Life Jacket

[Ianfs]

Older self activating life jackets had a wax type of cover to the activation unit and therefore were more likely to activate when splashed with water or if the wearer slipped and fell into a shallow part of water. Modern devices use a pressure device which has to be submerged to about a half a metre ish, before it will discharge, consequently they are less likely to discharge their gas if splashed or in fact they are soaked in water from a fall.

However the fact remains, auto life jackets are great in an environment in which the wearer falls and doesn't have to find the firing cord. However not so good in and environment in which they are in a cabin or under a boat.

For me, the answers have already been given and the chances of being caught in a cabin or under a boat are rare. Therefore Auto life jackets are our choice and are worn all the time.

Most are much of a muchness as long as you buy a recognised manufacturers make. I found the trick is to buy one that has a reasonable replacement, I have Hammar heads and they seem expensive. So why do I keep replacing them at £35 a time, well its not much if it saves a life is it?

[Dave]

Some good common sense stuff here and well put .... I think its probably more important for saily types to wear the automatic variety because of the likelihood of being bashed on the head with a boom prior to going over the side, and therefore unconscious when they hit the water.
We have a pair of Spinlocks because we find them the most comfortable.....and 3 or 4 other spare lifejackets (manuals) for passengers, and a couple of bouyancy aids so quite a mixture..

[sprocker]

Lots of good information being spoken!

We have a pair of Spinlock Deckvest Lite's, which we find very comfortable and not too heavy.

I think a lot depends on how you fit & fasten them as to how comfortable they are. I like mine reasonably snug as they are meant to be, but just don't get on with the crotch strap if I'm moving about, standing/sitting/bending etc. so I tend to leave that clipped around my waist rather than between the plumbs.

I must say even with the crotch strap not attached I would really struggle to get the Spinlock over my head if being dragged from the water.

[ColinR]

Mine are Kru, fairly cheap and very comfortable. We have a mix of manual and auto inflate.

The auto manual debate is interesting. If you fall out of the boat then auto is probably better but bear in mind that if you are in the cabin and the boat goes under you may get trapped. Also if you are launching from a slipway and fall in you look a bit of a muppet when the jacket goes off.

Mine is an auto having said all that.

Either way falling off and into the water is going to be pretty shameful

Not wrong there

[betty boop]

We went manual as it can get wet in a sportsboat (we got soaked coming into Poole on Friday), but you do run the risk of how it is fired if you are unconscious.

However, I fell in one March and discovered another issue. The water is so cold that the shock means you cannot (a) think clearly enough to fire it and (b) find the toggle to fire it. So we have switched to watersports buoyancy aids. I know they are not life jackets but they give enough support in the crucial few seconds to clear your head and swim. This is on the basis that we would not be out in conditions that would prevent us from returning to the boat, we are fair weather boaters.

If the conditions did get bad then we can swap to the "real" lifejackets as they are carried on the boat.

Interesting. On Tall ships we were taught by the Ex Navy skipper on their procedure of crossing your arms at your waist always locates the cord tab and pull. But I guess that also means you need to remember where your waist is when your suffering from immersion shock. I favour buoyancy aids over inflatables as they are far more comfortable. Although there is a big fit for purpose argument I'd say that in reality its a damn sight easier to swim away from a burning or back to a boat in a B/Aid. For a laugh puff inflate a jacket and go swimming. Very restrictive and difficult to manoeuvre in .

[strickers]

Thanks guys!

All really good points and very helpful!

[argonaut]

Also if you are launching from a slipway and fall in you look a bit of a muppet when the jacket goes off.

Any guests on my boat I give a short safety brief ... one of which is don't go in the water for fun with my auto life jackets on .... about an Hr later while stationary ... huge noise and sound of ripping (which turned out to bet the velcro ) and half way down the boarding ladder on swim platform was a guest who had decided to lower himself in for a pee ..... he was very embarrassed ... esp as I left it inflated on him for the rest of the day.