Man Overboard & Rescue Procedures

Immediately shout 'Man Overboard' to alert all crew. Throw a life ring, horseshoe buoy, or Type IV throwable PFD toward the victim to mark the position and provide flotation. Assign one crew member as a dedicated lookout who keeps eyes on the person at all times and never looks away. Press the MOB button on the GPS chartplotter to mark the position. Note or call out the time and compass bearing. Begin a recovery maneuver appropriate for the vessel type and conditions. Transmit a Pan-Pan call on VHF Channel 16 if assistance may be needed.

The Quick Stop is the fastest MOB recovery maneuver and is preferred for sailboats because it keeps the victim close to the vessel. Immediately after the person falls overboard, tack or jibe in the direction of the person — whichever is faster given wind direction. This quickly slows the vessel and begins circling back. The vessel completes a tight circle and approaches the victim from downwind. The Quick Stop works best in good visibility when the person is in sight throughout the maneuver. It does not return on the original track but prioritizes speed of recovery over precision.

The Williamson Turn is the most tested MOB maneuver on the USCG exam. It returns the vessel to its original track line — critical in restricted visibility or at night when the victim is lost from sight. Execution: (1) Put helm hard over to the side the person fell from; (2) When the vessel has turned 60 degrees past the original heading, shift helm hard to the opposite side; (3) Steady up on the reciprocal of the original course (original heading plus or minus 180 degrees). The vessel will arrive back along the exact track it traveled, where the victim should be. This maneuver is ideal for large vessels, poor visibility, and night operations. It is the primary USCG exam answer for 'which maneuver returns on original track.'

The Anderson Turn (also called the single-turn method) is faster than the Williamson Turn but does not return on the original track. It is used in good visibility when the person remains in sight throughout recovery. Execution: put helm hard over toward the side the person fell from and allow the vessel to swing approximately 250 degrees, then steady up on a heading that puts the vessel on course toward the MOB position. The Anderson Turn is preferred when speed is critical and visual contact is maintained. The Williamson Turn is preferred when the victim is lost from sight because it precisely retraces the vessel's path. On USCG exams, the Williamson Turn is the standard answer for restricted visibility or night MOB.

The racetrack turn (also called the Scharnow Turn) is used on large or high-speed vessels when the person was not immediately noticed and considerable distance has been covered since the MOB event. Execution: put helm hard over to one side, complete about 240 degrees of turn, then shift helm to the opposite side and steady on the reciprocal course offset slightly from the original track. The racetrack maneuver is similar to the Williamson Turn in outcome but is executed differently to compensate for the vessel's advance and transfer. It does not return precisely on the original track but is practical for vessels that cannot execute the sharp turn required by the Williamson Turn at speed.

The final approach should place the person on the vessel's lee side (downwind and downwave), approaching at a shallow angle of approximately 30 to 40 degrees to the wind. The vessel should be moving slowly — engines put astern or stopped to kill headway just before reaching the victim. The vessel's hull blocks wind and wave action, protecting the person in the water. Never approach with the victim directly ahead under power — prop wash and bow wave can push them under or cause propeller strike. Control speed with engine and not just rudder. Have crew ready at the rail with a heaving line, boarding ladder, or lifting sling.

Survival time varies dramatically by water temperature. In 32 degrees F (0 C): unconsciousness within 15 minutes, death within 15 to 45 minutes. In 32 to 40 F (0 to 4 C): exhaustion in 15 to 30 minutes, survival 30 to 90 minutes. In 40 to 50 F (4 to 10 C): exhaustion in 30 to 60 minutes, survival 1 to 3 hours. In 50 to 60 F (10 to 16 C): exhaustion in 1 to 2 hours, survival 1 to 6 hours. In 60 to 70 F (16 to 21 C): survival 2 to 40 hours. Hypothermia progresses from initial cold shock (hyperventilation, gasping — seconds), to swimming failure (inability to control arms and legs — minutes), to unconsciousness, then death. The HELP position (Heat Escape Lessening Posture — knees pulled to chest, arms crossed over chest) can extend survival significantly by reducing heat loss from the groin, armpits, and sides of the chest.

Type IV is the USCG classification for throwable personal flotation devices. They are designed to be thrown to a person in the water, not worn. Types include: (1) Ring buoy — circular ring with at least 60 feet of line attached; (2) Horseshoe buoy — U-shaped foam buoy used on sailing vessels; (3) Buoyant cushion — square or rectangular foam pad that can be thrown or used for support. Vessels 16 feet and over in length must carry at least one Type IV throwable PFD in addition to wearable PFDs for each person aboard. Type IV PFDs must be immediately accessible — not stored in a locker. They provide a minimum buoyancy of 16.5 pounds. On exam questions about throwable devices, the answer is always Type IV.

