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Very, Very heavily discounted lifejacket prices


Alan de Enfield

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I ordered 2 yesterday via bank transfer,(thanks Alan) but as yet I haven’t received any acknowledgment or tracking. I’ll give it a day then re contact the seller.

 

 

edit

confirmation e mail and parcel force tracking now received.

Edited by Jinna
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Should you wish to renew the 'head' (sensor capusules) in your new lifejacket, these are the ones you need.

 

https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/UML-MK5i-Cartridge-for-United-Moulders-Auto-Inflators-Model-UMA5000/113511262900?_trkparms=aid%3D111001%26algo%3DREC.SEED%26ao%3D1%26asc%3D225076%26meid%3D5e2fc890bee147c9bdd4034e409b5e0c%26pid%3D100227%26rk%3D1%26rkt%3D9%26sd%3D113511262900%26itm%3D113511262900%26pmt%3D0%26noa%3D1%26pg%3D2053904&_trksid=p2053904.c100227.m3827

 

These will give you up to June 2024 at a cost of £18.48 (inc P+P) for 2

Each lifejacket needs 2 heads (one for each bladder)

 

The ones in my (recently) bought one expired 10/17 but the lifejacket has its last service mid 2018. Being vacuum packed means that they have not been affected by moisture so will last many years past the original 'use by date'.

 

I would be happy to use them as is, and just renew when they are showing signs of needing replacement.

 

I have just ordered 2 new 'heads' for the lifejacket I purchased from him some years ago, it has been opened and used  so they will be replaced (they expired at the end of last year (10/19) but due to lack of use I did not replace them this year.

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Edited by Alan de Enfield
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21 minutes ago, frangar said:

I’ve used these people

 

https://www.lifejackets.co.uk/mobile/products/107/united-moulders-cartridge-and-clip-set

 

They are £8.99 for a thimble. I’ve always found them very good to deal with and the lifespan on the thimbles long. They also do spare cylinders etc. 

Thank you that's 25p each cheaper. I'll have to remember then for my other jackets are due. We have half-a-dozen and the renewals are spread out across about 5 years, so always one per year to do,

Every penny counts !

 

 

Had a hunt around - i seem to have used these folks in the past (forgotten all about them)

 

Only £4.38 + VAT

" 2 for the price of one" compared to the ebay ones I just bought. Doh ....................................

 

here 

 

https://rt-supplies.co.uk/product-category/united-moulders-parts/uml-separate-spares/

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Just now, TheBiscuits said:

 

Which is of course the most important consideration for your automatic offshore lifejacket ... ;)

 

 

You are correct, but for identical manufacturers parts with identical BB dates and by shopping around I can save £10 on two 'heads' simply because the shop is prepared to work on a lower margin .....................

 

Doesn't take much thinking about.

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54 minutes ago, Alan de Enfield said:

Thank you that's 25p each cheaper. I'll have to remember then for my other jackets are due. We have half-a-dozen and the renewals are spread out across about 5 years, so always one per year to do,

Every penny counts !

 

 

Had a hunt around - i seem to have used these folks in the past (forgotten all about them)

 

Only £4.38 + VAT

" 2 for the price of one" compared to the ebay ones I just bought. Doh ....................................

 

here 

 

https://rt-supplies.co.uk/product-category/united-moulders-parts/uml-separate-spares/

That last link is a good find. Postage is still same even for 4 thimbles. Excellent value!  Interesting that it’s the same company as you used on eBay. It’s not the first time I’ve found a company much cheaper on their own website than eBay or Amazon marketplace etc. 

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9 minutes ago, Mike55 said:

I too have 2 on order, hopefully they'll be delivered tomorrow.

Thanks for the 'heads up' on this Alan, very useful. As is the details about where to get service parts. This site at it's best!??

 

In case you missed it, use this company (1/4 of the ebay price and the same company)

 

https://rt-supplies.co.uk/product-category/united-moulders-parts/uml-separate-spares/

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I still can't decide between one of the dual bladder type with 270N , which would keep you bouyant if you fall in a lock, but assuming you have to get yourself out before hypothermia, they might be very awkward.

My other plan is a good foam bouyancy aid, most don't have crotch straps but some are fairly close fitting  for sailboarding etc, and normal clothong can be worn under or over, depending on model. Difficult to find a sports type with a collar, but I reckon if you are unconscious you are going to succumb to drowning or hypothermia fairly soon, in winter.

