Buoyancy aid or life jacket decision

[PaulK]

Hi All.
We’re about to complete the purchase of a ‘new to us’ BRe and I wondered what people would recommend for personal flotation. I can’t decide whether to stick with our existing ex-dinghy sailing buoyancy aids, or switch up to proper yachty life jackets. My dilemma is founded on not being quite sure if a BRe is a really big dinghy, or a somewhat small yacht! Generally I think we’ll be sailing with ballast tanks full to make the boat less ‘tippy’ for the crew, on the Solent and/or around Poole Harbour. If lifejackets are the way ahead, I’m thinking manual inflation not automatic. Any suggestions much appreciated (including on makes and suppliers?). Thanks in advance.
Paul

[Graham W]

The powers that be at the Sail Caledonia raid recommend a buoyancy waistcoat or flotation vest rather than a lifejacket.  This is because if you capsize or fall overboard, an inflated lifejacket is going to get in the way.

I have a Baltic gilet waistcoat.  There are cheaper versions out there, possibly by Tribord.

[Nicky R]

We alternate between the two, sometimes wearing life jackets and sometimes buoyancy aids for our BRE. My life jacket is an auto inflate one, but has a hammer inflation device so it doesn’t go off with heavy splashing. It also didn’t inflate on a very brief immersion when I slipped as we came ashore. (These days I slide very gently off the foredeck when we come ashore to avoid that happening again!)

[Sea Simon]

Imho...choice buoyancy aid v life jacket is often a mixture of personal choice (hopefully based on training/experience!), organisers/event "rules", sailing area, traffic density, and even...whisper it...age/health/commonsense?

I use both BA (as a one-time dinghy racer, I believe I fully understand their advantages) &  LJ, usually not at the same time!
However, on some occasions I have even ended up wearing a 150N  auto LJ over a Tribord (Decathlon brand, as mentioned above, I find them very good value. They are warm, as well as buoyant) 50N gillet/BA. Works for me!

Recently, as a result of new health issues that would severely worsen my chances in the water, particularly when sailing alone (the frequency of which has significantly increased in COVID times)  I have promised my wife that I will wear an auto LJ "whenever I can". I also now carry a VHF and a PLB on my person.
In the past, on grounds that I was fit,  comfortable in the water, and get personal survival training regularly (work) I most often didn't bother at all - BA (at most) met almost all needs. The LJs stayed in the cabin.

Over the years, I have accumulated a selection of 150N Auto LJs, and the older ones with harnesses, hoods and lights etc are really heavy, bulky and uncomfortable for extended wear. Having done a course years ago (work), I service 50% of these each winter. Several have consequently been condemned. One of which was a SOLAS approved 275N twin chamber/twin firing head item, of commercial origin; it won't be missed on my BRe!

I have been impressed with friends new-gen Spinlock deck vest LJs.
So, I have just ordered one of these - teamomarine.com - Offshore 170N back tow lifejackets, which I hope will prove to be the "next step evolution", and will meet my needs as a single hander in quiet(er), colder waters?
If I'm going to end up being towed while clipped on, face down - single handed is not an option!

Will be interesting to hear others "philosophies".

[Sea Simon]

We alternate between the two, sometimes wearing life jackets and sometimes buoyancy aids for our BRE. My life jacket is an auto inflate one, but has a hammer inflation device so it doesn’t go off with heavy splashing. It also didn’t inflate on a very brief immersion when I slipped as we came ashore. (These days I slide very gently off the foredeck when we come ashore to avoid that happening again!)

Hammar are v good, imho, but there are servicing issues to be aware of, as well as higher costs.

I have had a few "salt tablet" type auto inflate incidents over the years (even one in a left-luggage locker in Glasgow! Top tip - don't bag up wet foulies with your auto LJ, then abandon them for the weekend! )
 But they are easily and quickly "user fixable", on site, if necessary. Unlike Hammar, I believe?

[Cappagh]

Hi,

I fully concur with the posts by Sea Simon, Nicky R and Graham W. It is a personal decision and should be part of a skipper’s passage planning. I also wear both types depending on the passage and conditions. Last year I had to purchase, at eye watering expense, ( which in itself nearly caused me to drown…) the latest all singing,all dancing Spinlock Offshore life jacket, to comply with race regulations. This was for blue water racing in other, considerably bigger racing yachts. This life jacket is not intended for inshore waters and thankfully, on our boats we are also spared the complications of jack stays and harnesses. I might suggest that we are not out in monstrous off shore conditions and have absolutely no need for very expensive life jackets excepting for the few when dictated by personal circumstances. Ode to the simplicity of our sailing!

