Lifejacket for kids

J

jforgan

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Can someone provide guidance on the most suitable lifejackets for my two boys, 8 and 5. The elder can swim, but the younger can't. Advice for two slightly older adults would also be useful!

With any luck we should have a boat fairly soon, and I'm now discovering a whole new set of things I know nothing about!

Regards

John
 
Re: Life jacket for kids

goes the same for both, you want a jacket that if comfortable then you are more likely to wear them, leg strap on adult jackets can be stored in the jackets themselves, if you really don;t like them, but it worth setting an example to the kids by wearing them.
 
Re: Life jacket for kids

I have to disagree with you julie I would not expect a five year old to be able to manually inflate an auto if it didnt inflate
IMHO of course

cheers
 
Re: Life jacket for kids

Yeah right Julie, My two Grandhorrors wear a Helly Hansen each, not the inflatable types just afloatation jacket. I don't
know why i don't fit em with auto-inflates, i spose really i am
not sure that that the autos will inflate every time, whereas
i know they will always float in the Hellies. Just a thought
 
Re: Life jacket for kids

Setting an example is a great idea which we were discussing yesterday- how can we expect our kids to wear them if mum and dad don't? I must say I wear mine all the time now whilst underway ( why not?) At that age of child, there are lots of options for proper auto lifejackets- dont't know why, but I like Crewsaver.

More difficult for babies toddlers, but again, we've found the Crewsaver Sea Baby and Sea toddler very wearable and good, especially the harness and clip on points, but I seem to remember an article in one of the mags saying that the only one they rated was the new Helly Hansen ones for keeping th ehead the correct way up.
 
Re: Life jacket for kids

Our 6 year old has an autogas for when cruising and a flotation type for in the marina or where he is more likely to fall in.

I felt if we have to abandon while on a passage we will all be in the water. I got the Hammar type as they appear to be the best from reports.

We wear ours all of the time. (While under way that is) The 6 year old has to wear his if he wants to be on the pontoon or up front when we are moored.

I think it’s worth wearing them all of the time while under way. I think many of us have had an urgent situation happen where you do something a bit dangerous, maybe go up front when it’s a bit rough. That is when you probably would not have time to put one on and could easily fall in.

I would hate to see my family and boat heading off into the distance at 25kts and me with no lifejacket. Not sure they could get back to me for about ½ hour, and then they would probably run me down /forums/images/graemlins/grin.gif
 
Re: Life jacket for kids

I wouldn't recommend an auto inflation for someone who can't swim. Sometimes they don't inflate and need manual deployment by someone who has just been winded as they hit the water head first at speed - OK worst case scenario!

Either teach him quick, and make sure he is highly confident at falling into water from a reasonable height and any angle, then consider an auto inflate.

Far better to get one of those Crewsaver Junior jobbies with a good slug of permanent foam bouyancy, plus air top-up. Problem with that those are manual top-up only, so fine if you are abandonning in a controlled manner, not good if he topples over, particularly at speed.

Actually, those big, ugly commercial jobbies full of permanent foam buoyancy are probably a fair second best.

Winter project - he learns to swim and be confident 'fooling around' in and near water - would always be the best option.
 
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