Same as before initially. Throw everything (that floats) in the
cockpit into the water. Take a hand
compass bearing on his position, write it down.
Maybe something will get near enough to him to grab hold of and at least the location is marked, if I get under way I'll know when I'm in the right area.
'From last exercise' switch on the
GPS and do
MOB button.
Hold on the
EPIRB, it's too slow, I should be able to save him, it's about the only chance he's got.
Liferaft if he's downwind, with a droque of some sort and the longest
rope in the
cockpit locker. His best chance of saving himself. (I might need it tomorrow but he needs it now.)
50 ft is so close but he's drifting away even tho he's still swimming. What else.
Boats OK for a few minutes at least, water below but not serious, check again, looks to be less than a foot.
Mast is bumping the
hull occasionally but is also downwind.
Got to get the boat to him. Start the
engine and hope the prop doesn't tangle, if I reverse most of the debris will stay clear.
Where is he? Can't see him, hand
compass. Bloody hell he's a fair way off now, just in sight over waves. We're moving at a couple of knots but the rudders taking a hammering but the mast is now trailing ahead of us so no more impacts. Hand compass on his position, not changed much, write it down, and the
GPS position and press the
MOB.
What else. He's waving, I wave back, not knowing if it's a goodbye.
The
liferaft took off in the
wind, snapped the weak link. Gone. But there's still all the
rigging, just had to get close enough with anything for him to reach.
Once he'd got hold it was doing things carefully. In the lee of the boat he'd recovered enough to look for damage and assess the rig and mast. I wanted to wait 'till the storm settles a bit but he wanted back on board. With another
rope he jury rigged a bosuns chair to wrap around him and I hauled him in on a winch.
Five minutes later he's back on board, fit, relieved, cold. Chocolate and brandy for cold and shock. I'll let him have some too.
The only damage he's got is from getting back on board.
We're still in slow astern, means hand
steering but it feels like we've got some control over how we present to the wind and waves. That mast is going to be a hell of a job but it'll wait half an hour now it's streaming out behind us.
Lifelines on. Cockpit secure,
Cabin next, what a mess. A tot of brandy for Neptune, lousy sense of humour. He's got some bruises though, but all four limbs still
work.