BEACH LIFESAVING SYSTEM AND METHOD OF DEPLOYMENT
A surf lifesaving system comprises two floating lines extending from two spaced apart tethering points fixed on the beach to a buoy anchored offshore on the seabed. The floating lines are connected to sinking lines which pass through pulleys attached to the buoy in continuous loops with the floating lines. The tethering points are poles anchored in the sand, the floating lines comprise individual floats connected by rope at from three to seven meter intervals and the sinking lines have a core which is denser than saltwater.
This invention relates to systems for retrieving swimmers who get into difficulty while swimming off beaches.
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTIONSurf lifesavers typically monitor swimmers at a beach who are supposed to swim in an area of surf demarcated by two flags. When a lifesaver observes a swimmer in difficulty he sounds the alarm and one or more rescuers go to retrieve the distressed swimmer. The rescue team may use an inflatable boat, a jet ski or simply swim out with the traditional line and reel.
However there are a number of shortcomings with this current approach. First of all the swimmer in difficulty may have been carried by a rip well outside the flagged area and may not even come to the notice of the lifeguard. Also when there are strong rips, a number of swimmers may encounter difficulty at the same time and the rescuers may have to make a number of trips from and to the beach while some swimmers are left in distress. The associated delay in saving the last few may be life threatening and even the rescuers may tire and have difficulty in continuing the rescue.
OBJECT OF THE INVENTION
It is therefore an object of the present invention to provide a system which overcomes some of the disadvantages and limitations of current lifesaving methods or at least provides a useful alternative.
STATEMENT OF THE INVENTIONAccording to one but not necessarily the only aspect, the invention resides in a beach lifesaving system including:
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- i. at least one floating line;
- ii. at least one sinking line;
- iii. a buoy attached to a seabed wherein said at least one floating line and said at least one sinking line form a continuous loop whereby said continuous loop is rotatably attached to the buoy at one end and to a tethering point on a beach at another end.
In one embodiment a beach lifesaving system comprises two continuous loops extending from two spaced apart tethering points fixed on the beach to the buoy anchored offshore on the seabed.
Preferably the floating lines are connected to the sinking lines adjacent the buoy wherein the sinking lines pass through pulleys attached to the buoy.
Preferably the tethering points are poles anchored in the sand.
Preferably the floating lines comprise individual floats connected by rope or cable from three to seven metre intervals.
Preferably the sinking lines have a core which is denser than salt water.
Preferably the floating lines carry a shark repellent system.
In
In
If a swimmer is carried by current, sweep or rip he or she will encounter floating line 2 or 3 on the downward side and know that he or she is drifting outside the defined area formed by triangular zone 4A. Further, if a swimmer is having difficulty they can hold on to the floating line as shown in
As the floating line 2 is drawn in the sinking line 6 is drawn through the pulley 8 at buoy 1 as shown in
In
It is also possible to configure floating lines 2 and 3 at right angles as shown in
In
In
It also will be appreciated that the term “beach” as used herein may also refer to a lake, dam or other suitable body of water.
ADVANTAGESIt will be obvious that the system of the subject invention has many advantages over existing lifesaving methods. It provides physical boundaries to the monitored swimming area and constant flotation support for distressed swimmers. Further the latter can be rapidly retrieved en masse by lifeguards who do not have to leave the beach. If they do have to swim out to support a swimmer they can also use the float line for assistance.
The floating lines and the sinking lines can also be used for other purposes. For example floating lines can be laid out to mark swimming lanes for beach carnivals and electronic shark repellent devices can be attached to protect swimmers from shark attack.
VARIATIONSIt will be realized that while the foregoing has been given by way of illustrative example of this invention all such and other modifications and variations thereto as would be apparent to persons skilled in the art are deemed to fall within the broad scope and ambit of this invention as herein set forth. For example a variety of flotation means could be used on the float lines and various forms of weighted cable could be devised.
Claims
1. A beach lifesaving system including:—
- i. at least one floating line;
- ii. at least one sinking line;
- iii. a buoy attached to a seabed wherein said at least one floating line and said at least one sinking line form a continuous loop whereby said continuous loop is rotatably attached to the buoy at one end and to a tethering point on a beach at another end.
2. A beach lifesaving system as claimed in claim 1 which includes a pair of continuous loops each having a floating line and a sinking line which are also rotatably attached to spaced tethering points located on the beach.
3. A beach lifesaving system as claimed in claim 1 which includes a single continuous loop.
4. A beach lifesaving system as claimed in claim 2 wherein each continuous loop has a backline or cross line in the form of a floating line connected to each continuous loop to form a defined swimming area.
5. A beach lifesaving system as claimed in claim 3 which also incorporates a beach line in the form of a floating line forming part of a defined swimming area.
6. A beach lifesaving system as claimed in claim 2 which also incorporates a floating line connected to the buoy adjacent the continuous loop at an angle to the direction of a current.
7. A beach lifesaving system as claimed in claim 4 wherein the back line or the cross line is adjustably connected to each continuous loop.
8. A beach lifesaving system as claimed in claim 1 wherein the or each floating line has a plurality of floats at spaced intervals to prevent each floating line from being submerged.
9. A beach lifesaving system as claimed in claim 1 wherein said at least continuous loop is pivotally attached to a pulley which also has a swivel attached thereto.
10. A beach lifesaving system as claimed in claim 9 wherein each swivel is releasably attached to a mounting ring which is connected by an attachment line to the buoy.
11. A beach attachment system as claimed in claim 1 wherein the buoy is attached to an adjacent anchor located on the seabed.
12. A beach attachment system as claimed in claim 11 wherein the anchor has a connection line releasably attached to a loop end of the anchor and said connection line is attached to a bottom end of the buoy.
13. An auger assembly for use in a beach life saving system including:
- i. An auger located at a bottom end of an auger shaft;
- ii. A hammer shaft attached to the auger shaft in telescopic relationship;
- iii. A support frame attached to the auger shaft; and
- iv. A cover plate having a plurality of locations for attachment of a continuous loop line which abuts the support frame.
14. An auger assembly as claimed in claim 13 wherein the support frame abuts the auger when attached to the auger shaft.
15. An auger assembly as claimed in claim 13 wherein there is provided a container part attached to a top end of the hammer shaft.
Type: Application
Filed: Feb 28, 2011
Publication Date: Aug 25, 2011
Inventor: Frederick William George HAWTHORNE (Queensland)
Application Number: 13/036,060
International Classification: B63C 9/26 (20060101); B63C 9/00 (20060101); E02D 5/80 (20060101);