Man Overboard - Recovery Under Power

Recovery Under Power

In a motorboat, or a sailing boat with a working engine, most people having to maneuver in an emergency will use the engine. This introduces the added hazard that the casualty may be further injured by the spinning propeller at close quarters. It is important that a double-check is made for ropes trailing in the water before the engine is engaged. These may have been dislodged by the casualty falling into the water, or may have been thrown later by people on deck trying to help, but once around the propeller, they can put the engine out of use, just when it could have been most useful. The yacht auxiliary could be used during final approaches of any of the sailing methods described above, and a motorboat's engine(s) will be used in any case. The engine(s) must be out of gear before the casualty is approached, and may be switched off entirely during the actual recovery to ease communication, reduce fumes and allow people to concentrate on the task in hand.