Sailing Vocabulary
Dictionary of Boating Terms
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Dictionary of Boating Sailing, Schooners, Naval, Ships, Boat and Seafaring Terms

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Breeches buoy @ Lyle Gun

Breeches buoy-A circular lifebuoy used in days now past by lifesaving crews to extract persons from wrecked vessels, usually a line is fired from a cannon onto the deck of the wrecked vessel.
Lyle Gun-A line-throwing gun is a short-barreled cannon designed to fire a projectile attached to a rope to a boat or victim in distress
Faking Line Box - Board with spindles along the end to keep the line fair and prevent fouling when projectile is shot is fired from the Lyle Gun

Lyle guns were designed to throw projectiles weighing approximately 18 pounds, carrying heavier rope to ranges as great as 700 yards. Once the line was fired to the ship, shore crews sent out breeches buoy equipment and instructions to the stranded sailors. Once the breeches buoy lines were assembled, the sailors could be removed from the vessel.

The firing of Lyle Gunship to the freighter J.R. Sensibar grounded in Lake Michigan December 1939 by the surf men of the U.S. Coast Guard, The projectiles with line attached is fired over the stricken vessel , it is possible to effect a rescue without putting a rescue craft in the water and needlessly risking the lives of the rescuers.

Freighter J.R. SENSIBAR shown grounded in Lake Michigan 4 miles South of Grand Haven. USCG personnel shown readying Breeches Buoy. Last time it was used in Great Lakes. Dec. 7, 1939