Throw devise stowage

Greetings to the Forum:

To day, after pressure washing the boat, I noticed the throw ring lines were in a state of disarray. Ahaa I thought, I’d ask the TF for ideas on stowing the attached line. Currently I have them coiled and strapped to the fly bridge rail. Given a need to toss, I suspect lines would be fouled. They were as I gathered them up to remove from the boat to clean. How do you stow your throw devise?

Thanks,
Al-Ketchikan 27' Marben Pocket CRUISER

Find this a practical approach, using roped sling rather than ring, contained in the rail-mounted box:

Hi Al.

I don't have a good answer for you, but I've seen a few different ways of stowing attached line so that deploying doesn't foul. The one I like best is a separate hook to hold the looped line with a quick release mousing line/bungee.

On WESTERLY, I have a throw ring on either side of the pilothouse, but there is no retrieval line. The ring's are meant to be thrown to aid a person in the water, the retrieval line is located on the aft deck where retrieval operations will be conducted.

My thinking is that a line attached to the ring deployed from forward of midships can possibly create a number of difficulties in eventual recovery, especially if the boat is still moving. In addition, throwing accuracy is helped if there is no line attached.

Should be coming through KTN around May 19, will you be around?

Jay N said:

Hi Al.

I don't have a good answer for you, but I've seen a few different ways of stowing attached line so that deploying doesn't foul. The one I like best is a separate hook to hold the looped line with a quick release mousing line/bungee.

On WESTERLY, I have a throw ring on either side of the pilothouse, but there is no retrieval line. The ring's are meant to be thrown to aid a person in the water, the retrieval line is located on the aft deck where retrieval operations will be conducted.

My thinking is that a line attached to the ring deployed from forward of midships can possibly create a number of difficulties in eventual recovery, especially if the boat is still moving. In addition, throwing accuracy is helped if there is no line attached.

Should be coming through KTN around May 19, will you be around?

Click to expand...

Thanks Jay, I believe your process is best.the lines currently just seem to tangle even when as you discribe and we have, coiled and budgie corded.

Speaking to stern recovery activity. This fall thinking of the anchoring issue with narrow side deck and falling in, I established a couple of rules and support. One, either I go through the forward hatch on a ladder constructed to fold and stow in the anchor compartment, which sets up on the v-bunks, or I drop the bording ladder on the swim step into the water prior to going forward with life vest harness . I added a knotted drop line to allow grasping the line from the aft canopy to assist climbing the swim step ladder.

I believe your concept of the rings being without line will serve.

Mark, I have my eye out for one of those rescue packs. Almost had one early on, but procrastinated.

I should be in the area Jay, at this point the dedicated voyage is around the first week end of May [7th] where I will be boating up to Wrangell attending the annual golf dinner/auction. Will watch the weather and jump in time to make the trip play a bit of golf, the dinner then return. So yes, unless we join with some other couple for a voyage we will be around. Would enjoy a conversation and mug up.
Al

I second the idea of a LifeSling type of setup on the stern rail. The sling provides buoyancy as well as convenient harness if you have to hoist the MOB into the vessel. Furthermore, the line is attached at the stern of the vessel where you want your retrieval line to be.

Al said:

I believe your concept of the rings being without line will serve.

Click to expand...

And if you haven't seen one, you might want to consider retrieval line in a "throw bag". The line is stuffed into the bag, not coiled. The end sticking out of the mouth of the bag is held or cleated to the boat, and then you throw the bag. Line payys out of it as it travels. Most folks can throw one much further than they can throw a bare line. We have one with half inch line on the boat, and another with 3/8 inch liine for dinghy and canoe. Or, is it 3/8" and 1/4"? Not sure.

I second the 'throw bag'. They are challenge to re-pack but they are there when you need them.

I was also given a bizarre rescue device to test that looks like a frisbee with a floating line attached. I've never had to use it but I am intrigued.

Ultimately the lifesling concept seems to work the best. ...as a general concept.


Having other throwables whether tethered or not is good as well as one that is tethered as you may not always be in a situation where the lifesling maneuver is possible.

c+++ on the Throw Bag approach.

I use a sm alum clip to attach which lets you disconnect the ring in the event you just want to toss the line which is sometimes very useful.

Accuracy with throw bag is amazingly good

dhays said:

I second the idea of a LifeSling type of setup on the stern rail. The sling provides buoyancy as well as convenient harness if you have to hoist the MOB into the vessel. Furthermore, the line is attached at the stern of the vessel where you want your retrieval line to be.

Click to expand...

"Hoist' is the key word here. The reason I had installed the knotted line attached to the overhead relates to having at a time when just recreation swimming, found that climbing out of the water on the swim step ladder is not all that friendly with age without a handhold. The completion of that then brought the thought of how to actually retrieve a man size person. I gave thought to the three part block and tackle set up for the former dink lifting on to the swim step however without a mast or derrick it doesn't lend itself to a comfortable installation from the overhead.
The thinking now is towards a crab pot/shrimp pot puller installed on the fly bridge area. Have to formulate a mounting position. Always something to cogitate on a boat!!

Al-Ketchikan 27'Marben Pocket CRUISER

Al said:

"Hoist' is the key word here. The reason I had installed the knotted line attached to the overhead relates to having at a time when just recreation swimming, found that climbing out of the water on the swim step ladder is not all that friendly with age without a handhold. The completion of that then brought the thought of how to actually retrieve a man size person. I gave thought to the three part block and tackle set up for the former dink lifting on to the swim step however without a mast or derrick it doesn't lend itself to a comfortable installation from the overhead.
The thinking now is towards a crab pot/shrimp pot puller installed on the fly bridge area. Have to formulate a mounting position. Always something to cogitate on a boat!!

Click to expand...

Al, In that regard, I am fortunate in that I generally have a spare halyard that can be used to hoist a MOB. Still, if I go overboard in any kind of weather under sail, my wife would have a heck of a time retrieving me and then getting me on board. I have a scoop transom and swim ladder that is very easy for me to climb up, but if I was hypothermic, weighed down with heavy weather clothing, and fatigued, I doubt that I would make it up without a hoist. That means that in Puget Sound, I would need to get out within about 20 minutes or I would not be able to do it alone.

When I was younger, I never thought about these things very much. We get smarter as we get older, realizing that bad things can and do happen. When sailing single handed I now always use a harness and jacklines. I have always been very good about putting on a PFD anytime I step out of the cockpit, but now I am obsessive about it. Coming into and leaving the dock, me and all crew always are wearing a PFD now, even for the most simple of landings.

I think that simple solutions tend to be the best. A block and tackle is pretty foolproof. Some type of quick connect like a carabiner can be used even around the base of a stanchion. It doesn't have to lift the person to the swim step, getting them high enough to sit on the rail or get them into the cockpit is fine. It doesn't have to be pretty, just effective and the tackle can be stored in an easily accessible location in the cockpit to grab once the MOB has been secured to the boat.