Horseshoe Lifebuoy Ropes

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West Coast

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Hi all, I get why horseshoe lifebuoys have external ropes, to make them easier to grab in the water. But all of them are supplied as a continuous rope, albeit with a plastic or similar carbine hook. positioned at the open part of the horseshoe. Is this just to allow you to make them secure on a pushpit bracket, where this rope is looped over a pushpit rail or similar? I dont tend to do this as its one more thing to try to undo in the event of an emergency. Also - when used in anger, you need to keep the horseshoe entry open so someone has an chance of hooking this under their arms (assuming they are not wearing an inflated lifejacket).

I ask this as I am considering getting rid of the carbine hook and having the rope just running round the horseshoe shape. Or am I missing something?!
 
It's only my opinion, but I think horseshoe lifebuoys are essentially useless. People buy them because they think they're the "proper" things to have.
 
I’ve always understood that the idea of the rope was to get yourself into the horseshoe and then use the rope to hold yourself in. Don’t forget the original life ring was just that and to work properly relied on the casualty getting head and shoulders through the ring: the horseshoe is meant to be an easier shape to get into.
 
duncan99210 said:
I’ve always understood that the idea of the rope was to get yourself into the horseshoe and then use the rope to hold yourself in. Don’t forget the original life ring was just that and to work properly relied on the casualty getting head and shoulders through the ring: the horseshoe is meant to be an easier shape to get into.
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That's how I understand they are to be used giving the MOB the option of passing over their head and arms or by undoing the clip and putting it around then waist then reconnecting the clip to stop it from floating away.
 
Rogershaw said:
Those better solution are ?
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I've recently retired my old faded horseshoe lifebuoy and replaced it with a rigid orange plastic lifering. Much easier to throw and far less susceptible to wind drift. Oh, and I notice that RNLI lifeboats carry them, so probably tried and tested.
Mike
 
They do have the virtue of great simplicity. Don't need a masterclass for a crew member to chuck or the casualty to handle; don't need service (and therefore can't be badly serviced); cheap to replace whenever you think necessary which should be many, many years.
 
pvb said:
It's only my opinion, but I think horseshoe lifebuoys are essentially useless. People buy them because they think they're the "proper" things to have.
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Agree, even though I still have them, and anyone who has tried throwing one, particularly on a windy day will probability agree. The rigid ring types are much easier to throw although if your aim is good the casualty may not be too pleased as they are heavy and hard
The horseshoe type are good for towing on a long line to circle the casualty. I am much more in favour of throw-bags (Products | Palm Equipment) and have used one successfully on several occasions.

Www.solocoastalsailing.co.uk
 
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Rogershaw said:
That's how I understand they are to be used giving the MOB the option of passing over their head and arms or by undoing the clip and putting it around then waist then reconnecting the clip to stop it from floating away.
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I agree that’s the intent of the original design. But has anyone tried actually doing it with one of the horseshoe buoys actually on sale today? No way whatsoever that will go round my chest, and I’m not freakishly large.

I’ve seen old photos which happened to have horseshoe buoys in, from the fifties and sixties, and they look much larger than the standard modern ones. I think they’ve been shrunk over the years, in order to comply with racing and charter rules more compactly. Still a useful thing to have thrown to you in the water, to hook an arm through or whatever, but I don’t think most people are going to be relaxing with it supporting them neatly around the torso.

I have one on the port quarter as a backup, and a simple aid for a low-risk rescue (moored in sheltered water). But my main MOB gear is a Jon Buoy on the starboard quarter. Some of my mooring warps also stow coiled on the stern rail, and using one of these as a throw-line is explicitly part of the MOB toolkit.

Pete
 
Rogershaw said:
That's how I understand they are to be used giving the MOB the option of passing over their head and arms or by undoing the clip and putting it around then waist then reconnecting the clip to stop it from floating away.
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In my opinion, and experience from offshore survival training for helicopter runs offshore, you are never going to pass a closed life ring or similar over your head - anything that requires you putting your arms up while in the water does not work!

Not wanting to turn this to a general MOB thread (!) but perhaps explanation helps - my lifebuoy is attached to an extended danbuoy. The idea is that if overboard situation happens, both get immediately thrown over the side. If the MOB is able, that gives them something to swim towards, the MOB being more able to see the danbuoy flag in the water. The lifebuoy is then something to hang onto as best as possible. My on board rules are that everyone on deck or in the cockpit wears a lifejacket when under way, always. So the lifebuoy is not primarily a floatation device.

Like many of us, I also have a lifesling attached to the boat, so use that to circle and pull in the MOB towards the boat. If the MOB is able to get into the lifesling (again not easy, but at least the lifesling has a large loop to get around your arms) then use that with electric winch to get MOB back on to the boat. I also carry a MOBMAT lifting cradle.
 
Hurl a fender over the side. There's more buoyancy in most of them than a horseshoe and they're easier to see. You carry umpteen spares too, tie a bucket to the second one.
 
Catalina36 said:
Hurl a fender over the side. There's more buoyancy in most of them than a horseshoe and they're easier to see.
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Quite hard to hold onto in the water, though.

About twenty years ago three of us went for a swim on a calm day about halfway between Sweden and Denmark. The skipper stayed on board, to motor round in a big circle giving us time to enjoy the surprisingly warm Baltic before picking us up on the return. One guy wasn’t a particularly confident swimmer but still wanted to join in, so the skipper had him take a fender to hang onto if he needed to.

I think he found trying to hold onto the fender - as it span round and round, and the end with the rope sank too deep - more effort than just treading water, and he was almost panicking by the time the boat came back to get us.

Pete
 
All interesting and all valid. I do take the point that throwing a rigid round life ring is easier than a horseshoe.

I have 2 horseshoe I got maybe 20 year ago from the UK.

Mine are are on both stern quarters and have a light and a dan buoy attached. The one on my port quarter also has a floating line which is looped and attached to the boat so like West Coast any inexperienced crew can steer the boat around the MOB.

I also have a throw bag that is easier to throw with better accuracy and distance.

I get the MOB back onboard I have lifting blocks at the stern for dingy and outboard crane. I have lifting tackle on the foredeck using my spinnaker pole. Mainly used to get my dingy on to my fordeck for long passages.

As posted before I also have a telescopic ladder for if the MOB can climb a ladder.

I also have a rope ladder inside a tube at the stern but this like all rope ladders is not easy to climb.
 
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