Lifejackets

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GrantD

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So

Time to buy our first pieces of kit for the boat

2 lifejackets

Just the basics?
Seago Classic 190 Life Jacket

165N enough?

I'm assuming automatic inflation yes
Is the harness necessary, I guess its for MOBO

Is there a role for flotation devices for occasional guests/calm waters etc

What have people learned about these in boat life

Could I just wear my wet suit for the first 6 weeks?

We need a few basics we know, but are taking her out in October so dont want to break the bank on gear until next March really, we will be spending plenty on "redecoration" ?

Thoughts and experiences appreciated
 
Lifejackets for everyone on board. Whether you wear them is another possible thread. It is on a mono I'm not sure that the harness bit is required, but on a raggy it is imho, plus the line to attach it to the boat.

Edit; change mono to mobo. Predictive text issue!
 
Last edited:
pandos said:
(Just in case this thread is not a windup..)

Life Jackets | Life Vests | Kids Life Jackets | Decathlon

Get versions with crotch strap and harness loop, the more comfortable the more likely they will be worn..

I always wear a LJ once I am underway, or getting ready to go...... the one time I fell in.. I was wearing one and it worked....
Click to expand...
Why would it be a wind up? ?

People on here have years of experience in knowing what works best

Lifejackets are essential of course I'm just trying to get input before I spend money.

Buoyancy aids are cheaper so I wondered when these were useful or not etc etc
 
Try lots of life jackets on but buy one with an integrated hood whichever make you choose. Personally find jacket type simpler to use and find one with plastic harness loop -avoid clunky metal buckles. The main issue is if jacket rubs on neck when deflated but less bulk is everything particularly on small boat . Avoid buoyancy jackets unless buying a canoe or paddle board and then decathlon version fine unless you can find an offer on say an HH flotation device. Make a list of all kit as you might get a discount if you buy all together maybe ?
 
ashtead said:
Try lots of life jackets on but buy one with an integrated hood whichever make you choose.
Click to expand...
A huge second to that. It abound finding one that is comfortable to wear.

One design issue I have found with the Spinlock I tried was the manual pull chord was WAY to long, I would need arms that we 500mm longer for it to work without faffing about.
 
If it's easy to put on and comfortable to wear, there's a far better chance of it being worn.

As for buying cheap Chinese stuff, why not? I'm sure the sellers will say, "No one's ever come back to complain" :eek:

One other thought, LJs need annual servicing. It really isn't hard to do yourself, but it does need to be done. Ask how on here in a year's time. DO NOT be like a late friend whose jackets hadn't been serviced since he bought them seven years ago when I looked at them. They worked fine, but ...
 
Spend more, get a comfy jacket and you will be far more likely to wear it.

We have Kru Sport Pros (excellent, very comfy but had to add a light) and Crewsaver 180 Pros (nearly a comfy, with light and hood)

- W
 
GrantD said:
Raggy?


Ah, the harness is to attach it to the safety line? So essential then.

Can any one see the flaw in these?

Seem cheap but...... ?
UK Adult Automatic Manual Inflatable Life Jacket 150N Sailing Boating Aid Vest | eBay
Click to expand...

I don't much fancy that plastic buckle on the front. That whole jacket is about the price of a replacement gas canister for a decent brand so I'm not sure I'd want to go into the water wearing it.

Lifejackets will last you 10 years if properly looked after and will save your life if you go in so they really don't seem to me to be the place to economise. As others have said get an automatic jacket with an integral harness, crotch strap, ideally a sprayhood, and ideally a light. You may find its cheaper to buy a jacket without the light and fit it yourself, which will be a good excuse to learn how to service the jacket. In fact, it's worth manually inflating it for 24 hours right after purchase. I also second the vote for a seatbelt-style fastening and not the old fashioned metal buckle type jackets.

I like the Secumar jackets and have just bought a new one to replace an old one that failed its 24 hr inflation. to compare with what you're looking at on Ebay it's this:

Ultra 170 Auto Lifejacket by Secumar | From Aspli Safety

and that still needs the light and sprayhood to be added.
 
First off, what sort of a boat is it you’re going to be using the lifejacket on? If it’s a mobo of some sort, then you probably don’t need an integrated harness as there’s less need to clip on in a mobo. If you’ve got a sailing boat, then I regard an integrated harness as essential.
150 newtons is adequate for just about any yachting purposes. Any bigger will simply make moving and self recovery more difficult.
Don‘t buy the cheapo ones off eBay, they’re being shipped direct from China and don’t have CE or Ships Wheel markings. In addition, buying directly from China strips away a lot of consumer protections if something goes wrong. They may be just fine but there’s a good chance they’re not. Also, buried in the description is the fact that they ship without the CO2 cartridge....
The Seago ones you link to are fine, as are many other makes at the same price point. But they may be relatively uncomfortable to wear. Best thing is to go to a couple of local chandleries and try on a few different makes to find ones that you like.
Buoyancy aids are just that: they help you keep your head above water. They’re no use if you are unconscious or injured. They’re designed for dinghy, canoes and the like where there’s a good chance of you going into the water as a routine part of the activity.
Last point, everyone on board needs a lifejacket. No compromises here. Up to the skipper if they’re worn all the time or if you only put them on when, say, the wind gets above F5.
 
