Life Jacket

[strickers]

Can anyone recommend a good life jacket?

I'm only 5ft odd so I'm trying to not look like a bumble bee.

I like the self inflating jackets because they're smaller than ones with floats....but they're pretty heavy.

I'm only going to be bobbing about the Solent and maybe over to the IOW in fair weather (or so I hope).

I can swim so it doesn't need to be super buoyant (unless I've managed to knock myself out I guess)

I'm around 55kg

[BruceK]

I'm very happy with the Crewsaver Crewfit. Lightweight, comfortable, auto and manual

[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.

[strickers]

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

[mlines]

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.

[strickers]

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.

Perhaps having a mix on board is the right way forward, I can pop it on my Christmas list

[BruceK]

I am aware of the debate. However there are two sides to this. (and my versions do both)
When I go out in the boat I will go out for 48 to 72 hours minimum. i.e. at least 2 nights on board. Sleeping in a life jacket isn't really viable. Nor for that matter is making passage below decks viable. That is a recipe for going shrek green.
If the boat does sink she will go down stern first, which is why there is 3 large escape hatches staggered up the cabin. Even with a life jacket on you will get out. Yep, even fatso, without sucking in the paunch. Remember guys you are not escaping from a submarine. You don't need +40g >300N life jackets on that'll pin you to an upturned deck if it goes off, although I have 4 of those too. Getting cannister refills are a sod.

Also I have never inadvertently fired off on auto. I have many times leaned over the gunnels etc and caught the manual pull toggle and gone WEEEeeeeeee flufppp. That is far more embarrassing. Honestly, far more. Firing off one by accident is a 20 quid mistake.

For every life jacket I have a backup flotation aid / jacket including spares for guests. We use the flotation aids when using the tender or water sport type activities.

[jcwads]

Another thumbs up for the Auto Crewsaver. We have those and 2 Kru that we have as spare. The Kru are a little cheaper and larger but still absolutely fine for the job and good quality. The Crewsavers are nice and compact, light and comfortable. Worth the money.

[ChrisH]

Always wear our life jackets on the Solent. But what is weird is, you go to the Med and no one using their boat in coastal waters does. Even we don't when down there. I can't answer why I feel it is so important here and not there.

Sent from my SM-G900F using Tapatalk

[BruceK]

Because here the water is so cold most times of the year that even though you can swim like a fish there is a good chance that when you fall in if the gasp reflex doesn't drown you then the cramps and extremity shutdown will. We also have some spectacular tides and currents along our shores.