BOATsmart! Base de connaissances du Canada 

STEP 1

Immediately throw the person a brightly-coloured, buoyant item such as a life ring or lifejacket–this will keep them afloat, increase their visibility in the water and mark their position.

STEP 2

Assign another passenger to keep a lookout of the person overboard and continuously point to the overboard person’s location in the water.

STEP 3

Carefully manoeuver the boat turning the bow into the wind and in a Downwind position from the victim–you want  the person overboard to drift towards your boat.

STEP 4

Once in rescue position, shut down the engine to avoid accidental movement and injury (such as a propeller strike).

1.    Use a Reaching Assist:

• Move to the side of the boat and keep your weight low
• Use the reaching assist to pull the victim to the side of the boat and assist them back into the boat

2.    Use a buoyant heaving line:

• Throw the buoyant heaving line so that it lands behind the victim
• Slowly pull the line towards you so the victim can grab onto it
• Pull the victim to the side of the boat and assist them back into the boat

3.    Use a life ring:

• Ensure the life ring is secured to the boat with a line
• Throw the life ring so that it lands behind the victim
• Slowly pull the line towards you so the victim is able to grab onto it
• Pull the victim to the side of the boat and assist them back into the boat.