Recovering somone from the water

[Jono Garton]

Just a few pics of how to recover an able person from the water.

[Jono Garton]

and with little effort-

[Stoo]

My SO and I have the occasional discussion about this cheery subject. She weighs 98#, I weigh 195#. I dive alone most of the time and she is concerned that if I were incapacitated (or worse) that she wouldn't be able to retrieve my bloated butt. We have considered a MOB net, (http://www.markuslifenet.com/71MLRIB.htm) but I'm not sure she could get me in even with that. (I have suggested that she just loop a line abound my foot and hit the gas... although I'm not sure how well I would plane!)

I'm not remotely concerned about it, but some sure-fire way to haul me in would make her feel better. It might be time for a small hoist!

These pictures show an interesting technique. I am curious as to why you effectively remove the "victim's" ability to help by pulling his legs out first. It seems to me that if his legs were in the water, he could assist by kicking... It also seems to me that you increase the risk of "forcing" his head underwater if you lose grip of his arms while his feet are over the tubes. Most traditional recovery techniques involve "sliding" the victim over the tube. This method appears to require a lot of force to counter the victims presumed tendency to fall backwards/away from the boat...

[Rogue Wave]

Switch Engine Off

Pull You Around To The Stern Of The Boat

Straddle The Leg (of The Engine!)

Use The Tilt Mechanism To Lift You Out Of The Water

It Also Works A Treat If You Are On Your Own And You Have A Tilt Switch On The Leg


Scuse Caps !

[Stoo]

Originally Posted by Rogue Wave

Use The Tilt Mechanism To Lift You Out Of The Water

We do.. but the concern is around recovery if I was unconscious...

[pathalla]

Quite frankly, I think some of us who are slow learners could "grasp" the concept of your recovery methods more quickly if you demonstrated this with a curvaceous bikini clad young lady instead of the somewhat bulky, ill defined dry suited gentleman in the pictures, no offense intended. The visual clarity this will impart would be of great benefit to those ribnetters out there who are poorly trained, besides the fact that most of them most likely would prefer to recover a damsel in distress than a bloke who went in because he dropped his beer overboard. Careless bastard!

[Stoo]

Originally Posted by pathalla

....most of them most likely would prefer to recover a damsel in distress than a bloke who went in because he dropped his beer overboard. Careless bastard!

I believe the "approved" method for recovering a bikini-clad crew member is to:

1) Shut engine off
2) Leap in to the water
3) Submerge below the "victim"
4) Push upwards, slowly, yet firmly
5) Come up for air only as required!

[Rogue Wave]

Originally Posted by Stoo

We do.. but the concern is around recovery if I was unconscious...

whats the difference! the idea is to get you out of the water your state of conciousness isn'i important as the hydraulics are providing all the effort'

I presume your SO has the skills to get the boat to you safely. If not develop them! It strikes me that this is something you could practice and probably get sorted in an hour. could be time well spent if only to remove one of your SO's worries.

[pathalla]

believe the "approved" method for recovering a bikini-clad crew member is to:

1) Shut engine off
2) Leap in to the water
3) Submerge below the "victim"
4) Push upwards, slowly, yet firmly
5) Come up for air only as required!
__________________
Pump it up and RIDE!



Ah yes... that one is a textbook example for safe consensual recovery of the female from the water. Gender specific of course, ensuring the differing female anatomy is not harmed in any way while slowly being lifted out of the water. It does sometimes take quite a few tries but is always effective in the end.
In some corners this particular technique is known as the "Moby Dick" due to the rescuer needing to resurface for air from time to time...
Few people truly know that from this rescue technique sprang the origin of the expression "THAR SHE BLOWS"
I know our British ribnetters might possibly be unfamiliar with this particular method, but Canadians and Americans have been doing it for a very long time.

[jyasaki]

Originally Posted by Rogue Wave

whats the difference! the idea is to get you out of the water your state of conciousness isn'i important as the hydraulics are providing all the effort'

It would be quite a feat for a person to maneuver an unconscious diver into position behind the motor, hold them there, and operate the tilt mechanism while ensuring the limp victim doesn't fall off the rising motor.

Even if that does work, supporting the weight of a wet diver and exposure suit over the engine leg is not going to help with his breathing and such.

