Lifejacket advice needed

[Superflid]

Will shortly need to buy 2 adult and 2 large child sizes.
Is 100 newtons enough or is it worth spending more for the 150 N versions?
As always, safety will decide. However, cash is a major factor in anything I do.

I have none.

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[temptress]

weight is the factor you need to consider here.

SWMBO recently did a Sea Sruvival course on which she used my 150N lifejacket, as the cylinder need replacing, rather than her own NEW 100N one. She founf that the bouancy was TOO much and had to let air out of the jacket to float.

Now me - I used a old 100N lifejacket and found that I need the 150N and no smart remarks about weight here please.

As for brands i guess you pays your money and.......

but don't forget that the Newton rating is basically bouyancy.

<hr width=100% size=1>Temptress of Down
Southsea Marina
Hants
UK

 

[temptress]

weight is the factor you need to consider here.

SWMBO recently did a Sea Sruvival course on which she used my 150N lifejacket, as the cylinder need replacing, rather than her own NEW 100N one. She founf that the bouancy was TOO much and had to let air out of the jacket to float.

Now me - I used a old 100N lifejacket and found that I need the 150N and no smart remarks about weight here please.

As for brands i guess you pays your money and.......

but don't forget that the Newton rating is basically bouyancy.

<hr width=100% size=1>Temptress of Down
Southsea Marina
Hants
UK

 

[Hardley]

Go for 150N,with jock strap/s.

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[milltech]

I thought 100N was classed as a buoyancy aid for adults and 150N a "lifejacket". My 100N jackets are all classed as being for Children/Junior use.


<hr width=100% size=1>John
<A target="_blank" HREF=http://www.allgadgets.co.uk>http://www.allgadgets.co.uk</A>

 

[Superflid]

Looks like 100 for the boys then (aged 13 and 14) but 150 for me, 15.

Stones, that is....

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[Casey]

Suggest you take a look at www.crewsaver.co.uk. They give some good advice on what all the 'n' numbers mean and in their equipment catalogue they give the sizes recommended for various weights.

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[ubuysa]

Strongly suggest you (at least) do a Sea Survival course. On mine we used 150N lifejackets and I was convinced that thigh straps and a spray hood were essential. SWMBO had difficulty entering the liferaft wearing her inflated 150N, but letting a little air out is easy.

Based on our experience on the course we bought Crewsaver Crewfit Plus 150Ns at LIBS recently.

<hr width=100% size=1>There are 10 kinds of people, those who understand binary and those who don't.

 

[nct1]

It really depends on how much you value life.

Thrown overboard in an un-forecast Force 7, possibly unconcious, what would you wish for at that moment.

Yes, good life jackets are expensive, but think of the alternative ...


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[Dipper]

The Four Newton classes refer to a combination of buoyancy and design. The higher the N value, the greater the relative buoyancy for the specified weight of the wearer. The lifejacket may not necessarily have the actual figure quoted and in the case of the toddler 100N lifejackets this may only be in the region of 43N. The overall effect though is to provide the equivalent of the rated class.

The 100N class are foam lifejackets which are designed for swimmers and non-swimmers and will rotate the wearer face up They are rather bulky to wear being all foam.

The 150N class are inflatable lifejackets. Only auto ones are suitable for non-swimmers (or unconscious wearers not that you would know this in advance).

In the UK, we used to classify the 100N as buoyancy aids but the EC classification is that they are lifejackets. I’m not sure if the design had to improve to fit the EC classification. As far as I understand it, a buoyancy aid only helps you to keep afloat but it is up to the swimmer to keep face up whereas a lifejacket is designed to float the ‘victim’ face up.


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[Solitaire]

Buy 4 150 newton jackets. What you have to consider is the type of boating you are going to do. There are three main types of relaese. Fully manual, where you have to pull a toggle to "fire" the co2 cylinder. Automatic, which use a salt tablet which when it gets wet (the salt dissolves) will allow the cylinder to fire and the Hammer type which use water presure to fire the cylinder. If you are likely to gett wet often then either buy the manual or the Hammer type - prcie wise they are at either end of the price range. If you are not going to get wet then the "ordinary" auto type is fine. Make sure though that you get crotch straps. These in my view are essentil. Ask those who have done the Sea Survival course!
Th eother important factor is that 150 newton jackets will turn the wearer face up - anything less will not!

