Life ring buoy must be orange for coastal trips? - Page 2

PJHoffnet · 09-19-2018, 04:21 PM

Long floatable line is important, even though you can't 'out throw' its distance. Throw the ring as far as you can towards the person - if they're able they can move towards it, but more importantly you can maneuver the boat to encircle the MOB with the line - i.e. get the floating line to the person who can hold it near them as the motion of the boat pulls the ring to them.

I keep a 'combo' floating seat cushion and Type II Buoyant Life Jacket (with strobe) right at my feet that I can quickly toss out of the fly bridge as I mark the MOB on the chart plotter. If alone I throttle back and toss the ring (inshore) or life sling (offshore) with the rope attached to the hand rail on the side I'll be turning towards in my return to MOB maneuver then get back up to the helm and maneuver for recovery. If another crew member on board, they do the tossing and along with anyone else on board start doing the point the man drill.

psneeld · 09-19-2018, 06:22 PM

There are many ways to rig and use type4 throwables. Just one, with or without a line doesn't cover every possibility ...

Think through the common situations for a MOB...and rig/practice accordingly.

dhays · 09-19-2018, 06:42 PM

we have a Lifesling that is mounted on the swimstep. It has a floating poly line. We also have a number of throwable cushions. I am not counting on the cushions being helpful at all.

psneeld · 09-19-2018, 07:09 PM

Usually there are 2 kinds of MOB....

One is recognized right away.... where just chopping the throttles and backing up (not over the MOB) is often the quickest recovery method.

The second type of MOB is where someone heard something or someone isn't where they are supposed to be, and in both of those situations you are generally farther away than tossing distance.

Plan accordingly.

Comodave · 09-19-2018, 08:30 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by psneeld

Usually there are 2 kinds of MOB....

One is recognized right away.... where just chopping the throttles and backing up (not over the MOB) is often the quickest recovery method.

The second type of MOB is where someone heard something or someone isn't where they are supposed to be, and in both of those situations you are generally farther away than tossing distance.

Plan accordingly.

Good reason to have a track line running on your plotter. If you loose someone you can run back up your track line.

markpierce · 09-20-2018, 03:21 AM

Sometimes I amaze myself and thanks for my guardian angel. Never having a good sense of balance, I crewed on a 28-foot sailboat for seven years (summer and winter racing seasons) in windy San Francisco Bay responsible for launching and recovering sails and spinnakers on the foredeck, lacking railings or lifelines, all the while lacking a PDF.

Scary now, but not then. I was an indestructible teenager.

sdowney717 · 09-23-2018, 02:41 PM

I cut off the old cover from the 24" life ring. It was a Jim Buoy G series white model.
It was in rough shape, they use 'beckets' straps sewed on to floating polypropylene rope that rots in the sun. So really it was not serviceable as it was.

I drilled 1/2 " holes around to thread a new rope. And made recesses for the rope to fit into. This way the rope is replaceable.

I sanded the dense polystyrene core, then coated with black polyurethane Loctite roof and flashing. Simply it seals the surface with a rubber layer. This way it has a slight cushion feel to the surface when you squeeze it. And makes it fuel proof.

Coated that with Zinsser 123 primer and sanded it smooth as I could using 80 grit paper. Then I sprayed it with grey primer.

For the orange top coat, used Pumpkin color Krylon spray paint, 15 oz can. I have half the can left.

Will let it dry a few days before putting in the rope. I only had to $4 worth of orange paint at Walmart for this project. The other materials were leftovers. To me doing these things is interesting, most people will just buy a new buoy. Could have left off doing that black rubber coating. But I think it makes it better.

If I ever buy a new one, it will be hard plastic with replaceable rope. The way they make many of these, they are counting on what you buy to disintegrate so they can sell you another one.

meridian · 09-23-2018, 04:10 PM

Unfortunately, not legal without label.

sdowney717 · 09-23-2018, 07:33 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by meridian

Unfortunately, not legal without label.

Yeah I know, but it matters not. I have two legal floating cushions. So boat gets a pass. It is actually better quality now after I finish with it than when new. It is still a functioning life ring.

I also have an old 20" life ring given to me. I may paint it orange also. That one also is so worn out has no label. The kids love to play with it in the water.

This is like flares, you have old sets past their legal date, but you also have a new legal set and your good to go.