Rescued at Sea - Are You Prepared ?

[smackdaddy]

Originally Posted by goboatingnow

It's not a criticism of your efforts merely, that unless you involve ships captains nothing is authoritative in any way. What's the point of training unless we have evaluated techniques and approaches. Otherwise all you are doing is a sort of warning..

As to NARC well it may be that some things may be need to looked at, as to the suitability of crews and boats.

I'm not at all anti training, I,m am a RYA instructor, though I don't teach much now. Training to be effective must be clear, understandable and relevant. Since such rescues are carried out in conditions that are impossible to recreate in a training situation, it becomes a kind of detached safety lecture. But it's not training as I understand it.

Dave

No worries, Dave. Are/Were you a ship's captain? I'd sure love to have your input if you can offer some specifics.

[goboatingnow]

Originally Posted by smackdaddy

No worries, Dave. Are/Were you a ship's captain? I'd sure love to have your input if you can offer some specifics.

No I did some commercial training but I've never been sea commercially. However I know many. Very many how have good email on board and I could put some ideas to them. One in particular is bit of a sailor unusually.

As I see it the issues are

What do captains regard As the best way to approach a small vessel

Would they use a small rescue boat to reach the boat if not why not

Do crewmen have any specific training in mob recovery do the officers.

What rescue methods would a ships captain consider useful in a small boat situation.

Are they aware of the fragility of small yachts and the often resulting destruction

Dave

[Cormorant]

Here's an interesting "rescued at sea" story:
Merchant ships help sailor in distress

Merchant ships help sailor in distress


PORTSMOUTH, Va. (WAVY) - Crewmembers aboard two merchant ships responded to the Coast Guard's call for assistance to medevac a Canadian man experiencing signs of a heart attack aboard his sailboat Thursday.
Watchstanders at the Coast Guard 5th District Command Center coordinated the rescue 170 miles southwest of Bermuda after getting a call from an amateur radio operator from Montreal.
The wife of the man experiencing the symptoms initially called the radio operator saying she was a nurse aboard the Argo V, a 36-foot sailboat en route to St. Martin. She said she believed her husband was having a heart attack and needed to be medevaced.
Two crews responded to the Coast Guard's enhanced group call. A crewmember from aboard the merchant vessel Mary Ann Hudson said they were about 120 miles from the Argo V and were willing to divert. A crewmember also said they had heart medication aboard.
The crew of the Clipper Daisy also responded saying they were willing to divert and take the man to Bermuda.
The wife aboard Argo V altered her course to head toward Bermuda, but she was unable to continue because of strong winds and 6-foot seas. The crew of the Clipper Daisy rendezvoused with the Argo V around midnight Thursday and took the man aboard.
The man is currently being transferred to Bermuda then to a local hospital.
"This case is a prime example of the outstanding coordination using various tools in the search and rescue system to include amateur radio operators, AMVER system and Rescue Coordination Center Bermuda," said Lt. Cmdr. James Klein, chief of the Rescue Coordination Center Norfolk.

[Hud3]

I wonder what happened to the wife and the sailboat.

[smackdaddy]

Just wanted to pop in with a quick update on this subject. Check out the November issue of Cruising World for my article: "Safety At Sea: Rescue Ship's Here. Now What?".

Thanks again to everyone who contributed their time and knowledge. And a big booyah to the Coasties who have our backs!

[smackdaddy]

The CW article is now online:

How To Get Rescued at Sea | Cruising World

Enjoy! And if you think this kind of thing is an important aspect of Safety At Sea training...say so.

[nigel1]

Thanks for the link, a well written and informative article. Somehow I missed this thread first time around, must have been away at work.
I'm a skipper in the Merchant Navy, and also sail, so this thread was particularly interesting.
Thanks.

[TeddyDiver]

While I find this a good subject I can't help wondering what kind of boats and crew get into trouble 20' seas and 40knot wind? Of course accidents happen and people get sick but c'mon, that's perfectly good sailing weather.. IMHO

[smackdaddy]

Originally Posted by nigel1

Thanks for the link, a well written and informative article. Somehow I missed this thread first time around, must have been away at work.
I'm a skipper in the Merchant Navy, and also sail, so this thread was particularly interesting.
Thanks.

Thanks nigel. You're exactly the kind of guy whose input I think is very valuable. If you have any add-ons or suggestions I'd love to hear them.

In the next few weeks I plan to circle back around with the Safety At Sea leadership and see if we can get some of this information into their curriculum - so let me know what you think.

[nigel1]

I'm in a sort of lucky position with the type of ship I am on. Its an 80 meter anchor handling tug.
So we have plenty of horse power, very maneuverable, relatively low freeboard on the working deck (4 meters). Equipped with two RIB type rescue boats, and have a crew trained to use these boats (they undergo a weeks course, and we exercise the boats weekly), and who like to drive them. They'll fall over themselves to launch the boats during drills, in 30 to 40 kts winds.
My preferred method to take someone off a small boat is by using our rescue boats. If that is not possible, I am confident that we could hold position alongside a small boat with minimal contact.
One item I would suggest that we as yachties might consider to take along on an ocean crossing would be a helo type lifting strop, the type the SAR services use for winching off persons. These retail at about $100.
They are simple to put on, secure, and relatively comfortable. If we had to hoist someone from the deck of a boat, that's what we would use. Although I have two onboard, not many commercial ships carry them.

Couple of pictures of an exercise with the UK Coastguard

[goboatingnow]

Nice pics

Dave

[nigel1]

Thanks Dave

And on another occasion with the guys from RAF Lossiemouth

[smackdaddy]

The strop is great advice nigel. Thanks.