MOB solo self rescue

[WingRyder]

Originally Posted by cyan

(disclaimer- as a software/hardware engineer, I don't trust autonomous vehicles)

Then I hope you don't plan on travelling commercial airlines. jk.

Your ideas are intriguing, this is certainly a concept that should be explored! Even a simple PWC can return to its MOB... obviously a sailboat is FAR different from a PWC, but it seems that having the boat be able to at least loiter near the MOB, would be far preferable, to watching it sail away on a straight heading at 7 knots... completely unaware that anything was wrong. IMO, it's as simple as that. Yes, as others have stated, if you are unconscious when you enter the water, you are probably screwed... but having the boat stay on station until SAR arrives, would seem to me, to be a great asset... If the MOB were to regain consciousness, having the boat insight would give you far greater incentive to self-rescue and live, than looking upon an empty ocean, ... realizing that your yacht was gone. If you are already dead, the boat remaining near you would help rescuers find you, and they would also have your boat... rather than it sail away and run aground hundreds of miles away.

[jmorrison146]

This might help.

https://newatlas.com/noras-u-safe-po...ng-buoy/47533/

Might be able to be programmed to go to the MOB who could then drive it to the hive-to boat.

[Tillsbury]

The sort of weather in which a MOB is most likely to be needed is not the sort of weather that any drone or tender is going to stand a chance.

[WingRyder]

Originally Posted by Tillsbury

The sort of weather in which a MOB is most likely to be needed is not the sort of weather that any drone or tender is going to stand a chance.

Just thinking out loud, with zero sailing experience, so please read my post with that in mind, BUT in storm conditions, I would think that a solo sailor (or ANY sailor for that matter) would have the sense to be firmly attached to the boat, via jack lines or other hard points! And/or, avoid being on deck, exposed, as much as possible, in storm conditions. IMO, a VERY likely MOB scenario could be in reasonably calm seas, decent weather, when your guard is down and you are a bit complacent. Suddenly, Captain Mob, while inspecting something on the foredeck, loses balance and gets tossed overboard... or, something as simple as peeing over the side... I've heard that's a pretty common MOB scenario...

But, Just like every endeavor in life, NOTHING is guaranteed, and your safety can't possibly be guaranteed or fool proof. I don't think anyone can reasonably expect a MOB recovery system to be 100% failsafe! I rode motorcycles for 25 years. As a youth, I rode shirtless, with flipflops and shorts... but, in my 40's and 50's, I rode ATGATT (All The Gear All The Time)... Wearing leathers and a helmet, only increases your chances of surviving a crash... it is certainly no guarantee!!! Sound judgement, and knowing my limits, kept me alive for >200k miles of riding...

If you find yourself, accidentally bronco'd from your boat, uninjured, you are screwed! On a bike, well, at least it stays put, regardless of its condition, and you are on land. But at sea, your boat will leave you! So, in the, VERY LIKELY scenario, where you fall off the boat, in conditions other than a 'perfect storm' you would be screwed no matter what!

It would be nice to know that your boat had enough sense to stay in your vicinity, instead of rapidly beam reaching at hull speed until it fades away... leaving you otherwise uninjured, yet cognisant of your new, unfortunate predicament... I wonder how many unsolved solo events at sea fit into this category... we can never know.

I see this just like any other technology that comes about. Naysayers will say, it can't be done, and have a million reasons why. Techies, will develop something crude, but works acceptably well... and that technology will slowly evolve into something that we can't even invision right now... it happens with all technology. My mother had a car phone 30 years ago! It was a novelty. It was crazy expensive and didn't really do much. It was mostly a status symbol. The most brilliant engineers in 1990, could NOT have envisioned what cell phones would become. The only thing that will kill this technology is price! Boat tech seems to be prohibitively expensive! You get what you pay for.... unless you are a 'rich' boater and have money to burn on the latest technology! LOL... Scrappy boaters or garage techie stoners, WILL figure this out. (As a reality check, Apple was founded by two garage stoners... )

There are tens of thousands of novices, honing their skills, and building businesses, using arduino and other microprocessors as a prototyping platform. This is NOT wizardry! This is a very doable technology that has yet to be explored by someone to risk the time and the capital to bring it to market.

[cyan]

Originally Posted by Tillsbury

The sort of weather in which a MOB is most likely to be needed is not the sort of weather that any drone or tender is going to stand a chance.

Maybe.
But.
Wouldn't it be nice if your yacht came back to find you?
Nevermind the drone or tender.
The YACHT that you refer to as a beloved female?
That would be nice in my world.

[Snore]

Originally Posted by cyan

Sorry, but this is just old-fashioned thinking. Nobody is asking the boat to execute a classic figure-8 retrieval pattern, under sail.
Who said the boat would have to "sail" back to you? You DO know that cars can drive themselves these days, right? (disclaimer- as a software/hardware engineer, I don't trust autonomous vehicles)
Understand that there are engineer/tinkerers who happen to be sailors. This is the group that will have the solution for which the OP was searching. Some of us have even tested such home-grown systems.

(I think the niche market for such an elaborate system is a bit too small, but a good friend of mine is a solo sailor, so I persist.)

