Problems with Waterbuoy keyrings

[jellyellie]

Has anyone else had problems with the Waterbuoy floatation keyring things?

I've had two now and they've both been faulty. Sent the first one back for a replacement but gave up after the second one and went for a fail-proof cork ball instead. A real shame as I love gadgets and the idea of a 1kg float, with a flashing light, but I want confidence in a product like this.

I'd be really interested to discuss this (so interested I've actually written a little blog post over at my regular column with Western Horizon Yachts). What have your experiences been? Or would you not consider anything other than a cork ball?

 

[Talulah]

How old was it?
I suspect they are like auto lifejackets.
Sometime after the expiry date on the firing mechanism they tend to go off by themselves. Presumably absorbing moisture from the air.
With this in mind I posed the question to the makers of Waterbouy if there was an expiry date. They were very helpful but the actual answer was skirted around. i.e. we guarantee them for 2 years or whatever it is. I then read into that there is an implicit expiry date.

 

[gjgm]

I love gadgets and the idea of a 1kg float,

Shhh, it will all kick off again.

 

[jellyellie]

How old was it?
I suspect they are like auto lifejackets.
Sometime after the expiry date on the firing mechanism they tend to go off by themselves. Presumably absorbing moisture from the air.
With this in mind I posed the question to the makers of Waterbouy if there was an expiry date. They were very helpful but the actual answer was skirted around. i.e. we guarantee them for 2 years or whatever it is. I then read into that there is an implicit expiry date.

Good point, but they weren't very old. The first died six months after purchase (I don't know how long it had been in the shop for, obviously). The second was about the same, maybe a little longer, but was sent to me as a replacement straight from the manufacturer.

 

[Martin_J]

I had one as a keyring.. It spent about six weeks looking great then one day the end fell off and the internal balloon inflated to about 5mm across... It was dry at the time...

I'm back to the blue/white marina provided floaty keyring now

(although I still need to test how many keys it will support!)

 

[bendyone]

Will they really lift 1KG?

 

[Tranona]

Will they really lift 1KG?

Don't go there! Been done to death already.

 

[jellyellie]

Don't go there! Been done to death already.

I missed all that... what was the conclusion?

 

[Hadenough]

The ring broke off mine (after two years + admittedly) When I chucked into a bucket of water ----- nothing happened. Dunno if they are wet or depth activated though?

 

[Ex-SolentBoy]

Has anyone else had problems with the Waterbuoy floatation keyring things?

I've had two now and they've both been faulty. Sent the first one back for a replacement but gave up after the second one and went for a fail-proof cork ball instead. A real shame as I love gadgets and the idea of a 1kg float, with a flashing light, but I want confidence in a product like this.

I'd be really interested to discuss this (so interested I've actually written a little blog post over at my regular column with Western Horizon Yachts). What have your experiences been? Or would you not consider anything other than a cork ball?

What do you mean faulty?

 

[PeteCooper]

Here's a link to an earlier discussion:
http://www.ybw.com/forums/showthread.php?t=142951&highlight=waterbuoy

 

[Tranona]

I missed all that... what was the conclusion?

The link from Pete will give you some idea. Not a product that engenders much enthusiasm but a lot of scepticism - at least about the "inventor" and purveyor.