Neptune Sail and Power Squadron

How to use a Lifesling (produced by the Sailing Foundation)

This video explains how to deploy a LifeSling and recover your crewmember. It begins with with an explanation of how to use the Lifesling on a sailboat. Instructions for using a LifeSling on a power boat start at 7:20 into the video.

Lifesling2 is Coast Guard approved and works better than a ring or horseshoe buoy because: It can be towed to the overboard crewmember rather than the crewmember having to swim to it—this eliminates the danger of the crewmember coming in contact with the hull and propeller It can be used as a lifting sling if the crewmember needs help out of the water The Lifesling2 system consists of a flotation collar which is a blend of the traditional horseshoe buoy and a helicopter rescue sling. It’s connected to 125' of multi-filament polypropylene retrieving line which allows the flotation to be towed or thrown to the overboard crewmember. The collar and line are stored for protection against the elements in a rigid vinyl storage bag. Graphics on the bag illustrate the instructions for recovering a person in the water. Note:

This USCG-approved Lifesling2 is for powerboats with a lifting point 10' above the water, and sailboats over 20' LOA.