There are a few hurdles we've toyed with:
1. Automatically sense that the Captain is MOB. (easy. check.)
2. Automatically douse the sails. (tricky. not yet ideal. not generic.)
3. Automatically start the engine, engage prop. (a bit difficult. not generic.)
4. Automatically find the MOB like a trusty St Bernard. (easy. check.)
5. Automatically bump the bow gently into the MOB. (easy. check.)
6. Automatically haul the MOB aboard. (nope. hoping you are conscious when your boat comes back for you like a trusty Australian Shepherd?)
7. Warm up the retrieved MOB. (blanket+rum. check.)

I will ignore the sarcasm and speak to the facts.

First, be the system. Go out there in 12’ or higher seas and manually do the steps. But only use the AP + and - button to navigate. Tell me how that works for picking up a MOB. How will you adjust for the differing wave frequency and heights? Also starting a brand new hot engine is easy. How will you start an older or cold engine that needs some pre-heat?

Aside from technophiles (and there are some sailors who are), most will avoid the huge price tag for a less than reliable system and simply clip in. A proper jack line and tether set-up makes it impossible to fall off.

[atoll]

the most simple solution would be to have a "dead mans switch" in the cockpit, similar to what they have on trains.
this would basically be a button that needs to be pushed to reset a timer.

failure to push the button in the chosen time would result in the auto pilot being disengaged,engine stop solenoid engaged ,AIS mob alarm activated etc

this in turn would be linked to a ram on the steering quadrant or tiller arm being activated and pushed hard over,powerful enough to overide a self steering windvane.resulting in the vessel having backed sails or hove too and basically stopped in the water.

this would greatly improve chances of self recovery,or rescue.

[abotha]

Have a look at the concept of Internet of Things.

1. Automatically sense that the Captain is MOB. (easy. check.)

RFID tag built into persons jacket or maybe as a bracelet. RFID link between person and RFID receiver broken sets the sequence into motion.

2. Automatically douse the sails. (tricky. not yet ideal. not generic.)

Pyrotechnic fastener (explosive bolt) between main halyard and top of sail. MOB and the bolt fires. Sail should drop.

3. Automatically start the engine, engage prop. (a bit difficult. not generic.)

Simple starter electronics to start engine.

4. Automatically find the MOB like a trusty St Bernard. (easy. check.)

Simple GPS navigation. Chat to B&G or similar to build into their software.

5. Automatically bump the bow gently into the MOB. (easy. check.)

...or maybe just slowly circle the MOB

6. Automatically haul the MOB aboard. (nope. hoping you are conscious when your boat comes back for you like a trusty Australian Shepherd?)

Hopefully conscious...

7. Warm up the retrieved MOB. (blanket+rum. check.)[/QUOTE]

Get boat to drop rum bottles at 30sec intervals for MOB to warm themselves with...

[Olddan1943]

Originally Posted by jmorrison146

This might help.

https://newatlas.com/noras-u-safe-po...ng-buoy/47533/

Might be able to be programmed to go to the MOB who could then drive it to the hive-to boat.

Now that's a pretty good start.

An example of; for every question there is at least one correct answer, just gotta hunt for it.

[Pole]

Had this discussion with a mate when he returned from his round-the-world trip. I postulated a solo sailor could leave a rope out the back as a 'final' back-up.
He laughed at me.
So we tried it out. And here's the thing - at any speed over 2kts you start dipping below water. Its all you can do to hang on. At 4kts you can't even hang on.
At boat speed of 1kt you have a chance if you're a very, very good swimmer, and the boat doesn't get more than 10 meters away. You wouldn't want to be in full wet weather gear.
We did this a long time ago so maybe I'm out with some of the numbers, but thats how I remember them.
Best not to leave the cockpit unless you have taken precautions - clipped on and with a plan.
Makes you appreciate all those solo sailors a bit more...

[FabioC]

There are folks developing this type of solutions right now. There is a lot of technology and testing that has to go into creating a solution with the reliability necessary to make it a product that everybody can use and succeeds in any conditions, but yes, keep monitoring your local chandlery for one in the not too distant future.

[scallowayuk]

There is too small a market to make this profitable.as a singlehander forover 30 years we know the risk and accept it. Grabbing a line at most boats cruising speed ,at least 5 knots would most likely remove your fingers.only my opinion but theconly sensible option eould be a line from the windvane to disconnect it but the drag might affect performance how would electronics work if your in the water .if it could be done someone would have done it by now.ive donecover 50.000 miles singlehanded .im still here.

[skkeith]

I was not think of special hardware or explosive bolts or auto tenders or anything. You could do it all in OpenCPN if you have AIS and NMEA autopilot. And the personal MOB AIS tracker of course.

On the sailing back front, I was thinking of an algorithm more like 'keep the boat in irons' or 'heave-to' Let the MOB swim back. No help for the unconscious solo sailor, and it would be useless in a storm, but I think it would help if you were jacked in and thrown over the side being towed, and you are nearly as likely to fall overboard on a nice day. I think it also could be a good assist for short handed retrieval or retrieval of crew in the dark (with a different retrieval pattern possibly).

[skkeith]

Originally Posted by cyan

Maybe.
But.
Wouldn't it be nice if your yacht came back to find you?
Nevermind the drone or tender.
The YACHT that you refer to as a beloved female?
That would be nice in my world.

and she would keep following you no matter how far you drifted...

[medevicerep]

Simple answer, jack lines and harness.