<hr width=100% size=1>Boating is <A target="_blank" HREF=http://www.powerboattraininguk.co.uk>Serious Fun</A>

 

[Jools_of_Top_Cat]

I don't understand this letting out air in order to float....

Please could you elaborate?

<hr width=100% size=1>Julian

<A target="_blank" HREF=http://www.topcatsail.co.uk>Top Cat Homepage</A>

 

[Superflid]

Seems like a fair point.

My sons. My friends.

Even if I was OK.

Thanks everyone for some good advice, I'll be spending more. Will have to buy one at a time before the summer.

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[charles_reed]

Lifejackets

The 2 standards are 150 and 250 newtons - I suspect the 100 n you quote to only be a flotation aid.

As 250 newton are really for offshore work (full foulweather gear and F8 seastate) I suspect you will need the 150 n version.

You can save money by purchasing oral inflation ones, but probably the most cost-effective compromise are manually-operated CO2 ones.

Crewsaver are the market leaders but you can get "own-badge" ones for about half the Crewsaver price.
I'd suggest that more important than the crotch straps is to have a built-in harness.

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[Hardley]

Re: Lifejackets

Have you ever been in the water wearing a lifejacket without crotch straps?
You should try it sometime, hope the lifejacket does not strangle you before you get out of the water.

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[ongolo]

Re: Lifejackets

I agree with that one, when I jumped into the water, the life jacket shot up that I had to bite the upper strap previously over my chest. I had to do this to prevent the strap making my nose sore.

regards ongolo


<hr width=100% size=1>1000 dream about it, 100 talk about it, 10 start and 1 completes it

 

[bigmart]

Re: Lifejackets

The two sizes commonly available are 150 Newton & 275 Newton. I wear a 275 Newton cos I'm a fat git & weigh a ton with my oilies on. For most a 150 Newton is adequate.

I have posted this here before but here goes again. A few years ago I participated in a test of several makes of bladder type lifejackets. Out of 10 jackets we tested two failed to open correctly. These were the type with the Zip up stoles. They look good but the zips caused the bladder to inflate unevenly, turning the wearer onto his side. Not good.

The wearing of crutch straps was the most important thing. I would say that a lifejacket without the crutch straps, being done up, is more dangerous than not wearing the jacket at all. No straps & the jacket tends to ride up & can severely limit the wearers ability to move. For an unconcious wearer this could be leathal.

Martin

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[charles_reed]

Bigmart and Hardley

I perhaps didn't make myself clear - far better to avoid going into the drink by wearing a harness and line than to have to use the inflation.

Yes I have been in the water without a crotch strap and as a lifeboat crew in past years, pulled many out of it. Providing you enter the water correctly, (arms crossed on top of the jacket) and have the jacket reasonably fitted, crotch straps are more desirable than essential.

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[MainlySteam]

Re: Bigmart and Hardley

I agree with you Charles - the only lifejackets I have been in the water in have not had crotch straps and I did not find any problem at all. I have not been in the water with our current inflatable jackets (haven't fallen in yet) which also do not have crotch straps but I fail to see how they can ride up as the straps are right under the armpits.

I also fail to see, but have never tried, how crotch straps could be properly tightened when one is wearing a good lengthed wet weather gear jacket intended for heavy conditions (not talking of light coastal or harbour gear).

Given that standard issue lifejackets also never seem to have crotch straps either I fancy a lot of the talk about crotch straps is repeated marina legend without much basis. Although I have no doubt that there are some ill fitting jackets, both with and without crotch straps, which are a problem.

John

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[whisper]

Re: Bigmart and Hardley

I've tried both the with and without crotch strap scenario and there's no doubt that in my case I'd say that straps were essential. That may have meant that my jacket wasn't fitted correctly however.
Yes, if you enter the water correctly you can help prevent the jacket riding up but if you've just been hit on the head you may not actually be able to do this. IMOH.

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