Lifejacket Test

[Yorkshire Exile]

I inherited three LJs with my boat. I have given two away free on this forum but the third was an auto-inflate with harness which I wanted to use. It's an XM Quickfit 150N. I have no idea of its age, the cylinder and actuator appeared in good condition but there was no clear indication of their age or use by date. I decided it would be fun and useful to test it in a local (private) swimming pool. Like most people I have never experienced actual operation of a LJ and testing it in a safe environment might better prepare me in case it is ever really needed.

The harness was adjusted to be comfortable but not tight and the crutchstrap was quite loose as I would have it on the boat to enable free movement. When I immersed myself the LJ inflated within about two seconds, the inflation was smooth and complete. My position was automatically head well clear of the water with legs lying down at about 45 degrees. I tried to turn myself over with the aim of drowning but that was impossible. It was possible to propel myself by a kind of limited backstroke.

I then unclipped the crutchstrap to see the effect. It didn't severely affect the LJ effectiveness but the LJ then forced upwards onto my neck and chin and after a few minutes or in waves I think this would become quickly very uncomfortable if not dangerous.

Overall it was a very pleasant and reassuring experience. I felt like my own small vessel with restricted manoeuverabilty. Everyone should try it.

I will now re-arm it and continue to use with the confidence that it will work!

 

[oldmanofthehills]

With any lj if in doubt give it a new auto devise and replace cylinders if rusty. It reassuring to know it worked in trial conditions, much better than our approach of falling over while launching dinghy. One could argue that a 175N jacket would be better but 150 still pretty good. I have retired or converted all my manual jackets to auto and harness seems essential if leaving the cockpit. The Quickfit unit is the one for you !

 

[lw395]

With any lj if in doubt give it a new auto devise and replace cylinders if rusty. It reassuring to know it worked in trial conditions, much better than our approach of falling over while launching dinghy. One could argue that a 175N jacket would be better but 150 still pretty good. I have retired or converted all my manual jackets to auto and harness seems essential if leaving the cockpit. The Quickfit unit is the one for you !

I disagree.
If the LJ is old enough for there to be any doubt, cut in to many pieces and buy a new one.
You can get a reputable new one for about £60.
Instead of spending £20 on re-arming an old one and hoping the fabric is not on its last legs, the stitching isn't damaged or whatever.

 

[oldmanofthehills]

I agree that if lj is old it should be chucked however cylinders and automech have a life of about 5 years and the lj used only for occasional leisure used should last much longer, (unlike one used daily by seagoing work crew). Full auto jackets with hood, light and harness are not cheap and I have found it very handy to keep old jackets on boat as last resort backup in case daily used ones are damaged, washed overboard or whatever. Older jackets may leak, however their harness will still stop you falling overboard, and unless they deflate straight away they will still keep you afloat if you fall in for enough time to help. Its a matter of being pragmatic and ordered but if you are not, don't go sailing.

 

[bitbaltic]

I disagree.
If the LJ is old enough for there to be any doubt, cut in to many pieces and buy a new one.
You can get a reputable new one for about £60.
Instead of spending £20 on re-arming an old one and hoping the fabric is not on its last legs, the stitching isn't damaged or whatever.

Agree with that

Not everybody does though, I remember someone coming on here a couple of years ago to insist he wanted to rearm a Secumar jacket last manufactured in 1969, wonder how he got on.

As for the OPs jacket haven’t XM been gone for years (ie something like the 10 year ‘lifespan’ some/most modern jackets are given) it works but I would share concerns about fabric and future life

 

[oldmanofthehills]

Any 10 year lifespan if quoted is a get out for the manufacturer. If it is stored carefully and used infrequently there is nothing magic about 10 years and there is no such warning on my new ones. The only lifejacket failures I have heard of have been failure to inflate due to corrosion on auto mechanism or failure to tighten cylinder so that inflating gas never got into jacket so that is what should be most carefully considered. I have never heard of catastrophic failure of fabric causing incident. if it looks to the OP with a very suspicious eye to be sound, not frayed and not perished, and it does not leak, then almost certainly it is sound. XM Quickfit are still advertised so though manufacturer might have changed there is nothing in the brand name to make it seem antique. The RNLI will check over your lj at various events if you feel uncertain.

 

[LadyInBed]

I can't agree with chucking a lj just because it's a bit old.
I do a bounce test on old lj's - mouth inflate, sit on it and bounce.
If your bum doesn't hit the floor then the lj is good for another summer

 

[bitbaltic]

Any 10 year lifespan if quoted is a get out for the manufacturer. If it is stored carefully and used infrequently there is nothing magic about 10 years and there is no such warning on my new ones. The only lifejacket failures I have heard of have been failure to inflate due to corrosion on auto mechanism or failure to tighten cylinder so that inflating gas never got into jacket so that is what should be most carefully considered. I have never heard of catastrophic failure of fabric causing incident. if it looks to the OP with a very suspicious eye to be sound, not frayed and not perished, and it does not leak, then almost certainly it is sound. XM Quickfit are still advertised so though manufacturer might have changed there is nothing in the brand name to make it seem antique. The RNLI will check over your lj at various events if you feel uncertain.

Agree about the 10 year thing, especially for my own jackets (now 6 years old and pristine) which I have had from new, serviced myself annually, and know the entire history of. They have a 10 year manufacturer's lifespan but I will keep them beyond that provided they pass my annual inspection. Not sure I would keep them for 20 years though; in fact I started a poll on this a while back http://www.ybw.com/forums/showthread.php?461929-How-old-is-your-lifejacket&

The majority (63%) of respondents had LJs younger than the "magic" 10 year number, and 90% of people had LJs less than 15 years old, which seems to indicate that LJs are not really being kept much in excess of the sort of numbers manufacturers quote. Perhaps this is becuase lots of LJs change hands with a boat, and new owners end up buying new LJs because they do not know the usage and service history of the jackets from the inventory.

As far as failure modes go, if you search widely enough on these boards you will find everything under the sun reported over the years, including accounts of LJs that 'popped' during a test firing or failed a 24hr inflation test, both of which would possibly indicate fabric/stitching failures. The vast majority of firings of older jackets work, of course.

 

[lw395]

It's frustrating when you need to own 6 LJs because you have a 6 berth boat.
At least my LJ gests some wear and tear as I'm often out racing or on a RIB.
I will push the ten year life a little, but not to extremes.
I tend to buy one or two every couple of years.
New ones for guests or kept in the packet.
Newish ones with full offshore gear.
Older ones for inshore use, tender, RIB, taking along to satisfy rules when I won't be wearing it etc.
The older ones are checked over and in good enough nick that I have complete faith in them.

I just wouldn't re-arm an LJ more than say 8 years old as it's nearly done its time.

 

[Yorkshire Exile]

Thanks for lots of good and cautious advice. Because my test LJ is visually in good condition I will re-arm and continue using as LJ number three.

 

[[70521]]

I replace Life jackets every seven years. Used or unused (OK I enjoy jumping into the sea and giving them a final test).

New LJs will have more modern materials, better safety kit (hoods, lights, tether points) than the old ones.

 

[Kukri]

I had already bought new Crewsaver L Js to replace the 15 year old ones when it occurred to me to test the old ones, so I held them in the kitchen sink - the firing mechanism worked within two seconds and they stayed inflated for 24 hours, so I rearmed them. I fancy they will get more use as the crutch straps are better than the new ones. Now have l Js coming out of our ears...