These are cracking for man overboard in rough seas, where you want to be high in the water to avoid drowning. I seem to remember from a Survival at Sea course, that when calling an ambulance that one must mention 'potential drowning' as they have to be treated differently to normal hypothermia. 

I called 999 police to aid a confused oldish guy, police did not turn up very quickly,in fact he was slipping away, and I went as far as giving him some of my clothes, it was bloody cold, called ambulance, they were there in two minutes, wrapped him up in cellular blankets, head to toe!

I think that deterioration from confusion to semi conciousness  took about twenty minutes.

Edited by LadyG
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3 hours ago, LadyG said:

My other plan is a good foam bouyancy aid, most don't have crotch straps but some are fairly close fitting  for sailboarding etc, and normal clothong can be worn under or over, depending on model.

 

If you are suggesting the use of buoyancy aids, that is very poor advice. Please consider your 'audience' and the likely requirements that audience will have.

They are used by (as you say) windsurfers, skiers etc as an aid to floating whilst they recover their board / skis.

 

THE BUOYANCY ON A BUOYANCY AID IS MAINLY ON THE REAR OF THE JACKET AND THEY TURN YOU IN THE WATER SO YOU ARE FACE DOWN.

 

To be called a lifejacket, a lifejacket MUST turn you face up and support your face out of the water.

 

For canal use the lifejacket / buoyancy aid is likely to be because you have slipped whilst locking, or slipped going overboard whilst walking down the gunnel.

In either case it is not inconceivable that you have hit your head and may have concusion, or even be unconcious - in which case the last thing you need is to be held 'face down' in the water, add in 'cold water shock' and a buoyancy aid can kill you.

 

If you are concerned about being able to 'climb out' wearing a lifejacket (yes all of the inflation in on your chest) then once you have a safe grip on the ladder (or whatever) then you can remove or deflate the lifejacket.

 

From the RNLI

 

Cold water shock

Cold water shock is the uncontrollable reaction of the body when it is first submerged in cold water (15°C or lower). In initial submersion, the body will experience a gasp reflex, which is a rapid intake of air. This is followed by a fourfold increase in breathing rate and associated increases in heart rate and blood pressure, making some people susceptible to heart attacks. These symptoms will last up to 3–5 minutes during which even the fittest person is unable to swim or to focus on breathing. Wearing a lifejacket with the correct buoyancy is vital to survival.

During the initial stages of cold water shock, try to stay calm and let your lifejacket keep you afloat. The clothing you are wearing, the fitting and features of your lifejacket and the amount of energy you expend will all be critical factors to survival from this point onwards.

Without a lifejacket even the most competent swimmer will suffer from ‘swim failure’ after around 30 minutes of swimming in cold water. If you are wearing a well-fitting lifejacket with crotch straps, there is no need to swim and you can concentrate on keeping warm, conserving energy and making yourself visible.

 

From Google :

 

 

There is a lot of confusion on the difference between a life jacket and a buoyancy aid because both exist to help you float, however most buoyancy aids are simply aids which aid and assist you in the water. Life jackets are life saving devices which fully support you in the water. You can get foam life jackets eg: on planes or cruise ships but in our experience the majority bought from chandleries are buoyancy aids.

Buoyancy aids are an “Aid” intended to help you stay on the surface while treading water; it will not help you under all circumstances. If they are to be officially called a life jacket, foam products have to have 150N (150 Newtons) of buoyancy and a full collar to support your head and neck, they should be able to right a unconscious casualty if they are face down in the water.

If you are unconscious or unable to tread water, a buoyancy aid will keep a conscious person afloat with your help as they tend to only have 50N (50 Newtons) of inherent buoyancy instead of 150N required to support the weight of an adult.

Buoyancy aids cannot be guaranteed to turn an unconscious body over and it will not support your body in the water. 

Lifejackets, if properly worn and in good condition, are designed to keep your airways clear of water, even if you are unconscious or injured.  When they are inflated to sufficient buoyancy, either manually or automatically, they are able to turn your body over and bring your head and face out of the water, even when you are unconscious, keeping you protected.

If there is a facial splashguard fitted, this can be brought over your face to shield you from sea spray and inhaling the water in this way.

Buoyancy aids are great when worn inland waters when participating in water skiing, tubing or other water sports, when the wearer is in sight of the shoreline and will be continuously in and out of the water.

Edited by Alan de Enfield
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35 minutes ago, Alan de Enfield said:

 

If you are suggesting the use of buoyancy aids, that is very poor advice. Please consider your 'audience' and the likely requirements that audience will have.

