BOAT-COMPARATOR Guide

Man overboard: the reflexes every boat renter should know

Shout, point, throw the buoy, kill the propeller: the man-overboard procedure explained simply — and why cold shock kills long before hypothermia does.

It's the accident nobody prepares for when renting a boat for a sunny day out — which is exactly why it deserves five minutes before you cast off. Falling overboard rarely happens in heavy weather: it's the anchoring manoeuvre, the walk across the sun deck while under way, or the wobble in another boat's wake that puts someone in the water. Here is the procedure, in order, in the simplest possible words.

The four immediate actions

1. Shout "man overboard" to alert everyone on board. 2. Appoint a "pointer": one person whose only job is to keep the casualty in sight, arm outstretched, never looking away — a head at water level vanishes from view within seconds once there's any chop. 3. Throw the horseshoe buoy (or anything that floats: a cushion, an empty cool box): even badly thrown, it marks the area. 4. Slow down and go to neutral while you work out where the person is. If the GPS plotter has a MOB (Man Over Board) button, press it: it records the exact position of the fall — the technical briefing at departure is the right moment to ask the operator where it is.

Coming back to the person: the propeller is the enemy

Return towards the casualty at very low speed, approaching into the wind so the boat doesn't drift down onto them. And the absolute rule: neutral as soon as the person is a few metres away, engine off before they touch the hull. A turning propeller, even at idle, causes terrible injuries. Bring them up via the bathing platform or the swim ladder — and if they're exhausted, pass a mooring line looped under their arms rather than pulling on their wrists.

Why the first minutes count double: cold shock

Most people assume the danger of falling in is hypothermia, an hour down the line. Research says otherwise: a landmark study by M. J. Tipton published in 1989 in Clinical Science (see the study on Google Scholar) shows that the cold-shock response — the reflex gasp, hyperventilation and racing heart of the first minutes of immersion — kills or incapacitates long before general hypothermia sets in, and is probably responsible for the majority of open-water immersion deaths. In practical terms: even in the Mediterranean in June, 18-20 °C water can take the breath away from a swimmer caught out fully clothed. Hence the lifejacket, which keeps the airway clear of the water while breathing settles — our guide to cold shock and hypothermia covers these mechanisms in detail.

Getting back on board: harder than you think

Try climbing onto a boat without a ladder just once: it's close to impossible, even for a strong swimmer. Before leaving, locate the swim ladder and check that it can be deployed from the water. It's one item on the departure checklist that takes ten seconds and changes everything.

Prevention beats recovery

Lifejackets worn (not stowed under the bench) at all times for children, and for everyone once the sea builds — the lifejacket and buoyancy-aid rules set the minimum, common sense does the rest. One hand for yourself, one hand for the boat whenever you move under way. And no acrobatics on the bow sun pad: our guide to alcohol, fatigue and sun aboard explains why most falls are avoidable. If the situation ever exceeds what the crew can handle — an unconscious casualty, a person not found — call the coastguard immediately on VHF channel 16.

Finally, if some of your crew can't swim, read our dedicated guide: renting a boat when you can't swim — perfectly possible, with the programme adapted.

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