Life Jackets

[Naughty Cal]

Its extremely difficult to get especially an adult out of the water without using force,force which could perhaps break an arm.

I carry a wooden ladder about 8' long which doubles as a gang plank with a removable plywood centre panel. The ladder is long enough to rescue someone from most canals and shallowish rivers.Indeed i used mine only last year to rescue a heavy lady who'd fallen in from the boat behind me,no way could i have pulled her out without injuring her.I just put my ladder down and she simply climbed up and out all covered in slime and weed. If the person who has fallen in shows signs of panic even though they're holding on you must secure them first by placing a rope strop loop under their arms,yank em up as much as possible and moor them up to say one of your boats bollards.By doing this it will give you time to access the situation,make the victim feel safe and at ease until you get help or rig up a tackle to fish em out. But the ladder is the kiddy even if its too deep to touch bottom,just lash the top wrungs to a bollard with a mooring rope. In cold weather the victims legs may have become numb and unable to climb which may mean you climbing down to assist.

And a good stiff drop 'o' Rum afterwards to finish off with.

 

We are lucky that we have a boarding ladder inbuilt into our boat, it folds up into the bathing platform when not in use. It has been used to recover not only people falling from our boat but also people who have fallen from other boats on the river which had no means of reboarding. It has proven to be an invaluable bit of kit that is often over looked.

[WJM]

"And a good stiff drop 'o' Rum afterwards to finish off with."

 

Pedantic alert again - but giving alcohol to a person with hypothermia could kill them. Alcohol encourages the warm blood from the core to move out to the cold extremities. In a very cold person this could cause the core temperature to drop below the point where life can be sustained. The same applies to taking a hypothermic person into a very warm room and stripping them off. They must be wrapped in blankets so that they only warm up slowly from the core outwards.

[bizzard]

"And a good stiff drop 'o' Rum afterwards to finish off with."

 

Pedantic alert again - but giving alcohol to a person with hypothermia could kill them. Alcohol encourages the warm blood from the core to move out to the cold extremities. In a very cold person this could cause the core temperature to drop below the point where life can be sustained. The same applies to taking a hypothermic person into a very warm room and stripping them off. They must be wrapped in blankets so that they only warm up slowly from the core outwards.

The rum was for the ''rescuer'' not the rescued. They can wait and make do with sweet tea until they've recovered,and then a wee dram if there's any left. ,

[Teadaemon]

"and after about 45 minutes he got too cold and drowned). "

 

Superficially a pedantic point, but he didn't drown, he died of hypothermia. There are two big enemies, drowning and the cold. People often overlook the cold. The lifejacket only protects against the first. Dealing with the cold requires strategies. You need some way of getting out of the water, and that is not as easy as it might seem. As an example, because I am often single handed, I envisage a self-rescue involving removing my lifejacket so the I can shed the heaviest of my clothing. And on big rivers I keep a handheld waterproof VHF radio attached to my lifejacket.

 

My more general point is that the lifejacket should only be part of a greater strategy.

 

No, he drowned.

 

Hypothermia certainly played a significant part in him drowning, but as he wasn't wearing a lifejacket at all, once he'd used up his available energy swimming in cold water, he just stopped swimming. I know that sounds odd, but as somebody who's suffered from hypothermia in the past (fortunately not in the water, I was sleeping on a friend's sofa after a night out drinking), I know how easy it would have been just to give up - when I woke up I knew I was freezing, but it took me about three hours to be bothered to get up and do something about it, and when I did start to warm up I was shivering uncontrollably for about another four hours.

[Bones]

I use crewsaver, as does the dog. Fortunately we can't actually recommend them other than to say they are quite comfortable and unimposing. I never used to wear a lifejacket but I have taken to on the river as I am a single hander and although I am a good swimmer I doubt I would be in the event of an accident.

 

Why expend the energy trying to stay above the water when the life jacket will do it for you.

[Starcoaster]

.....it also helps if you don't sit next to Nigel Carton.

 

 

Yes, he really can't be trusted at banters, can he...