A man overboard is normally an urgency situation calling for a Pan-Pan call, not a Mayday, unless the person is in immediate danger of drowning or the vessel is also in distress. Pan-Pan format on VHF Channel 16: 'PAN PAN PAN PAN PAN PAN, ALL STATIONS, THIS IS [vessel name spoken three times], PAN PAN, [vessel name], POSITION [lat/lon or bearing and distance from landmark], PERSON IN WATER, [description — clothing, whether wearing life jacket], [number of crew remaining aboard], [vessel description — type, length, color], STANDING BY ON CHANNEL 16, OVER.' If the person is unconscious, injured, or drowning, upgrade to Mayday. DSC-equipped radios can send an automated digital distress alert on Channel 70 with GPS position.

Mayday is used when there is grave and imminent danger requiring immediate assistance — used when the person in the water is unconscious, actively drowning, severely injured, or hypothermic beyond self-rescue, or when the vessel itself is in distress. Pan-Pan (spoken 'pahn pahn') indicates an urgency situation — a serious problem requiring assistance but not immediately life-threatening. A conscious adult who has just fallen overboard in calm conditions and is wearing a life jacket would typically justify a Pan-Pan. As the situation deteriorates — person not visible, cold water, rough seas, victim unconscious — upgrade to Mayday. When in doubt, transmit Mayday. The USCG will not penalize a captain for calling Mayday when the situation warranted it.

Night MOB requires additional measures because visual contact is immediately at risk. As soon as the person goes overboard: throw a floating light (water-activated strobe) immediately after or with the life ring; throw a dye marker if available; assign the lookout immediately and have them use a spotlight or powerful flashlight; use the Williamson Turn because it returns on the original track — critical when the victim cannot be seen; instruct the victim (if conscious) to activate any personal strobe or whistle; use a radar reflector or SART (Search and Rescue Transponder) if the vessel has one — a SART responds to radar pings from search vessels; activate the EPIRB if the situation escalates. Night recoveries take longer — the Williamson Turn gives the vessel the best chance of returning to the exact MOB position.

Pressing the MOB button on a GPS chartplotter instantly marks the current vessel position as a waypoint labeled MOB and automatically creates a navigation course back to that point. This is critical because vessels continue moving for some distance after MOB is pressed, and the marked position records where the vessel was at the moment of activation — not where the person actually entered the water. Press the MOB button immediately when the alarm is raised, before the vessel has moved further. On DSC-capable radios linked to the GPS, triggering MOB may also send a digital distress alert on Channel 70 with the exact coordinates. If no GPS is available, note the depth sounder reading, compass heading, speed, and time to assist in a search pattern.

Under 46 CFR Part 4, a boating accident report is required when a person dies, disappears from the vessel under circumstances indicating death or injury, requires medical treatment beyond basic first aid, or becomes incapacitated. A death or disappearance must be reported immediately to the nearest USCG sector. A written report on Form CG-3865 (Boating Accident Report) must be filed within 48 hours of a death or disappearance, or within 10 days of an injury requiring medical treatment beyond first aid. Filing responsibility falls on the vessel operator. If the operator is incapacitated, the vessel owner is responsible. Failure to file is a federal violation.

Jacklines are webbing or wire lines rigged fore and aft along the side decks of a sailing vessel, allowing crew to clip their safety tether to the line and move from bow to stern while remaining attached to the boat. Safety harnesses are worn over foul weather gear and connect to the tether via a carabiner or snap hook. Tethers (safety lines) should be no longer than 6 feet and ideally double-ended to allow clipping to jacklines before unclipping from a previous attachment point. Other prevention measures include: buddy system for all deck work at night or in heavy weather; non-skid deck surfaces maintained and clean; handholds and grab rails in good repair; life lines (toe rails and stanchions) properly rigged and tensioned; strobe lights and personal AIS beacons worn by all offshore crew; no one works on deck alone at night without informing another crew member.

USCG exams most frequently test: (1) Which maneuver returns on the original track — answer: Williamson Turn; (2) When is the Williamson Turn preferred over the Anderson Turn — answer: restricted visibility, night, or when victim is lost from sight; (3) What is the first action when someone goes overboard — answer: throw a flotation device and shout 'Man Overboard'; (4) What type PFD is throwable — answer: Type IV; (5) What radio call is made for MOB — answer: Pan-Pan on Channel 16 (Mayday if grave danger); (6) Cold water survival time in 50 F water — answer: 1 to 6 hours; (7) What does the MOB GPS button do — answer: marks current position as a waypoint; (8) What angle to approach victim — answer: from leeward, 30 to 40 degrees; (9) USCG reporting threshold — answer: death, disappearance, or injury requiring medical treatment beyond first aid.

HELP stands for Heat Escape Lessening Posture. In cold water, the body loses heat primarily through the groin, armpits, and sides of the chest — areas with large blood vessels close to the skin. The HELP position involves drawing the knees up to the chest and crossing both arms tightly over the chest, essentially curling into a ball while floating on a life jacket. This posture can extend survival time by 50 percent or more compared to treading water, which dramatically accelerates heat loss. Swimming also accelerates cooling — a person in cold water should float as still as possible rather than swimming unless a lifeline or vessel is within easy reach. HUDDLE position (two or more people in the water, facing each other with arms around each other, legs interlocked) conserves heat when multiple people are in the water.