has anyone here actually repacked a bell lifeline?

solent clown

solent clown

RIP
Joined
13 Oct 2017
Messages
1,953
Location
solent
Visit site
Part of Karen's informal training is our own MOB rehersals, too cold for a while to be in the water, but there is no reason she can't practice with chucking the lifeline.
I looked online, there is fairly vague reference to repacking including a bit of a video that does not actually show much.
Have any of you chaps tried repacking one of these (BTW it's the 40m so a lot more to repack than the shorter one)
 
solent clown said:
Part of Karen's informal training is our own MOB rehersals, too cold for a while to be in the water, but there is no reason she can't practice with chucking the lifeline.
I looked online, there is fairly vague reference to repacking including a bit of a video that does not actually show much.
Have any of you chaps tried repacking one of these (BTW it's the 40m so a lot more to repack than the shorter one)
Click to expand...

I tried to once and quickly realised it's like those inflatables that come in a tiny bag, impossible even if you're Uri Geller !
 
solent clown said:
Part of Karen's informal training is our own MOB rehersals, too cold for a while to be in the water, but there is no reason she can't practice with chucking the lifeline.
I looked online, there is fairly vague reference to repacking including a bit of a video that does not actually show much.
Have any of you chaps tried repacking one of these (BTW it's the 40m so a lot more to repack than the shorter one)
Click to expand...

Throwlines are an extremely useful and effective piece of rescue/man-over-board kit but in my experience the Bell and similar types that use very fine white line have serious limitations. After you throw it, and unless the person actually catches the end, once it is in the water, the person in the water is very unlikely to be able to see the very fine white line if it is more than a metre away. If your throw is not perfectly accurate it is unlikely to be effective and you can't use it for a second attempt. Most professional rescuers now favour one of this type http://palmequipmenteurope.com/product/pro-25-m usually about £38 each, which is much much easyer for the person in the water to see, can be quickly retreived and re-thrown as a simple coil of line (not in the bag) and is also strong enough to be used as a line to pull another boat off the mud without wasting time using a light line to transfer a larger tow line. I have used mine for real for a person in the water and also for pulling boats off the mud and now would not be without one on board. They are also easy to wash and repack after practice and rescues.

Www.solocoastalsailing.co.uk
 
Last edited:
Plum said:
Throwlines are an extremely useful and effective piece of rescue/man-over-board kit but in my experience the Bell and similar types that use very fine white line have serious limitations. After you throw it, and unless the person actually catches the end, once it is in the water, the person in the water is very unlikely to be able to see the very fine white line if it is more than a metre away. If your throw is not perfectly accurate it is unlikely to be effective and you can't use it for a second attempt. Most professional rescuers now favour one of this type http://palmequipmenteurope.com/product/pro-25-m usually about £38 each, which is much much easyer for the person in the water to see, can be quickly retreived and re-thrown as a simple coil of line (not in the bag) and is also strong enough to be used as a line to pull another boat off the mud without wasting time using a light line to transfer a larger tow line. I have used mine for real for a person in the water and also for pulling boats off the mud and now would not be without one on board. They are also easy to wash and repack after practice and rescues.

Www.solocoastalsailing.co.uk
Click to expand...

That's what we used to have, the bag however disintegrated from uv damage, so I made a new one out of some scrap acrylic canvas. Works well, easy to restow, line thick enough to be easy to grab hold of and strong enough to use as a tow line if you're in a hurry.
 
+1 for palm throw line, I was a kayak coach for many years and used one most weekends on white water, easy to use and the catch, very quick to repack. I had a 30m one and still was able to throw on target full length
 
I would also back the Palm type throwline for ease of use, and reuse, and for the MOB to be able to see and grab...
 
...and yes, in the past i have tied to repack a Bell lifeline and they are a nightmare
 
duncan99210 said:
You can if you must but it’s more accurate and goes just as far underarm.
Click to expand...

You are right but on a boat there are often too many obstructions to an underarm swing so it is best to practice and find a technique that works for you. Just practice throwing to whole bag without deploying the rope on the garden lawn to see how far you can throw it.

Www.solocoastalsailing.co.uk
 
Plum said:
You are right but on a boat there are often too many obstructions to an underarm swing so it is best to practice and find a technique that works for you. Just practice throwing to whole bag without deploying the rope on the garden lawn to see how far you can throw it.
Click to expand...

To make it more realistic get the wife to stand in a water butt:ambivalence:
 
solent clown said:
she is so ickle she could stand in a saucepan
Click to expand...

Saves dosh on tenders I suppose.

Re man overboard throwing stuff, years ago I had a thing like a big plastic grenade, the idea was one threw it to the casualty when on contact with water it would inflate into a small handy lifering.

After a lot of wet thrashes to windward ( we were young ) when the thing had obviously been pretty damp, we didn't trust it, plus of course were itching to give it a go.

I dropped it over the side by a pontoon and it just sat there in a state of neutral buoyancy completely refusing to inflate, the only use it would have been to a MOB would be to throw back at the berk on the boat.
 
Seajet said:
Saves dosh on tenders I suppose.

Re man overboard throwing stuff, years ago I had a thing like a big plastic grenade, the idea was one threw it to the casualty when on contact with water it would inflate into a small handy lifering.

After a lot of wet thrashes to windward ( we were young ) when the thing had obviously been pretty damp, we didn't trust it, plus of course were itching to give it a go.

