Man-overboard response while tuna fishing

[andiamo]

It recently occured to me that if someone fell in while tuna fishing, there are many additional complications related to retrieving them.
Issues:
1) If you have hand lines out, the MOB could easily get skewered before you had any hope of slowing/stopping the boat.
2) Even if you do not have hand lines out, you will have many lures running near the surface, that could either tangle or hook the MOB while doing a prompt turn.

Here is my best guess as to what one should do (please provide opinions for improvement, because I really don't know what would be best):

1) Strongly encourage your crew to wear life preservers, and set an example by wearing one as the captain.
2) Use some maximum #test for hand lines (something a fish won't break, but will break before ripping a huge chunk of flesh from a person). (No idea if there is a possible choice)
3) Brief your crew about basic MOB techniques: Yell "MOB on (port) side!!", point at the MOB at all times, make sure at least one person never takes his eyes off MOB and continues to point.
4) Immediatley pull the engine out of gear.
5) Coast, going straight forward, and/or reverse to break your momentum (reverse only after absolutely sure the MOB is well beyond the props). Allow the gear to sink below the MOB.
6) Have the crew (other than the captain and spotter) carefully but rapidly pull in the gear as the boat is turned AWAY from the side the MOB went in (this is opposite of standard MOB technique), making sure the gear will not strike the MOB, and making sure the lines do not get in the prop. (If the lines get in the prop, you may not be able to recover your MOB) :depressed:
7)Get back to the MOB as soon as possible, but UNDER CONTROL, and get him aboard.

By the way, how many of you know for sure you can get a MOB back into your boat. I bought a "very well equipped" boat that was used for charter service in Alaska, and IT DIDN'T HAVE A LADDER! :whazzup: Some summer day I encourage you to drop your boat in a nice warm lake, have your 250# fishing buddy jump in (without a life preserver if this is the way he insists on fishing), and see what it takes to get him back in. (Bring a ski-biscuit because you will probably need it to get your buddy back to the dock)

Let me know your thoughts, because I would sincerely like to find the best MOB technique for tuna fishing, and add it to my crew safety briefing.

[Threemuch]

I think MOB techniques are the same. My solution to number 2 is don't run handlines.

Here is a big what if...what if you are tuna trolling alone (I never do this but I know those that do) and you fall overboard. Do you grab the gear or not?

Has anyone ever been in an unintentional MOB situation on the ocean? I haven't, in about 10 years of fishing, ever had to pull someone out of the water. I agree that it's something you should be prepared to do, I just never have.

[Boatdog]

I was thinking tossing a throwable floatation device out would be a good first thing to do as well.

[skein]

First off, everybody on my boat wears a PFD all the time. I even bought some extra SOS-type so they could be comfortable and safe.

Everybody on board gets the MOB safety talk. Like Andiamo said, yell mob, point, never take eyes off, etc. In addition, I will cut the engine and cut my lines rather than take a chance on adding injury to insult. The rigging is NOT NEARLY as important as the man. I also have a throw-bag (like the rafters use) that is hanging within hand's reach. I instruct my crew to throw OVER THE MOB, not just to him. If you throw to him, you'll come up short 9 times out of 10. If it's off a little, try to drag it by him much like you would do with a waterskier.

Then, PULL HIM TO THE BOAT rather than try to maneuver around. Put the engine in NEUTRAL or turn it off so he doesn't get hit by the prop.

I have a swim platform that's only inches above the water, so getting him in will be easier than with a high-sided boat. Note that I said "easier" not "easy." It's going to be a "fire drill" any way you look at it.

Oh, one more thing. The most dangerous time, in my estimation, is when you step to the back of the boat to relieve yourself. If you're wearing bibs, you have to unhook your PFD to lower the bibs so you can.... HOOK THE PFD BACK UP before you lean too far out. It's called insurance. :grin:

Good thread.

