| Rescue Scenario Comparison |
| | Under Power or Sail | Dock, Pier or Bridge | Swift Water | Air | Beach |
Rescue Stick
| Excellent | Excellent | Good | Good | Excellent |
| Ideal for situations where accuracy and distance are required to provide immediate flotation | Provides flotation and marking until vessel can turn to retrieve victim. | Can be thrown from higher elevations.
No risk of rope entanglement. | Flotation stays with victim.
To be followed by secondary retrieval rescue. | Can be dropped for flotation and marking.
Highly visible. | Provides flotation until contact can be made with victim.
Flotation aids in victim retrieval. |
| Rope Bag | Poor | Moderate | Moderate | N/A | Poor |
| Best used in calm water where victims are capable of floating on their own | Distance between boat and victim quickly exceeds range.
At 12 knots victim is 100 feet from boat in 5 seconds. | Good results when victim is less than 60 feet from dock and does not require flotation. | Prevents victim being swept away with current.
Difficult for victim to grab.
Risk of dragging victim under.
Risk of entanglement. | | Provides no flotation.
Good for retrieval after victim is floating. |
| Ring Buoy | Moderate | Moderate | Moderate | N/A | N/A |
| Intended for calm inland water with heavy boat traffic where help is always present | Provides flotation and marking until vessel can turn to retrieve victim. | Provides immediate flotation.
Caution required, 8 lb buoy can cause injury. | Flotation stays with victim.
Heavy and moderate accuracy. May strike and injure victim. | | |
| Cushion Type IV | Moderate | Moderate | Poor | N/A | N/A |
| Intended for calm inland water with heavy boat traffic where help is always present | Provides flotation until vessel can turn to retrieve victim. | Provides immediate flotation until victim is pulled to safety or directed to point of exit | Provides minimal flotation. | | |