advice on life jackets
- Thread starter thamesS23
- Start date
Wiggo
Well-Known Member
Not bad prices for budget jackets. The CSR is not a Crewsaver product, though...
thamesS23
Well-Known Member
as I am only boating on the thames, one assumes that the budget ones should be fine.
adrianb
Well-Known Member
Try getting hold of forumite "Malthouse"................he's your man for such things.....
Adrian
www.cleanandshiny.co.uk
Adrian
www.cleanandshiny.co.uk
epervier
Well-Known Member
with all due respect water is water, thames, atlantic or back garden pool, you will drown, if you've not got the best equipment you can afford.
IMHO, buy the best your wallet will allow, you've only got one life.
IMHO, buy the best your wallet will allow, you've only got one life.
gjgm
Well-Known Member
usual choices are auto or manual inflate, with auto generally been the better (in case you are unconscious, for example), but costing a bit more. Crotch straps are said to make an great difference in keeping the life jacket in the correct place around the body. The gas canisters usually last 5 years, and cost about £15 each (carry a spare on board). Sometimes there are offers on straps and spare gas, that might make an offer better than another.
Personally, I ve found XM to be a good base level jacket, though not especially comfy. Of course, as the RNLI advert says, doesnt matter much what you have if its in the cupboard!
Personally, I ve found XM to be a good base level jacket, though not especially comfy. Of course, as the RNLI advert says, doesnt matter much what you have if its in the cupboard!
chanelyacht
Well-Known Member
No.
Never, ever compromise on lifejacket quality. You get what you pay for.
The biggest degradation in lifejackets occurs within the folds of the inner bladder, as these create wear points caused by the inevitable rubbing of the material. This will in time create small holes, at first invisible, through which air leakage will take place. Therefore a lifejacket which may stay inflated for 24 hours when new will eventually degrade to a point where you'd be lucky to get half an hour.
It is the quality of this bladder fabric, and the quality of the seams, that are reflected in the price. Most firing mechansisms are fairly common, and harness etc will stay fairly robust if looked after.
All jackets should be inflated by mouth at least once a year, and left to stay inflated for 24 hours to monitor condition.
Additionally, if you're buying one jacket to look after you all the time, go for a 275N not a 150N. If you're fully clothed, a 150N will not keep you face up as well as a 275N would.
Also, wherever you boat, go for the light and sprayhood option. A very little water entering your lungs will kill, it's just not worth skimping on.
This will make the jacket more expensive - but what price are you putting on the worst case outcome?
Never, ever compromise on lifejacket quality. You get what you pay for.
The biggest degradation in lifejackets occurs within the folds of the inner bladder, as these create wear points caused by the inevitable rubbing of the material. This will in time create small holes, at first invisible, through which air leakage will take place. Therefore a lifejacket which may stay inflated for 24 hours when new will eventually degrade to a point where you'd be lucky to get half an hour.
It is the quality of this bladder fabric, and the quality of the seams, that are reflected in the price. Most firing mechansisms are fairly common, and harness etc will stay fairly robust if looked after.
All jackets should be inflated by mouth at least once a year, and left to stay inflated for 24 hours to monitor condition.
Additionally, if you're buying one jacket to look after you all the time, go for a 275N not a 150N. If you're fully clothed, a 150N will not keep you face up as well as a 275N would.
Also, wherever you boat, go for the light and sprayhood option. A very little water entering your lungs will kill, it's just not worth skimping on.
This will make the jacket more expensive - but what price are you putting on the worst case outcome?
Nick_H
Well-Known Member
Really, a spray hood on the Thames?
DRANNIE
Well-Known Member
I'm not sure I agree with buying 275n jackets for river or inshore sailing unless you are going to be wearing a serious amount of clothing or you are very heavy. The bigger bladder makes it harder to propel your self in the water and makes you harder to recover.
