Safety Boat Capsize Recovery Procedure Step by Step
by John Richter and recorded by Bob Childers
Capsize sailboat:
by John Richter and recorded by Bob Childers
Capsize sailboat:
- Stand-off to see is sailor is giving OK sign
- Give encouragement to get sailboat head to wind
- Hold position until sailboat is up and sailor is back aboard
- Hold until sailor has sheet and tiller and is on a tack
- Stand-off to see if sailor is OK - see that sailor is not OK
- Navigate toward sailor, shut off engine
- Carefully bring sailor aboard safety boat
- Radio to call 911 for ambulance, make for shore
- Radio that sailboat requires pick-up
- Stand-off to see sailor is giving OK sign
- Give encouragement to get sailboat head to wind
- Hold position - sailor makes attempts to right sailboat - no success
- Move in on sail, as distances closes, shut off engine
- Crewman moves, hand over hand down leach of sail
- Sailboat is up, sailor attempts to re-board
- After several attempts - no success
- Move up wind of sailor in water - as distances closes, shut off engine
- Help sailor to board safety boat by lifting on pfd - safely seat sailor
- Start engine and move up wind sailboat - as distance closes
- bring safety boat beside sailboat, crew holds bow of sailboat
- shut off engine and transfer sailor back to sailboat
- Sailor is back in sailboat, is taking control of sheet and tiller, restart engine
- Safety boat crewman holds on to bow of sailboat - boats bow to bow
- move slowly in reverse, backing safety boat into wind
- when sailor has control of sailboat, crewman lets sailboat go, move off slowly
- when backing into wind, be alert to water coming over transom
- In addition to checking safety boat for plugs in, engine trim working, and marine radio: that towing line and swim ladder are both ready for use if need
- Approach sailboat from up wind, as distances closes, shut off engine
- Safety boat crew holds sailboat and instructs sailor to makes 2 raps of line on mast near deck of sailboat
- sailor holds end of line, crew other end - both ready for easy release - no knots
- Move off slowly, start engine, crew plays out towing line, tow to shore
- sailor steers sailboat so to hold position behind safety boat
- Near shore, sailor lets line go, safety boat bears off and retrieves tow line
