STANDARD instructions in various naval publications touching on the procedure of a vessel in the case of a man overboard are sufficiently vague to call forth many a wardroom argument. Uncertainty in the minds of many watch officers as to the best procedure leads to blind “doing what the book says.” Want of skill is evident from reports of inspection in the excessive time usually taken to recover a man who has fallen overboard from a vessel under way.
In search of the procedure which gives the greatest probability of recovering the man in the least time, a special study of the problem and a large number of experiments were made on the U.S.S. Borie. From these experiments has developed the discussion which follows.
General Considerations
When a man is in the water and a life buoy has been dropped it becomes of the highest importance to recover the man without unnecessary delay. His life might depend upon a matter of seconds. Not all men are good swimmers, but practically all men can keep afloat for a few minutes. It must not be assumed that the man will reach the life buoy, which, from a vessel of high speed, might be dropped at a considerable distance from him. Furthermore, the man might have been injured at the time of falling overboard. Seconds count!
In the problem to be discussed it is assumed that the vessel is a destroyer under way. I do not attempt to say that the results and conclusions arrived at on the Borie obtain with equal force when applied to vessels of other classes—cruisers, battleships, tankers, etc. The application is to destroyers. If the discussion contains the germ of an idea useful for cruisers and battleships, so much the better. So far as other types of vessels are concerned, however, I leave it to those better situated than I am to study the problem as applied to each particular type. We must be constantly on guard against a dogmatic insistence that because a certain procedure is found to be best for one type of vessel it will be found to be best for other types also. Principles found to be sound for a given type of ship must be used intelligently when an attempt is made to apply them to other types. Keeping in mind that the following discussion is limited to destroyers, first let us consider:
I. Vessel Steaming Independently
The following instructions are contained in the Watch Officers’ Manual:
Stop engines; rudder hard over; back engines; away lifeboats; throw over life buoys. Send lookouts aloft; maneuver to pick up man. At night train searchlight to locate man.
This is hardly helpful to an inexperienced officer of the deck. That we must throw over life buoys, send lookouts aloft, man the lifeboat, and at night use the searchlight admits of no argument. It is not equally clear why the engines be stopped, then backed.
The venerated idea that the engine must be stopped in order to avoid hitting the man with the screw has no application whatever on a destroyer steaming at the high speeds which are customary. Before the engines can possibly be stopped the screw will have passed ahead of the man. Stopping the engines causes the ship to lose speed when speed is most needed should it be decided to turn to maneuver the ship for picking up the man. Is it the best procedure to back the engines and approach the man stern first? The time required to back down and maneuver to a position for recovering the man may be greater than that required to make a turn. Since the higher the speed the less time required to make a complete turn, in the event that a turn is to be made, it follows that speed should be increased rather than decreased. It is a mistake to stop the inboard engine. The turn will be made in the least time when both engines are making maximum speed.
First thought should be given to picking up the man with the ship, having the boat ready to use only in case of failure. It is quicker, simpler, and more satisfactory, to pick up the man with the ship; but an untrained watch officer might not be successful in doing this. On the other hand, an officer well trained in the maneuver will execute it with confidence and will be successful practically every time. In all cases the boat must be manned and ready for lowering. Fortunately, the failure to pick up the man when the attempt is made is not as serious a matter as it would at first seem; if the attempt has been made according to the principles which will be herein laid down, when failure is apparent the position has been reached most favorable for lowering the boat to pick up the man. Nothing, therefore, is lost; much might be gained.
It is necessary to specially emphasize the desirability of so picking up the man because many man-overboard drills have been conducted, and are still being conducted, with the principal object of getting the boat launched and away from the ship. The boat should be regarded as secondary; a stand-by to be used only in case of failure to pick the man up with the ship. I know that the foregoing statement will sound revolutionary to those officers who have been accustomed to the man-overboard drill with a yeoman standing by with a stop watch to record times of lowering boat, picking up man, and hoisting boat. Of these officers I can ask only that they read the following discussion and give honest trial to the procedure. Remember that the procedure which follows is intended for destroyers.
In all the illustrations given it is assumed that the lifeboat is hoisted on the starboard side of the vessel. Should it happen that the lifeboat is hoisted on the port side a little intelligent consideration will indicate the modification of procedure necessary to meet this condition. It is not proposed to lay down rules of thumb to be memorized, but, on the contrary, to present principles, together with their applications, which when once grasped, suffice to meet any situation with confidence.
