Historical information
The breeches buoy and endless line from the Queenscliff lifeboat were used for taking survivors from wreck to shore.
Physical description
Breeches buoy with canvas breeches
Subjects
References
- Breeches Buoy A breeches buoy is a rope-based rescue device used to extract people from wrecked vessels, or to transfer people from one place to another in situations of danger. The device resembles a round emergency personal flotation device with a leg harness attached. It is similar to a zip line. The breeches buoy was usually deployed from either ship to ship, or ship to shore using a rocket, kite system, or a Lyle gun, and allowed evacuations of one person at a time. A line is attached to the ship, and the person being rescued is pulled to shore in the breeches buoy which rides the line similar to a zip line.
