Lifebuoys - What sort do you carry and have you used an inflating one?

[Robin]

One of the first things I did was to have some covers made for my horseshoe lifebuoys. Mine are held on with velcro so I just rip then off and throw then overboard then throw the lifebuoy overboard this creates a kind of debris trail

Understandable precaution where you are perhaps but mine was in the UK and the lifebuoys were always stored in the cabin unless we were actually going sailing so their exposure to UV was minimal. Here in Florida UV is a constant problem and the reason why our lifesling recovery device is contained in a solid grp box instead of the basic PVC bag it comes with. there are Sunbrella bags available too to match other canvas on board. My point about the Plastimo horseshoe lifebuoy was that it was not really fit for purpose, the straps that held the grab lines rotted away and the lines fell off completely when I picked it up by them in order to put it in it's holder on on the pushpit rail, that borders on criminal uselessness to me and even more shamewful that Plstimo could apparently not be bothered to comment. Full marks however to force 4 who replaced it FOC anyway, the replacement did last until I sold the boat about 2 years later when we moved to the USA.

 

[LittleSister]

A timely thread for me, as I noticed recently that not only has the webbing holding the ropes on the Plastimo or similar lifebuoy given up the ghost, but also the floating line I used to have attached to it is no longer there (and I've no idea how long its been gone without me noticing!).

I'm now seriously considering doing without, given
- I've been carrying such things round for decades without ever using them,
- I remain doubtful as to their usability/value in an emergency (though I'm willing to be persuaded),
- they add much to the clutter on a small boat such as ours and spoil the view from cockpit, and
- fancy gadgets like the Jonbuoy are probably beyond my budget.
Would I be wrong to do so?

 

[toad]

Has anyone ever looked closely at there JonBoy inflatable life ring? I bought one at Sibs, on taking it apart to see how it worked I found that it would never inflate automatically. It is basically a funny shaped life jacket with a auto inflating trigger and a toggle you pull if that doesn't work just like a conventional lifejacket. The problem is to make it water proof when mounted outside they have enclosed the dissolving pellet assembly in a waterproof cup with an "o" ring.
The idea is you undo the quick release top yank the JonBoy out of its hard case in doing so the protective cap which is attached by a cord to the base of the hard case pulls the cap off. You then lob it at the man overboard and it self inflates like a normal lifejacket.
The problem is the pellet holder is tapered so what happens is the cap and pellet holder end up jammed tightly together. Either the cord will break or more likely it will pull the whole auto firing mechanism away from the lifebuoy.
I have tried a little Vaseline on the "o" ring which made it worse, packing it very carefully but with the firing mechanism pointing down it naturally forces them together so after a week they are totally jammed. When I say jammed it is to such an extent that I have to unscrew the firing mechanism and it takes all my strength to separate them. I have now removed the waterproof cap and will mount it under the spray hood or just inside the hatch out of the wet.
If you have one of these just have a look as I am sure its a design fault and not just mine. It would be nice if people could report back on there findings.

 

[fisherman]

- I've been carrying such things round for decades without ever using them,
QUOTE]

So have I, but I have to have them, and the one occasion a lifebuoy was needed without it I would otherwise have had to throw my crew in, (giving me two recovery problems) or I think the drowning man would have been lost. He was going under every wave, and fortunately knew to bang down on it with his forearms to flip it over his head.

 

[SP2]

Has anyone ever looked closely at there JonBoy inflatable life ring? I bought one at Sibs, on taking it apart to see how it worked I found that it would never inflate automatically. It is basically a funny shaped life jacket with a auto inflating trigger and a toggle you pull if that doesn't work just like a conventional lifejacket.

That's very interesting and I'd certainly be asking some questions face to face at SIBS before buying.

I also realise that we have kapok filled cushions that are transferring to the new boat so these might be another aid but I don't know if they would help keep someone afloat. Has anyone any experience? Perhaps I should chuck one overboard?

 

[lw395]

I remember reading in a book about a bloke who'd served a long time on a ship, years ago.
When he was paid off, he ceremoniously slung his kapok lifejecket over the side, where it sank.....

Probably apochryphal at best, but....

Also on our boat, the comfy cushions tend to be at risk of blowing away above F4 so they get put below.
As they do if it's going to rain or lots of spray.
I think a Merry Fisher has a very different cockpit from our yachts, so maybe it'll work fine for you.

As we do a bit of racing, a group of old blokes save us agonising over these details by telling us what to have.
Saves lots of time and most of what they say makes sense....

 

[KellysEye]

We carried and inflatable danbuoy whch is about 5 feet high with a flag and light on it. We also had a horseshoe lifering with about 50 yards of floating orange line. On the subject of lifejackets we never wore them the whole point is to stop an MOB. Tape jackstays on the deck, a U bolt in the cockpit to clip on to and a harneness with one long and one short tether. Use the short tether and you can't go over the lifelines. The short tether is used going to the mast in bad weather to reef and the long one to put around the mast to stop you being thrown backwards. We used harneses and tethers always at night and in bad weather.

 

[Seajet]

I had an inflatable lifering, in a plastic case like a large grenade, meant to be better for throwing to people in a strong wind than the traditional horseshoe job.

After a few years hard sailing we know the thing had got very wet, but no sign of it going off.

Partly because we'd lost faith in it, largely because we were curious teenagers, we decided to drop it over the side at the mooring.

It sat on the surface for a little while then sank like a rock, showing no buoyancy type inclinations.

The most help it would have been to a MOB would have been a good square hit on the forehead to stun them and avoid experiencing the drowning bit.

We have to rely on auto lifejackets ( a KRU one saved my life ), but for liferings I'd go for solid, 100% reliable - with a light and drogue, also the boat name so as to be identifiable to emergency services if washed up on a beach.

 

[fisherman]

I work single handed, wear a L/J at all times, but at 66 have to think about how would I get back aboard if the worst happened. As GRP fvs of this type roll a lot I would hope to get up via one of the tyre fenders. Maybe. Walked round the boat at low water and tried to climb up, one foot on the rudder and it might just be possible, but not after a surprise immersion and in wet clothes/oilers/boots. The scuppers are easily reached, I think maybe a short rope ladder pulled out through one is the next test. The ideal would be one or two decent steps fixed to the hull.

 

[ex-Gladys]

I always like the approach I have seen on Dutch traditional boats with steps up the rudder.

 

[fisherman]

Aha! I keep an ally ladder aboard, if I lash it centrally to the rails so it can rotate down into the water and have a rope hanging from it that I can reach, job done.

 

[Robin]

I fix our stern ladder up with little velcro straps to the pushpit gate, with a short trailing line laid on the platform that is just reachable to yank it free and pull it down if needed,

 

[fisherman]

Yes, Velcro would be good. Ta.

 

[DannyB]

I fix our stern ladder up with little velcro straps to the pushpit gate, with a short trailing line laid on the platform that is just reachable to yank it free and pull it down if needed,

Following on from a similar thread on here, I modified my stern ladder with a snap shackle to secure it and a trip line that dangles down to the swim platform. It used to be secured with bungee and a plastic hook, but I actually tried to pull it down from the water and couldn't. The leverage you can get from the water meant that the plastic hook was more than able to hold it in the parked position. Not a lot of use. Now I can reach the trip line from the water, open the snap shackle and pull down the ladder, probably hit myself on the head.