Auto lifejackets

[single]

I looked at a few yesterday and decided on -
Baltic race SL150
Crewsaver crewfit 190n
Kru sport pro 175n

Any suggestions on them or others to look at?

 

[[70521]]

I looked at a few yesterday and decided on -
Baltic race SL150
Crewsaver crewfit 190n
Kru sport pro 175n

I use the Crewsaver 190n Plus and love it. Fit/comfort is the most important thing so it is personal choice.

 

[maxi77]

We were very pleased with these

http://marinestore.co.uk/Secumar_Ultra_AX_Plus_150N_Automatic_Lifejacket_with_Harness_and_Light.html

 

[single]

I have read spray hood is important but what about the newton rating? I'm about 68 kg so can too much buoyancy be a problem? Guess i need to try them on for comfort.

 

[Malcb]

I use the Kru sport pro. Find it very comfortable, I usually forget that I'm wearing it.

 

[blackbeard]

I have read spray hood is important but what about the newton rating? I'm about 68 kg so can too much buoyancy be a problem? Guess i need to try them on for comfort.

Yes, spray hood is important AND must be easy to use. Suggest a light as well, should come on when switch is immersed (ie should be automatic). Newton rating - no simple answer, too much can make it difficult or impossible to swim or climb a ladder, thus you might not be able to get back on board or into a liferaft - see other threads on this topic.
Thigh /crotch straps (yes you do need them) should also be comfortable.
Maybe you could borrow a non-automatic lj, blow up by mouth and try swimming and climbing out of the pool, and see how you get on ...

Consider the cost of servicing. If you diy you are supposed to replace the little bobbin, or the whole automatic thingy depending on type, once every few years. Hands up anyone who doesn't do this ...

 

[Seajet]

A lot depends on your type of sailing.

Traditionally auto lifejackets relied on a salt tablet dissolving - instantly - on immersion is water to fire the bottle.

My Kru lifejackets have this and are fine, as I found out when I went overboard from my tender at the mooring !

However racing crews have found salt activated jackets going off when they are on deck getting a lot of water over them, and the Crewsaver HAMMA trigger was designed to prevent this; the more expensive jackets have this.

75 Newton jackets are very big and supportive when inflated, 250 Newton are HUGE !

I agree a spray visor and light are essential if sailing offshore.

 

[single]

Think it will be the Kru.I have always heard good reports and always have had a light and epirb but never had one with sprayhood.

 

[bitbaltic]

We were very pleased with these

http://marinestore.co.uk/Secumar_Ultra_AX_Plus_150N_Automatic_Lifejacket_with_Harness_and_Light.html

+1 for the secumars. We have five on board all new last year.

Personally (with a background in N Sea offshore work) I wouldn't consider a LJ without both a light and sprayhood. Drowning from spray more than immersion is a very easy thing to do.

WRT to those discussing Newtons- don't forget that if you think the LJ is too buoyant when inflated you can always let some air out via the mouth tube, to get into a liferaft etc. Not so easy to add a bit to a fully inflated LJ that seems a bit less buoyant than expected once you've gone over the side with it.

 

[chrishelen]

i think a crotch strap is a must......a sprayhood would be nice.

 

[Talulah]

When on one of the Clipper Boats it was pointed out that all the crotch strap fittings were changed to stainless as the plastic fittings didn't hold up to the load.
(This was also one thing identified following a fatal accident in a RORC race a couple of years a go.)
All of our crotch straps have plastic fittings and I wish they would fit a stainless buckle as standard.

 

[maxi77]

i think a crotch strap is a must......a sprayhood would be nice.

At the end of the day neither the hood or the light are optional extras and LJs with them built in from the start are usually the best implementations, hence our choice of the Secumar units

 

[Marsupial]

Another vote for KruSport Pro

We have Kru sport pro with harness, one advantage of this jacket is that the harness is made from plastic covered line, not a great chunk of stainless so its kind on the woodwork when worn below. SWMBO likes the comfort.

 

[onesea]

When on one of the Clipper Boats it was pointed out that all the crotch strap fittings were changed to stainless as the plastic fittings didn't hold up to the load.
(This was also one thing identified following a fatal accident in a RORC race a couple of years a go.)
All of our crotch straps have plastic fittings and I wish they would fit a stainless buckle as standard.

I wish they would make the plastic ones substantial enough, another reason I tend not to wear a life jacket (whats the point if its not going to work?). If I have to have crutch straps they snag and get in the way. If they had S/S fittings they would be even less likely to be warn, I would spend more time fixing the gel coat.

Now what where the name of those life jackets with the harness that went round to the back? I might consider those..

 

[properjob]

I've just bought a couple of the new Crewsaver ErgoFit 190N Coastal at the(very quite) London Boat Show. Went onto the Crewsaver stand and was shown the complete range and decided the Coastal 190N standard automatic with light and hood was the one for me. In found it to be very comfortable and easy to put on. I had already tried the Cru Sport Pro which was also very comfortable but I decided that the Crewsaver ErgoFit was a little better all round as regards comfort, design and quality. I also think the model that I chose was the best value within the range available.

 

[duncan99210]

We've got the Kru Sport Pro with harness, crutch strap and spray hood. Easy and comfortable to wear and not too outrageous a price. We looked at others before buying and this was the upshot. Now had them for 4 years and wouldn't change them.

 

[King Penguin]

i think a crotch strap is a must......a sprayhood would be nice.

100% agree

 

[dunedin]

We have various generations of Crewsaver Crewfit - 150N and 190N and been very pleased with them, particularly in terms of comfort for wearing (as ex dinghy sailers we always wear life jackets and no more hassle than wearing car seatbelts).

I also do try to check life jackets annually (after I discovered years back that new non-crewsaver life jackets which had been used by the kids for a season had been supplied with the g.as cylinders not screwed in ).
However have noted that the woven style life jackets don't sem to keep the air pressure quite as well as older ones - and indeed one of the newer Crewfits (circa 5 years) looks to be a write off as it doesn't hold pressure for more than 30 minutes - and completely flat after 48 hours. Glad I checked this bit before shelling out for the Hammer replacement due next year. Will buy Crewsaver again, but worth checking annually.

 

[blackbeard]

.....
However have noted that the woven style life jackets don't sem to keep the air pressure quite as well as older ones - and indeed one of the newer Crewfits (circa 5 years) looks to be a write off as it doesn't hold pressure for more than 30 minutes - and completely flat after 48 hours. ......

Might be worth mentioning this to Crewsaver, they would probably like to know and might, perhaps, maybe, give you a new one. May possibly have chafed through at one point (happened to one of mine once).

I have a Crewsaver l/j about 20 years old and still seems fine (as in, no apparent leaks after several days inflated). Seems to be a woven material. The buoyancy bags in my dinghy, also Crewsaver and also woven, and probably over 20 years old, are also fine. I can remember from the distant past a Crewsaver l/j which used non-woven plastic (plus some foam) and that failed, but there can't be many of those around now.