Life jackets and Bouyancy aids - worse than they used to be

[Flashy]

In every case they did not turn the "victim" face up. It seems that the wearing of a foul weather jacket has enough buoyancy to counteract the inflatable jacket and in some cases turned the victim face down.

Interesting. We tested a guy in a drysuit wearing a 150N lifejacket and it wouldn't turn him face up. I wonder if SOLAS lifejackets would be any better as they're supposed to counteract the buoyancy of survival suits?

 

[jellylegs]

I think Dylan Winter is angling for a position at Yachting Monthly.....

 

[dylanwinter]

they would never have me

I think Dylan Winter is angling for a position at Yachting Monthly.....

they would never have me

no qualifications

Dylan

 

[prv]

The other thing that always struck me as useful but has gone away is the harness strap built into an oily jacket. Doesn't conform to the relevant standards because the strap can't be seen (to check for damage) at all times, so I don't think (could be wrong) anyone sells them in this country any more.

Pete

 

[nigelmercier]

... such wonderful garments that you would tend to wear them more often...

I've got a Kru Sport Pro Auto & Harness, it is so comfortable I sometimes forget I'm wearing it.

It is also black, so is cool

 

[Searush]

I've got a Kru Sport Pro Auto & Harness, it is so comfortable I sometimes forget I'm wearing it.

It is also black, so is cool

Oh, that'll make it easy for 'em to find your body won't it?

 

[prv]

Oh, that'll make it easy for 'em to find your body won't it?

I'm sure the insides are orange or yellow once it goes off.

It's black oilies (including black hoods) that are really daft, as they don't have a "gone off" bit to make in a bright colour.

Pete

 

[salinia]

that would brilliant

do it on a video for sure

I ddi drop one two years ago as I was loading stuff into a dinghy and it went off and inflated

which was re-assuring

I tried re-arming it - and could not get a kit

out of date

no longer available

bumma

D

Ps - sold my Enterprise to but the Slug - sob!

Done the video as promised...Oh dear its just processing at You tube the result was...well watch the video it'll be on in a bit

 

[salinia]

Here it is hot off the press our highly scientific approach to lifejacket testing

You must promise not to laugh.

 

[dylanwinter]

utterly brilliant

Here it is hot off the press our highly scientific approach to lifejacket testing

You must promise not to laugh.

well done

your dog was so calm about it

and the video is also slightly frightening

I wonder why the second one did not go off properly and fill the other side

Dylan

 

[doug748]

Here it is hot off the press our highly scientific approach to lifejacket testing

You must promise not to laugh......]

Brilliant.

I did laugh a lot. Well done salinia.

Mine are from the - "Really Cheap Lifejacket Company" and, although I think of them as my new lifejackets, I guess they are ten years old, or more. I may even start wearing one now.

 

[salinia]

For those who may also be curious as to why the other side of Ruth's (1st Mate) LJ did not go off, it was because the breather pipe was not glued to the inside of the buoyance bag so it would not hold air, no doubt it was glued airtight a few years ago.

BTW She is still speaking to me and Skipper the dog has gone into a sulk

 

[Searush]

For those who may also be curious as to why the other side of Ruth's (1st Mate) LJ did not go off, it was because the breather pipe was not glued to the inside of the buoyance bag so it would not hold air, no doubt it was glued airtight a few years ago.

BTW She is still speaking to me and Skipper the dog has gone into a sulk

Thanks for the update, I suspect it may never have been glued properly, all the other glue worked fine, didn't it? Perhaps we should insist on a live test & re-arm before we buy? Maybe the manufacturers ought to test every one before selling them anyway? Certainly food for thought. Have you ever manually inflated them? that would have found that problem wouldn't it?

So that's one re-arm kit & one new lifejacket then is it? 60 quid's worth minimum at a guess.

I manually inflate mine annually (err -ish ) and weigh the cylinders which is a lot cheaper than firing them off.

