How often do you check your lifejackets?

[Nick_H]

Yes they had been pierced which makes me think I bought them like that, how would they have lost there gas otherwise, when I buy new this week I'm going to check what I'm buying.

Were the soluble tablets still intact? If so, then someone has tampered with the products before you bought them, and you should arguably inform the police, or at least the retailer. I guess it was a while ago though, if you're thinking of replacing them?

 

[volvopaul]

No nick the firing devices had been activated, I'm still baffled as to why the jackets had not been opened up.

As I said in a previous post we once left 2 jackets in the cockpit one day, it rained when we returned to the boat they had inflated so I know they worked.

They were then fitted with new cylinders and re arming devices so how the cylinders were pierced is a mystery.

I've made a decision, although the jackets are inflated there old so I'm going to buy all new ones, for the sake of £260 it's not worth the bother of refurbing them.

I'm also going to buy a new liferaft, seems I'm on a safety spree!!

 

[Elessar]

At the beginning of the season, I take out the cylinders and weight them, and chuck away any that look a bit corroded;pump up the l/j with a foot pump and leave overnight.
Actually, for the first time, one went a bit soft overnight (mine). it turned out it leaked a bit without a cylinder fitted, but I decided that the two we use had probably done their sevice and got a couple of new ones.
Actually, they are some bizzo ones from ADEC marine:
http://www.adecmarine.co.uk/product_details.asp?d=2&c=130&p={1E71BAA8-259A-4AC2-BCCD-BCC40FBC282D}
Intersting trying something new-these definitely fit much better than the normal "waistcoat" type.

Don't chuck the cylinders out before jumping in the water. Good to practice being in the water in a l/j.

 

[timgriffin]

Sign up for a sea survival great fun and you can use your old LJ for the training and learn loads of useful safety advice..
If you want to give away old LJ 's then many schools would take them to use for training in sea survival as they dont last too long in the swimming pool
Tim.

 

[Resolution]

Sign up for a sea survival great fun and you can use your old LJ for the training and learn loads of useful safety advice..

Tim.

Big +1. I reckon that the day I spent at a survival course has probably doubled my chances of surviving if the yacht sinks. And if you can get a gang of friends to go along on the course with you, then it can be great fun.

 

[volvopaul]

Update.

After a little shopping around the chandlers at swanwick , four new jackets bought today.

I did look into rearming our old ones but the cost of the cylinder kits was over half the cost of a new jacket so we opted for 2 kru sport with the zip up front, and 2 normal style kru jackets, all automatic . Money well spent after the shock of the old jackets.

Out of interest yacht mail was the cheapest by far over force 4 and marine superstore.

 

[carannah]

Mine were tested automatically. I had left them in the garage and unbeknown to me the roof had developed a leak. I went in after all the rain we have had and found two fully inflated.

 

[Jim@sea]

In the 1970's I had some Avon Lifejackets the type with the buoyancy in them and they fit over your head.and a blow up tube. I keep transferring them from boat to boat. I did buy a gas type and took it in for a service the other day and the very nice man (Plymouth) said that the canister was out of date in 2003. (and it had discharged) But I am old fashioned. And obviously I am going to buy a new one, but if the muck hits the fan, and I have to inflate the new gas one, my old Avon will be within reach, and if I have to go in I will take it with me. Am I wrong.

 

[Boathook]

In the 1970's I had some Avon Lifejackets the type with the buoyancy in them and they fit over your head.and a blow up tube. I keep transferring them from boat to boat. I did buy a gas type and took it in for a service the other day and the very nice man (Plymouth) said that the canister was out of date in 2003. (and it had discharged) But I am old fashioned. And obviously I am going to buy a new one, but if the muck hits the fan, and I have to inflate the new gas one, my old Avon will be within reach, and if I have to go in I will take it with me. Am I wrong.

I also have some old Avon l/j on board to supplement the modern ones. These are tested each year along with all the other l/j's. I now use a ballon pump to inflate, so much easier than blowing !

 

[P4Paul]

Update.

After a little shopping around the chandlers at swanwick , four new jackets bought today.

I did look into rearming our old ones but the cost of the cylinder kits was over half the cost of a new jacket so we opted for 2 kru sport with the zip up front, and 2 normal style kru jackets, all automatic . Money well spent after the shock of the old jackets.

Out of interest yacht mail was the cheapest by far over force 4 and marine superstore.

Went shopping to buy new re-arming kits. When I checked the dates on the bobins (Halkey Roberts) and the firing head (United Moulders) I found without exception that those of offer in the chandlers around the Swanwick area were already a third the way through their life. My request for a 1/3 off the price wasn't accepted.

I had never considered it before when buying lifejackets but did you check the dates on the firing heads in your new jackets?

found these guys online and placed an order on the basis that they advertise their stock is current www.lifejackets.co.uk I will pop back and let everyone know how I get on when the bits arrive.

 

[P4Paul]

Ordered the kits on Sunday evening on their five day service, dispatched on Monday and arrived just before midday today (Tuesday). Fantastic service and no delivery charges to boot.

The dates on the bobins are Dec 11 - so will last three seasons
The firing heads are good until July 2015.

No connection to Lifejackets.co.uk (Marine Warehouse, Swansea) just a very happy customer.