How should you mark the location of a person overboard?

• A. Use a MOB marker buoy or drop a floating object and note bearing and distance; maintain visual contact.
• B. Ignore and search randomly.
• C. Mark with a flag on shore only.
• D. Use fireworks to signal your location.

Answer: (A)

When someone goes overboard, the key is to create a fixed reference point in the water and keep the person in sight. The best approach is to deploy a MOB marker buoy or drop a floating object and then note the bearing and distance from your vessel to the person. This gives rescuers a stable reference that can be seen from a distance, even as you maneuver, and allows you to relay precise information about where the person was seen. Keeping visual contact throughout the maneuver is essential because drift from wind and current can move the person quickly, and you may need to steer back to the marked spot or reacquire sight of them.

Other options don’t fit because they either ignore the marker strategy or rely on unstable or unsafe signals. Marking only on shore doesn’t reflect where the person actually is in the water, since you and the person are moving with the boat and currents. Random searching wastes valuable time, and fireworks are not a reliable, safe way to indicate a precise location or attract rescue teams.