Launch and Recovery of Boats from Ships

Having experienced his first shipwreck at the age of 18, The Nautical Institute is pleased to have Captain Dag Pike AFNI share his valuable insights in its latest book, Launch and Recovery of Boats from Ships.

The launch and recovery of boats from ships is a vast subject and one that has not previously been examined in detail. Well-publicised accidents during practice have undermined crews' confidence in using the equipment. Reluctance to take part in practice launches serves to further erode safety.

The Nautical Institute hopes this book will become a key source of reference for those seeking to improve the safety of their personnel on board and will result in better understanding of how to launch and recover boats safely.

The launch and recovery of boats from ships is a vast subject and one that has not previously been examined in detail. Launching, operating and recovering small boats are outside the expertise of most crew and can require considerable skill and seamanship. For safety reasons, a practice drill is unlikely to provide a realistic simulation of an emergency situation. In this book we demonstrate good practice when carrying out these operations and explain the techniques and systems that can improve manoeuvres. The book reviews the equipment available and assesses both its bene¬fits and its potential drawbacks.