Lifesling = USCG throwable?

[drjohn71a]

OK, Joe..... NO, that's how the new combines look around here!

While this may not be the place to post it, I did have an accidental "falling-in" the water a week ago which left me in the lake without that dive ladder in place.

As some have already mentioned, I climbed atop the Perma-Trim fin and pushed the engine tilt switch right there closeby on the Honda 150, and got "elevated" right up the the swim step!!!

'Learned several lessons at once..... 1- always be prepared 2- it's expensive to have to hire a diver to retrieve your more expensive glasses dropped into the deep 3- less expensive to keep "floaties" neck straps on them 4 - As old Woodie, the retired Merchant marineman of my youth preached 40 years ago, "Anything you care about needs a landyard!"

some other lessons too

JOhn

[drjohn71a]

Fortunately, My sis was aboard and shut off the engines right away. Had she not been there, there would have been NO WAY for me to get back up into the boat!!!

I'm thinking about getting one of those flexible ladder packs that hangs from the railing with a trailer rope that you can pull and the ladder drops down.

John

[Sarge]

Merv,

You mentioned:

[Doryman]

A while ago someone was asking about a comealong that uses rope. It just occurred to me that that kind of comealong might be just the thing to use with the lifesling, to help overcome some of the deficiencies of the lifesling on C-Dories. Bob also mentioned here the possible use of a sailboat winch for that purpose.

Even with a 5:1 mechanical hoist advantage, could your significant other lift you into the boat? I don't think mine could.

Warren

[Doryman]

[Grumpy]

Carl,

Absolutely agree with you. We hope this is the biggest investment we will never have to use !!!

I have posted pictures in the Kingfisher Album under PIW Recovery system.

My original thought was to have a large Carabiner both ends as it is a very rapid and secure means of attachment, but I had no luck finding one with a big enough opening to go over the cross beam tube. (It takes a much bigger one than you think!!). So I settled for a screw shackle that only takes a few seconds to attach and has the added advantage that it forces you to get the pulley block installed the right way up (DUH).

As you can see from the pictures we can get at least the PIW's head and shouders over the rail. From there we should be able to drag them into the cockpit.
May be bumpy but If they complain they can go back to walking on water.

The Lifesling pulley system is extremely well made and has a built - in jamb cleat so you don't drop the PIW back down again if you are single handed and need tp let go of the line.
I tried pricing the items separately and found that to get anywhere near the same quality, it would cost about the same. Since this is (hopefully) going to sit in the emegency locker for years without use, I wan it to work when I need it.

Pat had a great idea on another thread about having workshops. Maybe we could do one on PIW recovery or add it to a CBGTG ?

Merv

[drjohn71a]

I installed the bow ladder like Brent and Dixie have for beaching, etc. It is not reachable from the water, though.

John

[Sarge]

Merv,

Do you think one of these carabiners would be big enough?

http://www.rescueresponse.com/store/omega_pacific_scaffold_lok.html

How quickly can you set this up? Talk about panicking, even though I am preparing myself to take action if we have a COB, my heart will be in my throat and I'll want to act FAST!!

-Carl

[Grumpy]

Carl,
I hear you !
Personally I would throw the lifesling first and get the person to the boat and stable before even attempting to set up the pulley. If double handed someone else could do it.

But in answer to your question. Yes I think that style probably overcomes the problem with a "straight" carabiner where, even if you can get the tube inside the bend, you cannot get the "gate" back past it.

I tried a swinging one but it was the conventional shape and did not work. In the end I got fed up with buying expensive bits and went for the shackle. Downside of which is that you might drop the screw pin in haste so, having said that I will go out and attach mine with a length of nylon.

If you use two simlar carabiners I would strongly suggest doing something to clearly identify which one is top. I have suffered from "demonstration factor" already by trying to get mine on backwards. Fortunately mine will not fit backwards so I have not suffered the embarassment of trying to haul on the "wrong" end.

Above all, especially with kids, practice it every year. Panic is a deadly enemy.

Hope this helps.

Merv

[Doryman]

Can anyone beat this price of $199 for a lifesling?

Warren

[Grumpy]

Forgot to add that if you are rescuing someone who is already wearing a lifejacket with a safety harness, then you have a better attachment point for the pulley block and can get them even further out of the water.

Warren: That looks like a good deal and you can spend the difference on whatever you need to attach it to the boat !!

Merv

[thataway]

That is satisfactory--as long as the pulleys fair lead. Note that this is a true 5;1, lifting, but has an extra line at the top block, along with a jam cleat, which reverses the direction of the line, so you are pulling down (recommended, instead of liftng). This way you use your body weight to lift the person.

[drjohn71a]

Warren... That's the cheapest I can find the 5 to 1 block set other than there is a complete set for sale on EBay... current bid is $20. It could be in Australia... not sure.

John