Which lifejackets?

[flyingjunior]

crewsaver very good and if the rnli use them then they are more than up to the job I got a hydrostatic one so it doesnt go off accendently also the back up pull cord isnt over long so it doesnt catch on guard wires when you are hiking out or transfering to/from a tender (I think Beken prob have a pic of my borrowed lifejacket going off when tring to hike out very embarrising), Baltic and XM I also find pretty good.

 

[John100156]

Thought the same, bought one, comfotable, but on a choppy trip back from Majorca to Sant Carles the bloody thing auto-inflated whilst I was at the helm. I contacted Spinlock to ask if there was a problem via several emails and not even the courtessy of a response. Very dissapointed!

 

[Brian_B]

Check out what the RNLI use.
I've got Crewsaver 150 with auto inflate.
The crutch straps and removed hood could be better designed.
I'd also recommend a sea survival course. A little practical experience goes a long way.
In our crew briefing we say there's only two rules.
1. Don't fall overboard!
2. Everyone sits to use the heads!

 

[Babylon]

I use a Crewsaver 150N with Hanmar auto-inflate (£125 from memory), which I wore in a swimming-pool sea-survival taining course: pair of crotch straps very good; plastic light mounting clip broke as I hauled myself out onto edge of the pool (ie weak-point, but presumably wouldn't fail in this way just bobbing about in the sea at night); spray-hood dramatically effective when donned, but you need to remove it from its belt-pouch first; 150N seemed more than adequate for my weight (13 stone plus clothing).

For crew I bought two Ocean Safety 150N auto-inflate lifejackets for about £70: single crotch-strap rather than pair (which might be more comfortable for women than men!); sprayhood stiched onto back so only need to grab it and pull over head; quite neat zip closure (rather than usual velcro) but makes repacking it after checking a bit of a fiddle; however needed to purchase and fit lights as extras.

On one outing the Ocean Safety pull-cord was hanging out the bottom just as the crew leant hard against the cockpit coaming or something to haul on a line and - in a convincing PFFFISSHHHHHHH the whole thing inflated! This could happen with virtually all makes of lifejacket; anyway I always make sure the pull-cord is properly tucked up inside when checking the L/Js.