Getting back to someone who has fallen overboard is only part of the problem.
You also need to keep them in sight, decide whether to call for help, bring the Motorboat back without putting them at risk from the propellers and work out how you are actually going to get them aboard.
That final point is easy to underestimate. A casualty may be cold, injured, exhausted or unable to climb a boarding ladder. On a Motorboat with high freeboard, the physical recovery can be more difficult than the manoeuvre used to return to them.
Every boat and situation is different, so there is no single recovery method that suits every Motorboat. What matters is knowing the immediate priorities and having a recovery plan that works with your own boat and usual crew.
What should you do first when someone falls overboard?
Raise the alarm immediately and make sure somebody keeps watching the casualty.
If there are several people aboard, one person should be given the specific job of pointing continuously towards the person in the water. It’s surprisingly easy to lose sight of somebody among waves, glare or other traffic, particularly once the Motorboat begins manoeuvring.
Throw a lifebuoy, horseshoe buoy or other suitable flotation aid towards them if one is immediately available. As well as giving the casualty something to hold onto, this can provide another visible reference in the water.
If your chartplotter or GPS has a MOB function, use it. The position can be useful if visual contact is lost, but it records where the incident was marked rather than following the casualty as they drift. Keeping the person in sight remains the priority.
Should you make a Mayday call for a man overboard?
A person overboard can become a life-threatening emergency very quickly, especially if the casualty is injured, unconscious, missing from view or you are unable to recover them.
If there is grave and imminent danger and immediate assistance is required, a Mayday call is appropriate.
Do not delay calling the Coastguard because you expect to have the person back aboard within a few minutes. Conditions can change, an initial recovery attempt may fail and a casualty who appeared responsive may deteriorate.
If your VHF is equipped with DSC and the situation warrants a distress alert, knowing how to use it before an emergency is important. The radio should also be somewhere it can actually be reached when needed.
How should you approach someone in the water?
There isn’t one manoeuvre that works for every Motorboat.
A single-shaft Motor cruiser, twin-engine boat and stern-drive Motorboat can all behave differently at low speed. Wind and tidal stream will also affect both the boat and casualty.
The final approach needs to be slow enough that the helm remains in control and can avoid putting the casualty close to moving propellers. Keep watching how the person is drifting rather than concentrating solely on the position where they originally entered the water.
Think about the recovery point before making the final approach too. There is little benefit in bringing the casualty neatly alongside a part of the boat from which nobody can get them aboard.
Should you switch the engine off during a man overboard recovery?
Propeller safety needs particular attention whenever somebody is in the water close to a Motorboat.
Selecting neutral removes drive, but it does not necessarily mean the propeller has stopped moving immediately. The propulsion arrangement also differs considerably between boats.
The safest point at which to remove propulsion or stop an engine will depend on the boat, conditions and recovery method. The important thing is to have considered this before somebody is alongside rather than improvising while they are close to the stern.
Owners should know where their propellers are in relation to boarding platforms, ladders and other possible recovery points.
Nobody in the water should be directed towards an operating propeller.
Where should you bring someone back aboard?
This is something every Motorboat owner should work out before it is needed.
Some boats have a low bathing platform and a substantial boarding ladder. Others have high topsides, narrow side decks or a stern arrangement that puts the likely boarding point close to the propulsion system.
Look around your own Motorboat and ask where you could realistically bring somebody aboard.
A useful recovery point should be accessible from the water and allow the crew to assist without putting themselves at unnecessary risk. It should also be considered alongside the location of the boat’s propellers and the way the boat will sit in wind and waves.
Do not assume the bathing platform is automatically the answer simply because that is where people normally board after swimming.
What if the person cannot climb the ladder?
This is where an MOB exercise can become very different from recovering a fender.
Someone who has unexpectedly entered cold water may not have the strength or coordination to climb. An injury can make self-recovery impossible, and an unconscious casualty cannot assist at all.
Trying to lift a wet adult vertically over a high side can also be beyond the physical ability of the people remaining aboard.
Motorboats may carry purpose-designed recovery slings or other equipment that can assist with bringing a casualty aboard. What is appropriate depends on the boat, recovery point and equipment available.
Whatever system you rely on needs to be accessible and usable by the people who normally go boating with you. Recovery equipment hidden underneath everything else in a locker is of limited value in an emergency.
