Old manual inflatable lifejackets.

[Gryphon2]

I have 5 old lifejackets of about 20 years vintage. All look ok but ought to have new cylinders I suspect. Anyone have any idea what I should do with them.or are they just bin worthy,? The one I tried went off a treat and held air.

 

[Refueler]

Daring the wrath of some ...

You say that you inflated one and it held fine ?

If they have been stored clean / dry and in good order : >
The test really is to inflate manually and then leave it inflated for 12hrs or so .... see what happens. If it stays up same and no fabric seam gives etc. - then for me - I would replace the cylinders .... dust down with a bit of talc and use.

Cylinders can be checked easily - make sure no corrosion ... and then check weigh ... the figures are on the cylinder.

Obviously if concerned - then purchase replacement jackets.

With jackets condemned of ships and according to my Father (CAA) for Aircraft LJ's - it used to be common practice to cut them up to prevent use.

 

[capnsensible]

Isn't it a risk thing as you move through the lifejacket ages from will work to should work to might work??

 

[Sandy]

I have 5 old lifejackets of about 20 years vintage. All look ok but ought to have new cylinders I suspect. Anyone have any idea what I should do with them.or are they just bin worthy,? The one I tried went off a treat and held air.

Donate them to a training centre who run Sea Survival courses.

 

[Refueler]

Donate them to a training centre who run Sea Survival courses.

I have a feeling that such people would be working based on HS&E guidelines ? Would they accept such ?

 

[capnsensible]

I have a feeling that such people would be working based on HS&E guidelines ? Would they accept such ?

OK for shore demo I think. Not in the water. I used to fire off one every course so the students new what to expect.....on the pontoon. Older jacket, old cylinders going rusty. Very effective.

 

[Sandy]

I have a feeling that such people would be working based on HS&E guidelines ? Would they accept such ?

RYA Sea Survival Courses are usually run in a nice warm swimming pool. Mine had two lifeguards, two course instructors and most of the participants on the course held an ancient Royal Lifesaving Society qualification. All the LJ needs to do is remain inflated while people float about in them, splash water in each other's faces then play sardines in life rafts, we got eight in a four person LR and I found that claustrophobic - I usually have a total exclusion zone of 1 NM at sea.

Unlike @capnsensible's course we entered the water and manually inflated the LJ.

 

[Pete7]

Attack with a stanley knife then off to the tip. There are some shocking ones on FB marketplace at the moment. One marked Sowester who went bust in 1998. Looks mint, but would you want family or friends to wear it?

 

[capnsensible]

RYA Sea Survival Courses are usually run in a nice warm swimming pool. Mine had two lifeguards, two course instructors and most of the participants on the course held an ancient Royal Lifesaving Society qualification. All the LJ needs to do is remain inflated while people float about in them, splash water in each other's faces then play sardines in life rafts, we got eight in a four person LR and I found that claustrophobic - I usually have a total exclusion zone of 1 NM at sea.

Unlike @capnsensible's course we entered the water and manually inflated the LJ.

Apologies, didn't explain......normal 5 day sailing courses, not sea survival.

 

[penfold]

Would you wear them if they were checked? If yes, inflate and give them a good going over. If not then bin.

 

[MontyMariner]

Attack with a stanley knife then off to the tip.

But only if they fail the advice in #2
I would add one more test - inflate LJ, put on dinning chair, sit on it and figit around a bit to test the seam integrity.
These sort of tests should be done on young / new LJ's as well as old ones.
If an old LJ is kept in good condition and passes the suggested tests there's there is no reason why it shouldn't remain in service.

 

[johnalison]

I still have one of two Avon lifejackets that I bought when we started cruising in 1972. It still holds air for about a day. No, I don’t take it on the boat. It is part of my er museum.

 

[William_H]

All Ljs should be checked annually. This involves visual check plus as said inflate for 24 hrs. should hold pressure. Check cylinder for condition of the membrane that is pierced when discharged.
It is easy to say check for no corrosion. I check my clubs 14x LJs every year. The cylinders inevitably have corrosion on them. The LJs get badly treated and get wet.
I don't think that is a major show stopper. Cylinder is hardly likely to leak through corrosion. I treat with grease to try to limit corrosion. I do replace the worst cases.
The club LJs are now around 18 years old. I have condemned 2 over last 10 years. Just binned them. Not packed. ol'will

 

[B27]

If they are that old, they are not worth buying new cylinders for.
The cylinders cost too big a chunk of the cost of a new LJ.

Are the 20 years old and have been in a wardrobe ashore for that time, or have they been worn, stuffed into bags, sat on etc?

