Servicing life jackets

[jac]

Was looking at the crewsaver website which recommends an annual service ( fair enough) but by them.

I can understand that if they fail the pressure test ( 24 hours so far on all of them so looks good!!) that you would want crewsaver to have a look, rather than try a repair with a bicycle puncture repair kit but does the panel feel that re-arming and servicing yourself is going too far??

Doesn't strike me as a major job and should be doable by anyone. After all - what are you expected to do if you fall in and need to re-arm?

 

[Ex-SolentBoy]

Was looking at the crewsaver website which recommends an annual service ( fair enough) but by them.

I can understand that if they fail the pressure test ( 24 hours so far on all of them so looks good!!) that you would want crewsaver to have a look, rather than try a repair with a bicycle puncture repair kit but does the panel feel that re-arming and servicing yourself is going too far??

Doesn't strike me as a major job and should be doable by anyone. After all - what are you expected to do if you fall in and need to re-arm?

I do them myself every year. It's very very very easy.

 

[Ripster]

I do them myself every year. It's very very very easy.

He's dead right it is....!

 

[jac]

That was my thought

I do them myself every year. It's very very very easy.

I was only on their website because I wanted to check that I did remember the correct size rearming pack before ordering.

Just struck me as odd that they would suggest that they should do it. Posting them off ( or dropping in) would be a lot of effort and possibly costly but gives the impression that it's hard to service so may put people off trying.

 

[Twister_Ken]

Just struck me as odd that they would suggest that they should do it. Posting them off ( or dropping in) would be a lot of effort and possibly costly but gives the impression that it's hard to service so may put people off trying.

Might be a way of covering their a*ses in the event of a problem.

"Ah, your lifejacket didn't work and you drowned. I assume you had it regularly serviced by us? Oh, you didn't. Well you'll know next time won't you?"

 

[lw395]

I check my own.
I think if I had a charter boat, I'd probably get them serviced.
There are independents that do it.
It's also worth a mid season check, they can get chafed or damaged on some people's boats.

Re-arming them is often not worthwhile, unless they are nearly new or a 'better' brand, the kits are expensive and the LJ's are only good for ten years.

 

[Talulah]

I won't buy Crewsaver lifejackets due to their service charges.
If I remember correctly their servicing charge is £17.50 plus parts.
I have Baltic lifejackets and their servicing and parts charges are significantly less.

(I have 8 to service annually so service price is an important consideration.)

 

[andygc]

Re-arming them is often not worthwhile, unless they are nearly new or a 'better' brand, the kits are expensive and the LJ's are only good for ten years.

Re-arming not worthwhile? So throw away your lifejackets every 5 years - since that is the life of the automatic head. Why do you think they are only good for ten years? Crewsaver don't say that. They do say on their website

YOU MUST SERVICE YOUR LIFEJACKET ANNUALLY

. They don't say "WE MUST SERVICE YOUR LIFEJACKET" they also give clear instructions on how to do it - how to rearm, how to repack and what the daily use and annual checks are.

Checking a lifejacket is simple. The only tools needed are a pair of eyes and a pair of lungs. You may need glasses and it's a good idea to have a ballpoint pen handy to write the date on the service label so you can remember when you did it.

 

[blackbeard]

DIY has the major advantage that you will know how everything fits together; and you will know that everything has been done thoroughly.

If you have a Hammar pressure-sensitive inflation then there isn't much to do apart from making sure that everthing is complete and the indicator is the correct colour, and that it's still in date. And, of course, making SURE that the gas container is fully screwed home and firmly seated (you could check this more often than annually).

I once had a lifejacket which FAILED the 24h inflation test, so it can happen and is definitely worth checking!

 

[Talulah]

Re-arming not worthwhile? So throw away your lifejackets every 5 years - since that is the life of the automatic head. Why do you think they are only good for ten years?

With my previous set of lifejackets the difference between the cost of servicing them and buying new taking in to account how much the old ones would sell for made it economic to buy new rather than service.

 

[Twister_Ken]

With my previous set of lifejackets the difference between the cost of servicing them and buying new taking in to account how much the old ones would sell for made it economic to buy new rather than service.

Bottle and trigger £15 approx.

New LJ, £65 approx.

 

[Talulah]

Bottle and trigger £15 approx.

New LJ, £65 approx.

Don't forget the sale of the old lifejacket.
(I have to have mine commercially serviced.)

 

[prv]

If you have a Hammar pressure-sensitive inflation then there isn't much to do apart from making sure that everthing is complete and the indicator is the correct colour, and that it's still in date. And, of course, making SURE that the gas container is fully screwed home and firmly seated

Newer ones (including rearm kits) come with the cylinder glued into its fitting so it can't come unscrewed. I still give mine a twist just in case, but it's one less thing to go wrong.

Slight downside of Hammar is that you can't easily weigh the cylinders.

Pete

 

[neale]

Bottle and trigger £15 approx.

New LJ, £65 approx.

DIY yes, but professional service, no.

I took four LJs for a professional servcie. The quote, once they had been inspected, was for £400

Went out and bought four new ones for about £65 each.

 

[Bodach na mara]

The only tools needed are a pair of eyes and a pair of lungs.

I was advised that you should NOT blow up the lifejacket to test it using your breath as it is moist. Always use an inflator of some sort. I use a bicycle pump and bodged-up adaptor. You are not trying to pressurise it, only to get it fully inflated with a slight bit of over-pressure.

 

[Twister_Ken]

The other Ken,

That appears to be outdated advice, judging by remarks made here in the past.

 

[explores]

I was advised that you should NOT blow up the lifejacket to test it using your breath as it is moist. Always use an inflator of some sort. I use a bicycle pump and bodged-up adaptor. You are not trying to pressurise it, only to get it fully inflated with a slight bit of over-pressure.

So you must not get moisture near a life jacket?

 

[neale]

Although technically it might be ok to blow them up by mouth, I still always use a dinghy pump. Why not, I have one on board and keeping stuff dry is always preferable to letting it get damp.

 

[lw395]

So you must not get moisture near a life jacket?

Not inside!
They go mouldy.

 

[prv]

Not inside!
They go mouldy.

They might do, but they don't stick together any more which was the original reason for not blowing them up by mouth. There was a letter from (I think) Crewsaver in PBO saying that it's ok for their jackets and all others that they knew of.

Pete