The first sixty seconds

Shout “Man overboard!” at the top of your voice. Everyone on board needs to know instantly. Press the MOB button on your chartplotter or GPS to mark the position. Throw a horseshoe buoy, danbuoy, or even a fender – anything that floats and is visible. Then assign one person as spotter. Their only job is to point at the casualty and never take their eyes off them. If you are short-handed, the skipper handles the boat while the crew points. Call a mayday on the VHF using DSC. Tell the coastguard your position, number of casualties, and that you are a catamaran. Do not wait until you have recovered the person to make the call.

Under power: twin engines are your friend

Most cruising catamarans have two engines, which makes them exceptionally manoeuvrable. Use them. Approach the casualty from downwind and downsea if possible, so you drift towards them and the boat acts as a windbreak. Bring the casualty along your leeward hull – never between the hulls. The space between the hulls is a trap: the bridge deck can crush someone, and a propeller can cause terrible injury. Keep both engines in neutral as you get close. Use short bursts of ahead and astern on opposite engines to pivot and hold position. Stop completely before you touch the casualty. If there is any sea running, approach bow-first into the wind and waves, then let the boat drift sideways onto them. The leeward hull gives you a low, stable platform to reach from.

Under sail: when the engine will not start

Sailing back to a casualty is harder on a catamaran because you cannot heel the boat to spill wind or stop quickly. If you must sail, bear away onto a broad reach or run, then gybe or crash tack to return. The classic figure-eight works: bear away, gybe, sail back on a close reach, then head up into wind to stop. But cats carry momentum and have high windage. Be prepared to drop the sails entirely and use the remaining speed. If you have a small jib, back it to slow down. A drogue or sea anchor over the stern can help you stop and hold position. Practise this in open water with a dummy. Never approach under sail if you cannot control your speed – use the engine if it starts, even if the sails are up.

The approach: leeward side, never between the hulls

Always bring the casualty alongside the leeward hull, near the shrouds or midships where the freeboard is lowest and you have handholds. Throw them a line attached to a lifting strop or harness. If they are conscious, get them to clip on. If they are unconscious, use a rescue sling – a wide strap that goes under the armpits. Do not try to lift them by hand over the trampoline or the bow. The freeboard on a cruising catamaran is often over a metre, and wet clothing makes a person impossibly heavy. Use a boathook only to guide them, never to lift. Keep the boat stationary or moving very slowly. If you have to motor, keep the engines in neutral and use the wind and current to drift alongside.

Lifting a casualty aboard

You need mechanical advantage. Set up a lifting system before you go cruising. A main halyard led to a cockpit winch, with a block and tackle (4:1 or 6:1 purchase), works well. Attach it to the casualty's harness D-ring or the rescue sling. For an unconscious person, use a lifting net or a rigid board – many catamarans have a dedicated MOB lifting point on the aft beam or davits. Lift smoothly and steadily. Two people should tail the line and grind the winch. Never shock load the system. Once the casualty is at deck level, swing them over the lifelines and lower them onto a flat area. Keep them horizontal. Treat for hypothermia: remove wet clothing, wrap in blankets, and warm slowly. Check for injuries and be ready to start CPR.

Drills and debriefs

Practise every month. Use a weighted fender or a purpose-made dummy. Time from the shout to recovery. Vary conditions: under power, under sail, at night, in choppy water. Assign roles – who points, who drives, who prepares the lifting gear, who calls mayday. Debrief after every drill. What went well? What was slow? Where was the lifting strop? Could you find it in the dark? Keep a dedicated MOB kit in a known locker: a lifting strop, a block and tackle, a rescue sling, and a floating light. The best recovery, of course, is prevention. Wear a lifejacket with a harness, clip on in heavy weather, and use a kill cord. But when the worst happens, a practised crew on a well-prepared catamaran can bring someone home.