I keep nice newish LJs for proper offshore sailing and a couple of older ones which get worn often for around the harbour, in RIBs etc.
I'm happy to be a bit flexible on the manufacturer's rules of throw it away after 7 or 10 years, but 20? Cut it up and keep the webbing for mending the stackpack or something.

It might be educational to get in the water and fire them. It's a while since I did the survival course, as I recall swimming in a LJ is not natural so maybe worth experiencing it in safe conditions if you can.

 

[Gryphon2]

Thank you for all the advice. I think I will consign the 5 to the bin. I would use any of them but selling them you take on a bit of responsibility for someone else.I have acquired a total of 10 in all over the years., so no need to keep but it just seems a waste.

 

[Refueler]

Do Life Jackets Expire? How Often to Replace One? - Buy4Outdoors.

Just to show that the quote by some of finite life of a LJ is only an advisory and not written in stone.

Reasonable care of the LJ can have it remain in good condition for use far past the 10yr mark that some claim. I have LJ's that are over 15yrs old - inflatables - they are in very good serviceable condition and I have no thought that they cannot do the job.
I check carefully all seams - I pull and prod to make sure that stitching is still sound. I inflate and leave inflated overnight to test integrity. Straps are pulled / stressed to make sure will hold to person.

I value life and would not knowingly risk anyones incl my own.

As regards Survival Courses ... I regard todays swimming pool version a poor example of actual use. I did mine when it was still conducted in real sea conditions - outside Plymouth Breakwater in b***** cold rough conditions. One thing it taught me ? Try to get with a proper lifeboat !!

 

[B27]

Do Life Jackets Expire? How Often to Replace One? - Buy4Outdoors.

Just to show that the quote by some of finite life of a LJ is only an advisory and not written in stone.

...

That's pretty vacuous, badly written drivel with no authority at all.
And it's mostly about what we call buoyancy aids.

 

[Boathook]

I still have one of two Avon lifejackets that I bought when we started cruising in 1972. It still holds air for about a day. No, I don’t take it on the boat. It is part of my er museum.

I binned mine last year. A shame as they were still in good condition. I did test one and tried to pull the seams apart but were constructed to last.
Problem was they were never worn as so uncomfortable compared with the new style.

 

[Refueler]

That's pretty vacuous, badly written drivel with no authority at all.
And it's mostly about what we call buoyancy aids.

It covers BOTH if you read it all .... I agree it has no authority - but it is written in plain language ...

It covers the subject better than some of the posts I have read over years on forums !

If you like why not search online to find something to dismiss its content ?? We can all find Manufacturers who ADVISE / SUGGEST to replace each 10yrs ... but so would I if I was in the business of selling such product.
I doubt seriously that you can find any legislated rule to bin at xx yrs - except for maybe Racing Rules - which of course have no legal basis. Let me check my rule book ....
Oh Dear Section 5.01 has nothing about life of a Lifejacket ... it just details its working.
The Offshore Special Regulations are serious and do not miss out points that matter.

 

[Sandy]

Do Life Jackets Expire? How Often to Replace One? - Buy4Outdoors.

Just to show that the quote by some of finite life of a LJ is only an advisory and not written in stone.

Reasonable care of the LJ can have it remain in good condition for use far past the 10yr mark that some claim. I have LJ's that are over 15yrs old - inflatables - they are in very good serviceable condition and I have no thought that they cannot do the job.
I check carefully all seams - I pull and prod to make sure that stitching is still sound. I inflate and leave inflated overnight to test integrity. Straps are pulled / stressed to make sure will hold to person.

I value life and would not knowingly risk anyones incl my own.

As regards Survival Courses ... I regard todays swimming pool version a poor example of actual use. I did mine when it was still conducted in real sea conditions - outside Plymouth Breakwater in b***** cold rough conditions. One thing it taught me ? Try to get with a proper lifeboat !!

It would be quite difficult to work out an exact life expectancy for life jackets as their use and abuse is very different for each jacket. Daily wear, weekly wear or once or twice a season wear. Out in benign conditions where they might get a bit of spray or in heavy weather working on the foredeck getting constantly covered in spray with the odd green one dumping on you.

The RYA Survival Course is meant to be an 'introduction', in other words 'here is an opportunity to experience' a LJ going off - my own instructors gave us the choice, automatically, manually or orally. I decided to go for a manual inflation so I knew where the handle was. We moved onto inflating life rafts and getting in them and as those who have done the course know it is not easy.

This is done in a warm, controlled environment because they are teaching new skills. Brain and muscle memory takes time and practice to develop. Jumping into the English Channel in cold conditions in a rough sea is, in my opinion, no place to teach new skills.

I shall need to have a chat with some of the RNLI crew how they train get trained. I bet they don't turn off the lights and set the wave machine at maximum in the first exercise.