Using your Lifejacket ...

[fireball]

On Saturday we attended a turtled dinghy ... what made me stop was that I could see two heads, but one of them was only just out of the water. Despite a complete inversion the person had not inflated their lifejacket and appeared to be struggling to stay with the boat and only just keeping their head out of the water. The other one had a buoyancy aid on and was higher out of the water.
We took the swimmer onboard whilst I decamped into a passing Rib to help sort out the dinghy - everything was fine in the end, but they would not have got the dinghy up by themselves... it took 3 of us heaving on the shroud to get it back onto it's side....

But why have a lifejacket on if you're not going to use it?

 

[Channel Ribs]

Perhaps shock and confusion?

Or worse, the belief that setting it off would be a waste??

 

[fireball]

I'd hope for the first ... but I think some of the second - the person did not appear to be in full control - refusing towel and blanket despite shivering ... until one of the friends took it and passed it on... they were ok in the end and were not far from a nice warm shower ...

 

[aitchw]

Mmmmm.. buoyancy aids definitely the best option when dinghy sailing. Do their job without intervention and still leave you able to swim with relative ease.

 

[flaming]

[ QUOTE ]
Mmmmm.. buoyancy aids definitely the best option when dinghy sailing. Do their job without intervention and still leave you able to swim with relative ease.

[/ QUOTE ]
And work just as well on the second time you go swimming.....

 

[fireball]

yup - certainly agree, but if you happen to be wearing a lifejacket and it is apparent that it won't be a quick recovery then I would suggest that was the most prudent time to inflate it! Especially with a strong Ebb

 

[aitchw]

Very true. Were they youngsters or old enough to know better?

 

[fireball]

Certainly more than old enough to know better ... (the one with the un-inflated lifekacket is older than me for a start!!)

 

[wooslehunter]

Inflateable lifejackets are almost no use at all in a dinghy. If you're in a dinghy, you have toprepare to get wet - even in something like a wayfarer. These lifejackets are effectively "once only" types. OK you can recharge them but not generally in a dinghy. Once blown, they will then get in the way and hamper movement in a dinghy.

IMO it's totally the wrong piece of kit and would certainly have tried a little "education" if I'd been the rescuer.

 

[Searush]

Early signs of hypothermia include confusion & sometimes agression do they not?