I have 6 x 150N self-inflating life jackets and sail in the Med where the water temperature is always warm. I also have harnesses for all life jackets and lazyjacks to attach to.
I think you need to carry the full kit regardless as you never know what you might encounter or what sequence of events might put you in a situation you have never planned for.

Automatic inflation - yes, definitely.

IMO, you should always aim to have life jackets for all on board readily at hand and test-fitted before heading out, so anyone who wants to wear a life jacket can, and if anything catastrophic happens (mowed down by a ship for example) then they can be retrieved and put on as quickly as possible.

Harness and lifeline - what kind of boat and what kind of use? night/day? offshore, one person on watch? What kind of water? North Atlantic? Med? I've used my lazyjacks and lifelines once in 10 years, during the only night sail I've done in that time but still wouldn't be without it.

The water temperature, seastate, distance to land and swimming ability of crew are the factors I use to determine if, as a skipper, I mandate the use of life jackets.

My boat is 11,5 metres long and pretty stable and I would rate the chances of my crew disappearing over the side as slim (all fit, experienced, and good swimmers) and their chances of surviving a long time in the water as high - the boom is also high and out of the way. I sail in the med, in normally benign conditions, the sea is warm, the waves small, the distance to land usually a few nautical miles - we often jump in the sea voluntarily to cool down. I very rarely mandate use of life jackets.

During a recent charter in Scotland however we wore life jackets a lot of the time - due to sea state, water temperature and experience of the crew.

It's all about risk at the end of the day, mandating use of life jackets all the time might be seen as the simple solution, but I'm not so sure, and this is where it might get controversial .... there are down-sides to wearing them all the time. They might get damaged, wear and tear is increased, they get caught on things, they might get set off accidentally rendering them useless until they can be re-packed and re-armed, if they are uncomfortable - for example in extreme heat - then the crew can get distracted by the discomfort of the jacket which makes them less effective and more accident prone.

When I did my advanced driving test many years ago, we got marked down for using the indicators when there was no other road user around to see them. When asked why we should not develop the habit of always indicating, the instructors reply was .... "If indicating is optional, you develop the habit of always assessing the situation before deciding to indicate or not - which is a far better habit to develop than simply turning the indicators on for every manoeuvre."

I apply the same thinking to a lot of aspects of boating, if you habitually do something, you don't develop the habit of continually assessing the risk and acting accordingly.
 
duncan99210 said:
First off, what sort of a boat is it you’re going to be using the lifejacket on? If it’s a mobo of some sort, then you probably don’t need an integrated harness as there’s less need to clip on in a mobo. If you’ve got a sailing boat, then I regard an integrated harness as essential.
150 newtons is adequate for just about any yachting purposes. Any bigger will simply make moving and self recovery more difficult.
Don‘t buy the cheapo ones off eBay, they’re being shipped direct from China and don’t have CE or Ships Wheel markings. In addition, buying directly from China strips away a lot of consumer protections if something goes wrong. They may be just fine but there’s a good chance they’re not. Also, buried in the description is the fact that they ship without the CO2 cartridge....
The Seago ones you link to are fine, as are many other makes at the same price point. But they may be relatively uncomfortable to wear. Best thing is to go to a couple of local chandleries and try on a few different makes to find ones that you like.
Buoyancy aids are just that: they help you keep your head above water. They’re no use if you are unconscious or injured. They’re designed for dinghy, canoes and the like where there’s a good chance of you going into the water as a routine part of the activity.
Last point, everyone on board needs a lifejacket. No compromises here. Up to the skipper if they’re worn all the time or if you only put them on when, say, the wind gets above F5.
Click to expand...
Thanks
 
Baggywrinkle said:
I have 6 x 150N self-inflating life jackets and sail in the Med where the water temperature is always warm. I also have harnesses for all life jackets and lazyjacks to attach to.
I think you need to carry the full kit regardless as you never know what you might encounter or what sequence of events might put you in a situation you have never planned for.

Automatic inflation - yes, definitely.

IMO, you should always aim to have life jackets for all on board readily at hand and test-fitted before heading out, so anyone who wants to wear a life jacket can, and if anything catastrophic happens (mowed down by a ship for example) then they can be retrieved and put on as quickly as possible.

