Child's self inflating life jacket.

[Mirror Painter]

My four year old son understands he must wear his lifejacket when he is near the water, let alone on the boat. But I do appreciate that it is bulky and the part around his kneck, (collar?), makes it difficult for him to move his head.

I am tempted to buy him a self-inflating job but obviously want to be certain he is as safe as possible. Is there any safety compromise with S.I. jacket? Do they ever fail to go off?

Thank you.

 

[prv]

They can scare the piss out of young children when they do go off!

http://www.ybw.com/forums/showpost.php?p=2942565&postcount=7

Pete

 

[Tranona]

Don't worry about potential failure - they are reliable.

However, at 4 a child is better off in a foam lifejacket. Minimum weight for a self inflating jacket is 18 or 20kg depending on make, which means probably age 6. At that age they are also more likely to understand not to pull the cord! which costs Dad £15 a pop.

 

[Mirror Painter]

Thanks both - that is exactly the sort of wise info I was seeking!

Anything that frightens him might put him off boating and spoil my dream of him and I having years of adventures aboard. And I hadn't considered the weight at all.

Last year a lock keeper, (we are on the Thames), gave him a sticker for wearing the big orange jacket and being safe and my son was really pleased. I'll have to see if we can repeat that. Oh, and maybe see if BEN 10 foam jackets are available


Thanks again,

Stephen.

 

[pyrojames]

I let my daughter have one aged 6 and when she could swim unassisted. My son doesn't get one until he can do the same. It is a good incentive for them.

As far as the shock of inflation goes, I have a manual jacket, for which I have numerous spare cylinders. I let my daughter take it in for show and tell and pull the cord. Subsequent parent teacher evening, I found out that her teacher thought it was the best show and tell she had done, but she also almost jumped out of her skin!

 

[ctva]

We did the same thing with our two kids as pyrojames. They got the gas lifejacket when they were good swimmers, around 8yo I think. Reason, no matter how reliable a mechanical, chemical and material device is, it will fail at some point so the ability to swim is plan B.

To be honest, the shock of the inflation is a minor secondary consequence as it will possibly just have saved thier live!

 

[prv]

To be honest, the shock of the inflation is a minor secondary consequence as it will possibly just have saved thier live!

Even if it went off because the toggle got caught on a cockpit cushion?

Pete