[C320-list] Crew Overboard!

[Jack McDonough]

Scott:

If you have a yellow Lab, you just made my list of Great People.

And did you wonder, as I did, if Chris also makes his wife swim behind the 
boat?

Jack
#947


----- Original Message ----- 
From: "Scott Thompson" <surprise at thompson87.com>
To: <C320-List at Catalina320.com>
Sent: Friday, September 17, 2010 6:15 PM
Subject: Re: [C320-list] Crew Overboard!


> Another great selling point for a 320 (at least the older ones).  You can 
> teach your dog to climb the boarding ladder!  When we are at anchor, our 
> yellow lab Carmen also climbs in and out of the water on her own.
>
> Scott Thompson
> Surprise, #653
>
> Chris Descher wrote:
>> As for saving the dogs, I regularly singlehand with two weimaraners and a
>> german shorthair pointer.  On lighter wind days, I'll make them all get 
>> in
>> the water and swim to follow the boat, plus I've made sure that they all
>> know how to climb the swim ladder.
>>
>> -----Original Message-----
>> From: c320-list-bounces at lists.catalina320.com
>> [mailto:c320-list-bounces at lists.catalina320.com]On Behalf Of Dean
>> Vermeire
>> Sent: Tuesday, September 14, 2010 10:31 AM
>> To: Catalina 320 List
>> Subject: [C320-list] Crew Overboard!
>>
>>
>>   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)
>>
>>
>>
>>
>
> -- 
> Scott Thompson
> Surprise, #653