What's the best design for a throw line.

  • Thread starter Thread starter KAM
  • Start date Start date
Spirit (of Glenans) said:
This is the type of throwline with which I am familiar. I've never seen a kayak one :
Osculati Throw Line 30m
During my time instructing on Glenans 5.70s I became quite proficient at demonstrating how to throw these lines to their full extent, and how to repack them.
In the photo , (if I have managed to upload it successfully), the sections of plastic tube mounted on the transoms of the boats house the throwlines. It is obvious that guardwires were not a issue when throwing:)

Sherkin 1.jpg
Click to expand...
Similar to the one I have. I'm not sure that kayak ones are much different.
 
davidmh said:
How do you repack these kayak throwing bags. I assume they are just flaked inside the bag so they deploy easily but how do you put the line in bag???
David MH
Click to expand...
Push the line back in , in handfuls. It can make it easier if you hold the bag in front of you, lead the line over your shoulder, with the loose end behind you.
If your first throw misses, you don't need to take time to repack the bag - just quickly coil the line, and throw the end with the bag the same way as you'd throw any other coiled line.
Edit: like several others have already said!
 
Spirit (of Glenans) said:
As I mentioned in my Post#26, this thread is about deploying MOB throwlines as used on sailing yachts but has been hijacked by those writing about heaving lines designed for use with kayaks and also the act of heaving a warp or dockline.
Click to expand...

Respectfully, it's not a hijack. Several of us are making the point that 'kayak style' throw bags seem to us to be well suited to the uses the OP has asked about:
KAM said:
What's the best design for a throw line. Two functions. Throw something that floats to someone in the water and throw a line to shore or another vessel.
Click to expand...

You (Spirit o'G) do make the very good point that there are different types of throw line, different situations where throw lines are used and that this thread doesn't always clearly distinguish. However just because one type of line has in the past been used for MOB situations does not preclude another type of line from being suitable, or even more suitable. I lack the experience to judge which type of line may be best for the MOB situations you describe. However I note that the RNLI choose to use 'kayak style' throw bags to make contact with and recover casualties from the water.

[Edit] As I see has been pointed out, the type of (Osculati brand) throw line you've linked to actually looks to be quite similar in concept to the 'kayak / RNLI type' throw bags some of us are describing.
 
Last edited:
TwoFish said:
However I note that the RNLI choose to use 'kayak style' throw bags to make contact with and recover casualties from the water.
Click to expand...

We've only carried them on board inshore lifeboats in the last few years, but I always use one now if I need to pass a towline to a grounded vessel.

I find them much easier to use than the heaving line with a monkey's fist on the end.
 
Years ago, when I was white water kayaking and canoeing and teaching white water rescue (before it was decided that knots on the end of a throwing line were dangerous - due to the possibility of said knots snagging on something) I made monkeys fists out of 'hairy Nelson' rope. They were between 4" and 5" in diameter and the tail end was eye spliced to enable the very quick attachment or removal from the end of a 30m throwline.
Although the "fist" was quite heavy it was big enough not to be deemed a problem if it landed on someone's head - I used to demonstrate this. It was also big enough for the casualty to get a good grip on with cold hands and they were not tempted to wrap the end of the line round their wrist - which was a big NO.
The first throw was made with the bag and any subsequent throw was made with the monkey's fist end unless the first throw was far away.
The improved accuracy of a second and any subsequent throw was phenomenal and you could (well, I could) get 4 very accurate throws made in the minute given.
As our club members progressed and took the SI training I made each of them one.
I came across one of mine recently but it isn't to hand to post a photo.
One of the problems with deploying a throw line in fast water is that BOTH the rescuer and the casualty have to had some experience, preferably on both ends of the line or it can be quite dangerous.
There was a very good video made, probably in the 90's by some Germans with a good sense of humour, called Dr Throwline.
It illustrated some of the pitfalls of using a throwline

Found it Dr Throwline. It's hilarious and provides food for thought. :)
 
  • Like
Reactions: KAM
How about using one of those ball throwers dog walkers use to get a bit of extra range.
 
TwoFish said:
Respectfully, it's not a hijack. Several of us are making the point that 'kayak style' throw bags seem to us to be well suited to the uses the OP has asked about:

You (Spirit o'G) do make the very good point that there are different types of throw line, different situations where throw lines are used and that this thread doesn't always clearly distinguish. However just because one type of line has in the past been used for MOB situations does not preclude another type of line from being suitable, or even more suitable. I lack the experience to judge which type of line may be best for the MOB situations you describe. However I note that the RNLI choose to use 'kayak style' throw bags to make contact with and recover casualties from the water.

[Edit] As I see has been pointed out, the type of (Osculati brand) throw line you've linked to actually looks to be quite similar in concept to the 'kayak / RNLI type' throw bags some of us are describing.
Click to expand...
The kayak-style bags don't seem to have weight added. Someone has mentioned above that they need to be dunked to add extra weight.
 
Spirit (of Glenans) said:
The kayak-style bags don't seem to have weight added. Someone has mentioned above that they need to be dunked to add extra weight.
Click to expand...
Throw bags of the type I mentioned in post #45 do not NEED to be dunked, they works perfectly well without and, in my experience of using them in anger , you don't want to waste the few seconds it may take to wet them when trying to rescue someone.
 
Why would anyone pay for water in a 500ml plastic bottle if it wasn't to make a throwing line?

Adjustable to sink or float and unlikely to do injury. ?
 
You must log in or register to reply here.

Share this page

Top