Introduction.
There are many articles in nautical publications on how to act in case of man overboard, what maneuver to perform with the boat or the necessary equipment, which is very important.
In this chapter of the on-line book “Safety on board”, however, we are going to focus on how to prevent person overboard on a sailboat, which seems to me of equal or even greater importance, and above all there is less written on the subject.
For this, I will organize it in a set of tips and recommendations that can help us to avoid the accidental fall into the water of a member of our crew; which are based on open technical documentation and my own personal experience at sea.
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6) Deck lifelines (jacklines).
Whenever we go on a voyage, we must install jacklines on deck.
The jackline is a high resistance tape, which runs along the deck (on both sides), so that from the cockpit I can connect and go to the bow to perform any maneuver, being always moored.
The jackline must be fastened to strong anchorage points of the boat deck, and be well tempered.
The jackline should be as close to the centerline as possible, and inside the shrouds.
The objective is that if I lose my balance and fall overboard, I will be hanging but not submerged in the water.
The picture shows an example of lifelines on both sides and several attachment points in the cockpit, so that I can move around the boat and always have the possibility of being lashed in at all times.
7) Non-slip deck.
A deck without a good anti-slip coating will be slippery and dangerous, especially if it is wet or damp.
It is very important to reinforce the anti-slip coating all over the deck and especially in the maneuvering areas, to prevent slipping and falling into the water.
It is also important to use good footwear with non-skid soles.
8) Deck lighting.
Having good deck lights located on the mast, and having powerful searchlights and flashlights on board is essential to perform night maneuvers with the safety that proper lighting provides.
9) Access to the boat from the water.
On every sailing yacht it should be possible to climb aboard from the water with ease. That is, if a crew member falls into the water involuntarily when we are sailing, he can grab a bar, a line or other element and can reach the bathing ladder to climb on his own easily.
As each boat is different, each one must have its own system so that a person can climb by himself from the water without help.
10) Move with caution around the boat.
I have left for the end the simplest advice, but perhaps one of the most important.
On board a sailboat we must move slowly and cautiously, we must synchronize our movements with those of the boat, with the balance and head, hold on and duck when necessary. In short, being alert is a basic measure on board a sailboat to prevent person overboard.
In the following video of our Youtube channel you can see a description (in spanish language) of these tips:
