Waterlogged Horseshoe buoy

[solent clown]

As we had the kids on board today, I took the time to check the strobe beacon attached to the horseshoe. When I popped the horseshoe off it seemed rather heavy, then I felt moisture at the bottom. I took a knife to it, and found it to be waterlogged, very wet inside. Not just the lining, but the actual polystyrene. The nasty green sheen on the polystyrene was a telling sign.
Fortunately it was one of two, and due for the chop soon anyway as it was scruffy. It had not occurred to me before that something so low tech could go so wrong. I imagine it would have still functioned as a float, but not a piece of equipment to be trifling with.

 

[Seajet]

Ocean Marine do decent ones; also if you google SAC Graphics they'll do the boat name, curved to fit the horseshoe - I think reflective letters are a sensible sounding option, anyway I have loads of refelctive tape on my horseshoe - and an ' Ocean ' ( grade not make ) danbuoy with light on top, this is the sort of thing one only buys once, or certainly only in decades, so worth getting the best.

The old trick re the high vis flag on the danbuoy is to have a bit of small diameter plastic tubing attached to the backstay by elastic shock-chord, with the flag rolled up inside.

Lifebuoy lights are notorious for filling up with water and being useless, the type I have now is said to be ultra reliable - and bright - but has to be twisted to turn on, not automatic - nothing's pefect - but worth perusing the Force 4 catalogue for the latest stuff, rather an important issue, not one to skimp on as you are well aware.

https://www.force4.co.uk/department/safety/man-overboard.html

 

[Seajet]

Another thing; after a few chats I am sure you are sensible enough to put safety of loved ones before trendy style, this is more for consumption by others...

NEVER EVER HAVE WHITE LIFEBUOYS OR WATERPROOFS ' TO MATCH THE BOAT ' !

We were once among 30 or so boats which responded to a request from Solent Coastguard to search for a lady who'd been knocked overboard by the boom.

It was a moderately windy day, say F5, with WHITE breaking wave crests; despite all those boats and crews going to and fro for hours, we couldn't spot her, she died.

In her trendy white waterproofs.

 

[JumbleDuck]

As we had the kids on board today, I took the time to check the strobe beacon attached to the horseshoe. When I popped the horseshoe off it seemed rather heavy, then I felt moisture at the bottom. I took a knife to it, and found it to be waterlogged, very wet inside. Not just the lining, but the actual polystyrene. The nasty green sheen on the polystyrene was a telling sign.

A couple of years ago I found that one of my Ocean Safety ones was completely sodden, as a result of rain getting in through a crack at the top of the cover.

 

[Seajet]

It's probably lucky and maybe a top tip then that due to my half - Aberdonian side, when leaving the boat I always stow my Ocean horseshoe ( with attached light ) in the cabin away to protect it from U/V and thieves, so that probably prevents waterlogging via any tears, and gives a coincidental weight test...

 

[prv]

The old trick re the high vis flag on the danbuoy is to have a bit of small diameter plastic tubing attached to the backstay by elastic shock-chord, with the flag rolled up inside.

Better to fold the flag concertina-style before inserting into the tube - after spending years rolled up they can become reluctant to unroll properly.

Pete

 

[rotrax]

After finding the lamp had fallen over and flattened the batteries I fitted a clip to keep it safe when stowed inside. Our last horseshoe was 16 years old and still good as it was only fitted to the rail when we were aboard.

We have a "Jonbuoy" on our current boat, I have bought it home for a good test and cleanup. It looks as if it has had no attention since it was fitted in 2008.

I hope its OK-they cost about £450.00!

 

[Seajet]

Better to fold the flag concertina-style before inserting into the tube - after spending years rolled up they can become reluctant to unroll properly.

Pete

Pete,

re previously mentioned semi-Aberdonian heritage, the danbuoy also goes below whenever leaving the boat - good point though, personally I can't believe people leave crucial safety kit out in U/V and all weathers...

I still think the horizontal transom stowage tubes for danbuoys as on 1970's racing boats were a cool idea, may not suit aft cabins - which I dislike anyway - but could be incorporated.