Skein

[Scaup]

Here in Virginia a man was lost overboard during a tuna trip. They were running out to the tuna grounds, everyone looking forward for sign. One member apparently was seasick, went back to throw up and fell over. No one was watching and no one saw him go in. Once they noticed him missing, they notified the Coast Guard, other boats searched, retraced there path, etc. They never found him. Wasn't wearing a lifejacket. Water temp was 75 degrees, so the odds of finding him might have been better if he was wearing a life jacket. Lesson I learned from that is always watch your chummers.

Threemuch,

As far as tuna fishing alone. It's not recommended, but I've done it. I wear a safety harness that is attached to the boat and to the motor's automatic kill switch. Sort of like tying yourself into a tree stand for bowhunters. If I fall over I'm attached to the boat and the motor shuts off so I'm not dragged behind the boat. And of course, I always wear a life vest.

[OceanBlue]

Oh, one more thing. The most dangerous time, in my estimation, is when you step to the back of the boat to relieve yourself. If you're wearing bibs, you have to unhook your PFD to lower the bibs so you can.... HOOK THE PFD BACK UP before you lean too far out. It's called insurance. :grin:

Skein, what's this about leaning out? Hmmm... I dunno what you're talking about... On the Kismet it's not possible to fall overboard while relieving yourself... not if you shut the door! :grin: (sorry, I've waited a long time for the day when I could say that! )

Pssst! Janice, wanna go fishin' with us?

[lingslayer]

Since you brought it up Jen,... I will PM you about what has been done in the past on the Pilar. Somehow I just can't see trying to land a fish with my legs crossed! :blush:
Jamie

[Threemuch]

One more thing, when running at night or in heavy fog, for boats with a cabin, nobody should ever be on deck alone. EVER, even to relieve yourself.

[Lepper]

Actually, it might hurt a bit and beat them up.. but wouldn't hand lines make it so you are less likely to lose the MOB??

d

[Mark Mc]

Depends on whether it has a barbless hook.

[fishwhenican]

My vertical "leap" out of the water is about the same as on land 6-12" depending on how scared I am

Oh and I can climb back into my boat with out a ladder, but it is much easier with fins on

[Snakebite]

There's one thing you can do to help. I encourage anyone who pilots a vessel across the bar to take a marine survival training course! And I would encourage anyone who expects to go across the bar in ANY vessel to do so as well. You will learn a lot! Maybe enough to survive a catastrophic event at sea! I can't say that my training and follow up refresher courses will save my life or the lives of others, but it can't hurt. The Seagrant extention office sometimes has courses available for commercial fishers. They will allow anyone else to participate, for some fee as well. Most HMSC/ODFW folks who do research at sea are usually required to have this training. It can mean the difference between life and death. There is at least one federal observer who has taken the course required for them, who has saved a life of a commercial crew member that I know of recently. And there are many more lives that have been protected by this training. The course cost's about the same as an immersion suit, but if you don't know how to get into it in the first place... :depressed:...it won't matter.

[DriftR]

I am adding stobe lights to all life vests as well as throwable devices. I would not hesitate to cut handlines immediately. Another important step is to hit the MOB on your GPS. The " Williamson Turn" is an effective rescue method for man overboard.The principle behind the "Williamson Turn" is to return a ship to the exact location where a Sailor fell overboard using the ship's wake as a reference point. this requires that a ship first turn to starboard, followed by a turn to port that is concluded when the ship crosses it own wake. The degree of each turn can be different for each ship class because their turning radius may vary. Roughly it works as follows: 1. Rudder hard over(in an "immediate action" situation, only to the side of the casualty). 2. After deviation from the original course by 60 degrees, rudder hard over to the opposite side. 3. When heading 20 degrees short of opposite course, rudder to midship position and ship to be turned to opposite course. This procedure is shown where I got this information. Go to www.ussengland.net/cg22/newsletters/may_2001.htm

[Miss B Haven]

Depends on whether it has a barbless hook.

I carry a very large gaff and a harpoon just for these situations too!