If a fellow sailor falls overboard, the crew has to react quickly - not that easy with a reduced crew and without preparation time. That is why the MOB maneuver is already practiced in sailing schools and is an essential part of the practical test for the sports boat license. But there is not one maneuver or piece of equipment with which it will succeed without a doubt. It can take a little longer, especially if someone goes overboard in the aisles with a gennaker or spinnaker, as the colorful cloth has to be removed first. After that, the person in the water may already be out of sight.
Get on and wait: The person who has fallen overboard can climb onto the buoy and later be winned up with it
It is precisely in such cases that the new Jon Buoy MK5 lifebuoy should help. As part of the Sailpartner safety training in the test pool of the FirmFalck in Bremerhaven, we subjected them to an intensive test in wind and waves.