As with the other posters buy auto jackets from a recognised retailer with the correct kite marks/BS marks. IMHO i would not buy anything rated as less than (I think) BS396 which is coastal. I'm not sure whether you buy XM, Crewsaver, plastimo etc makes a huge difference it is then more about durability and comfort. Stuff bought on ebay could be chinese knockoff and you cannot trust your life to it. Read the Ouzo report, I added crotch straps to all my xm jackets when I read the findings.
As with the other posters buy auto jackets from a recognised retailer with the correct kite marks/BS marks. IMHO i would not buy anything rated as less than (I think) BS396 which is coastal. I'm not sure whether you buy XM, Crewsaver, plastimo etc makes a huge difference it is then more about durability and comfort. Stuff bought on ebay could be chinese knockoff and you cannot trust your life to it. Read the Ouzo report, I added crotch straps to all my xm jackets when I read the findings.
No Regrets
Well-Known Member
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Really, a spray hood on the Thames?
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Really, a spray hood on the Thames?
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Viscount
Well-Known Member
Regarding the suggestion of inflating "by mouth", I was advised to use a bicycle pump so that moisture did not get into the jacket from breath.
SnaxMuppet
Well-Known Member
If you don't mind drowning!
Have you ever been in the sea with waves? When your head is only an inch or two above the water it doesn't take much of a wave action to go into your face. Large wavelets will do it! Waves in the Thames will easily do it. I have been in a inflatable dinghy on the River Tamar with waves coming over side. If someone was in the water they would stand a very high chance of drowning! The Thames is a much bigger river and has much bigger waves.
There is NEVER any point in buying less than top quality safety equipment. It is the type of thing that when you need it then it simply HAS to work and work very well. Budget is fine if quality is not reduced... that hardly ever happens.
Get the best you can afford but much more important... get a crotch strap and sprayhood for any lifejackets you buy and make sure people onboard know how to put them on and adjust them. No matter how much you spend, without a crotch strap it may turn out to be only marginally better than useless.
Have you ever been in the sea with waves? When your head is only an inch or two above the water it doesn't take much of a wave action to go into your face. Large wavelets will do it! Waves in the Thames will easily do it. I have been in a inflatable dinghy on the River Tamar with waves coming over side. If someone was in the water they would stand a very high chance of drowning! The Thames is a much bigger river and has much bigger waves.
There is NEVER any point in buying less than top quality safety equipment. It is the type of thing that when you need it then it simply HAS to work and work very well. Budget is fine if quality is not reduced... that hardly ever happens.
Get the best you can afford but much more important... get a crotch strap and sprayhood for any lifejackets you buy and make sure people onboard know how to put them on and adjust them. No matter how much you spend, without a crotch strap it may turn out to be only marginally better than useless.
whisper
Well-Known Member
There have been comparative tests in the Boating Press over the last couple of years. Have a search for these - not sure how you do that with this new Forum set-up. Try Sailing Today's site as well ( am I allowed to use such words??)
There were definite "better buys" and you did not necessarily get what you paid for.
Whatever you do, get crutch straps, they're essential.
There were definite "better buys" and you did not necessarily get what you paid for.
Whatever you do, get crutch straps, they're essential.
chanelyacht
Well-Known Member
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Really, a spray hood on the Thames?
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Yes.
Having conducted trials in the RNLI's wave pool at Poole, and backed up by years of real experience, even very small wavelets such as those picked up by a decent wind on inland waters will cause enough water to pool in the lifejacket fold and initiate secondary drowning.
And before you say it, I grew up in Marlow playing around on the Thames so do know the waters I'm taking about.
[ QUOTE ]
Really, a spray hood on the Thames?
[/ QUOTE ]
/forums/images/graemlins/laugh.gif
[/ QUOTE ]
Yes.
Having conducted trials in the RNLI's wave pool at Poole, and backed up by years of real experience, even very small wavelets such as those picked up by a decent wind on inland waters will cause enough water to pool in the lifejacket fold and initiate secondary drowning.
And before you say it, I grew up in Marlow playing around on the Thames so do know the waters I'm taking about.
