Is a danbuoy any use

[dnickj]

see me

as a diver for many years - and being experienced in a range of sea conditions I can tell you on how difficult it can be to spot someone in the water - even if you know which direction to look in - thats why I use a 2m colapsable pole with a big orange flag on it - I recon I would have died long ago without it

 

[Goldie]

I carry a Dan-Buoy, rigged for use. IMHO the majority seem to be carried with the flag tied up and the telescopic tubes in the closed position - the time taken to deploy effectively from this state is time wasted. If you're going to carry them, they need to be deployable in a matter of seconds.

 

[boatmike]

...for a modest sailing boat crewed by a couple in their fifties?

As I understand it a danbuoy is intended to be thrown into the sea immediately after someone has fallen in. But with a simple boat, under way and crewed by two people, if one falls in the other might be nowhere near the danbuoy storage. Surely the sole remaining crew member on board needs to turn the boat asap?

I can see the value of a personal epirb in such a situation. It seems unlikely that a danbuoy would be useful for us, in most circumstances.

Comments welcome, especially from anyone who has actually fallen in.

I have never fallen in but have indeed had a real life MoB to deal with which was made incredibly easier by the use of a danbouy. I would add the following to others comments.

1. Always extend the flagpole to maximum when sailing ofshore. You only want to take time to chuck it, not rig it!
2. Replace the poxy little flag on top with a gert big one. Much easier to see. I use mine to fly my red duster!
3. Have it rigged on the aft rail ready to drop instantly with the life ring attached by a long painter bound by cotton. Thet way it releases when chucked.
4. Remember that it is the ONLY visible aid to get back to where the MoB went over. Chart plotter MoB markers are super but you will need to be on top of the screen to see them and in an emergency its difficult to know which way the MoB is without a dan bouy.
5. They also give the MoB a marker to swim to if they can.
6. Always clip on especially when single handed. Dan bouys are f all use on your own!

 

[Spookyfella]

Interesting that most people assume they are the one left on the boat. If you were in the water, what do you think then?

 

[Genoa]

Interesting that most people assume they are the one left on the boat. If you were in the water, what do you think then?

I'd feel very reassured by my blow up girl standing next to me looking like Danni Menogue (sp?). At least i hope that was the shape of "personal Dan -bouy" I got

 

[Coaster]

...we have personal (inflatable) danbouys on our lifejackets - they do work...

Thank you Genoa. I think thse sound by far and away the best idea for us, together with personal EPIRBs.

The successful deployment of a danbuoy seems to depend on instant launching. I reckon that a boat travelling at 6 knots is moving at about 10 feet per second. If one of us fell in and the other was below decks, instant danbuoy launching isn't going to happen.

Can you recommend a particular make?

 

[westernman]

Which it is, survivable because of Safety Gear. The dan buoy is very useful in a MOB situation but many boats have them set up so as to be difficult to deploy. Humans being humans make mistakes or get caught out, so safety gear is not dangerous but actually addresses to some extent the fallibility of being human.

To answer the OPs question directly, yes a Dan Buoy is useful and should be rigged to to use. I have used them many times in MOB training. Compared to a bucket and fender, there is just no comparison when it comes to visibility. I have also had one deploy in heavy weather accidently and again it was very easy to spot and recover.

So get it set up for rapid deployment by the helms person.

A Dan Buoy helps to a certain extent in moderate conditions. However, in a F8 when it is raining with 4M high waves, there is almost no chance of finding a MOB from a yacht even with a Dan Buoy.

I sailed once on a tall ship. Good fun too. The safety brief on the first evening started off with, "If you fall overboard, you are as good as dead". "If you fall off the yard arm aloft, if you land on the deck, your are probably dead. If you land in the water you will be."

Then they explained the use of the safety harness which everyone was issued with.

No lifejackets.

I wonder what it would be like to crash tack a tallship in the F8 we had on the first day, bowling along downwind at 10knts+ We never tacked in all the time I was on board - although we did wear ship quite a lot - that took about 40mins from start to finish.

 

[Deleted member 36384]

Windy, Inclement Weather Would Make Searching Difficult But Not Impossible

A Dan Buoy helps to a certain extent in moderate conditions. However, in a F8 when it is raining with 4M high waves, there is almost no chance of finding a MOB from a yacht even with a Dan Buoy.....

Yes it is more difficult but not impossible and absolutely, there is a chance. I use a small pick up buoy (tripping line) to teach search methods. Drop it over and 10 minutes later tell the crew. Another colleague uses a small yellow rubber duck.

Something I have not used in a yacht but heard about was dye. When the dan buoy gets launched a source of dye is released from the dan buoy. I have used dye to find leaks in water wells - half a cup turned 1000 bbls (42000 US Gallons) bright green. It could be contained in a dissolving (paper / cellulose) container.

As you point out in your post going over board carries a high likely hood of death and I too stress this when briefing a crew.