[C320-list] Crew Overboard!

[sailorlew at aol.com]

I happen to know several husbands & dog owners who would argue with the point you make.
Lew






-----Original Message-----
From: Dean Vermeire <dean at vermeire.us>
To: C320-List at Catalina320.com
Sent: Tue, Sep 14, 2010 11:46 am
Subject: Re: [C320-list] Crew Overboard!


I should also point out that we had a discussion about making a bad situation worse. Losing a dog would be bad. Losing a wife because she jumped in after a dog would be worse. 
 
On 9/14/2010 10:31 AM, Dean Vermeire wrote: 
> Hi All, 
> 
> Everybody is fine, so no need to panic. We had a dog, followed by the > first mate, go overboard this weekend. I thought I'd describe what > happened and how we executed the rescue, just so some can learn from > what I did right and what I did wrong. I could also learn from your > comments. 
> 
> I've told our two beagles, Holly and Noel, to always go up the > windward side, but Noel must not have been paying attention. As we > were sailing on a broad reach in about 12 knots of breeze on beautiful > Perry Lake, here in Kansas, Noel decided to go up to the foredeck. > When she was just past the genoa car, the jib sheet, which had been > slack, went taught. The jib sheet pushed the dog overboard. > Actually, she had her hind legs on the deck just long enough for me to > run up there, but not quite long enough for me to grab her. 
> 
> I immediately ran back to the helm with the intention of diving in > after the dog. However, my lovely bride was already jumping in by > that point. I grabbed the throwable life ring and handed it to my > 20-year-old daughter. She threw the life ring to my wife as I turned > the boat to begin a figure eight to retrieve my wife and dog. I also > handed my daughter the throwing bag / heaving line. She pulled a > bunch of line out of the pouch, thinking that she was to hang on to > the pouch and throw the line. I had her pull the line back in from > the water, since it was likely to foul the rudder and prop. 
> 
> By this time, my wife had the life ring and the dog. I began > maneuvering to pick them up. My daughter grabbed the boat hook, and I > released the jib sheet. Another sailboat, a Venture 22 with an > outboard motor, started sailing towards my wife. I don't know why he > thought he, sailing single-handed, would have a better chance of > retrieving my wife and dog then we would, with a two aboard and a > walk-through transom. None the less, he was in the way, and I yelled > at him to clear out. This messed up our approach. So, I fired up the > engine and motored upwind to my wife. Just as we came alongside, I > killed the engine, jumped back on the transom, and grabbed my wife's > hand. She then grabbed the ladder, and I grabbed the dog. I helped > my wife onto the boat and then grabbed the wheel. Successful rescue. 
> 
> I'm glad we were sailing on a lake in Kansas. Even though there was a > pretty good breeze with occasional white caps, the waves were fairly > small. 
> 
> Although things went pretty well with the rescue, there are some big > mistakes made and some changes I will make. 
> 
> Mistakes: 
> 1. The dogs did not have their life jackets on. 
> 2. The humans did not have life jackets or automatic inflatable > jackets on. 
> 3. The dogs were able to go up to the foredeck. 
> 4. We were not paying close attention, since we were leisurely > sailing downwind. 
> 5. My daughter had not been instructed on how to use the heaving line. 
> 6. My wife did not take the life ring with her as she jumped in to > save her dog. 
> 7. I did not have a secondary throwable close at hand. I should have > thrown life jackets, etc. 
> 8. It took me too long to think about grabbing the boat hook. It was > just inside the cabin, standing vertical by the companionway stairs, > within easy reach of the cockpit. 
> 9. Sail handling was not good. Getting at the jibsheet and mainsheet > was cumbersome. Dropping the main would have been difficult and time > consuming. 
> 10. I should probably have started the engine sooner. If my wife had > not been able to get both the lifering and the dog, things could have > been worse. 
> 
> Things that went right: 
> 1. We saved the dog and the wife without any injury. 
> 2. I knew what to do. 
> 3. We had the proper equipment. 
> 
> Things I will change: 
> 1. I will make the lifering easier to deploy. 
> 2. I will instruct the crew better on the use of the life ring and > the heaving line. 
> 3. I will add another throwable with a connecting line, such as a > life sling, within reach of the crew. 
> 4. I will keep the boat hook within reach of the helm. 
> 5. I will put netting from a stanchion to the cabin top to prevent > dogs from going up to the foredeck!!! 
> 6. I will put a laminated overboard procedures card in the cockpit > for guests to read. 
> 
> I'm sure I have already learned more lessons from this, but feel free > to contribute. 
> 
> Dean Vermeire 
> Moonstruck II (#847) 
> 
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> 
 

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