They are used by (as you say) windsurfers, skiers etc as an aid to floating whilst they recover their board / skis.

 

THE BUOYANCY ON A BUOYANCY AID IS MAINLY ON THE REAR OF THE JACKET AND THEY TURN YOU IN THE WATER SO YOU ARE FACE DOWN.

 

To be called a lifejacket, a lifejacket MUST turn you face up and support your face out of the water.

 

For canal use the lifejacket / buoyancy aid is likely to be because you have slipped whilst locking, or slipped going overboard whilst walking down the gunnel.

In either case it is not inconceivable that you have hit your head and may have concusion, or even be unconcious - in which case the last thing you need is to be held 'face down' in the water, add in 'cold water shock' and a buoyancy aid can kill you.

 

If you are concerned about being able to 'climb out' wearing a lifejacket (yes all of the inflation in on your chest) then once you have a safe grip on the ladder (or whatever) then you can remove or deflate the lifejacket.

 

From the RNLI

 

Cold water shock

Cold water shock is the uncontrollable reaction of the body when it is first submerged in cold water (15°C or lower). In initial submersion, the body will experience a gasp reflex, which is a rapid intake of air. This is followed by a fourfold increase in breathing rate and associated increases in heart rate and blood pressure, making some people susceptible to heart attacks. These symptoms will last up to 3–5 minutes during which even the fittest person is unable to swim or to focus on breathing. Wearing a lifejacket with the correct buoyancy is vital to survival.

During the initial stages of cold water shock, try to stay calm and let your lifejacket keep you afloat. The clothing you are wearing, the fitting and features of your lifejacket and the amount of energy you expend will all be critical factors to survival from this point onwards.

Without a lifejacket even the most competent swimmer will suffer from ‘swim failure’ after around 30 minutes of swimming in cold water. If you are wearing a well-fitting lifejacket with crotch straps, there is no need to swim and you can concentrate on keeping warm, conserving energy and making yourself visible.

 

From Google :

 

 

There is a lot of confusion on the difference between a life jacket and a buoyancy aid because both exist to help you float, however most buoyancy aids are simply aids which aid and assist you in the water. Life jackets are life saving devices which fully support you in the water. You can get foam life jackets eg: on planes or cruise ships but in our experience the majority bought from chandleries are buoyancy aids.

Buoyancy aids are an “Aid” intended to help you stay on the surface while treading water; it will not help you under all circumstances. If they are to be officially called a life jacket, foam products have to have 150N (150 Newtons) of buoyancy and a full collar to support your head and neck, they should be able to right a unconscious casualty if they are face down in the water.

If you are unconscious or unable to tread water, a buoyancy aid will keep a conscious person afloat with your help as they tend to only have 50N (50 Newtons) of inherent buoyancy instead of 150N required to support the weight of an adult.

Buoyancy aids cannot be guaranteed to turn an unconscious body over and it will not support your body in the water. 

Lifejackets, if properly worn and in good condition, are designed to keep your airways clear of water, even if you are unconscious or injured.  When they are inflated to sufficient buoyancy, either manually or automatically, they are able to turn your body over and bring your head and face out of the water, even when you are unconscious, keeping you protected.

If there is a facial splashguard fitted, this can be brought over your face to shield you from sea spray and inhaling the water in this way.

Buoyancy aids are great when worn inland waters when participating in water skiing, tubing or other water sports, when the wearer is in sight of the shoreline and will be continuously in and out of the water.

I don't need any more lectures, thank you. I got the T shirt.

I would not advise anyone to deflate their lifejacket or bouyancy aid while still in or around the canal river or until they have fully recovered.

I decided to buy the lifejacket as I say it is a consideration, the bouyancy aid can more  easily be worn, on the canal, and like wearing safety glasses while gardening, it is often the frequent wearing of the safety equipment that saves life, or injury.

Nor would I remove the life jacket until I was clear of the incident and in no further danger.

If alone, even if shivering, one has to retreive the situation,get back on board, strip off, warm shower etc.

I've never fallen in Unexpectedly, because I follow the old rule, one hand for you and one for the boat, much easier on that rather staid old maid, the narrowboat.  The rule of course has to be applied to locking, but the other thing is not slipping unexpectedly, particularly  getting off  the boat. I have a 'knee' which means I am always careful where I put that foot, so I am very cautious.

