breeches buoy

English

A man in a breeches buoy

Noun

breeches buoy (plural breeches buoys)

1. a ring lifebuoy, fitted with canvas breeches, rigged between ship and shore, for rescuing seamen when a ship is in danger of breaking up; also used for transferring people from ship to ship at sea

Also colloqually called: britches buoy or britches boy.--Pete 04:13, 9 May 2008 (UTC)