Coast Guard statistics tell us that more than two-thirds of all fatal boating accident victims drown, and of those, 90 percent were not wearing a life jacket. That's just one reason I treat falls overboard as the top safety issue aboard my boat.
In such incidents, happy outcomes generally require successful execution in four key areas: Keeping the person afloat, bringing the boat alongside the victim safely, bringing the victim aboard safely, and providing warmth and first aid as needed.
Over the years here at Navagear, we've discussed all of these priorities. Some are relatively easy to address. For instance, on my boat everybody wears a PFD while the boat is underway, which goes a long way toward keeping a potential PIW (person in the water) afloat.
One of the more difficult tasks is to get the victim, exhausted and waterlogged, back into the boat without endangering the rest of the crew. In rough seas, this can be especially difficult. And while there are several solutions available for smaller and low-freeboard boats, where the crew can easily reach a PIW, there are fewer solutions appropriate for larger, high-sided power yachts.