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A system to easily retrieve a man-over-board
Once a crew member has fallen overboard it can be very difficult to retrieve them from the water when they are alongside the vessel. They are often exhausted, cold, and completely unable to pull their own weight plus the weight of water in their clothing, over the topsides and aboard. Even in perfect conditions this is a near-impossible feat to achieve, let alone in a seaway. This can lead to a very difficult situation arising and especially so if the crew aboard are unequal in strength and disposition. A typical cruising couple with a burly man and a lithe lady is a perfect example of this, where the latter is trying to recover the man in a man overboard (MOB) situation.

Increasing the visibility of a man overboard with a Dan Buoy
It is very difficult to spot the head of a crew member in the water in a man overboard (MOB) situation. The crisis will be compounded if the vessel has only two people aboard. With one gone overboard, the other has to deal with the boat whilst maintaining a bearing on the MOB position. The chances that the person in the water will be lost in a challenging seaway are very high.

VHF protocol for 'Distress' or 'Urgency'
The VHF radio is an important piece of safety equipment to have on board. It is vital to understand the correct procedures, so you get the help you need in times of danger and/or don’t potentially block a distress or urgency call from another vessel.


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