Case A. Wind and sea negligible (Fig. 1.—Destroyer is steaming on course AB, man falls overboard at C.
Procedure: Hard right (or left) rudder;[1] execute turn as shown in Fig. 1, bringing the ship finally to head directly towards the man. Be careful to kill the headway in time by backing the engines so that when the ship’s forecastle is abreast the man the ship will be dead in the water. If the ship falls off its heading and steerageway is lost, steer with the engines, ahead on one and astern on the other, to keep the ship headed for the man.4 Take the man on the starboard side (the lifeboat side) and haul him on board.
As stated before, the inexperienced watch officer might misjudge the turn, the steering, or the speed, and find himself at the end unable to place the bow of the vessel exactly alongside the man without excessive delay. In such a case, launch the boat and pick the man up. After the turn is made the distance is so short that the man can be picked up and the boat returned to the ship in a very short time.
Using the foregoing method on a destroyer steaming at twenty knots, the man should be picked up in five minutes.[2]
Alternate Method. Wind and sea negligible (Fig. 1A)—Destroyer steaming on course AB, man falls overboard at C.
Engine full speed astern; hard right (left) rudder. When ship begins to gather sternway shift the rudder to hard left (right). When the man is sufficiently ahead of the ship to afford distance for maneuvering, go ahead and proceed to pick up the man as in the last stage of Fig. 1.
Using this alternate procedure on a destroyer steaming at twenty knots, the man should be picked up in six minutes.2,[3]
Case B. Strong wind and sea ahead or on either bow making a lee necessary for lowering a boat (Fig. 2).—If there be strong wind and sea, it is desirable that when the ship brings up close to the man, it at the same time head in such a direction that a lee will be made for lowering the boat, which of course is necessary when the attempt to pick up the man with the ship fails. This is a consideration governing the procedure of the several cases which follow (B, C, D, and E).
Destroyer is steaming on course AB. Man falls overboard at C. Wind from one of the directions shown by arrows (1, 2, 3).
Procedure: Hard left rudder; execute turn as shown in Fig. 2, bringing the ship finally to head towards the man. Take the man on board on the starboard side (the lifeboat side) ; then proceed as in Case A.[4]
By this method, on a destroyer steaming at twenty knots, the man should be picked up in five minutes.2
Alternate Method. Strong wind and sea ahead on either bow making a lee necessary for lowering a boat (Fig. 2A).—Destroyer steaming on course AB, man falls overboard at C. Wind from one of directions shown by arrows (1, 2, 3).
Engines full speed astern; hard right rudder. When ship begins to gather sternway, shift rudder to hard left. When the man is sufficiently ahead of the ship to afford distance for maneuvering, go ahead and proceed to pick up the man as in last stage of Fig. 2.
By this method, on a destroyer steaming at twenty knots, the man should be picked up in six minutes.
Case C. Strong wind astern or on either quarter making a lee necessary for lowering a boat (Fig. 3).—Destroyer steaming on course AB. Man overboard at C. Wind from one of the directions shown by arrows (1,2,3).
Hard right rudder; execute turn as shown in Fig. 3, bringing the ship finally to head directly towards the man. Take the man on board on the starboard side (the lifeboat side), then proceed as in Case A.
By this method, on a destroyer steaming at twenty knots, the man should be picked up in five minutes.2
Alternate Method. Strong wind astern or on either quarter making a lee necessary for lowering a boat (Fig. 3A).—Destroyer steaming on course AB. Man falls overboard at C. Wind from one of the directions shown by arrows (1, 2, 3).
Engines full speed astern; rudder hard left. When ship begins to gather sternway, shift rudder to hard right. (Caution: The tendency of the ship to back stern into the wind may make this maneuver difficult. The tendency to back into the wind might be overcome by using the engines, going ahead on the starboard engine.) When the man is sufficiently ahead of the ship to afford distance for maneuvering, go ahead and proceed to pick up the man as in the last stage of Fig. 3.
By this method, on a destroyer steaming at twenty knots, the man should be picked up in seven minutes2; the time depends to some extent upon the force of the wind. The procedure outlined in Fig. 3 is much better because the vessel is under better control and consequently there is more probability of success.
