Lifejackets

[Polly]

Today was lifejacket day. Phill got them down from the loft and I got to work.

Crotch straps were the first job; I have made these from strong but soft narrow webbing and sewn them in at the back with a webbing clip at the front for adjustment. RYA did point out that we needed them..... I hate crotch straps..... That's why I attached them at the back, so this time I don't take them off and lose them.

I wasn't intending to drown Phill, honest guv! So, how the heck did his lj come out of storage minus the gas cylinder.? I reviewed them all at the start of last season, it was there then.... ????

Actually all the other cylinders seemed to have loosened a fraction, not at all enough not to work, but I will check them again mid season this year.

Finally, and to the cat's great interest, I blew them all up to check for leaks and left them all day, carefully excluding the cat!

So a couple of gas cylinders, (one for falling in),  and a new firing cartridge for mine, as it has just expired, +  one for falling in, and we are sorted. 

Just as soon as I remember where we put the buoyancy aids for dinghy sailing.......?

[ChrisB]

I drop my four (2 auto, 2 manual for dinghy use) at Brundall bay marina office where they are collected to go to Seasafe on the I.O.W.

I think they use dehumidified air and over inflate deliberately as part of the service. The jacket is thn re-certified

 

[Guest]

I check all of my inflating lifejackets every Spring myself.

The ultimate in self-assurance. 

I even check any new ones, before I use them.

7 hours ago, Polly said:

....I wasn't intending to drown Phill, honest guv! So, how the heck did his lj come out of storage minus the gas cylinder.?...........

I never "close up" the velcro on a lifejacket that has had the cylinder removed, even while just waiting for a replacement to arrive. You never know if you're going to suddenly be run over by a bus or something, so leaving an a apparently fully operational one in a lethal state is best avoided.

I'm the same with crotch straps, mine are now permanently attached.

So many people don't wear them because they feel stupid or geeky, yet the deployed lifejacket can be virtually useless without them, especially if not very tight around the chest. In fact the wearing of the crotch strap enables the chest fitting to be looser, so the lifejacket is much more comfortable.

1 hour ago, ChrisB said:

 ........I think they use dehumidified air and over inflate deliberately as part of the service. .....

I always use a small lilo hand pump to test inflate mine, to avoid getting moist breath in them.

I'm not sure about "over inflation", it would need to be done very carefully with a pressure gauge and knowing the manufacturer's exact specs. I usually just inflate them firmly and then leave them for 15 minutes or so, to see if they loose the firmness.

[Polly]

I use a small electric pump. It simply inflates. I do leave them for the day, I think I was advised to at some point. Like Srtowager, I don't close the Velcro on an incomplete lj so how this one got to be minus cylinder I don't know. 

Yes with the crotch strap, the chest strap can allow for normal breathing.

[Speleologist]

I also use Seasafe, and find them very good. This is partly because, working professionally on MCA coded yachts, I need to have evidence of professional service, renewed every 12 months. However I don't see annual service as being all that matters. If I've been out at sea in rough weather, or anywhere in the rain, I always unpack the lifejacket when I get home, rinse it off thoroughly and hang it up to dry thoroughly before repacking. This avoids any risk of rusty cylinders, which can damage the bladder, accidental firing due to a damp firing head and general deterioration through damp and salt. Lifejackets, like most emergency equipment, are easily forgotten until they fail to function at need. Far better to keep on top of servicing and provide proper care.

Oh, and I always use the crotch strap. Otherwise the lifejacket us useless if you're unconscious.

[Polly]

Ahhhh and the prize for twit of the week goes to.........me!

I wasn't trying to drown Phill after all,  I just forgot that his is the only Hammarstat aboard, the firing head was renewed last spring by Norfolk Marine, and, yes there was a cylinder attached......inside the yellow blow up bladder. The penny dropped this morning when I looked for where to attach a spare cylinder.

Doh! All the others are chemical firing so I can check their dates and replace no bother. The downside to these is that they can go off in really soggy conditions, it happened to mine once in especially 'lovely' weather.  As has been said before, they need to be stored dry too.

[BrundallNavy]

When we bought Nipper it came with 3 life jackets, two auto and one manual.  I decided a few weeks ago to give them a service and found both the auto jackets had been fired and repacked without replacing the cylinders.

i took these in to Norfolk Marine to get the correct arming discs etc and was told they are approx 20 years old (Crewsaver) as the logo changed sometime ago.  I decided two new one where in order due to the age.

The manual one just got a new cylinder and is good to go.

Could have been a bit embarrassing should I needed to use them in anger.

Doug.

[Guest]

1 hour ago, Polly said:

All the others are chemical firing so I can check their dates and replace no bother. The downside to these is that they can go off in really soggy conditions, it happened to mine once in especially 'lovely' weather.  As has been said before, they need to be stored dry too.

I use my boat all year round, so it's convenient to leave them aboard permanently.

The Winter damp air did once set off the chemical trigger.

I found any easy way to avoid it though, I now always store each auto lifejacket in an airtight bin bag, with the neck closed with a rubber band.

As long as it's dry when you put it in, and you don't trap any excess air in the bag, it stops the chemical firing ring from decomposing prematurely.

[Guest]

40 minutes ago, brundallNavy said:

When we bought Nipper it came with 3 life jackets, two auto and one manual.  I decided a few weeks ago to give them a service and found both the auto jackets had been fired and repacked without replacing the cylinders.

i took these in to Norfolk Marine to get the correct arming discs etc and was told they are approx 20 years old (Crewsaver) as the logo changed sometime ago.  I decided two new one where in order due to the age.

The manual one just got a new cylinder and is good to go.

Could have been a bit embarrassing should I needed to use them in anger.

Doug.

More than just embarrassing Doug.

They would quite likely have killed the wearer.

A gas lifejacket in it's uninflated state adds a significant weight to the wearer, and being firmly attached, could be tricky to remove quickly by even a conscious person, let alone an unconscious one. Some of the more upmarket ones have metal buckles and lifting rings.

It would be enough to counteract the body's slight positive buoyancy, so most people would sink like a stone.

If it had caused a fatality, I wouldn't be surprised if the previous owner could possibly be charged with culpable manslaughter.

[Guest]

Though I guess it would be difficult to prove it.....

[Polly]

Yes if they were old chemical triggers and a bit damp, they might have partly fired, making a small puncture in the canister which then leaked rather than inflating. Sounds odd but exactly that happened with one of our old Crewsavers.