life-jacket under a zip front

I don't suspect it would kill you, but it would be uncomfortable at best. It isn't just an urban myth though...

A friend was on a boat on a channel race when they had an issue at the pointy end and the bowman was summoned from his pit in the dead of night to deal with it. He threw a jacket on over his life jacket and went to the wet end to deal with it. One wave over the boat and those in the cockpit were treated to the unusual sight of the bowman running back down the boat screaming and stabbing himself in the chest with his knife. When he fell into the cockpit they restrained him in horror and started looking for the blood.
What he was actually doing was trying to stab his life jacket because it had inflated!
 
The first thing that happens when you fall in the water is that you start breathing heavily. I suspect that an LJ inflating under a jacket is going to make that heavy breathing a lot harder.
 
It's very unlikely to kill you. But may, if the jacket is zipped up make breathing tricky or pull the jacket over your head.

Next time you service your lifejacket, why don't you sacrifice the cylinder to science and pull the rip cord with it on under your jacket?

Or, if it's an auto inflate jacket why don't you convert it to a manual, then should you fall in you will be able to shed your jacket before you inflate the life jacket. Best of both worlds, although people will now say 'what if you fall in unconscious', in which case, whammy.

Truth is, with your style of sailing, you are highly unlikely to find yourself unintentionally in the water, so however you wear your assorted garments isn't really going to matter.
 
nigelmercier said:
I often wear a jacket over the lifejacket, but I just fasten it with the Velcro.
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Yes, me too. Light and loose windbreaker only. I'd never zip the jacket up. I can see that it is possible that the pressure, constrained by the jacket, would put enough pressure on the chest to make breathing difficult. And if you are stressed in cold water that additional factor could be the difference between life and death.
 
You used to be able to obtain rip open zips, I tested them for use in military sleeping bags.
That would be the answer to your...ok not your problem, other people's problem.
 
moodyNick said:
That is clearly a different scenario - dinghy sailors where a top over their buoyancy aids to prevent getting caught up when they are in the water.

Alant's point is right - why would you want to be the first person to find out that crushing is NOT a myth ?
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Admittedly I might not have been very clear. It may have appeared I agree with Dylan’s wearing a jacket over his inflatable life jacket.

While I doubt the pressure of inflating a life jacket under your jacket would cause a fatal crush injury. I am not approving of or recommending or agreeing this idea.

I pointed out two other options which I think are both safer and wiser. Which Dylan can consider or ignore as possible options.

1 instead of wearing an inflatable life jacket under your jacket wear a jacket style foam buoyancy aid PFD under your jacket. It will work the same rain or shine. Jacket on or Jacket off.

2 wear a floater coat again non inflatable permanent buoyancy.
This option has the disadvantage of no buoyancy aid when the sun comes out and you take the floater coat off.

If you really don’t want to take a whole minute to take your lifejacket off to put your jacket on

I will add a 3 rd suggestion as a safer option. Wear a manually inflated lifejacket when the sun is shinning. When the rain comes put on a floater coat style jacket you will then have no need to inflate the now redundant inflatable life jacket.

Of course my suggestions could still prove fatal when Dylan is blown over the side and knocked unconscious by an exploding can of beans.:)
 
To Pierce or not to Pierce.
Being an excellent chef in my opinion not so much in my kids opinion.
I often when sailing, camping, canoeing, or hiking.
Cook cans over a small propane or butane stove.
I particularly like Campbell’s chunky soup. I always pierce the can.
They have pull tabs now.

I find if you cook the can on a direct flame. The bottom gets a bit burnt.
If you immerse the bottom of the can in water it doesn’t burn. And heats from the sides as well as the bottom.

I pierce the top or crack the pull tab every time.

It might not explode if I don’t but it will be pressurised and upon piercing could squirt in my eye.
Pierced it gets a bit sticky on top and when I see the steam bubbling out steadily. Its ready.

Have you ever filmed your non pierced technique. If so I would be interested in seeing it. .
 
Uricanejack said:
To Pierce or not to Pierce.
Being an excellent chef in my opinion not so much in my kids opinion.
I often when sailing, camping, canoeing, or hiking.
Cook cans over a small propane or butane stove.
I particularly like Campbell’s chunky soup. I always pierce the can.
They have pull tabs now.

I find if you cook the can on a direct flame. The bottom gets a bit burnt.
If you immerse the bottom of the can in water it doesn’t burn. And heats from the sides as well as the bottom.

I pierce the top or crack the pull tab every time.

It might not explode if I don’t but it will be pressurised and upon piercing could squirt in my eye.
Pierced it gets a bit sticky on top and when I see the steam bubbling out steadily. Its ready.

Have you ever filmed your non pierced technique. If so I would be interested in seeing it. .
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of course

couple of films from my forthcoming BBC series

The sailing Gourmet

watch out Berry, I am coming up behind you



 
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I used to do as Dylan. I also felt it saved me using a strap as the jacket would hold the lifejacket in place.
However, i sent my spinnlock to makers for service. I decided to try a test inflation as the cylinder was rusty & would be changed anyway
I was extremely surprised at the force of the inflation.
The part that inflated around my chin did so with so much force it hurt for some time after because the seam dug in.
Since then i never put a lifejacket under my coat as i am certain it would wind me so much i might end up gulping down gallons of water
With Crewsaver jacket my son & i decided to test it on the wife. She refused to strip off & get in the bath first but we did video a fully clothed test & once again the fast inflation was a surprise. Once we realised the pull cord was wrapped around the release & would never have been workable in an emergency situation.
The part behind her head shoved her head forward hard & hurt her kneck
Once again i believe that if this inflated under a jacket it would have hurt

As an aside
It is well worth trying out this kit for the experience

When my liferaft was serviced my wife went along & video'd it to see it erected so we know what to expect.
The straps for getting in are very poor
 
dylanwinter said:
I spend most of my sailing time up rivers and estuaries

the waterproof top is on and off all the time

and getting into the trees is quite common

and I know that if I had to put it on over the loose zippy top then there are times when I would leave the cockpit without putting it on
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Uricanejack said:
1 instead of wearing an inflatable life jacket under your jacket wear a jacket style foam buoyancy aid PFD under your jacket. It will work the same rain or shine. Jacket on or Jacket off.
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+1
 
dylanwinter said:
I once interviewed a Jesuit Priest

he was a lovely bloke

quiet, thoughtful

but thought that the wold was going to hell in a handbasket

he thought it was time for the second coming

I suggested that maybe he was the second coming


"not me," he said" "Heaven fore-fend.... I have the most fearful appetites"

so like Brother Steven I have many sins to confess and the most fearful appetites

it always worries me when people say that they have learned a lot about sailing from my films

Dylan
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It can be surprising what people feel they need to confide in nearly complete strangers
 
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I feel that Mr Winter's demise will not be of a PFD issue...

more a 'sufite of Lampyres' or in modern parlage 'did ye eyte all ye FB pyes'

Man up Dylan and join me on the 5/2 diet....

it really 'aint that bad........and it costs nothing,
 
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