How old is your lifejacket?

[Babylon]

In good weather/daylight I don't wear any LJ.

A year ago I fell off a pontoon junction in a dark corner (the glare from a badly-positioned pillar-light obscured the hazard). Although the water was warm, I'd smashed my left elbow on a galvanised girder on the way down and also sprained my right groin. Partially-disabled I was completely unable to pull myself back up onto the pontoon. My boat has no way for anyone to recover the deck unaided.

On Tuesday I crossed back over the Channel singlehanded in daylight and fine weather (SE3). Not only did I wear my LJ constantly, I also remained clipped-on in the cockpit.

There's no right solution for everyone at every time, but on my boat everyone wears LJs all the time when underway.

 

[KAL]

One safety measure we have introduced to our 6 rescue boats is the provision of a buoyancy vest for one crew on each boat. This to be used if a crew needs to get into the water to help a (dinghy)(kid) sailor in trouble

Agreed. I wear a buoyancy aid when safety boating or dinghy sailing (as it may be necessary or inevitable to enter the water), but an inflatable LJ when on yacht.

Foolish Muse (see earlier post) has written a carefully-considered rationale for his preference for a tether but no LJ when sailing. See his book for this if you're interested.