Picking someone up from the water

[lizardland]

A discussion on a diving forum got me thinking, on my PB2 they taught killing the engine whenever recovering someone from the water so that the motor couldn't accidentally get knocked into gear. Someone on another forum was criticising a group of divers for doing that and needing rescued because they couldn't restart the engine.

Is there a preferred method?

Cheers,

Stuart

[Nos4r2]

That sounds like more of a maintenance/lack of knowledge issue than anything else. Besides, unless the cox is going to keep the engine running throughout the whole dive that issue could surface anywhere.

I'd go with the engine off every time.

[Jacek]

On DTS you can switch to throttle only and it solve the problem. I'm diver to and without DTS I'd rather switch off the engines.

[m chappelow]

i suppose the safest option would be to switch off ,,

As a matter of intrest i had my 10 year old lad practising a m.o.b. a couple of weeks back luckily with a training dummy ,think out of 10 attempts he left the engine running in gear about 4 times when he thought it was in neutral so perhaps its best to switch off especially with inexperienced and a panick situation .,,anyhow when going forward to grab the dummy he forgot about the kill cord on the other 6 so it stopped anyhow
on the other hand picking a m.o.b.up in a big sea or from say a busy shipping channel or in a close quarter situation i think i would leave the engine running ,,,at least i can get out of the way and leave the m.o.b. in front of the oncomming ship .

[Pikey Dave]

If conditions are good & i've plenty of sea room I switch off. If I need to make a quick exit or maybe go round again, I keep 'em running. The bit about not restarting is b0110cks, if they aren't confident enough to switch off the engine, they shouldn't be out with it.

[Starovich]

I would say best practice is to turn it off, as mentioned if the engine is iffy why you out in it.

However... like with most rules the are exceptions:

• Lee Shore, (yes you could anchor out and drift in)
• Close to Rocks in big swell
• In Surf
• Are in the SBS/Seals and are picking up on the plane...

Im sure there are more, if in any doubt, turn it off..

[njensen]

I think the risk of "accidently knocking it into gear" is quite minimal (there is a lock). However i believe it's good practict to shut the engine off to avoid breathing CO just after or before a dive. Especially with the good old carb. engines you can easily feel kind sick lying in the surface inhauling oil-gases.

[Razorbill RIBs]

Originally Posted by njensen

I think the risk of "accidently knocking it into gear" is quite minimal (there is a lock).

Not always / not on my mercury topmount

As has been said...best practice = off IMO (unless common sense /safety dictates otherwise for the sort of reasons quoted previously).

Also, for interest, we are trained to go neutral on lifeboat.....but we switch off when on charter.

[Pikey Dave]

Classic example of keeping the engines running is picking divers up around islands e.g. the Farnes, divers usually surface close to the rocks & are too knackered/lazy/fat/important to swim off & expect picking up where they are. Depending on wind/tide/waves you have to be nifty sometimes, especially if you are single handed, get the diver in, fins off, kit in & leg it. I usually just haul them into the bottom of the boat & get out, we can tidy up later. It just occurred to me that I unconsciously always recover divers on the stbd side, my binnacle controls are on the port side of the console, I'd have to be dammed unlucky to fall across the helm, take the brakes off & put her into gear by accident.

[ashbypower]

Originally Posted by njensen

I think the risk of "accidently knocking it into gear" is quite minimal (there is a lock). However i believe it's good practict to shut the engine off to avoid breathing CO just after or before a dive. Especially with the good old carb. engines you can easily feel kind sick lying in the surface inhauling oil-gases.

The LOCK is only plastic and WILL snap with sufficient force, like being thrown against it. Also Surface mounts rarly have a "Lock"
Best to switch of as the diver who was run over by a dive boat in the noprtheast last year I am sure he would agree/

[Pikey Dave]

Originally Posted by ashbypower

The LOCK is only plastic and WILL snap with sufficient force, like being thrown against it. Also Surface mounts rarly have a "Lock"
Best to switch of as the diver who was run over by a dive boat in the noprtheast last year I am sure he would agree/

Was that by the hard boat run by Sovereign divers? If so it's a completely different situation

[ashbypower]

No a Rib was involved in an incident aswell, I'll try to find the info, although last year was a bad year for me (I lost almost 9months) and could well be mistaken it could have been the previous year.

