Check your lifejackets now

[Stevewedd]

In June 2021 I sailed from Genova to Menorca via Corsica on a friend’s yacht.

As part of our pre departure safety checks we test-inflated all the life jackets on board.

Three of five of them failed completely. In all of them the automatic gas inflation failed on wetting (we tested this after finding that the buoyancy chambers were useless).

On one of them, the circular gas inflation bottle fitting had completely detached from the buoyancy chamber leaving a two-inch hole. The inflator mechanism came away completely, apparently because the rubber sealing ring had perished. The other two just went flat in minutes or hours.

On all of them, the gas bottle was 'rusty', but still worked on manual pull.

The lights were u/s. Only the MK1 whistles worked.

I do not know what brand the yachts life jackets were. Sorry, no photographs taken - we were all too shattered to see that our safety kit was dodo.

I do know that they were all manufactured in 2003; had been stored on board; had never been tested or deployed; had never been used as cushions; and all of them looked ‘alright’.

I urge you to do a safety check on yours now - before you need to rely on it.

Steve Wedd
Brighton

 

[[70521]]

I do know that they were all manufactured in 2003; had been stored on board; had never been tested or deployed; had never been used as cushions; and all of them looked ‘alright’.

My bold in the quote. Why were they still being used?

I have a policy with life jackets. A maximum of 10 years before being disposed, gas bottle checked at the start of every trip, everything else checked every three months and serviced by the manufacture every two years.

Sounds like your pal needs to think about safety, says retired Safety Engineer.

 

[Sea-Fever]

Accounts like this are always helpful. Thanks for posting.

 

[neil_s]

Good reminder - I try and check the life jackets every year with bottle weight check and bladder inflation check. They passed this year, but are similar vintage to yours.

 

[bitbaltic]

So the thread title ought to be ‘check your out of date, unserviced lifejackets’. Well obvs.

as said above annual servicing and routine inspection of LJs is all part of sailing life.

 

[rotrax]

Just done full service on our two Kru Pro L/J's. Spares visitor L/J's were checked in the winter.

One new kit fitted after an accidental auto inflation - the one 'in stock' on the boat was 5 grms smaller - both stayed inflated for 3 days.

I do them annually, mark the L/J and enter in the maintenance log.

If you take your L/J off and throw it in the dink when recovering to the trolley, ensure it does not fall in..........................

At least we know the tablet melts and the striker goes off OK. ?

 

[Bilgediver]

I hope other folk here do not use life jackets that might be untested for as long a period as those. The coating on bottles seem to offer less and less protection and in the case of some jackets serious corrosion occurs in less than two years. I have found that fitting those plastic web sleeves on cylinders pro;longs the life by protecting the coating from abrasion . especially when the life jackets are used in an active sport like rowing.

One thing people may be unaware of is how many life jackets are supplied with bottles not screwed tight. Check before giving them to your nearest and dearest.

Use any bottles removed due to corrosion for a demo inflation. It amuses the youngsters and lets then see what will happen when the piece of string is pulled.

Make sure your crew are aware the a wee gentle tug on the cord might produce incomplete inflation . Remember the flight attendant on the holiday as she demonstrated that a HARD PULL should be used. There is a reason for this due to the design of the piercing needle in the inflation valve

 

[prv]

I do know that they were all manufactured in 2003; had been stored on board; had never been tested

Your friend deserves a slap.

Pete

 

[Laysula]

Why would you go sailing on anyones boat and not take your own lifejacket?

 

[penberth3]

Your friend deserves a slap.

Pete

Indeed, and what else on the boat has been neglected? I'm sure you could make a long list.

 

[Refueler]

Good reminder - I try and check the life jackets every year with bottle weight check and bladder inflation check. They passed this year, but are similar vintage to yours.

I check weigh bottles, inflate by hand - each year. I have one that shows slight deflation after 24hrs ... Its now marked.

I also make note on the service label inside the cover ... its not only for 'official' service dealers.

My Inflatables are easily over 15 yrs old ... but treated well .. there should be no reason for them to fail.

 

[ashtead]

On a related point a number of safety devices such as jonbuoy canisters also have the gas bottles etc and also probably need so inspection and servicing. I am quite good at servicing the LJs annually and checking dates and we all now have our own variants with different makes etc due to comfort requirements. LJ also move on with time so I doubt the 2003 versions have hoods etc integrated or that back tow jackets were ever heard off then. That said our old XM and Baltic versions kept as spares without canisters or cartridges still hold air well when tested last.

 

[prv]

On a related point a number of safety devices such as jonbuoy canisters also have the gas bottles etc and also probably need so inspection and servicing.

