Inflatable Danbuoys are they worth it?

Captain Haddock

Captain Haddock

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Hi!

I need a new Danbuoy and whilst browsing the adverts I came across the adverts for the Seago inflatable danbuoy for 50 quid.

So it's either 150 quid for the Plastimo special (Includes mounting bracket etc.) or 50 quid for the inflatable, both meet the RORC specs.

Anyone have any experience with the inflatable Danbuoy? Does it blow off? Does it stand erect in the water or does it go limp after a few minutes?

For 50 quid it seems to good to be true! is it?

Hope someone can help.

CH.
 
First if its a charter boat it needs testing each year. Secondly there are reports of lifejackets and liferafts not inflating when they were needed - its probably not many - but while these are impractical if not inflatable a solid dan buoy is practical and reliable.

If I was looking to save money I am not sure I would start with safety equipment.

Regards
roger
 
Can i suggest that £150 might be a tad over priced for the Plastimo super dooper one? We paid just over a ton for ours about 8 months ago. Can't help on whether they work in a crisis tho, but they have had good reports.
As to whether you should have a solid one, maybe, but they are so impractical for everyday (in the way i mean); in much the same way that a board of trade lifeboat is a much better thing to carry around, rather than an inflatable liferaft!

Cheers

James

PS Have you also seen the lifejackets with "built in danbuoy"? Brilliant idea IMHO, but they need to do a 275N one for us bigguns..
 
Imagine the situation
MOB the wind blowing like a whore, the waves breaking over the deck and your trying to blow up 50 quids worth of plastic to launch over the side. Unless you live on a lake where you can retrieve it later i'd save the money and buy something a bit more rigid.
 
I'm gonna play devils whatsit now... all in the name of debate!

You don't blow them up, you chuck it at the casuality and it blows itself up....

Imaging same situation with a cheap and nasty liferaft....(ducks for cover!!)
 
I should have elaborated a bit more it's a self inflater not a blow up jobbie here's the link:

http://www.seagoyachting.co.uk/PDF/seago-buoy-info.pdf

I did find a review of Danbuoys in the Jun 03 Sailing Today and the XM self inflater received the Premium Buy award, the Seago wasn't out then however, it's the concept of the self inflater that surprised me as to it getting the Premium Award.

After pulling the cord and letting it go by the time I got the person back on board I don't think I'd be bothered about retrieving it.

With my old Danbuoy it was a case of pull it out of the drain pipe, ensure the ropes weren't tangled, extend to full height, pull out the flag then sling it over.... damn the drogue got caught fiddle with that whilst slowly drifting away. Simply reaching over and pulling on a cord, it pops out and it starts to inflate seems a more straightforward approach that even my kids could do.

That's the other factor I'm thinking of here, if I went over how easy would it be for the missus and the kids to deploy the MOB gear? would they remember to extend the pole of the danbuoy? take the rubber band off the flag?

Hmm for 50 quid a pop I could put one each side of the Pushpit one as a backup for the other or pop both off should there be a MOB... I'd still save 50!

However, that assuming they work, back to the original question, do they work?
 
[ QUOTE ]

PS Have you also seen the lifejackets with "built in danbuoy"? Brilliant idea IMHO, but they need to do a 275N one for us bigguns..

[/ QUOTE ]

Yep, I agree they are a great idea however, I'm also a chap who has the 275N option in lifejackets. Even then I'm not sure if 275N could support my tonnage (6ft 5" and 21 stone of ballast), wet clothes and boots filled with water etc.

I've said to the missus if I go over and she manages to find me and I'm unconscious or too weak to bring myself on board, just get the boat hook, drag me towards the boat like she would when mooring up to a buoy, clip me onto the side of the yacht, shout the RNLI and don't panic.

She'd never get me back on board, she'd probably fall in trying. I have a handy billy ready to snap onto the boom however, it'd take quite a bit of work for me bringing one of the kids on board even with that.

As a result we always wear a lifejacket and always clip on when going on deck it's just not worth the risk (Especially in my case).
 
Finally somebody who agree's with me that lifejackets aren't the poof's option!!

Neraida has an open near waterlevel transom, but i'm sure Claire would have some difficulty getting me back on board!!

Cheers

James
 
I had a quick look at the RORC regs, my interpretation of section 4.22 is that the pole should be attached to the lifebuoy, is that possible with the inflation types?
 
Re: Inflatable Danbuoys are they worth it.. nope!

Whilst there has been many discussions on here & elsewhere about getting a MOB back on the boat we, swmbo & I, have devised our own stratergy & have practised it & will carry on practising. The details are not really that important but I think its that we both feel confident that we can stop the boat, get back to the MOB & get the person in the water back on board. I would also suggest that there is no one way to get a MOB back on board & that it is also Boat specific.
IMHO forget all the gimmicks & just take all the bits of information write them down & go practice......Safely of course!

As far as a Danbouy is concerned.... inflatables, nah!!! dont think so..
We have a couple on board, both self made with the extra bits; float, weight, auto light, etc. bought from Jimmy Green at the shop in Beer. Saved a fortune & they are ocean spec. Go to a boat jumble for the rods, or even some cheap sea fishing rods, even on Ebay I think??

Life jackets: we only use them at night, going foward, & in any heavy sea. At night we BOTH use auto flash alarms at all times, a bit OTT but have you ever tried to find a MOB in the dark???
Just throw in a bouy at night and try and find it after 3 or 4 boat lengths........


poter /forums/images/graemlins/wink.gif
 
That's exactly what I thought it could be used for as well. That extra bit of flotation. I think I'm going to buy one (2 if the budget can stretch).

Thanks for the feedback everyone!
 
Re: An interesting experience with a danbouy

Whilst racing, the inflatable danbouy fell off its bracket and suddenly this vast orange dildo appeared in the cockpit. Managed to inflate through the wheel and jammed the steering for a moment or two. Very funny though /forums/images/graemlins/cool.gif
 
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