Case D. Strong wind on starboard beam making a lee necessary for launching a boat (Fig. 4).—Destroyer steaming on course AB. Man overboard at C. Wind from the direction shown by arrow.
Hard right rudder; make a turn of 45 degrees to the right, then hard left rudder to turn as indicated in Fig. 4. Take the man on board on the starboard side (the lifeboat side); then proceed as in Case A.
By this method, on a destroyer steaming at twenty knots, the man should be picked up in five and one-half minutes.2
Alternate Method. Strong wind on star- hoard beam making a lee necessary for launching a boat (Fig. 4A).—Destroyer steaming on course AB, man falls overboard at C. Wind indicated by arrow.
Engines full speed astern; rudder hard left. When ship begins to gather sternway, shift rudder to hard right. The stern will back into the wind. When the man is sufficiently ahead of the ship to afford distance for maneuvering, go ahead and pick up the man as in the last stage of Fig. 4. Because of the strong tendency of the ship to back into the wind it may be impracticable to form a lee for the boat without considerable delay and perhaps some additional maneuvering. This method is, therefore, to be avoided. The method indicated in Fig. 4 is much better.
Case E. Strong wind on port beam making a lee necessary for launching a boat (Fig. 5).—Destroyer steaming on course AB. Man overboard at C. Wind from direction shown by arrow.
Hard right (or left) rudder, turn through 180 degrees and steady on new course. When the ship has passed the man abeam, hard right (or left) rudder and turn through 180 degrees to head directly for the man. Take the man aboard on the starboard side (the lifeboat side); then proceed as in Case A.
By this method, on a destroyer steaming at twenty knots, the man should be picked up in six minutes.
Alternate Method. Strong wind on fort beam making a lee necessary for lowering a boat (Fig. 5A).—Destroyer steaming on course AB, man falls overboard at C. Wind as indicated by arrow.
Engines full speed astern; rudder hard right. When the ship begins to gather sternway, shift the rudder to hard left. The stern will back into the wind. When the man is sufficiently far ahead of the ship to afford distance for maneuvering, go ahead and pick up the man as in the last stage of Fig. 5. Because of the strong tendency of the ship to back into the wind it may be impracticable to form a lee for the boat without considerable delay and perhaps some additional maneuvering. This method is, therefore, to be avoided. The method indicated in Fig. 5 is better.
Picking Up the Man. In order to pick up the man with the ship it is well to have grapnels and heaving lines ready on the forecastle. Have bowlines in the end of each grapnel line and in one end of heaving line. If the man is able to help himself it is necessary only to pass the heaving line with bowline to him and haul him on board. If he is unable to help himself, a man may be lowered over the side in a bowline to recover him by passing a bowline over him or by hooking a grapnel in his clothing. At sea grapnels and heaving lines should be kept handy for this purpose.
The gangway should be lowered and manned by men with boat hooks who will haul^ the man aboard easily if he passes within reach of the gangway.
II. Vessel Steaming in Formation
The procedure required by the General Tactical Instructions must be carried out. When circumstances permit, as when steaming last ship in column or when steaming in line of bearing (when turn may be made towards the advanced flank without endangering other vessels) the procedure becomes the same as for a vessel steaming independently.
[1] If vessel be making twenty knots or more, continue at standard speed. If vessel be making less than twenty knots, ring up full or flank speed to bring the speed up to or above twenty knots. No advantage is gained by increasing speed if the vessel is already making twenty knots or more; the turn will be made in practically the same time at all speeds of twenty knots or more.
[2] The times given are the average times of good performances of six watch officers of the Borie taken from a large number of cases.
[3] It may be noted that at speeds of twenty knots or greater, the advantage of time is somewhat in favor of the turning method. On the other hand, at speeds much less than twenty knots the advantage will probably be in favor of the backing method, provided there is plenty of reserve power available for backing. This because at slow speeds, even if full or flank speed is rung up on the indicators, the time to make the turn is somewhat greater. On the other hand, at slower speeds, the vessel may be stopped and sternway acquired in less time.
[4] With a strong wind blowing it is necessary to head to windward of the man and make allowance for drifting. When the ship is dead in the water it will drift rapidly to leeward and, unless allowance is made for this, the man will get across to the weather side of the ship. It is much better to overestimate the drift than to underestimate it. Experience has shown that the tendency of inexperienced officers is to underestimate it.