Lifeboat Recovery Strops

[aquascott]

Does anyone have any experience using the Rescue/Recovery Strops for an enclosed Fassmer Lifeboat?

[Steamer]

If you are looking for information on how it's done, the specific procedures are supplied with the boat and the recovery straps. Look here for a video of a recovery.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HiRCVXUF2fg

I was on a tanker on it's first run with covered boats into Valdez, we were anchored off Knowles Head waiting for a berth and the mate decided it was a good time to launch the new boat and get some practice with it. No one knew anything about the recovery procedure ... or that it was any different than the old open boats. While the boat was out running around the wind came up and it was quickly obvious that there was no way to recover the boat without killing someone or destroying the boat, or both. An escort tug was called to provide a lee, the weather was getting worse, daylight was getting shorter, and the cadet who went along for the ride was near death from seasickness. There was a frantic search for the owners manual for the new boat and when it was found it was discovered that there were recovery straps included with the spares. The bosun tracked them down but it was getting a bit late to experiment if the boat had to head for the beach.

The boat finally started to run to Valdez because there weren't any options left but had only gone a mile or so when the tug came around the corner. With the tug providing a lee, and with the use of the recovery straps we managed to get the boat back on board. The incident had its funny moments but was really embarrassing for the deckies. The cadet never volunteered for a lifeboat ride again either.

[aquascott]

Steamer, thanks for the info & link to the video! The Fassmer boat we are using is ill suited for recovery strops as we found out struggling with them yesterday. Our suspension gear is pretty lightweight to begin with and doesn't really pose much danger when retrieving the boat, even in rough seas, so back into the boat locker they go hopefully never to be seen again!