Chat 21 - Updates to Crew Overboard Techniques and Equipment
16 September 2026 · 53 min · 159 views
What this video covers
Modern crew overboard (COB) systems focus on electronic recovery aids, though instructors emphasize that preventing the initial fall remains the primary safety priority. Electronic kill switches, such as water-sensitive fobs, can now trigger alarms, mark waypoints on multifunction displays, and interface with NKE or Raymarine autopilots to bring a vessel into the wind or into a holding pattern. While these systems assist shorthanded crews, they do not guarantee the boat will remain stationary or avoid striking a person in the water. Personal locator beacons (PLBs) transmit distress signals to satellites for long-range rescue, while search and rescue transponders (SARTs) broadcast location data via AIS to nearby vessels. Recent regulatory changes now allow for devices that combine both PLB and SART functionality. Despite these technological advancements, statistics indicate that alcohol consumption and operator inattention remain leading factors in COB incidents. Instructors maintain that relying on mechanical or electronic devices can diminish fundamental seamanship skills, and they advocate for rigorous training in safe movement on deck to avoid the "original sin" of falling overboard.
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