Indeed - the inflator on a Jon Buoy is identical to a manual lifejacket except that the firing lever has been slightly modified to slip out after firing so that the raft doesn't remain tethered by the pull-cord which is attached to the boat.

Obviously the cylinder is much larger than a normal lifejacket one, though it has the same thread size and puncture mechanism.

I service my Jon Buoy along with the lifejackets. It's exactly the same process except that it takes longer to inflate with the footpump and is a little more fiddly to repack neatly.

Pete

 

[ghostlymoron]

Why would you go sailing on anyones boat and not take your own lifejacket?

If you have to travel to the boat by plane, it's not possible to take your own.

 

[Sea-Fever]

If you have to travel to the boat by plane, it's not possible to take your own.

Technically it is possible. Practically it's a game of roulette.

 

[Spirit (of Glenans)]

If you have to travel to the boat by plane, it's not possible to take your own.

Take it without the cylinder. Buy a cylinder when you get there. Either test inflate the LJ at the end of the trip or leave the cylinder on the boat for next time.

 

[Deleted member 36384]

This year I bought 8 new ones to replace the 10 year old ones. Having the 10 year old ones serviced would currently be a pain as my local service centre has over 6 weeks waiting time.

I would not have them checked every year at a service centre, maybe every 3 years.

 

[Refueler]

If you have to travel to the boat by plane, it's not possible to take your own.

Depends on size of the gas cylinder in fact ...

My supers - many of them carry inflatables ... but usually pack in the checked ... if you carry in your carry-on - all it needs is some twit who doesn't read the rules to refuse you.

Personally I have over many years of carrying my own - been called to baggage handling once to open my checked bag and show the item after they picked up the cylinder in x-ray. Once they saw what it was ... verified it was within the limit ... all fine.

According to this site I just checked - the limits I used to follow are now lifted !!

Can you take your inflatable lifejacket with you on board the aircraft? | SECUMAR

Interesting ... wonder if Airport Security know ??

 

[LittleSister]

A few years back I was taking my lifejacket with me for a voyage from La Rochelle to UK. I checked in advance and the airline (Ryanair?) said I'd have to check the gas bottles in separately and they couldn't go in the cabin (despite the airlines own lifejackets using the same thing).

When I turned up the staff would only let me check in one bottle, despite my protests. (I always carry a spare - if the lifejacket's been inflated once - in error or in anger - you then have no lifejacket for the rest of the trip.) I managed to arrange to leave the spare with them for collection later, and only on my otherwise unnecessary car trip back to Stansted to collect it did it sink in that the cost to me in fuel was more than that of buying another bottle!

In my experience, whatever the regulations allow, the staff will implement their own understanding, however shaky, and tend to err on the side of 'caution'. They would rather hack off a passenger than risk getting in trouble with their boss for allowing something 'dangerous'.

 

[Refueler]

A few years back I was taking my lifejacket with me for a voyage from La Rochelle to UK. I checked in advance and the airline (Ryanair?) said I'd have to check the gas bottles in separately and they couldn't go in the cabin (despite the airlines own lifejackets using the same thing).

When I turned up the staff would only let me check in one bottle, despite my protests. (I always carry a spare - if the lifejacket's been inflated once - in error or in anger - you then have no lifejacket for the rest of the trip.) I managed to arrange to leave the spare with them for collection later, and only on my otherwise unnecessary car trip back to Stansted to collect it did it sink in that the cost to me in fuel was more than that of buying another bottle!

In my experience, whatever the regulations allow, the staff will implement their own understanding, however shaky, and tend to err on the side of 'caution'. They would rather hack off a passenger than risk getting in trouble with their boss for allowing something 'dangerous'.

Thats' why I made mention in my post ... "some twit who doesn't read the rules to refuse you." and "wonder if Airport Security know ?? "

Years ago - I was presented with a thank-you item for assisting Chevron IT guy program the ships cargo computers ... MT Samuel H Armacost .... a tiny keyring Swiss Army Knife engraved etc.
That stayed with me and literally forgotten about till years later going through Luton for an Easyjet flight to Geneva on business.
Security asked me to open the carry on .... and he went through toilet bag etc. He found the Swiss Army Knife and went to throw it in the bin ... I stopped him and asked why - as it was well under the limits of the time ...

Its my job.

OK - if you wont let it through - let me go back and put in Left Luggage or post it home ... it has extreme sentimental value . Look at it .. engraved with my name etc. Its also a lot under the limit in size.

Its my job.

As I watched it sail into the bin.

The whole knife saga is absurd as there are plenty airlines who serve you food with METAL KNIFE AND FORK.