Survival Training on the Water: Man Overboard
On May 7th, we attended a full-day Safety and Survival Course offered by Fishing Partnership Support Services at the United States Coast Guard station in Gloucester.
Fishing Partnership is a nonprofit organization dedicated to improving the health, safety, and economic security of commercial fishermen, their families, and their communities. While the course was designed primarily for commercial fishermen, recreational boaters are welcome as well.
The hands-on training covered survival suits, firefighting, emergency communications, damage control, life rafts, signal flares, and man overboard scenarios. It was a full day of practical learning, and the class was completely free. We highly recommend it to anyone who spends time on the water.
You can learn more about their programs and class locations at Fishing Partnership Support Services
There were nearly 30 people in the class, and we were divided into smaller groups for the hands-on portions of the training.
Man Overboard
The class opened with some sobering statistics about how people react during emergencies:
50% of people will perform well in an emergency
25% will follow directions
25% may make life-threatening decisions
The takeaway was simple: know what to do ahead of time, assign roles, and practice regularly so muscle memory can help when stress takes over.
Cold Water Reality
One thing that surprised us was learning that 70-degree water is still considered cold water. The body loses heat approximately 25 times faster in water than in air.
The instructors taught the “1-10-1” principle:
1 minute to control breathing and avoid panic
10 minutes before significant loss of limb movement
1 hour before hypothermia becomes critical
Basic Man Overboard Steps
Some of the key steps we reviewed included:
Alert everyone on board immediately — “Man overboard, port side!” or “starboard side!”
Keep constant visual contact with the person in the water
Point continuously so the victim is never lost from sight
Throw anything that floats to help mark the location
Mark the position on the GPS
Turn the vessel back toward the victim
Circular turn — leave a visible trail
Williamson turn — commonly used to return to the last known position
Discuss ahead of time who would act as the rescue swimmer if necessary
Another important lesson was how difficult recovery can be, especially in cold water. A life ring may help keep someone afloat or mark their location, but getting a person back onboard — particularly someone wearing heavy, wet clothing and possibly unable to assist due to cold exposure — can be extremely challenging.
The instructors shared several real-world stories that reinforced the importance of having a recovery plan, not just flotation equipment.
We also learned that recovering a person from the water should be done carefully and gently. Sudden warming or rough handling can create additional medical complications for someone suffering from hypothermia.
Some of the recommendations included:
Remove wet clothing once safely onboard
Warm the person gradually
Place warm bottles or compresses under the arms and behind the neck
Avoid hot showers or rapid heating
The instructors also explained that during hypothermia, a person may feel intensely hot and try to remove blankets or clothing even though they need to stay insulated.
The overall message from the day was straightforward: have a plan and practice it regularly. Emergencies happen quickly, and preparation can make all the difference.
As marine surveyors, we spend time discussing vessel safety equipment, but this class was a valuable reminder that preparation, practice, and crew awareness are just as important.