Man Overboard Equipment UK — A Complete Guide from Someone Who Has Done the Drills

Man Overboard Equipment UK — A Complete Guide

Luckily, I have never needed to take what I learnt in training and actually save somebody overboard or be the unlucky one in the water. Ensuring that you are prepared is key. Its pure adrenaline and you’d hope that you just go into emergency proceedure mode without any panic. Nobody knows how we would react – everybody is different.

A man overboard situation is one of the most serious emergencies you will face on the water. It happens fast, it is chaotic, and if you are not prepared the outcome can be fatal. I have done MOB drills on commercial vessels and superyachts throughout my career — and what I have seen in those drills has taught me more about this subject than any manual or this post but I hope that this will send you in the right direction and put your mind at ease.

Here is everything you need to know about MOB equipment — what it is, where it should be, and the honest reality of what happens when someone actually goes over the side.

What Is MOB Equipment?

Man overboard equipment covers everything used to locate, mark, and recover a person who has fallen from a vessel into the water. It is not one single piece of kit — it is a system of interconnected equipment that only works properly when everyone on board knows where it is, what it does, and how to use it.

The Core MOB Equipment Every Vessel Should Have

Lifebuoy rings — the most basic and most important piece of MOB equipment. A bright orange ring that can be thrown immediately to a person in the water to give them something to hold onto while you manoeuvre the vessel. Every vessel should have at least one mounted in an accessible, immediately visible location, like EPIRBS, for example — not stored in a locker.

Here is something that genuinely annoys me. On superyachts I have seen owners insist on brushed stainless steel lifebuoy holders and plain white rings because clients do not want to see the orange ones cluttering up the deck aesthetic. It looks nicer, granted. It is also dangerous. Lifebuoys need to be bright, visible, and immediately obvious to anyone on deck in an emergency. Do not compromise on this for the sake of appearances.

Danbuoy — a tall floating pole with a flag on top, often with a light, deployed alongside the lifebuoy to mark the position of the person in the water. In rough conditions finding a person in the water is extraordinarily difficult. A danbuoy gives you a visible marker.

MOB light — a self-activating strobe light attached to the lifebuoy or danbuoy that activates on water contact. In darkness or poor visibility this is what gets someone found.

Throw bag — a bag containing a coiled line that can be thrown to a person in the water to pull them back to the vessel. Fast to deploy, effective in the right conditions.

Jacob’s Ladder — a rope or rigid ladder deployed over the side of the vessel to allow a person in the water to climb back aboard. The key thing with Jacob’s ladders is to practise with them before you need them — they are straightforward once you know how they work, but in the water, exhausted and cold, a device you have never used before becomes a serious challenge. Familiarise yourself with yours.

Recovery systems — on larger commercial vessels and offshore platforms, dedicated MOB recovery systems including rescue nets, horse collar rescue slings, and specialised recovery davits. The dog loop recovery method — a looped sling deployed under the arms of the casualty — is used where the casualty cannot actively climb aboard.

What MOB Drills Actually Look Like

On commercial vessels MOB drills are mandatory and taken seriously. The vessel stops or reduces speed, a lifebuoy and danbuoy are deployed, a recovery method is designated, and the crew practise the retrieval. We use figure-of-eight return manoeuvres and Williamson turns to bring the vessel back to the casualty’s position.

On recreational vessels these drills happen far less often — and that is a problem. If you own a yacht and take family or friends out, when did you last practise an MOB drill with them? Do they know where the lifebuoys are? Do they know what to shout, what to throw, and how to call for help? If the answer is no, practise it. It takes 20 minutes and could save someone’s life.

The Honest Reality at Night

If someone goes over the side at night in rough conditions, finding them is extraordinarily difficult. A person in dark water at night in large waves is almost invisible even from a few metres away. This is why the combination of a lifejacket light, a PLB, and a MOB strobe matters so much — they are the things that make a person findable rather than just searchable. Ideally every person on deck offshore or on passage overnight should be wearing a lifejacket and a PLB. Realistically most people are not — but it is worth understanding the risk clearly.

Our Recommended MOB Equipment — Available on Amazon

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FAQs

What is the figure of eight return manoeuvre?
A standard sailing manoeuvre used to return a vessel to the position of a person overboard. It involves tacking the vessel and returning on a reciprocal heading to approach the casualty from downwind, giving control during recovery.

Is MOB equipment legally required in the UK?
Requirements vary by vessel size and use. Commercial vessels have specific mandatory requirements. For recreational vessels under 13.7m there are no strict statutory requirements beyond SOLAS V, but carrying a lifebuoy is strongly recommended by the MCA and RYA. Check rya.org.uk for current guidance.

What should I shout when someone goes overboard?
Shout “Man overboard” loudly and repeatedly. Press the MOB button on your GPS chartplotter immediately to mark the position. Assign one person to keep eyes on the casualty at all times — never take your eyes off them.

The information in this article is for general guidance. Always refer to current MCA guidance at gov.uk/mca and RYA guidance at rya.org.uk for equipment requirements specific to your vessel.