Yachting World, March 2019, Features Line Launcher
We’re chuffed to have already been featured in the New Gear section of Yachting World, March addition.
[Note the product shown has a late prototype red barrel rather than our production space-grey barrel.]
Here’s what Yachting World had to say:
Line Launcher
What is it? A powerful line thrower for man overboard and other emergency situations.
Who is it for? Anyone who goes to sea.
We all carry on throwing lines to use in the event of a man overboard situation – providing the casualty is conscious it’s much easier to stop the boat nearby than it is directly alongside them and is much less risky.
However, while they generally come with a reassuring 20m of floating line, the scary truth about conventional throwing lines is that it’s very difficult to throw them accurately for distance of much more than 5 - 6m. Even worse, few people practice doing so. The result is that the apparently reassuring item of safety gear on the stern rail is unlikely to solve a crisis when needed.
Life-slings that can be towed in a circle around the casualty can be a better bet. In the past few years these have become mandatory equipment for offshore races and events such as the ARC. They can be very useful on a race boat that can be maneuvered easily, but the chance of it working to perfection on a heavier and lightly crewed 45 - 60 foot cruising yacht in a rising gale is a different matter.
Line Launcher can propel a buoyant pod and floating line over a distance of 80m.
The Kiwi Rescue Line Launcher is a radical yet effective alternative. It will propel a buoyant pod and floating line over a distance of 80m.
The propulsive force comes from a 16 g CO2 cylinder which is around half the size of a standard life jacket cylinder and is widely available as it is a popular solution for the rapid inflation of bicycle tires.
The Line Launcher can also be used to pass the towline to another vessel or to make contact to transfer fuel, water, or other stores.
Floating line flakes out at speed when the launcher is fired.
“It’s a multipurpose device but very versatile,” says professional navigator Campbell Field who is establishing a distribution network for the product.
“Superyacht and large offshore race boats have a nominated swimmer on each watch but that’s a risky process and this is a much safer option.”
The unit is supplied with a waterproof bag, so it can be mounted on deck and an optional spare tube and pod enable the Line Launcher to be re-armed within one minute.
Line Launcher by Kiwi Rescue featured in Yachting World Magazine, March 2019.