[keble]

A serious question: we bought inflating jackets which need to be checked, annually I think.

It's probably time to check them. But who can do the checking?

[wobbley]

While I'm quite happy for both the wife and myself to use self inflating life jackets I prefer not to gamle with my childrens' lives, and make sure they use the foam filled 'non inflating' type. With all the testing, quality contol, and design, there is NO 100% guarantee that an auto inflating jacket is going to deploy when it hits the water. I know of two people who have experienced faliure of this type of jacket to inlate.

It's good news for the manufacturers as it's a bit difficult to make a warranty claim if you're dead !

[Barry]

While I'm quite happy for both the wife and myself to use self inflating life jackets I prefer not to gamle with my childrens' lives, and make sure they use the foam filled 'non inflating' type. With all the testing, quality contol, and design, there is NO 100% guarantee that an auto inflating jacket is going to deploy when it hits the water. I know of two people who have experienced faliure of this type of jacket to inlate.

It's good news for the manufacturers as it's a bit difficult to make a warranty claim if you're dead !

 

Are you talking about buoyancy aids as opposed to life jackets or are you describing something like a life jacket with the buoyancy material concentrated in the front of the vest?

 

The trouble with buoyancy aids is that the material that provides the buoyancy is equally divided between front and back so a non swimming child may find themselves face down in the water and unable to turn over. If I were making the same decision about my own grandchildren I would consider that the more likely risk (50/50) and would go with the life jacket.

 

However if you are talking about a permanently buoyant life jacket - that would seem like a good idea

[wobbley]

However if you are talking about a permanently buoyant life jacket - that would seem like a good idea

Yes, a life jacket as opposed to a bouyancy aid. - more foam at the front and a collar to keep the head out of water.

[carlt]

Are you talking about buoyancy aids as opposed to life jackets or are you describing something like a life jacket with the buoyancy material concentrated in the front of the vest?

I have a foam filled Crewsaver Lifejacket (not bouyancy aid) for a baby/small toddler that is permanently bouyant.

 

They are better for small children, in my opinion, than auto or manuals because they can't fail and the child already has the shock of falling in to deal with without the added surprise of the explosive inflation of a lifejacket.

[Barry]

I have a foam filled Crewsaver Lifejacket (not bouyancy aid) for a baby/small toddler that is permanently bouyant.

 

They are better for small children, in my opinion, than auto or manuals because they can't fail and the child already has the shock of falling in to deal with without the added surprise of the explosive inflation of a lifejacket.

 

Crewsaver eh?

 

I'll have a look for those to have on the boat for my grandchildren

[Ange]

We had to buy 4 life jackets when we crossed the Ribble Link, and we bought the manual inflating types which I do regret now. I think with the shock of landing in the water and ensuing panic finding the toggle might be a bit of an ask. Also there's the horrible possibility of banging your head on the way in.

 

We'll definitely look into buying auto inflates before we tackle any tidal rivers.

[carlt]

Crewsaver eh?

 

I'll have a look for those to have on the boat for my grandchildren

I've dug out my baby crewsaver lifejacket, Bazza.

 

It's yours if you want it so if you PM me your address I'll put it in the post.

 

 

We'll definitely look into buying auto inflates before we tackle any tidal rivers.

If they are a decent make then I think you can upgrade them by just buying an automatic rearming kit.

 

I'm pretty sure this is the case for Crewsaver but you'd have to check with the manufacturer, to confirm.

[mrsmelly]

To a degree that is true but my one and only dip so far was down to carelessness and hurrying rather than taking care. Whilst you can't eliminate genuine accidents or equipment failure I would say a lot of falls in are due to people doing something that with hind sight they would look back and think - I wish I hadn't stepped there/on that/over that or some other such thought...

