New world record for highest freefall lifeboat

Norwegian lifeboat and davit manufacturer Schat-Harding has set a new freefall lifeboat record with its new generation FF1200 boat. The boat was successfully dropped from a freefall height of 60 meters, unmanned but loaded with seven tonnes to simulate the full capacity of 70 100kg people (read: average size of sailors ;-), as part of the certification tests of the boat. Read for instance Ship & Offshore

“The FF1200 managed this height in an excellent way,” says Geir Arne Veglo, CEO of Umoe Schat-Harding Equipment AS. “The FF1200 entered the water cleanly and made excellent headway.”

My mom tried this once, from a lower height, just for the fun of it. My personal enthusiasm is more in the ‘snowman’s chance in Hell’ – category …