[lakelandterrier]

I think I'd prefer to have the MOB recovered safely in in the boat and risk the engine not starting again (IMHO a small risk on a properly maintained engine) than risk the engine being knocked out out neutral whilst people are trying to manhandle a casulty aboard.

If there's only 1-2 left on board you'll probably need both to recover the MOB which will mean the helm moving away from the engine controls and disconnecting from the killcord.
I'd switch off - unless there was immenent danger to the craft - and therefore the MOB by not switching off.

As current teaching seems to be call in a MOB as a pan-pan - if not a mayday - if the engine doesn't start you can update the pan-pan / mayday.

There will always be situations when you have weigh common sense & expereince with risk & conditions. The key thing is to to have a base procedure in mind with thought through alternatives

[wavelength]

I'd switch off - unless there was immenent danger to the craft - and therefore the MOB by not switching off

thats right as far as I'm concerned. No good dragging one into the boat and then drowning everyone on the rocks.
Our dive club never stopped the motor once out at sea in case it wouldnt start - but thats a long time ago and shouldnt be the way now with modern equipment.

My dive buddy had his mask smashed and forehead cut by a propeller that was on the club outboard which was allegedly in neutral. Prop just turning as they often do in neutral was the explanation. Well perhaps it was, perhaps it wasnt but the helm certainly wasnt going to admit to anything that might have been his fault. Impressive scar - he used to crack on it was a duelling scar.

[Poly]

Originally Posted by lakelandterrier

As current teaching seems to be call in a MOB as a pan-pan - if not a mayday - if the engine doesn't start you can update the pan-pan / mayday.

But the question doesn't just apply to MOB - it applies to divers (as per the OP), skiers/waveboarders/tubers, swimmers as well as dinghy/sailors and windsurfers who may not be in "distress". Mincing a MOB is bad news - but they were already in a life threatening situation; mincing someone who was in the water for fun is really not a good idea.

Originally Posted by pikeydave

It just occurred to me that I unconsciously always recover divers on the stbd side, my binnacle controls are on the port side of the console, I'd have to be dammed unlucky to fall across the helm, take the brakes off & put her into gear by accident.

indeed I was taught if you have the option pick the casualty up on the side away from the controls as then you eliminate the risk (either of you bumping them if their not turned off for some reason or of your crew member stubling against them when moving about the boat to get the casualty). I've seen someone loose balance as a boat came to a stop (they were standing up in front of the console) and instinctively grab the first thing - which happened to be the throttle - fortunately there was noone in the water to get him by a prop.

[wiLlfish]

Originally Posted by wavelength

the helm certainly wasnt going to admit to anything that might have been his fault.

i downt blaim yew mr mullit

yew ad de rite too remayn sylent

[wavelength]

[Doug Stormforce]

Originally Posted by lakelandterrier

As current teaching seems to be call in a MOB as a pan-pan - if not a mayday - if the engine doesn't start you can update the pan-pan / mayday.

On the basis a MOB is in distress (i.e. his life is in danger) then its a Mayday.

Current teaching is Mayday NOT Pan Pan.

[Rib T]

I always insist the engine is off. My prop still turns in neutral and the edges are well feathered so very sharp.

To retrieve skiers etc

Approach the person in the water so they are abeam. Turn of engine turn the steering to the opposite lock, move the person to the rear where they use the outboard leg as a step to allow entry over the transom.

MOB

Only ever practiced this manouvre. If the person is able we loop the mooring rope to provide a stirrup. If person is unable to use stirrup we loop the mooring line under them in a series of loops and pull them up the side, easy with kids nearly killed three of us hauling my large mate up. Only ever practised with engine off.

[captnjack]

The prop frequently turns esp in cold water when the gear oil is a bit viscous. I generally anchor and turn the engine off, but when I am live boating I still shut down the engine to pick up divers. If I was worried about it not re-starting I would get it repaired or replaced before going out in the first place. If the divers are really close to a lee shore I'd have them swim out to clearer water. If they are incapacitated on a lee shore... there's not much I can do with the boat aground so they still have to swim out.