It’s the realisation every skipper dreads: “Man overboard.” Before panic sets in, it’s time to use all the training you’ve taken the time to put into place before this type of incident occurs.
There have been Man Over Board (MOB) tragedies over the years. In February this year, one of the most widely reported cases, Australian fisherman Paul Barning disappeared off Newcastle while competing in a fishing competition. Witnesses said he may have been dragged overboard by a mako shark. Despite a high-profile search operation, he was never found.
Closer to home, the dangers are no less real. In 2024, in Wellington Harbour, a man travelling alone on an East by West ferry vanished during a routine crossing. His body was recovered later, but the questions about how it happened linger. In the same year, off Whakatāne, another man was lost near Whakaari/White Island. The rescue helicopters and police boats combed the area, but again, the search ended in loss.
Not every man overboard incident ends in tragedy. Some beat the odds—survivors who, by quick thinking, or sheer luck, made it back alive. In many cases, survival was far from guaranteed.
Vidam Perevertilov, fell from a cargo ship in the South Pacific in 2021 with no land or vessels in sight. He swam towards what turned out to be a derelict fishing buoy and clung to it for 16 hours before rescue arrived.
New Zealander Ross Chapman, a game fisherman off Western Australia, fell in while chasing marlin in 2017. He spent six hours alone in the water before being found. Another Kiwi, 61-year-old Will Fransen, survived 24 hours adrift off the Coromandel in 2024. He credited his survival to staying calm and keeping afloat. Being solo on his boat, he should have tethered himself to his boat. But at least he wore a lifejacket.
These men were lucky, but when overboard, luck should be the last thing you rely on.
During the 2024 Sydney to Hobart yacht race, the crew of Tasmanian yacht Porco Rosso made a distress call in the small hours of the morning. One of their crew, Luke Watkins, had been swept overboard in darkness, 60 nautical miles off the coast of New South Wales. He was wearing a lifejacket on which he had a personal locator beacon, one which he activated. For a time, he drifted nearly two kilometres from the yacht. Thanks to a swift and coordinated effort from nearby race vessels and a rescue aircraft, he was brought back aboard alive—a result that owed everything to sharp protocols, a focused crew, and solid teamwork.
All these cases—both tragic and triumphant—share a single truth: MOB situations are unpredictable. They can unfold in the blink of an eye, whether the sea is calm or rough, in bright sunshine or the dead of night, far offshore or within sight of land. The only constant is the need to be ready. They can even occur when you’re alone on your boat, a single-handed MOB, which is an entirely different scenario.
It’s one thing to have lifejackets, tethers, and man overboard alarms aboard. But they only matter if people know how to use them. Preparation and situational awareness are everything—knowing who’s aboard, keeping an eye on the sea state, and understanding that no passage is ever truly “routine.”
The time to figure out your MOB response isn’t when someone’s already in the water. It’s before you leave the dock. You need a plan. You need to know how to respond in calm weather and rough seas alike. You need to understand how to stop the boat without losing sight of the person, how to bring the vessel back around safely, how to help someone back aboard without causing further harm. And if they’re unconscious or injured, you need to be ready for that too.
There’s no substitute for practice. MOB drills shouldn’t be optional—they should be regular, varied, and realistic. Try it under sail. Try it under power. Try it in good conditions and in poor ones. In daylight, and at dusk. Get comfortable with the gear. Get fast with the procedures. If your crew can do it without second-guessing themselves, you’re halfway there.
Man Overboard: How to respond
Whether you’re crossing Cook Strait or jigging for snapper near the shore, MOB procedures need to be part of your seamanship. The goal is fast action, clear roles, and practiced recovery.
Phase 1: Immediate action
Shout. Throw. Point.
- Shout “Man Overboard!” immediately to alert crew.
- Throw a life ring, Danbuoy, or floating object. Use MOB gear like a horseshoe buoy with light and drogue.
- Assign a spotter to point and never take their eyes off the person in the water.
Log position
- Hit the MOB button on your GPS/chartplotter to record the fall point.
Call for help
- If the person is out of sight or unconscious, issue a Mayday on VHF channel 16 with your coordinates and situation.
Phase 2: Manoeuvring the vessel
In calm weather: Drift down method
- Manoeuvre upwind of the MOB and beam-on to the wind.
- Use throttle to drift slowly downwind toward them.
- Keep engines in neutral or off before recovery.
In rough weather: Upwind approach
- Approach slowly from downwind.
- Motor into the wind with short gear bursts.
- Keep the MOB on the driver’s side for visibility.
- Let the boat drift downwind—not over the person.
For sailboats
- Crash tack or heave-to to stabilise the boat.
- Once stable, furl headsails and start the engine.
- Maintain steerage and avoid lines fouling the prop.
Phase 3: Recovery
Safety first
- Retrieve the person over the stern or leeward side.
- Use swim platforms or the lowest point of the hull.
- Ensure engines are off or in neutral before contact./li>
Assist or lift
- Use boathooks, lines, or halyards.
- If needed, winch the MOB aboard using a halyard looped under their arms.
- If recovery isn’t possible, consider towing the person to a safe landing.
For many of the survivors mentioned above, it was this preparation that made the difference. For those who didn’t make it, it’s a haunting reminder of what’s at stake. As skippers, as crew, and as passengers, we owe it to each other to be ready—not just hopeful.
Because when that dreaded shout of “man overboard” cuts through the wind, you won’t have time to read a manual. You’ll need to act, immediately and effectively. And the only way to guarantee that response is to practise it—before you ever need it.