A long time ago as fearless ( ie we didn't know what we were taking on ) teenagers, I'd collected a MOB safety thing a bit like a big grenade, the idea was one could throw it to a MOB casualty further and easier than a horseshoe, on contact with water it would inflate and provide a small lifering, at least something to hang onto - spiffing.

After quite a few vigorous sails when this thing had obviously got very wet, we decided we didn't trust it - and being teenagers anyway were itching to try it...

So dropped it over the side by a pontoon one day; it sat there bobbing gently and slowly sinking, not much sign of the magic lifering.

Since then I have tended only to trust safety kit I can prod, squeeze and feel, nothing that may magically inflate if I can't test it; at least that's my excuse, it was dark, your honour...

 

[solent clown]

we have no dan buoy, and I had it in my head to make one - until i looked at the prices, very much cheaper than I had imagined.
Daughter was itching to leap over the side yesterday for MOB practice and a quick swim- but she changed her tune as soon as we got past ocean village

 

[lw395]

We take our horseshoes, complete with lights, drogues and all that, in when we leave the boat or moor up.
But we replace them with the tatty old ones which came with the boat.
The only one I've ever chucked to a person in the water was the tatty old one, when we were in a marina in France.
Everybody else's was either stowed below or took ages to unravel before chucking.

The waterlogged model probably has more throwing range?
We also keep a proper throwing line on deck permanently.

 

[prv]

We have a "Jonbuoy" on our current boat, I have bought it home for a good test and cleanup. It looks as if it has had no attention since it was fitted in 2008.

I hope its OK-they cost about £450.00!

Fundamentally it’s just a large and oddly-shaped lifejacket. I service mine each year along with the jackets, including an overnight inflation test. If yours didn’t lose pressure overnight and the bottle is still over its minimum stamped weight, then the unit itself is probably fine. There’s no auto head to expire; as you know, it’s fired by a lanyard secured to the boat as the raft falls into the sea.

The light will be time-expired; I couldn’t find a like-for-like replacement but decided an LED lifejacket light was an improvement anyway.

Pete

 

[Seajet]

.
The only one I've ever chucked to a person in the water was the tatty old one, when we were in a marina in France.

Quite Right, one has to have priorities;

I have three lifebuoys, the first, left out in the sun and rain ' for probably ungrateful anyway Johnny Foreigner or mobo types '

The second, kept under a plastic cover, is ' for decent looking people who've fallen off classic sailing boats '

The Special Reserve one is in a faux fur lined cover, only to be used for fellow Anderson owners or Kiera Knighty if she looks like she may be gratefeul.

 

[ghostlymoron]

I am surprised your horseshoe can get waterlogged. I'd always assumed the polystyrene float was closed cell type.
I don't carry one myself as I am always single handed and couldn't throw it to myself.

 

[lw395]

I am surprised your horseshoe can get waterlogged. I'd always assumed the polystyrene float was closed cell type.
I don't carry one myself as I am always single handed and couldn't throw it to myself.

I suspect the PVC(?) outer cover split at the top and filled with rain.
A lot of 'closed cell' foam will soak up a bit of water, just not nearly so much as open cell.

 

[JumbleDuck]

I am surprised your horseshoe can get waterlogged. I'd always assumed the polystyrene float was closed cell type.
I don't carry one myself as I am always single handed and couldn't throw it to myself.

I was surprised too, but the foam was completely saturated with water right up to the level of the split in the casing. I didn't test it, but it's entirely possible that the whole device would have sunk if thrown into the sea, which is a whisker counter-productive in a lifesaving buoy.

 

[rotrax]

Fundamentally it’s just a large and oddly-shaped lifejacket. I service mine each year along with the jackets, including an overnight inflation test. If yours didn’t lose pressure overnight and the bottle is still over its minimum stamped weight, then the unit itself is probably fine. There’s no auto head to expire; as you know, it’s fired by a lanyard secured to the boat as the raft falls into the sea.

The light will be time-expired; I couldn’t find a like-for-like replacement but decided an LED lifejacket light was an improvement anyway.

Pete

Thanks for that-coincidently I have just got it from the shed before I read your post.

I will attend to it this afternoon.