I don't know where you get the idea a bouyancy aid turns you face down, I used them all the time kayaking and dinghy sailing and sailboarding, and helped  a few out of the water in the rescue boat, they were all facing me, and perfectly bouyant.

Of course a good lifejacket is bettet than a good bouyancy aid when deployed, but a certain amount of common sense needs to be employed. The passengers and crew of the Arran ferry don't wear lifejackets even in the worst of the weather.

Edited by LadyG
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15 minutes ago, LadyG said:

I would not advise anyone to discard their lifejacket or bouyancy aid shile still in or around the canal river or untill they have fully recovered.

That is good advice, but if you are unable to climb the lock ladder with it on you do not have many options.

 

15 minutes ago, LadyG said:

I don't need any more lectures, thank you.

 

Then stop posting stuff that is misleading, wrong or potentially dangerous.

 

You said you had me on ignore so could not see my posts - presumambly another incorrect statement ?

Edited by Alan de Enfield
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15 minutes ago, LadyG said:

I don't need any more lectures, thank you.

I would not advise anyone to discard their lifejacket or bouyancy aid shile still in or around the canal river or untill they have fully recovered.

I decided to buy the lifejacket as I say it is a consideration, the bouyancy aid can more  easily be worn, and like wearing safety glasses while gardening, it is aften the frequent wearing of the safety equipment that saves life, or injury.

Nor would I remove the life jacket until I was clear of the incident and in no further danger.

If alone, even if shivering, one has to retreive the situation,get back on board, strip off, shower etc.

The lifejacket advertised here although great value may be a little cumbersome for a light female (according to the seller) I checked out these, https://www.wetsuitoutlet.co.uk/2020-crewsaver-crewfit-165n-sport-automatic-lifejacket-9710bla-black-p-34403.html  lightweight and unobtrusive but they do turn you over if you happened to be knocked unconscious, which in a stone walled lock is a real danger. 

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3 minutes ago, Chagall said:

The lifejacket advertised here although great value may be a little cumbersome for a light female (according to the seller) I checked out these, https://www.wetsuitoutlet.co.uk/2020-crewsaver-crewfit-165n-sport-automatic-lifejacket-9710bla-black-p-34403.html  lightweight and unobtrusive but they do turn you over if you happened to be knocked unconscious, which in a stone walled lock is a real danger. 

Absolutely, and I did say as much in an earlier post (petite female).

 

The potential problem is that a 150N / 165N, whilst having sufficient buoyancy to support an adult male in winter clothing, it does not always have the 'power' to turn you over, it can need the additional buoyancy of a 275N to get the quick 'turn-over' to save an unconcious person in thick woolies.

 

A lighter weight female in Winter clothing may be be perfectly fine with a 150N / 165N lifejacket.

 

Just make sure any lifejacket has a crutch strap to save it lifting over your head.

 

 

 

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2 minutes ago, Alan de Enfield said:

Absolutely, and I did say as much in an earlier post (petite female).

 

 

Yep, got that and the seller confirmed that, but I reckon another on this thread might not have seen that.  But then I think perhaps my post wasn't seen either by the fingers in ears "la la la" brigade!   So thank you for quoting me ?

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From an informative article "Drowning doesn't look like drowning" I read:

 

