The invention relates to methods and devices for launching into the water, from a height H greater than a predetermined height h.sub.max, a life-saving object designed to be able to be launched into the water in free fall from this maximum height h.sub.max. One end of a halyard is fixedly hooked to the life-saving object or to the launch site; the halyard functionally cooperates respectively with the launch site or the life-saving object so that the life-saving object falling by gravity is braked on and/or by the halyard over at least one part (H-h.sub.max) of its drop height. By controlling the braking effect, the life-saving object, falling from the height H in a braked manner over at least one part (H-h.sub.max) of this height hits the surface of the water (5) 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.sub.max.