When does a life jacket needs replacing?

[Whaup367]

I didn't claim anything. Manufacturers quote a service life. End of story.

No, they don't. Hence the request you post examples, as you have apparently seen documentation that some of us have not.

 

[Boathook]

I didn't claim anything. Manufacturers quote a service life. End of story.

Can't find anything about a service life for my crewsaver LJ unless you mean an annual check or maybe more frequently if used everyday as written in the owners manual.

 

[PabloPicasso]

yes, particularly around the folds or if a cylinder goes rusty.

If you coat the cylinder in a thin film of vaseline when you service the LJ it'll prevent rust. This in turn protects the bladder from Abrasion as well

Just a suggestion.

 

[Mister E]

On commercial boats and ships is there a service life as well as an inspection routine.?
If so would that be a good start?

 

[SvenH]

So you think you know better than the manufacturer? I'm sure you don't.

Manufacturers sometimes post ridiculous replacement intervals, just to be legally safe for instance.
If you want to follow manufacturers recommendations blindly, be my guest.
I want to make up my own mind.

 

[Stemar]

My new Spinlock LJs quote a service life of five years. Spinlock has to assume poor conditions - damp storage, thrown around and left in tropical sunlight. Mine will spend most of the time in a bag in a dry locker, and will rarely come into contact with more than a few drops of seawater, so if they don't last me a good bit longer than that, I'll be pretty pissed off.

 

[Sandy]

I test our life jackets each season, weigh the canisters and replace the expired parts if needed.
But when do the jackets themselves needs replacing?

Do the bladders deteriorate over time?
Do the straps degrade due to UV? etc...

It is a bit like reefing. You should do it as soon as you first thought of it.

My rule of thumb, every seven years. Sooner if necessary.

I get them serviced and inspected by Ocean Safety every three years. This means that somebody else inspects the jacket and makes recommendations about the state of the item.

 

[ylop]

If you coat the cylinder in a thin film of vaseline when you service the LJ it'll prevent rust. This in turn protects the bladder from Abrasion as well

Just a suggestion.

That seems like a bad idea to me. Vaseline is quite good at "rotting" plastic and rubber; Vaseline will make it hard to get a good grip on the cylinder to check it is tight. Better lifejackets now tend to put the cylinder inside a tube/sleeve of thin plastic so that it doesn't abrade the bladder. I'm sure it would be possible to retrofit such a modification.

 

[Refueler]

If you coat the cylinder in a thin film of vaseline when you service the LJ it'll prevent rust. This in turn protects the bladder from Abrasion as well

Just a suggestion.

No way Sir ... sorry I must disagree.

The only addition that would be acceptable is plain talcum or chalk dust ... same as you dust a bicycle inner tube. Dust to be applied to the bladder.

 

[Refueler]

That seems like a bad idea to me. Vaseline is quite good at "rotting" plastic and rubber; Vaseline will make it hard to get a good grip on the cylinder to check it is tight. Better lifejackets now tend to put the cylinder inside a tube/sleeve of thin plastic so that it doesn't abrade the bladder. I'm sure it would be possible to retrofit such a modification.

Plain talcum for the bladder ....

 

[PeterBoater]

Some American cartridges I have are coated in quite a thick coat of clear lacquer and are in as new condition. Perhaps UK cartridges could be retro-coated similarly (after removal from the jacket)? I coat mine in furniture spray polish, again after removal, but a car polish might be better. Some UK cartridges are coated in a thin film of something, but then stamped with capacity, weight etc that removes that part of the coating and lets the rust in. The American ones are printed rather than stamped, it looks like printed before the lacquer.

 

[PeterBoater]

Plain talcum for the bladder ....

By Royal Appointment?

 

[Refueler]

On commercial boats and ships is there a service life as well as an inspection routine.?
If so would that be a good start?

All Safety equipment has specific Inspection Certificate reqts on Commercial - carried out by Shore Inspectors who board at request of Ship Owner to check and re-issue certs.
General maintenance / checking is done by appointed Ships Officer - usually 3rd Mate ....
LJ's all the time I was at sea were not life limited - they were of course not inflatables - so that makes life easier in terms of condition etc.
I recall replacing about 20 LJ's on one ship in Dry Dock .. ship was a 1955 build ... LJ's were likely same or not much later .. dry dock was Nov 1977. I had to supervise the replacement ...
It was based on the visual condition because they had got paint and all sorts of crud on them from crew use ... actual physical condition was not bad.

