Solo sailor rescued thanks to PLB

[JAFO]

A solo sailor in the Northern Territory, Australia, was today rescued after having to cut himself free from his harness, when knocked overboard in a storm and his jackline caused him to hang upside-down over the side, with his head submerged.

https://thenewdaily.com.au/news/good...d-cat-rescued/

So yeah.. keep those jacklines properly located on the centreline, and keep your tethers short.

[clownfishsydney]

Happened on 4 January 2021 according to the article.

[JAFO]

Originally Posted by clownfishsydney

Happened on 4 January 2021 according to the article.

Oops.

I missed that detail. Looks like today was when he met with his rescuers to thank them properly. Thanks for the correction.

[JPA Cate]

It's OKAY. It is on today's ABC news in Oz, and he has met the AMSA folks and said thanks, and he and tortoise shell kitty, Stinky, are reunited with boat. Everyone likes a story with a happy ending, is it not so?

Ann

[Wotname]

Here is the original thread on this story.
https://www.cruisersforum.com/forums...or-244729.html

[wathey]

Great news that someone survived this type of mishap with good planning. I do think one minor item highlighted by this story is the fact he was drowning in his harness. I am in no way knowledgeable about the specific circumstances of him dangling over the side but I do think everyone who is buying a deck harness should consider the implications that the vast majority tow you face first. I used to be a whitewater raft guide, there is literally over a thousand pounds of pressure from the drag of the surface area of your soon to be carcas if your submerged at anything over 3kts. Like others have already pointed out, make sure your jacklines plus harness don't let you hit the water. But in the most dangerous whitewater we made sure everyone understood to roll on their back if they caught a lifeline thrown from a fixed point. You will plane on your back and you will be able to breathe. This doesn't mean you can get back on your boat but it could buy you a few brief moments for some prayers and well deserved apologies to folks you may never see again while you locate your knife and make a fateful decision. Face first you are fighting a less than two minute battle against drowning. I'm not here to push any brands or state you should swap something you have logged over 20k miles at sea in but the designs of most jackets are flawed (IMHO) and if your buying a new one look into the back tow design. an make sure your jacklines don't let you hit the water.

[mholtzberg]

That is why I bought a Teamo jacket. It has Backtow capability:

https://www.teamomarine.com/collections/all

[Apollo19.5]

Originally Posted by wathey

Great news that someone survived this type of mishap with good planning. I do think one minor item highlighted by this story is the fact he was drowning in his harness. I am in no way knowledgeable about the specific circumstances of him dangling over the side but I do think everyone who is buying a deck harness should consider the implications that the vast majority tow you face first. I used to be a whitewater raft guide, there is literally over a thousand pounds of pressure from the drag of the surface area of your soon to be carcas if your submerged at anything over 3kts. Like others have already pointed out, make sure your jacklines plus harness don't let you hit the water. But in the most dangerous whitewater we made sure everyone understood to roll on their back if they caught a lifeline thrown from a fixed point. You will plane on your back and you will be able to breathe. This doesn't mean you can get back on your boat but it could buy you a few brief moments for some prayers and well deserved apologies to folks you may never see again while you locate your knife and make a fateful decision. Face first you are fighting a less than two minute battle against drowning. I'm not here to push any brands or state you should swap something you have logged over 20k miles at sea in but the designs of most jackets are flawed (IMHO) and if your buying a new one look into the back tow design. an make sure your jacklines don't let you hit the water.

Years ago when training drills for a Sydney to Hobart, I strapped on my inflatable jacket (blow up by mouthpiece, not co2 bottle) and jumped over the side to simulate (only one other knew i was going to do it) a MOB situation at sea. Boat was under spinnaker doing 7-8knots at the time.


They got the sails down, lines cleared and motored back to me with one watching me at all times. By the time they could react, i was too far away for any device to be thrown to me intially. When they got back to me a life sling was thrown and I put it on as per instructions. The boat was moving forward and with the sling and my semi inflated jacket, it did as you described and started heading me under water with not a huge amount of forward momentum in the yacht. I had to go to my back as you mentioned to stop from drowning until they realised what was happening and ensured the boat was stopped. Was an eye opener for us all and a good exercise as to what we did right and wrong.

[JAFO]

Originally Posted by Wotname

Here is the original thread on this story.
https://www.cruisersforum.com/forums...or-244729.html

Thanks! I did a quick check before posting, in case someone had already posted it, but didn't think to look under "Seamanship & Boathandling".