[C320-list] An Interesting perspective on Life Jackets

[Graeme Clark]

Agree it is an interesting perspective but his demonstration and concerns on the inflatable don't take account of the huge improvement gained by fitting a crotch strap; all our LJ’s either had crotch straps when bought or else  we bought them and retrofitted them.

Also an inflatable LJ is easily combined as part of  a harness so you can clip-on in bad weather (prevention is better than cure) whereas the other types I don't think would work in that way?

You can inflate your LJ by mouth (or using a foot-pump on the mouthpiece if you are concerned about moisture getting into the air bladder) if you want to try them for comfort in a pool  - remember to remove the bottle and activating device first though!

Here in the southern UK and northern France, the water temperature offshore never gets above 55 degrees or thereabouts*, even in “high” summer!  The biggest danger if you end up in a lifejacket is rapid cooling leading to an inability to move or use your fingers, let alone swim. Unconsciousness is quite quick, followed by death.  An LJ that keeps an unconscious person head and face out the water is the best possible chance of survival - I would imagine this is much the same anywhere in the US much north of NC or CA?

(*it can make 70 deg inshore where the swimmers are but not offshore by a mile or two)

You can see from this table

http://www.wakekayak.org/wp-content/uploads/2014/01/hypothermiarates.jpg

that at 55 deg after 10-15 minutes you have lost dexterity -  you wont be able to hold on to a rope, fire a flare, use a radio, activate an EPIRB after that time - not good!

As an aside a little cautionary tale:  Last summer we were anchored maybe 300 yards from a beach where people were swimming and i accidentally let the dinghy painter go and it started to drift away from the boat. I thought it would be a matter of ten to twenty strokes to fetch it so i jumped in, in just my shorts!  Some sixth sense made me grab a safety buoy to take with me. 20 strokes achieved nothing as the dinghy was drifting at about 80% of the speed that than I could swim!  Within three minutes I was near exhausted from the combination of cold and exertion and was now about 75 yards from the boat and about 80 yards from the dinghy!  At this point - I now realise - that had I not had the buoy with me I probably would have drowned.  But I clung to the buoy, got some rest and kicked gently with the wind behind me until I drifted into shore (where the dinghy had washed up safely!)

It was a salutary lesson about the effects of cold water. Being near the shore, fortunately it was at least warm enough that i could retain my grip on the buoy

Here is an interesting video from our Royal National lifeboat institution (the ones that rescue us and promote water safety)  about cold water effects
(first 2mins or so is a bit melodramatic but once the narrative starts, its OK)
https://vimeo.com/22295073

Food for thought

Graeme
#366, Jaskar

On 13 May 2016, at 01:00, sail-ability sail-ability <sail-ability at sympatico.ca> wrote:

>   I too enjoyed the article on life jackets/PFDs. As with all things
>   there is always a compromise. The self inflators and the Life jackets
>   are designed to float an unconscious victim face up so that she can
>   breathe. The PFDs are not designed to do this and the victim must be
>   conscious in order to survive. I have two Mustang inflatables one with
>   the dissolving pellet which when submersed allows the device to
>   inflate, and it happens pretty fast as I've used it a few times. The
>   problem with them is that they will inflate in a downpour! But I've
>   never had this happen.The second one is a HIT self inflator which needs
>   to be submersed deeper than 4" in order to activate the self inflator.
>   This device will not inflate simply by getting wet. I've never tried it
>   as the replacement parts are around $70 USD!! We had a drowning here on
>   Lake Ontario a few years back; the skipper was knocked overboard by an
>   unruly boom and he was not wearing a life preserver of any sort. Bottom
>   line is no matter what the life preserver is,,,wear it!!!! always.
> 
>   JohnM
> 
>   1999#574
> 
>     ---------- Original Message ----------
>     From: Larry Frank <WindSwept at stx.rr.com>
>     Date: May 12, 2016 at 8:56 AM
>     Jeff,
>     Interesting video. Thanks for sending out the link.
>     Which jackets did you find that are super comfortable? My concern is
>     that
>     when offshore in tropical weather the non-inflatable jackets will be
>     too
>     hot. Can you comment on this?
>     Do you know if any of these jackets come with a built in harness?
>     Larry
>     WindSwept
>     C320 #246
>     On 5/11/16, 4:15 PM, "Jeff Hare" <Catalina at thehares.com> wrote:
>> Hi,
>> 
>> I thought I'd share a video perspective on life jackets from Mario
>> Vittone,
>> a well-respected Helicopter Rescue Swimmer. Maybe many of you have
>     already
>> seen it, but it caused many of us to rethink our safety gear last
>     summer.
>> If you haven't seen it, it may surprise you.
>> 
>> http://mariovittone.com/tag/inflatable/
>> 
>> As a result, we've begun the transition to low cut, active
>     watersports
>> style
>> jackets with pockets and have found some that are super
>     comfortable. My
>> on-deck complaint with our inflatable jackets has always been that
>     they
>> are
>> heavy and tend to pull on my neck forward so I take them off, lift
>     them up
>> or unbuckle them after a while.
>> 
>> We have 6 inflatables in 3 different styles and while the newer
>     ones are
>> more comfortable than the earlier models, but are still less
>     comfortable
>> and
>> more restrictive on deck than some of the new style
>     watersports/river
>> rapids
>> kayaking/SUP jackets that are designed to be lighter and less
>     restrictive.
>> 
>> Of course we're all built differently and sail in different
>     conditions,
>> so... what are you wearing these days? :)
>> 
>> Cheers!
>> -Jeff Hare
>> #809 Woodbine II
>> 
> 
>> 

———————————————————
I work irregular hours and often write emails late in the evening and at weekends; that doesn’t mean I expect you to do the same; reply when convenient!