What happens if only two of you are aboard?
This is one of the most important scenarios for couples and small crews to consider.
If two people are aboard and one falls overboard, the remaining person suddenly has several jobs. They may need to control the Motorboat, keep the casualty in sight, operate the radio, prepare recovery equipment and eventually bring the person aboard.
It is therefore worth asking whether both people can operate the boat, rather than assuming the regular skipper will always be at the helm.
Could your usual crew reduce the speed and take control? Do they know where the MOB control is? Could they use the VHF? Do they know how the boat behaves at low speed?
A man overboard plan that depends entirely on the person most likely to be driving the boat has an obvious weakness if that person is the one who enters the water.
What if the casualty is unconscious?
An unconscious casualty makes both the approach and physical recovery more difficult.
They cannot swim towards a ladder, take a line or help the crew bring them aboard. Keeping their airway clear and arranging assistance becomes increasingly important.
This is a situation where requesting emergency assistance early can be particularly important. Even after recovery, an unconscious or seriously unwell casualty will require urgent medical attention.
It is worth considering this scenario when looking at your own recovery arrangements. If your plan only works when somebody can climb a ladder unaided, it does not cover every MOB situation you may face.
What should you do after the casualty is aboard?
Do not assume the emergency has ended once the person is back on deck.
Check their condition and seek appropriate medical assistance. They may have been injured during the fall or while alongside the boat, and cold-water immersion can continue to cause problems after they have been recovered.
Protect them from further heat loss and continue monitoring them.
Could you recover somebody on your own Motorboat?
You can learn the principles of man overboard recovery during training, but there is another useful exercise that does not require putting anybody in the water.
Stand aboard your own Motorboat alongside the berth and look at it specifically as a recovery problem.
Ask:
- Where would we try to bring somebody aboard?
- Where are the propellers in relation to that point?
- Can the boarding ladder be reached or deployed from the water?
- Could somebody wearing wet clothing realistically climb it?
- What would we use if they could not climb?
- Can one crew member access and use that equipment?
- Does everybody know where the MOB control and VHF are?
- Could another regular crew member operate the boat if the usual helm went overboard?
You may discover a weakness that has nothing to do with your ability to manoeuvre the Motorboat.
Practise more than the turn back
A useful MOB drill should test more than whether you can return to a floating marker.
Practising the manoeuvre is important, but think through what would happen next as well. Once the marker is alongside, identify where a real casualty would be positioned, how propulsion would be managed and what equipment would be used to bring them aboard.
Do not use a person in the water simply to make the exercise more realistic. Recovery practice can be planned using suitable training aids without exposing somebody to unnecessary risk.
The aim is to find the gaps while you have time to solve them.
For many Motorboat owners, the biggest question is not simply “Can I get back to someone who falls overboard?”
It is “Once I reach them, can the people aboard this Motorboat actually get them safely out of the water?”
That is the part of the recovery plan worth working out before you ever need it.
FAQs about man overboard recovery from a Motorboat
How often should you practise a man overboard drill?
There is no single interval that suits every crew, but regular practice helps prevent the procedure becoming something people only remember in theory. It is particularly useful after changing boats, changing regular crew or adding new recovery equipment.
What should a conscious person in the water do while waiting to be recovered?
If suitable flotation is available, they should use it and concentrate on staying visible and keeping their airway clear. Unless there is an immediate reason to move, unnecessary swimming can use valuable energy. They should follow clear instructions from the boat as the recovery develops.
Should a Motorboat carry a lifejacket light for each regular crew member?
A lifejacket light can make a person in the water easier to locate in darkness or poor visibility. Whether additional lifejacket equipment is appropriate will depend on the type of boating undertaken, but it is worth considering when reviewing the boat’s overall person-overboard arrangements.
Can a personal locator beacon help after someone falls overboard?
A suitable personal distress device carried on the person can provide an additional means of alerting rescuers or identifying a casualty’s position, depending on the equipment used. It should support rather than replace the boat’s immediate recovery plan and normal distress procedures.
Should man overboard recovery equipment be tested before relying on it?
Yes. Equipment should be checked to make sure the regular crew can access, deploy and use it as intended. Testing the arrangement in controlled conditions can reveal practical problems such as insufficient reach, difficult storage or a system that one crew member cannot operate alone.