The Instinctive Drowning Response – so named by Francesco A. Pia, Ph.D., is what people do to avoid actual or perceived suffocation in the water. And it does not look like most people expect. There is very little splashing, no waving, and no yelling or calls for help of any kind. To get an idea of just how quiet and undramatic from the surface drowning can be, consider this: It is the number two cause of accidental death in children, age 15 and under (just behind vehicle accidents) – of the approximately 750 children who will drown next year, about 375 of them will do so within 25 yards of a parent or other adult. In ten percent of those drownings, the adult will actually watch them do it, having no idea it is happening (source: CDC). Drowning does not look like drowning – Dr. Pia, in an article in the Coast Guard’s On Scene Magazine, described the instinctive drowning response like this:
Except in rare circumstances, drowning people are physiologically unable to call out for help. The respiratory system was designed for breathing. Speech is the secondary or overlaid function. Breathing must be fulfilled, before speech occurs.
Drowning people’s mouths alternately sink below and reappear above the surface of the water. The mouths of drowning people are not above the surface of the water long enough for them to exhale, inhale, and call out for help. When the drowning people’s mouths are above the surface, they exhale and inhale quickly as their mouths start to sink below the surface of the water.
Drowning people cannot wave for help. Nature instinctively forces them to extend their arms laterally and press down on the water’s surface. Pressing down on the surface of the water, permits drowning people to leverage their bodies so they can lift their mouths out of the water to breathe.
Throughout the Instinctive Drowning Response, drowning people cannot voluntarily control their arm movements. Physiologically, drowning people who are struggling on the surface of the water cannot stop drowning and perform voluntary movements such as waving for help, moving toward a rescuer, or reaching out for a piece of rescue equipment.
From beginning to end of the Instinctive Drowning Response people’s bodies remain upright in the water, with no evidence of a supporting kick. Unless rescued by a trained lifeguard, these drowning people can only struggle on the surface of the water from 20 to 60 seconds before submersion occurs.
(Source: On Scene Magazine: Fall 2006 (page 14))
This doesn’t mean that a person that is yelling for help and thrashing isn’t in real trouble – they are experiencing aquatic distress. Not always present before the instinctive drowning response, aquatic distress doesn’t last long – but unlike true drowning, these victims can still assist in their own rescue. They can grab lifelines, throw rings, etc.
Look for these other signs of drowning when persons are in the water:
Head low in the water, mouth at water level
Head tilted back with mouth open
Eyes glassy and empty, unable to focus
Eyes closed
Hair over forehead or eyes
Not using legs – Vertical
Hyperventilating or gasping
Trying to swim in a particular direction but not making headway
Trying to roll over on the back
Appear to be climbing an invisible ladder.
So if a crew member falls overboard and everything looks OK – don’t be too sure. Sometimes the most common indication that someone is drowning is that they don’t look like they’re drowning. They may just look like they are treading water and looking up at the deck. One way to be sure? Ask them, “Are you alright?” If they can answer at all – they probably are. If they return a blank stare, you may have less than 30 seconds to get to them. And parents – children playing in the water make noise. When they get quiet, you get to them and find out why.

 

 

Tam

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33 minutes ago, Tam & Di said:

From an informative article "Drowning doesn't look like drowning" I read:

That made me think of this incident that occured in China recently.

 

No thrashing around, no shouting for help.

 

 

 

 

 

 

Edited by The Happy Nomad
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When you have any sort of incident, you will usually be asked for your name, date of birth, and asked what day of the week it is, all checks for concussion, I suppose, as others have said, drowning and hypothermia, drunkenness and diabetes, and concussion can all be life threatening, and can be delayed. So it's not to be assumed that all is well, just 'cause the casualty claims to be "just fine, thank you"

I've had concussion once or twice, once drove myself to hospital for a X ray with a cracked wrist, but could not recal exactly how it happened 'til next day, in fact I can still visualise it 'cos I could see my horse was beyond recovery, and rather stupidly I put my hand out to save myself. Of course I later learnt to jump off when I was overfaced, so I had to give up jumping.

 

Anyways, ?I've spoken to Alan about his lifejacket, and he assures me it will fit fine, he is only  5 ft 4, so should be fine for a woman of average size.

 

 

Edited by LadyG
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18 hours ago, Mike55 said:

I too have 2 on order, hopefully they'll be delivered tomorrow.

Thanks for the 'heads up' on this Alan, very useful. As is the details about where to get service parts. This site at it's best!??

Lifejackets arrived today. Automatic bobbins are out-of-date (as expected) so I'll order replacements from rt supplies, although I'm holding fire on ordering them until I've checked our two existing lifejackets to see if they're out-of-date too. Unfortunately being under house arrest, sorry lockdown I can't visit the boat currently.

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Just now, Mike55 said:

Lifejackets arrived today. Automatic bobbins are out-of-date (as expected) so I'll order replacements from rt supplies, although I'm holding fire on ordering them until I've checked our two existing lifejackets to see if they're out-of-date too. Unfortunately being under house arrest, sorry lockdown I can't visit the boat currently.

It may be worth just checking the weight of the gas cylinder. - the gross weight is marked on the cylinders -  they should be fine, I have never had one from him where I've needed to replace the gas cylinder.

The gas cylinders last 'for ever' until they are either fired or corroded.

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1 minute ago, Alan de Enfield said:

It may be worth just checking the weight of the gas cylinder. - the gross weight is marked on the cylinders -  they should be fine, I have never had one from him where I've needed to replace the gas cylinder.

The gas cylinders last 'for ever' until they are either fired or corroded.

Yes, I was going to do that too, however the most accurate scales we have are..... on the boat, so that too will have to wait until I can get to the boat.

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