 

[grumpy_o_g]

back in the old days - when myself and all three brothers were sailing all the time we used to have two types of bouyancy aids that were brilliant

we had the so called "floatation jackets" that were foulie jackets that were insulated with flotation material. They were great - felt very little different to the ones that were just insulated - and they worked. We were young and tried them out. Wore them all the time it was cold.

We also used to have some really simple, light zip up wasitcoat affairs that had super tough bubble wrap inside them. They were very comfortable, warm under a peter storm anorak, cool when worn over a teashirt and very comfy to sit on or lean back against something in the cockpit. They even made pretty good pillows. So they were always there, always ready to be used or chucked at some-one in the water.

Similar stuff is still available from Sea-Safe http://www.seasafe.co.uk/shop/ct/sundridge_commercial_clothing at surprising reasonable prices - and it's British. I very nearly bought one of their Mariner jackets a few years ago - they're about £250 basic. The only reason I didn't was that I'd need a LJ as well for those two days a year you don't want to wear a jacket. You can also have a go at the "build a coat" in the leisure section - I couldn't quite get a coat to cost over £1200 .

 

[Keen_Ed]

I can't believe I'm reading this.
I hate excessive H&S as much as the next man but to suggerst a buoyancy aid is better a proper lifejacket for use on a cruising boat is madness. There is a reason why lifejackets are the way they are and that is because they do the job properly when there aren't safety boats about, loads of other dinghies and a shore a few yards distant. Modern lifejackets are light, compact and very easty to put on and wear. Even I have begun to use one even when its not blowing old boots at night.

It was when I did my last Sea Survival course that the full benefit of a lifejacket with crutch strap and face protector was fully driven home. Even in a swimming pool the face protector made life a lot more comfortable and the crutch strap mean you could swim in it without it trying to come up over your nose and you could be lifted into the liferaft by it.
Sorry, I'm not often shocked by a thread here, but I am by this one.

+1

Having inadvertly found myself swimming in the Solent in full oilies, I was incredibally grateful to be wearing a full 150N lifejacket. I very much doubt a 50N buoyancy aid would have been much help at all.

 

[rotrax]

I've got a Kru Sport Pro Auto & Harness, it is so comfortable I sometimes forget I'm wearing it.

It is also black, so is cool

Yup- First Mate and I use the same and confirm their excellence.

 

[prv]

Perhaps we should insist on a live test & re-arm before we buy? [...] Have you ever manually inflated them? that would have found that problem wouldn't it?

I've only owned two gas lifejackets, and both I fully inspected, inflated (via the tube), etc as soon as I got them home.

Frankly I do that with most stuff I buy anyway - not as a safety thing, but because I like to play with new toys

Pete

 

[fishermantwo]

+1

Having inadvertly found myself swimming in the Solent in full oilies, I was incredibally grateful to be wearing a full 150N lifejacket. I very much doubt a 50N buoyancy aid would have been much help at all.

It might pay to actually find out what exactly the quoted 150N flotation rating means. It certainly does not mean it has 3 times the "Flotation" of a vest rated at 50N. Both actually support the same weight just that the vest is worn lower on the body where less buoyancy has more effect. From memory 150N translates to 36 pounds. Inflatables support the head and neck and most of the buoyancy is out of the water.

 

[lw395]

+1

Having inadvertly found myself swimming in the Solent in full oilies, I was incredibally grateful to be wearing a full 150N lifejacket. I very much doubt a 50N buoyancy aid would have been much help at all.

You'd have been fine. The buoyancy needed to keep a set of oilies afloat is very little, even without any air trapped in them. The density of their material is not hugely greater than that of water. They feel very heavy in the water, because to move your arm (e.g) you are moving a lot water too.

Without the 50N BA, the weight of a pair of Dubarry boots might be an issue though.

 

[prv]

The buoyancy needed to keep a set of oilies afloat is very little

+1

When Calamity Dave lost his oilies overboard (having, in the preceding few days, also lost his towel overboard, fallen into the harbour, smacked his head on the forepeak doorway, and fallen down the companionway while alongside), they floated. They floated for long enough for a little old Danish man to row across the harbour and knock on our hull to let us know.

Pete