Similar to the others, while sailing the BR I also tend to alternate between wearing each type.I always carry both on board and favour a Crew Saver 150 N life jacket or an excellent, good value, Decathlon buoyancy aid.  Perhaps one thing not mentioned is the ease of wearing the buoyancy aid with the ability to quickly put on a wind breaking/waterproof jacket OVER it. As you know, this is not possible with the life jacket and can sometimes lead to being uncomfortably hot or cold. It can be a bit of a job, taking off or on both at the same time and is often avoided. Of course, as soon as the operation has been completed, the conditions change again… a comfortable sailor is a safer sailor. The pros and cons of each type are well known but I do like the extra warmth that the buoyancy jacket affords when I’m wearing that. Conditions dictate. Also, I always carry a PLB.

The best of luck with your new boat Paul and much happy sailing.

Stephen Foyle

[jonno]

Buoyancy aid or life jacket?  I’m not sure it’s either/or.

Over a decade ago, when I got my BR20, I asked the RNLI’s head honcho on personal flotation for his recommendation for this boat.  He advised a manual inflate 150N lifejacket.

I guess proper yotties will want auto-inflate.  But in the first instance in the Bayraider, on falling in or capsizing, you don’t want your lifejacket automatically inflating.  I guess that would render you pretty helpless when perhaps you want to be sorting stuff out and climbing back onboard.  With my manual life-jacket, I shall pull the toggle only when the boat has blown away from me in the breeze.  Or when I’m wading and pulling the boat towards the shore following a less than perfect parking manoeuvre, the damn thing won’t automatically self inflate (I once asked the crew to hop off the foredeck.  It was deep.  She was obedient then unimpressed).

But, in oilies, wellies et cetera, I don’t swim so well.  So, when at sea, I wear a buoyancy aid as well as the life-jacket.  Inland, I’m not so fussy.

[Mark Rushton]

Baltic make a buoyancy aid with a manually deployed inflatable bladder, I think it’s called the Hybrid 220. I’ve been interested in it for a while as it looks like it is a AND rather than OR solution to the buoyancy aid, life jacket question.

Mark

[Sea Simon]

Already some interesting thoughts here...thanks.

Wrt the auto v manual debate.
I've worked with guys who "adapt" their auto jackets to manual, by means of tape or the finger off a rubber glove fitted over the sensor head like a condom. They talk about preserving their "self rescue capability" .
I recently stumbled across this official version.

https://www.teamomarine.com/collections/re-arming-kits/products/prosensor-elite-conversion-kit

Best of both?
explanation here
https://www.teamomarine.com/blogs/news/which-inflation-system-is-right-for-your-lifejacket

Single handing, i think I'll be leaving mine as full auto?

Ps I've ordered the prosensor version of the Teamo, not the Hammar which is available but "not the recommended configuration"

Similarly, I'd like to hear more about people's thoughts on "clipping on". Not something i thought I'd ever be doing in a BRe, but circumstances change (if only temporarily) and if it means you can keep sailing......
I plan to add an eye under the companionway, already have one by the outboard (to which it is lashed....but that's a whole different tale of cack-handedness; witnessed, not mine!).
Eye bolts will also be handy for securing new grandson!

[mark1]

My biggest fear is falling out and my boat sailing away on it's own, I'm normally single handed and use a rope and bungee autohelm. So although I carry both BA and self inflating lifejacket I almost always wear the lifejacket so if things get really rough I could clip on if I wanted to. (Short tether to mainsheet attachment). I've probably only clipped on twice in reality but I like to have the option. I always have a knife in my pocket too.
I'm not entirely happy with this arrangement but it's the best I've come up with so far, it's good to see other peoples approaches!

[Sea Simon]

Mark1. Me too.
I use a "proper" Tiller Clutch (which I would recommend) having upgraded from bungy.

Hence my new fear of being towed, face down! Better to fall clear, and be left swimming with a VHF/PLB?

Yes, it's all a bit of a compromise, but I now need to try to assuage the fears/concerns of family,  as well as myself

[Nicky R]

We have a short jack stay along the centreboard case that we clip our daughter onto. We don’t use it ourselves as the fixing isn’t currently strong enough to take our weight, but it might be possible to make it strong enough.

[PaulK]

Thank you all for your posts - very thought provoking. I shall mull it all over, but in the meantime we do at least have our BA (Baltic). I was in the chandlers earlier today looking at Crewsaver LJ options. Thanks again.

[David H]

Very interesting points raised - for an in-depth coverage check this out from the RNLI website, it includes a flow chart/decision tree to help decide which to use https://rnli.org/-/media/rnli/downloads/1983319_choose_it_wear_it_final_may_19.pdf

Regards
David
BRe 049