 

[gregcope]

My new Spinlock LJs quote a service life of five years. Spinlock has to assume poor conditions - damp storage, thrown around and left in tropical sunlight. Mine will spend most of the time in a bag in a dry locker, and will rarely come into contact with more than a few drops of seawater, so if they don't last me a good bit longer than that, I'll be pretty pissed off.

That interesting.

This is what they say online;

"Spinlock offer a 5 year warranty on our leisure inflatable lifejackets. Spinlock do not offer a service of lifejackets over 10 years old and this is common to most service centres. At this age it becomes very difficult to guarantee the durability of all of the fabric and strong parts. If you feel that your Deckvest Lifejacket has had very little use, then you are able to inspect and self service the lifejacket yourself in order to extend its life, but this is completed at your own risk."

https://www.spinlock.co.uk/en-GB/it...years-service-can-i-expect-from-my-lifejacket

My 12Yr old one looks fine and remained inflated for 48hrs when I tried it last week for servicing.

 

[Refueler]

That interesting.

This is what they say online;

"Spinlock offer a 5 year warranty on our leisure inflatable lifejackets. Spinlock do not offer a service of lifejackets over 10 years old and this is common to most service centres. At this age it becomes very difficult to guarantee the durability of all of the fabric and strong parts. If you feel that your Deckvest Lifejacket has had very little use, then you are able to inspect and self service the lifejacket yourself in order to extend its life, but this is completed at your own risk."

How many years service can I expect from my lifejacket? | Help & Support | Spinlock

My 12Yr old one looks fine and remained inflated for 48hrs when I tried it last week for servicing.

Reasonable and sensible comment I think.

 

[RunAgroundHard]

That interesting.

This is what they say online;

"Spinlock offer a 5 year warranty on our leisure inflatable lifejackets. Spinlock do not offer a service of lifejackets over 10 years old and this is common to most service centres. At this age it becomes very difficult to guarantee the durability of all of the fabric and strong parts. If you feel that your Deckvest Lifejacket has had very little use, then you are able to inspect and self service the lifejacket yourself in order to extend its life, but this is completed at your own risk."

How many years service can I expect from my lifejacket? | Help & Support | Spinlock

My 12Yr old one looks fine and remained inflated for 48hrs when I tried it last week for servicing.

Who knows if after 1 hour of supporting you in rough seas, if the straps would fail or not. The issue is not really about staying inflated, it’s the pounding a lifejacket could experience and can it survive that.

 

[gregcope]

Who knows if after 1 hour of supporting you in rough seas, if the straps would fail or not. The issue is not really about staying inflated, it’s the pounding a lifejacket could experience and can it survive that.

I get that. I am assuming that risk.

I also gave it a close visual inspection. I look after it. Also it is in much better condition that some other LJ I have seen that are under 10yr old but looked very much unloved.

Manufacturers cannot factor in how an LJ has been used bar relying on an annual service requirement. So they have to put some sensible life on it, if they publish that at all.

I will retire it at some point. Probably sooner rather than later, but it’s getting a re-inflation kit and will last a few more years unless I see an issue before hand.

I also replace jackstays, replace batteries in PIRBs (that is in my LJ) as well as replace fire extinguishes along with tethers. It’s all a choice of risk vs spend.

 

[Stemar]

Who knows if after 1 hour of supporting you in rough seas, if the straps would fail or not. The issue is not really about staying inflated, it’s the pounding a lifejacket could experience and can it survive that.

I suspect that the highest loading on the straps - and me - would be as the LJ inflates while I'm still underwater. If they survive that, unless there's some severe abrasion going on, they aren't going to let go in the time I'm going to survive in UK waters. Those straps are the same size as car seat belt straps, which will restrain you in far more deceleration than your body can tolerate.

 

[RunAgroundHard]

I suspect that the highest loading on the straps - and me - would be as the LJ inflates while I'm still underwater. If they survive that, unless there's some severe abrasion going on, they aren't going to let go in the time I'm going to survive in UK waters. Those straps are the same size as car seat belt straps, which will restrain you in far more deceleration than your body can tolerate.

You completely miss the point.

Folks are trying to assess if the performance standard has deteriorated over time. They are not assuming the straps are new.

Lifejacket straps are not made like seatbelts.

 

[rogerthebodger]

Lifejacket straps are not made like seatbelts.

They should be as they are life safety devices