Harness and lifeline - what kind of boat and what kind of use? night/day? offshore, one person on watch? What kind of water? North Atlantic? Med? I've used my lazyjacks and lifelines once in 10 years, during the only night sail I've done in that time but still wouldn't be without it.

The water temperature, seastate, distance to land and swimming ability of crew are the factors I use to determine if, as a skipper, I mandate the use of life jackets.

My boat is 11,5 metres long and pretty stable and I would rate the chances of my crew disappearing over the side as slim (all fit, experienced, and good swimmers) and their chances of surviving a long time in the water as high - the boom is also high and out of the way. I sail in the med, in normally benign conditions, the sea is warm, the waves small, the distance to land usually a few nautical miles - we often jump in the sea voluntarily to cool down. I very rarely mandate use of life jackets.

During a recent charter in Scotland however we wore life jackets a lot of the time - due to sea state, water temperature and experience of the crew.

It's all about risk at the end of the day, mandating use of life jackets all the time might be seen as the simple solution, but I'm not so sure, and this is where it might get controversial .... there are down-sides to wearing them all the time. They might get damaged, wear and tear is increased, they get caught on things, they might get set off accidentally rendering them useless until they can be re-packed and re-armed, if they are uncomfortable - for example in extreme heat - then the crew can get distracted by the discomfort of the jacket which makes them less effective and more accident prone.

When I did my advanced driving test many years ago, we got marked down for using the indicators when there was no other road user around to see them. When asked why we should not develop the habit of always indicating, the instructors reply was .... "If indicating is optional, you develop the habit of always assessing the situation before deciding to indicate or not - which is a far better habit to develop than simply turning the indicators on for every manoeuvre."

I apply the same thinking to a lot of aspects of boating, if you habitually do something, you don't develop the habit of continually assessing the risk and acting accordingly.
Click to expand...
Brilliant

.thanks for that

Love the driving analogy
 
Apologies all

27ft
Sabre 27
Newbie stuff at first

First 6 weeks this season crossing from IOW then pottering round Langstone harbour to build experience

Then more ambitious stuff like cruising the Solent and going to say, the Scillies, over next few years.

But some great insights regardless. Thanks.

I think I buy without a light, then add one (for the experience) when night sailing becomes an option.
 
Baggywrinkle said:
When I did my advanced driving test many years ago, we got marked down for using the indicators when there was no other road user around to see them. When asked why we should not develop the habit of always indicating, the instructors reply was .... "If indicating is optional, you develop the habit of always assessing the situation before deciding to indicate or not - which is a far better habit to develop than simply turning the indicators on for every manoeuvre."

I apply the same thinking to a lot of aspects of boating, if you habitually do something, you don't develop the habit of continually assessing the risk and acting accordingly.
Click to expand...
It was the same on my police driving course. However, I'd put wearing an LJ in the same category as putting on your seat belt. Things can go from "No need for it" to "Oh Sh!t" a lot quicker than you can get a jacket from the locker and put it on.
 
duncan99210 said:
First off, what sort of a boat is it you’re going to be using the lifejacket on? If it’s a mobo of some sort, then you probably don’t need an integrated harness as there’s less need to clip on in a mobo. If you’ve got a sailing boat, then I regard an integrated harness as essential.
150 newtons is adequate for just about any yachting purposes. Any bigger will simply make moving and self recovery more difficult.
Don‘t buy the cheapo ones off eBay, they’re being shipped direct from China and don’t have CE or Ships Wheel markings. In addition, buying directly from China strips away a lot of consumer protections if something goes wrong. They may be just fine but there’s a good chance they’re not. Also, buried in the description is the fact that they ship without the CO2 cartridge....
The Seago ones you link to are fine, as are many other makes at the same price point. But they may be relatively uncomfortable to wear. Best thing is to go to a couple of local chandleries and try on a few different makes to find ones that you like.
Buoyancy aids are just that: they help you keep your head above water. They’re no use if you are unconscious or injured. They’re designed for dinghy, canoes and the like where there’s a good chance of you going into the water as a routine part of the activity.
Last point, everyone on board needs a lifejacket. No compromises here. Up to the skipper if they’re worn all the time or if you only put them on when, say, the wind gets above F5.
Click to expand...
Yeh the Chinese ones are a false economy, better than nothing I guess but....
 
Yes, do try them on before you buy. We have some Crewsaver ones inherited with the boat, and they've designed all the adjustment straps to fit someone with a 6-foot waist and impossibly large thighs. Their solution to storing the excess is little velcro straps to hold the bundled up loose bits. This simply doesn't work, and you're left trailing fathoms of strap behind you, which is possibly more of a hazard than not wearing the things in the first place!
 
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