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lifejacket/buoyancy aid

Bee

By Bee
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Bee Veteran

Bee

Posted
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Anybody know what those buoyancy aid things are that CRT staff and lockeepers wear? The horseshoe shaped ones. We have a couple of big orange things that are so big you can't get through doors when wearing them but last year whilst sharing locks with a huge barge in the rain and straining to rope bollards with a metre dia. prop thrashing around just a couple of metres away I did a risk assessment and thought this is stupidly dangerous. It was the Canal du Nord by the way, horrible canal.

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Jerra Veteran II

Jerra

Posted
Posted

Anybody know what those buoyancy aid things are that CRT staff and lockeepers wear? The horseshoe shaped ones. We have a couple of big orange things that are so big you can't get through doors when wearing them but last year whilst sharing locks with a huge barge in the rain and straining to rope bollards with a metre dia. prop thrashing around just a couple of metres away I did a risk assessment and thought this is stupidly dangerous. It was the Canal du Nord by the way, horrible canal.

Automatic Life jackets? Self inflating life jackets? I am not sure but I think a google on either of those terms would find them.

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Joe the plumber Community Regular

Joe the plumber

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If it's of interest, we've bought these to use on our boat:

 

http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/Crewsaver-Crewfit-165N-Lifejacket-Auto-Red-/361257411900?hash=item541c9ea53c:g:7iIAAOSwEeFVGllq

 

They're smaller than the C&RT ones (which themselves do work very well incidentally - we saw a C&RT volunteer fall in wearing one last year) and

very inconspicuous. The only downside is they have a crutch strap which is a nuisance until you get used to it, which the C&RT ones don't.

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Quaysider Collaborator

Quaysider

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I got a couple of these the other week from this chap - they were recommended in another thread i read (which I can't find) - based on their rating... oil rigs etc and can turn an unconscious fat fecker the right way up with ease.

 

 

http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/LIFEJACKETS-AUTOMATIC-NEW-SOLUS-EU-EN399-FREE-DELIVERY-UK-/191797271852?

 

I offered 40 quid each and he turned me down... until the sale ended, then messaged and we did the deal "outside" of ebay - they arrived the next day. Decent chap.

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ditchcrawler Veteran II

ditchcrawlerDonate to Canal World

Posted
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I got a couple of these the other week from this chap - they were recommended in another thread i read (which I can't find) - based on their rating... oil rigs etc and can turn an unconscious fat fecker the right way up with ease.

 

 

http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/LIFEJACKETS-AUTOMATIC-NEW-SOLUS-EU-EN399-FREE-DELIVERY-UK-/191797271852?

 

I offered 40 quid each and he turned me down... until the sale ended, then messaged and we did the deal "outside" of ebay - they arrived the next day. Decent chap.

Twin cylinder, they look good.

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ditchcrawler Veteran II

ditchcrawlerDonate to Canal World

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I think it was my suggestion.

 

They are excellent lifejackets, but, to be honest a little heavy & stiff for everyday canal use. The 'modern' crewfit etc are more lightweight and "easier" to wear - however they do not have the same lift & turn capability.

They have a 50% redundancy to comply with offshore regs. Prior to that they were all the big solid things

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Pete & Helen Proficient

Pete & Helen

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We got a couple from midland chandlers when they had there 20% sale, easy to wear. http://www.midlandchandlers.co.uk/store/category/1452/product/lj-012.aspx

 

 

If you get any second hand or "as new" make sure you know the test due date as quite a few on e-bay are out of date or come with no cylinder fitted

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Slim Influencer

Slim

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I've had a couple for about 10 years now. When I went to Uxbridge Boat Centre who I bought them from they seemed to know noting about getting them serviced. Do the cylinders need to be replaced?

Cylinders need to be checked regularly by weighing. Individual manufacturers should be able to advise. Equally, reputable manufacturers offer a service package although I suspect that a physical replacement would be cheaper

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FadeToScarlet Veteran

FadeToScarlet

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No, they are sealed (rather like the gas bottles for soda syphons). There's a pin in the firing mechanism that makes a hole in the end of the cylinder.

...and, following on from this, you can get tiny holes in the end of the cylinder, so over time the gas leaks out- hence weighing it annually, to replace it if this has happened.

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howardang Influencer

howardangDonate to Canal World

Posted
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Thanks, might just be easier to order some new cylinders for mine. They haven't been checked for about a decade!

 

 

You may find these short videos from Marine Warehouse useful. They show how to re-arm most types of lifejackets, both the gas bottles and the bobbins.

 

http://www.lifejackets.co.uk/videos/48/lifejacket-service-halkey-roberts-v85000-automatic-inflator

http://www.lifejackets.co.uk/videos

 

Regards

 

Howard

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bottle Veteran II

bottle

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The cylinders also have a 'use by' date.

 

Off hand I think the life is three years.

 

Other crew member tried hers out last summer and it worked, although the cylinder was two years out of date.

 

Replaced cylinder on hers, of course, but also checked and replaced mine, can't be to careful. wink.png

 

No connection, just a customer, http://www.lifejackets.co.uk/categories/70/lifejacket-co2-cylinders

 

Bee they also sell complete jackets.

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Alan de Enfield Veteran II

Alan de Enfield

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If going down the DIY route (which is not a problem, easy to do job) make sure you buy the correct cylinder for your lifejacket - no point putting on a 60g cylinder when is should be a 38g, it will just burst your bladder.

 

If its an auto jacket ensure that you get the correct 'salt-bobbins' there are two main types and about 5 subtypes. Buy ones that state they are for your model of lifejacket.

 

Don't replace the gas cylinder without replacing the salt-bobbin as it will just 'fire' when you screw it up.

 

Gas cylinders will have the net weight and gross weight stamped on them - if they are within weight then they do not need replacing.

 

Salt bobbins are 'dated' and ideally should be replaced annually but are shown as being suitable for 2 years usage.

 

When checking / servicing your lifejacket remove the gas cylinder, remove the salt bobbin, unwrap the bladder and inflate using a pump. DO NOT inflate orally as this fills the bladder with warm moist air, when you deflate the lifejacket for re-packing the moisture stays inside and starts to 'rot' the inside.

 

The reason for replacing the salt-bobbins is that they absorb moisture and start to fall apart - you can make them last longer by storing them in vacuum bags and just taking them out when needed


A final thought - a cheap lifejacket uses the lifejacket shell/cover as part of the lifejacket, these are prone to damage and degradation during wearing.

 

A 'quality' lifejacket will have a separate 'bladder' inside the cover - the cover is purely there to protect the bladder from damage and degradation by sunlight

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ditchcrawler Veteran II

ditchcrawlerDonate to Canal World

Posted
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Thanks, might just be easier to order some new cylinders for mine. They haven't been checked for about a decade!

A lot depends on storage conditions, If its very dry they will last for years if its very humid they could well let the pin rest on the end of the cylinder and make a microscopic pin hole so the gas just creeps away or they could go the whole hog and inflate.

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