 

Now i know this is tempting fate.........but.......I have never fallen in either in the Royal Navy or over the many years since as a liveaboard ccer etc. I put that down to one of the first lessons taught to us seamen in the RN ( The worlds best sea training establishment, bar none ) that one hand was for YOURSELF and the other for the Queen. It may seem obvious but you should check, double check and check again before moving about either on the upper deck or shoreside and HANG on well when moving. When moving around on the upper deck in the arctic circle at around minus 40 apart from the obvious lifejacket we also wore a harness which we clipped along safety rails at various points on the upperdeck. This was all in the 70,s long before the modern day H and S came into force as it is today.

Any one travelling exposed say on the rear of a narrowboat should wear a lifejacket at all times realy but how many of us do

 

Tim

[Barry]

I've dug out my baby crewsaver lifejacket, Bazza.

 

It's yours if you want it so if you PM me your address I'll put it in the post.

 

 

Bless you Carl - PM on it's way

 

I'm coming south for the Lapworth banter if that would save you the postage

[carlt]

I can't be bothered reading the whole banter thread so is this still June 15th-17th?

 

I may be away but, if not, I'm sure we can arrange something.

 

Bless you Carl

Thank you, this hayfever is terrible.

[Barry]

I can't be bothered reading the whole banter thread so is this still June 15th-17th?

 

I may be away but, if not, I'm sure we can arrange something.

 

 

Yep that's the date

 

You could always call in at the banter

[carlt]

You could always call in at the banter

As long as no Father's Day surprises clash that may well be possible.

[Barry]

As long as no Father's Day surprises clash that may well be possible.

 

Ah yes - my daughter and daughter in law are taking me out to dinner the weekend before to avoid a Father's Day clash

[Ratzend]

While I'm quite happy for both the wife and myself to use self inflating life jackets I prefer not to gamle with my childrens' lives, and make sure they use the foam filled 'non inflating' type. With all the testing, quality contol, and design, there is NO 100% guarantee that an auto inflating jacket is going to deploy when it hits the water. I know of two people who have experienced faliure of this type of jacket to inlate.

It's good news for the manufacturers as it's a bit difficult to make a warranty claim if you're dead !

 

I knew a woman whose husband drowned when his automatic lifejacket failed whilst he was out fishing, they withdrew that particular type but the jackets are still made. When I last saw her the court case with the manufacturer was still ongoing after several years but there was no doubt as the cause of the failure

[NB Alnwick]

We had our jackets checked by the RNLI recently. Both were found to be in good condition but the firing mechanisms were very short dated. We have been advised to change them even though they have never been fired.

 

Another job for this weekend's list before we head to Whitby.

 

Very useful advice - we have had ours now for five years and haven't had them checked. Unfortunately there are no lifeboat station hereabouts - can anyone advise where we might get them checked inland?

[mrsmelly]

Very useful advice - we have had ours now for five years and haven't had them checked. Unfortunately there are no lifeboat station hereabouts - can anyone advise where we might get them checked inland?

 

Are you coming up the Trent this year ? they are simple to check or I can do them for you gratis

 

Tim

[NB Alnwick]

Are you coming up the Trent this year ? they are simple to check or I can do them for you gratis

 

Tim

 

No chance of getting on to England's finest river this year - more's the pity . . .

 

And on those occasions where we have fallen in the water - we had decided it was safe not to be wearing a lifesaver - just goes to show how wrong you can be . . .

 

We were very lucky that Jane survived her dip at Osney Lock - she had the presence of mind to hang on to the rope but I shudder to think what the consequences might have been . . .

[mrsmelly]

No chance of getting on to England's finest river this year - more's the pity . . .

 

And on those occasions where we have fallen in the water - we had decided it was safe not to be wearing a lifesaver - just goes to show how wrong you can be . . .

 

We were very lucky that Jane survived her dip at Osney Lock - she had the presence of mind to hang on to the rope but I shudder to think what the consequences might have been . . .

 

Yes indeed. I was out on the Trent at work day before yesterday and I spotted a body in the river. Foned the Police diver unit and informed Holme and Stoke locks to close so as not to disturb it which they did. Awfull realy the poor soul had apparently taken his own life but in any case being on or by the water can prove dangerous or fatal.

 

Tim

 

Edited May 27, 2012 by mrsmelly