Patent ID: 7438016

Claim:
A method for launching into the water, from a height H greater than a predetermined height h max , a life-saving means which is designed to be able to be launched into the water in free fall from said maximum height h max , wherein at least one halyard is fixedly hooked by one of its ends to the life-saving means or to the launch site located at said height H, wherein the length of the halyard is less than the height H, but at least equal to (H-h max ), wherein the halyard is a woven or sewn or stitched halyard having transverse calibrated rupture threads, and wherein the successive rupture of these transverse threads under the action of the weight of the life-saving means produces a braking effect, so that the life-saving means falling by gravity is braked on and/or by the halyard over at least one part (H-h max ) of its drop height, and whereby the life-saving means falls whilst being braked over the entire length of the halyard and then falls in free fall over a height not exceeding h max in such a manner that the life-saving means hits the surface of the water with a kinetic energy not exceeding that which it would have at the end of a non-braked free fall from at most the height h max .