[Title: David's story – Practise getting back on]

[Vision: Man in his 70s talking to camera]

I found myself overboard when I was asked to help release a rope from the back of the propeller of a yacht that I had been sailing on.

I recall jumping into the water, and the water was very very cold and the shock was something I had not expected.

In summertime, we think of warm weather, but the water is still very cold.

I stopped breathing. My ability to think clearly disappeared.

I couldn’t co-ordinate my muscles, and it was the crew members who had to haul me back onboard again.

It’s much harder to get a person back onboard the boat than what can be imagined.

And that’s why it’s important to be prepared.

Have your crew do drills of man overboard procedures so that it’s not as unfamiliar as one would expect in that sort of emergency.

My advice to you is, practise getting back on your boat.

Prepare to survive: Know the five.
Learn how at msv.vic.gov.au/prepare

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