Glo sticks and throw ropes

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ffiill

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I was at our local Highland Games yesterday and the Loch Ness RNLI had an exhibition.
Firstly the use of a throw rope/throw bag which you were encouraged to try for a donation.
Never had one and I was totally impressed given that my 9 year old grandson could use it to great effect.
Secondly glow sticks which whilst not endorsed by the RNLI was being made use of.The team member demonstrated one of these velcroed to his hard hat by which he could if necessary map read.Also attached to life jackets.
Again I was impressed.
One question is what do you thing the best colour is for a night rescue glow stick?
 
ffiill said:
I was at our local Highland Games yesterday and the Loch Ness RNLI had an exhibition.
Firstly the use of a throw rope/throw bag which you were encouraged to try for a donation.
Never had one and I was totally impressed given that my 9 year old grandson could use it to great effect.
Secondly glow sticks which whilst not endorsed by the RNLI was being made use of.The team member demonstrated one of these velcroed to his hard hat by which he could if necessary map read.Also attached to life jackets.
Again I was impressed.
One question is what do you thing the best colour is for a night rescue glow stick?
Click to expand...

Yellow or orange. Some colours (red IIRC) do not show up on the NVG that helicopter crews use. Be aware of the 'use by' dates on the packaging as there is a very good chance that they will not work at all past that date. You will also find differences other than the colour - some produce light at a high intensity for a short period (typically 30mins) others a lower intensity for a longer period- the implications are obvious.

If you can (eg you are still on deck) you will improve your visibility by putting the light stick on a piece of cord and swinging it in a vertical circle - the movement will help it to show.
 
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Glow sticks made a lot of sense in the 80s (when we used to play with them on bonfire night), the alternative being an Edwardian-technology filament bulb in a torch. Nowadays I suspect LEDs in some form or other would be more use.

Pete
 
I used to stick one on my tank when diving particularly at night.
My kids used to wear them trick or treating at haloween. so they are good for being seen. Green would be my choice, my daughter liked pink ones.
I have water activated lights for my life jackets. for reading maps a flashlight (torch) is more useful. I carry a couple of little led ones which are wind up and don't require batteries. My son also carries a wind up radio. We take them camping hiking canoeing as well as sailing.
 
ffiill said:
.... One question is what do you thing the best colour is for a night rescue glow stick?
Click to expand...

Fluorescent Pink? The reason I suggest this is that tests showed that this was the most recognised day light colour in a seaway, not sure if this would translate to night as well. So, what did the RNLI man say?
 
prv said:
Glow sticks made a lot of sense in the 80s (when we used to play with them on bonfire night), the alternative being an Edwardian-technology filament bulb in a torch. Nowadays I suspect LEDs in some form or other would be more use.

Pete
Click to expand...

Glow sticks are a great addition to the light making setup. Whilst LED torches are great, specially CREE ones, they are prone to failure and leaky batteries, whereas in date light stick will work straight out of the packet. Since the patent on them has now expired and there's now competition in the market, they're becoming very cheap. I have a handful in the grab bag and more down below where they can be easily grabbed. Coming towards the end of the season (and therefore thinking of using the things up before they expire) they're great hung off the pushpit to help mark the boat out in a crowded anchorage.
 
We use these on our rescue boat as an alternative to glow sticks. http://www.ndiver.com/products/Flexi-Light-Sticks.html

They are good and bright, sealed, waterproof, flash for up to 36 hours or solid light for 20, come in a variety of colours (our Coxswains wear red, crew wear blue) and can be cable tied onto things.

They're a modern equivalent of a glow stick.

On Saturday night I had to leave the boat to go and tend to a vulnerable female on a bridge, I turned on my light as I left the boat in a pocket on my jacket sleeve, which meant my crew back in the boat could see which one I was on the bridge even amongst all the other lights, emergency blue lights etc.
 
i keep a handful of glowsticks in my jacket pocket - i worry about carrying flares in there. not so much light, but we do have a NVG scope on board. (there are rarely any background lights up here at night)

those diver flexi light sticks look good, thanks
 
>I don't know about the new ones, but IIRC they used to have warnings on the package that the contents were toxic.

It was some time ago we did that but it was tested by our 8 way team lunatic, Lyn George, currently a commercial pilot, he was fine. I suppose anyone worried about could drink a small amount and see what happens. If you look at the leaflet of any drug the warnings about side effects should put most people off, but don't, its all health and safety gone mad.
 
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