying to make is that rather than thinking about a device to find someone after they have gone overboard spend your time thinking about how to not let it happen......
I think you managed to make that point and it is 100% true. :-)

My position is, that having done all that is possible to minimise the risk, there will remain a small risk.
When you are talking about maybe $200 or $300 to reduce that even further it is wise to take it.

Personally my fear would be being knocked off my boat and watching it sail away from me.
If there are autopilots on the market that will auto tack maybe there is one that will cut the engine or heave the boat too.
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