WIRE OR ROPE?
Lifelines are intended to stop someone falling overboard, so that’s the primary consideration in any replacement. But it raises another important question: how does a man overboard get back on board – through, or over the lifelines? The ability to lower lifelines can be a huge benefit – as was illustrated by my retrieval operation in the Mediterranean.
Thankfully it wasn’t a real emergency – we were at anchor. My charter guest climbed down the boarding ladder – foolishly with a woollen poncho over her togs because she was embarrassed by her obesity.
Within a few minutes the poncho was water-logged and the lady was in trouble. She was unable to get a foot even on the first rung of the boarding ladder, never mind climb back up. She jettisoned the poncho and clung to the ladder while I thought about how to get her back aboard.
Dropping the
