MOB .. how hard could it be

[romantic comedy]

The crew has to have confidence in the captain. It has really only been wife and I sailing. She steers 99 percent of the time. I used to have her steer the boat right into the slip. (it is different where we are now since things change suddenly and I need to have the helm)'

I sent her to sailing school school 20 years ago. It gave her confidence and she knew that she could do it.

As long as she does what I say, I am the one to blame. I am fine with that, as, yes, I am the captain. She respects that the final word is mine.

I have a buddy that I sail with sometimes. He is the captain of his boat, and I know that. It is pretty much as if we are co captains most of the time. Sometimes he defers to me for a decision. but ultimately it is his boat and he is captain. We have confidence in each other. I would let him take my boat out and vice versa.

[JOHN COOKSON]

on board my boat it's understood since I bear the liability, I make the decisions.

On my boat nobody but me touches the helm or engine control until the boat is out of the harbor and in open ocean. This way I have full control, full responsibility, and full liability. Ditto for the return to the harbor.
After the crew gets a feel for the boat I show them how and let then bring the boat into the slip and occasionally let them back the boat out of the slip so they can get the hang of steering in reverse.

TRUE GRIT

[Dave Neptune]

How hard could it be

A number of years ago I was working on a fishing boat as a deck hand. It was late at night and I was loading some new braided line on a big Senator reel for some deep Lingcod fishing. I was about half way done loading the line by dragging a 1 1/2 pound weight behind the boat in a dense fog just off of San Nicolas Island. I heard a commotion in the bunk house as a "big pissed of guy covered in PUKE" was very upset with a "lil guy" in the bunk above. He drug the lil guy screaming his head off and tossed him over the side as I was on the transom. I grabbed a life ring and tossed it in his direction as he had already disappeared in the fog!!!! At about the same time another life ring hit the water too from the bridge deck. I cut my line immediately and the skipper brought the boat to a complete stop. He turned the boat with the twin screws and then proceeded at idle on the reciprocal in our wake. It seemed to take forever and finally we spotted one of the life rings so we were close.. In another minute or so we spotted the "lil guy" hanging on to the other.

The "lil guy" was probably about 160 pounds and soaking wet. It was a real hassle to get him aboard with no swim step. It took 4 or 5 guys grunting to get him back aboard. He was scared, upset and a bit hypothermic. He was OK in a bit so the trip continued. The "big guy" was placed under house arrest and detained on a bunk behind the bridge and confined there for the trip. When we returned the next day the big guy was arrested and hauled off for "attempted manslaughter" by the LA Police and the lil guy got another free trip Don't know if he used it though.

Until you have actually been in a bad MOB, seen the confusion and angst of a bad situation you have no idea how you or the crew will react. We had a good experienced skipper, a lot of luck and that is why the "lil guy" made it home!!

Practice is a good thing and all it does is keep you familiar with the tools and skills required. These are needed skills when/if a real panic situation arises.

Dave Neptune

[Mo]

Heard only one MOB mayday last year. On our way back from a week down the shore, thick of fog, 40 miles behind us. Sort of heard the high pitch voice over the radio and said turn that up. Got part of it MOB, Life Jacket on, boat turned around and can't find him....

Then the tones. Canada still uses the "Distress Tone Generator" and those tones go for a full minute prior to the broadcast...that's your time to get pen and paper to copy info. Not sure if the US still uses it, been around a long time.

Anyway, the tones, then the Mayday Relay...by the time I'd punched the coordinates into my GPS boats were calling Coast Guard and telling them they were enroute to the area...ETA's like 7, 12, 15 minutes...there must have been 20 boats heading there. It was quiet for about 1/2 hr to 45 minutes then a relay to stand-down and that the MOB was recovered and OK. As time ticked away on that one I was wondering if he'd make it...water still cold here in summer and visibility was about 40 feet.