auto life jackets

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catalac08

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our life jackets are getting pretty tatty and having had 3 spontaneously inflate (over several years through getting the soluble pellet wet) ), the last one embarrasingly inflated out of my backpack in a post office in solva recently when I was attempting to stuff in some provisions - the poor lady in the shop was very startled!
thinking about replacements with the pressure sensitive actuation. Some time ago there was a recall (I think) of some lifejackets due to faulty auto inflation mechanism.

Any recollection as to what this was about and what make also any recommendation.

I have a fancy for a 175N Seago, with harness and sprayhood, any comments on this as a choice?
 
is that the one that is quite compact and looks abit like a waistcoat,if so i'd be interested as well for the same reasons as you ,mine went of under my oily,even worse i,d got it zipped up,had to nip to the bow to unsnag a rope, a bit of spray so i slung the oily on untangled the rope ,just coming back and boom,not good, since then 2 more have gone off for no reason both ,kept nice n dry down below
 
I bought a Seago 175N recently. Didn't buy the sprayhood but bought the crutch strap. I've found it reasonably comfortable and not had any problems with it yet. Hopefully it'll work when needed.

I've found lifejackets with salt pellets go off on a regular basis. About once every 18 months is my average. It certainly pays to be careful about storing them if they're wet. I try to hang them up until they're dry.

I've had two go off this year. First time, the toggle caught on the guard rail, the second was as the result of a dunking during a rather spectacular chinese gybe. I couldn't get a replacement cylinder at short notice (275N) hence buying the Seago.
 
Auto jackets are really only an advantage if you go in the water unconscious possibly after a jybe/knock on the head. Othewise manual inflation with the toggle tucked safely away is more reliable. I still use non inflating foam lifejackets for teenagers. Not quite as bouyant but you know they'll work! I think combined harness/jacket with manual inflation is best for adults.
 
Surely the best way to go is lifejackets with the Hammar inflation device which means the lifejacket actually has to be under water to activate. A little more expensive but worth it. Most manufacturers now supply either sort.
 
The other possible advantage of the Hamma type is the gas is inside, so if the cylinder leaks it should inflate the jacket and thereby show all is not well. if a standard type cylinder leaks its on the outside so you dont know until you need it.
 
I wonder why you would omit the purchase of a spray hood. I tried with and without in the pool on a sea safety training day, and even in those benign conditions the hood was hugely beneficial.
 
I have auto-inflate jackets. What I do over winter is remove the dissolving tablet and loosen the CO2 cylinder. If the tablet looks 'tired' I replace when I next use it. I also have adapters (given to me free of charge by the agent) to make them manual only. Get to know your gear and you can get much more out of it.
 
I bought a Seapro Hammar one as well. I think the very low price was an offer on some ex-display stock, but even at the current price I still consider them a very good buy. Service from the Marine Warehouse was first rate, with the jacket arriving the day after I ordered it.
 
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