I dropped it over the side by a pontoon and it just sat there in a state of neutral buoyancy completely refusing to inflate, the only use it would have been to a MOB would be to throw back at the berk on the boat.
Click to expand...

Assume you are referring to something like this https://www.google.co.uk/search?q=l...&ved=0ahUKEwj1qPnj3tfZAhWpCsAKHb7rDeEQgjYImwI which uses an inflation mechanism as used by many lifejackets. So much easier to throw to a casualty than the common horeshoe lifebelt that is hopeless for throwing in any amount of wind.

Www.solocoastalsailing.co.uk
 
There is very little likelihood of being accurate enough to throw the line close enough for the casualty to see it and attach themselves to it. The proven technique is to tie the horseshoe buoy to the throw-line and, after the initial attempt to throw it effectively, drop sails, start engine and circle the casualty to bring them in contact with the line.
 
Plum said:
You are right but on a boat there are often too many obstructions to an underarm swing so it is best to practice and find a technique that works for you. Just practice throwing to whole bag without deploying the rope on the garden lawn to see how far you can throw it.

Www.solocoastalsailing.co.uk
Click to expand...

To get a good unobstructed underarm swing; clip on your tether (which is conveniently already clipped on to the "D"-ring of your LJ), and lean outboard, holding onto the shroud, backstay or boom/mainsheet.
 
I made up a heaving line from a length of very cheap poly propylene 8mm line. The cheaper it is the better it floats. It has a bowline loop just right size for a person to pass over their shoulders so under arms. It is thrown as a rope however the end loop does aid in distance. I made up a bag out of canvass tubular shaped with a hole in the bottom with the inside end emerging to be tied to the boat. (could fit a snap shackle) The Loop emerges at the other end but is held in by a piece of velcro. The rope is stuffed in exactly as it would come out. So you pull the rope out of the bag and heave to the victim. Pull it in and throw again if necessary.
So the length of the heaving line is dictated by how far you can throw it. No point in having it longer. The whole thing being cheap can be left attached to stern rail. I guess the commercial heaving lines where line is paid out from the bag which is thrown means the bag must be heavy enough to make a good throw but light enough to float. Plus line must run smoothly out so not to limit throw distance.
Now the essence of successful MOB is practice. Firstly you and your wife should practice heaving a line. This is done by coiling up your line with half in one hand and the other half in the other hand. Have the end going to victim in your dominant throwing hand. So you throw under arm your primary half coil with dominant arm while also heaving the secondary half coil after it. In this way a rope with no weight on the end can travel and unravel easily.
Second essential part of MOB is for the remaining crew to be able to control the boat. Turn around and sail back to the victim then heave too close enough to retrieve. We use an old foam life jacket thrown over board for practice. If you have enough crew one person is delegated to simply watch the location of the victim. Losing sight of victim is biggest danger when sailing. It is best if you can contrive to return to the location without gybing the boat. A bit tricky but doable. Start engine if you have one, possibly pull down or furl jib. Practice will show what is best for your your wife. good luck with new boat and lets hope you never need real MOB drill. olewill
 
William_H said:
I made up a heaving line from a length of very cheap poly propylene 8mm line. The cheaper it is the better it floats. It has a bowline loop just right size for a person to pass over their shoulders so under arms. It is thrown as a rope however the end loop does aid in distance. I made up a bag out of canvass tubular shaped with a hole in the bottom with the inside end emerging to be tied to the boat. (could fit a snap shackle) The Loop emerges at the other end but is held in by a piece of velcro. The rope is stuffed in exactly as it would come out. So you pull the rope out of the bag and heave to the victim. Pull it in and throw again if necessary.
So the length of the heaving line is dictated by how far you can throw it. No point in having it longer. The whole thing being cheap can be left attached to stern rail. I guess the commercial heaving lines where line is paid out from the bag which is thrown means the bag must be heavy enough to make a good throw but light enough to float. Plus line must run smoothly out so not to limit throw distance.
Now the essence of successful MOB is practice. Firstly you and your wife should practice heaving a line. This is done by coiling up your line with half in one hand and the other half in the other hand. Have the end going to victim in your dominant throwing hand. So you throw under arm your primary half coil with dominant arm while also heaving the secondary half coil after it. In this way a rope with no weight on the end can travel and unravel easily.
Second essential part of MOB is for the remaining crew to be able to control the boat. Turn around and sail back to the victim then heave too close enough to retrieve. We use an old foam life jacket thrown over board for practice. If you have enough crew one person is delegated to simply watch the location of the victim. Losing sight of victim is biggest danger when sailing. It is best if you can contrive to return to the location without gybing the boat. A bit tricky but doable. Start engine if you have one, possibly pull down or furl jib. Practice will show what is best for your your wife. good luck with new boat and lets hope you never need real MOB drill. olewill
Click to expand...

we have a practice spot we use for this where the MOB can stand on the mudbank or float safely while the person on board sorts things out. This will be a new thing to us in so much as the freeboard of the boat is higher so the practice will be as much dedicated to developing a system for getting out of the water as for the initial stages of recovery. We have a rear ladder, and a couple of small home made recovery ladders we have yet to try out. Another month or two and we will have a go when the water is warmer.
 
You must log in or register to reply here.

Share this page

Top