Personally, I think the best first course of action for a solo aid provider (assuming difficulty in getting the victim back onboard), would be to get on the VHF and yell for help. You wouldn't want them going overboard as well, or getting injured in the recovery.

jky

[Jono Garton]

We were training for recovering divers in Poole a couple of weeks ago.

note pic 2 is chucking him back in the water not getting him out.

If your unsure of the method at the top of the thread, try it sometime, it works well with one person or two in the boat, just use your weight and dont try to hard or they will go out the otherside of the boat.

[pathalla]

If you really want to recover someone fairly easily here is the perfect boat for that task, I had a 20 cat like this and the ramp is really handy for divers or the kids getting back on board from swimming. Someone ought to think about building something similar across the pond, it works very well.

[laser]

Jono

Seems approiate seeing that you are talking about man over board drills and have included some photos there. One interesting thing I would pick up on is why neither of the crew in the boat are wearing a bouyancy aid or lifejacket. If either of these 2 had gone overboard in the current conditions, they would not have long in the water with tempertaures at the moment, before hyperthemia setting in and would have trouble staying afloat. At least if they had one on then they would have some bouyancy provided.

A golden rule that I teach and all other instructors that I know teach, that is before going on the water, you must be wearing either a lifejacket or bouyancy aid depending on what activity you are doing.

Seems like these crew need to be advised to wear some form of flotation,and would have expected that you would have insited that they wear something before stepping foot in your boat.

Rich

[Stoo]

Originally Posted by jyasaki

Personally, I think the best first course of action for a solo aid provider (assuming difficulty in getting the victim back onboard), would be to get on the VHF and yell for help. You wouldn't want them going overboard as well, or getting injured in the recovery.

I believe that there is a lot to be said for this. As for using the tilt on the engine, while that might haul an unconscious person up, there is no way that my SO could get me into the boat from there (around the A frame etc.)

Jono, I didn't meant to sound as though I was poo-pooing your method. I have not tried it and will next season. I suppose I am guilty of hi-jacking this thread as my paticular concern is to do with a light-weight crew hauling a lard-ass, unconscious diver into the boat!

I also appreciate that no one has begun lecturing me on the evils of diving on my own. That has not always been the case in diving forums!

[pathalla]

I also appreciate that no one has begun lecturing me on the evils of diving on my own. That has not always been the case in diving forums! [/QUOTE]

Lectured for diving by yourself? I appreciate the value of having a buddy while diving but I used to dive alone frequently by myself and never felt threatened or like I was doing anything particularly "risky". When you look at activities like sky diving, free-solo rock climbing or base jumping in comparision scuba is pretty tame.

The bottom line in mob procedures is to get very familiar with a method, any method that works for you and be ready to perform it in a emergency. All of us have had to pull someone out of the drink from time to time, it is just a little harder from a rib than boats equipped with swim platform.
Design in some safety features to your boat if you have that option to make boarding easier, I built a outboard bracket, the boat is easy to board for most people. Your passengers are your responsibility...

[scm]

I must say laser is spot on.
In one set of pics not one life jacket (one BA on the one in the water) then when doing drills with the RNLI, all have to wear them ! (for good reason).

In my boats you are not insured unless you are wearing one and all my instrs/skippers have to wear one at all the times.

Good spot.
Stuart

[Jono Garton]

Laser

Wasn't my boat so I cant rule the use of life jackets, the pictures were taken from one of my boats.

However nice to see your input on the subject rather than just being picky about the photos, not.

Jono

[tim griffin]

It's a good technique developed on the Isle of Wight by the RNLI and is used in the safety boat course .It's another option we have in recovering a MOB .
I personally would not have wanted the other two guy's to be in the picture as no life jackets/pfd on, and not exactly advertising best practice even if it is not your boat .

[Poly]

Originally Posted by Jono Garton

However nice to see your input on the subject rather than just being picky about the photos, not.

Seems like fair comment to me really - if you post "how to..." pictures you are opening yourself to criticism from people who spot deficiencies...

[Jono Garton]

Polwart

My point was I,m not posting about driving in fog or someone wrapping my desk in paper, just posting some pics to help people, if they end up in this situation another of way easily getting someone back in the boat.

I agree every one is free to criticise, however its just discouraging people from posting useful info.

Jono