Lifejacket Crotch Straps (BBC South today)

Bought (Crewsaver) crotch straps this year for our lifejackets, which we wear all the time at sea. They are surprisingly unobtrusive and comfortable to wear, and seemed a sensible investment.
 
I was the dummy once for a MOB .

Without a crotch strap the harness / lifejacket was nearly pulled off . I only managed to keep it on by keeping my arms down. A subconcious person would not have been recovered in my opinion if the sea had been anything but a flat calm in water off the Ionian islands.
 
I'm a tall chap and my problem is I can't get a crotch strap that fits me, they are all way too short and restrict the free movement of my undercarridge.

I would have thought there would be different sizes availalbe alas this is not the case.
 
I got mine from "Cheap Lifejackets". They are just a length of webbing with a buckled loop at each end. They fit me and I'm 6'4" with a long back.
 
I agree with you Brian but also wonder how anyone manages either with a long offshore wet weather jacket on (not that you would know what wet weather is /forums/images/graemlins/smile.gif).

Another thing that puzzles me is that maybe people should be looking at PFD's which don't ride up even without straps around ones nether regions - perhaps they are not available in the UK? Our own, make forgotten and getting on a bit now, are USA ones and the chest/harness strap is hard under the armpits.

Perhaps another problem is, many people when in the water for the first time with a lifejacket on get a fright because they don't realise how low in the water you actually ride in them.

Am off to get personal locator beacon, whistle, straps, light, face mask, etc, etc - oh and a bigger lifejacket in order to stop me sinking from the weight of all the paraphernalia /forums/images/graemlins/smile.gif - makes sailing fun to get dressed up in all the gears. Cos statistics tell us getting drowned off a longer than 7 m cruising vessel is pretty well very very low odds stuff.

Must run before the cat is kicked.

Regards

John
 
Can't understand how manufacturers continue to sell lifejackets without crotch straps....

I did an RYA 'sea survival course' a few years ago. Proudly turned up with my £100 Crewsaver 'bells 'n' whistles' jacket (no straps), stepped off the one metre high platform wearing full foulies and said jacket, auto inflation occurred and I found myself in the water with an inflated jacket around my ears! I expended a great deal of energy in the pool just battling with my jacket to keep my head comfortably above the water level! Next working day, "six sets of crotch straps please"!!
 
Can't understand how manufacturers continue to sell lifejackets without crotch straps....

A wild claim smacking of inexperience.

So from your experience you apparantly think the lifejackets on cruise liners should have crotch straps too? If you now revise your claim to well, maybe on big ships they are not necessary, then just what size boat do you think they should become mandatory on?

Do you not understand that some find themselves perfectly happy and secure floating in a PFD without crotch straps? As another has said, what about thigh straps?

John
 
You must log in or register to reply here.

Share this page

Top