Ed 143 Posted December 29, 2016 Share Posted December 29, 2016 For all the back and forth this thread has given me some interesting thoughts on reflection. Not all may agree and that is entirely their prerogative, this is just my experience and point of view. Even though my boat is over the prescribed 6. whatever metres long everyone I invited from work on the crew rum race asked for a lifejacket. They all got one, with crotch straps. But then I got to thinking about the majority of sailing I do, which is racing around the harbour on my 8.5 cat. I have a good quality life jacket on the boat yet rarely wear it. I Wonder if the better analogy is to seatbelts in a car rather than crash helmets as was purported to above. I suppose the question is how much a well fitting good quality life jacket is going to impact my sailing ability vs. not wearing one and watching my boat disappear at 15 kts without a helm.... I think I'll start wearing mine more often to be honest as the benefits trend to outweigh the downsides Quote Link to post Share on other sites
harrytom 642 Posted December 29, 2016 Share Posted December 29, 2016 For all the back and forth this thread has given me some interesting thoughts on reflection. Not all may agree and that is entirely their prerogative, this is just my experience and point of view. Even though my boat is over the prescribed 6. whatever metres long everyone I invited from work on the crew rum race asked for a lifejacket. They all got one, with crotch straps. But then I got to thinking about the majority of sailing I do, which is racing around the harbour on my 8.5 cat. I have a good quality life jacket on the boat yet rarely wear it. I Wonder if the better analogy is to seatbelts in a car rather than crash helmets as was purported to above. I suppose the question is how much a well fitting good quality life jacket is going to impact my sailing ability vs. not wearing one and watching my boat disappear at 15 kts without a helm.... I think I'll start wearing mine more often to be honest as the benefits trend to outweigh the downsides ear a harness as well,what destruction will a helmless vessel do? Quote Link to post Share on other sites
eruptn 95 Posted December 29, 2016 Share Posted December 29, 2016 Yes; Maritime NZ has one rule Yachting Nz has some too Each Regional Council has its own 'harbour regs' too, same agree, many don't. Quote Link to post Share on other sites
Vorpal Blade 89 Posted January 10, 2017 Share Posted January 10, 2017 The Harbourmaster at Coro was seen out regularly patrolling bays on a Jetski when we were there. There was this one particular dilemma for him in our bay - when you swim into the beach from the launch you don't need a life jacket, when you take the inflatable dinghy you do, but what about when you take your inflatable unicorn?? 2 Quote Link to post Share on other sites
Kevin McCready 83 Posted January 10, 2017 Share Posted January 10, 2017 It's fine to express yourself Clipper, but use of that language is unacceptable and demeans you and readers. Quote Link to post Share on other sites
GregW 28 Posted January 10, 2017 Share Posted January 10, 2017 Oh goody. Mr Superior telling people what to do again. Kevin, why don't you go and wring your hands somewhere else? Quote Link to post Share on other sites
Black Panther 1,586 Posted January 10, 2017 Share Posted January 10, 2017 I have nothing against the harbourmaster, he's doing as told by his superiors, the issue is higher up in the bureaucracy. BTW - keep it decorous guys - IT is sailing around Coromandel and I have the power. Quote Link to post Share on other sites
Beccara 25 Posted January 10, 2017 Share Posted January 10, 2017 Got daughter that exact same unicorn for Christmas, Jesus never knew it was that big based on it's box size! Quote Link to post Share on other sites
Clipper 343 Posted January 11, 2017 Share Posted January 11, 2017 BP, Im sure the harbourmaster could be enforcing the rules as intended, perhaps at the local boat ramp, or even poplular fishing spots. To target boaties in tenders close to shore in calm conditions is unacceptable. Quote Link to post Share on other sites
armchairadmiral 411 Posted January 11, 2017 Share Posted January 11, 2017 Yes...see my post on other Forum topic relating to LJ's Quote Link to post Share on other sites
Romany 162 Posted January 11, 2017 Share Posted January 11, 2017 Got daughter that exact same unicorn for Christmas, Jesus never knew it was that big based on it's box size! and He is supposed to know everything. Oh. No - wait a mo, that's my wife Quote Link to post Share on other sites
Addem 95 Posted February 6, 2017 Share Posted February 6, 2017 I Am now a total advocate for the view that a LJ without a crotch strap is like a dog with a bicycle. Just helped rescue 20 crew from an overturned waka in a choppy TAURANGA harbour. One non swimmer had a crotch strapless inflatable and was quite distressed when we got there. They'd been in the water for only 10 mins and she was being supported by two others. it was like she was being smothered by her own LJ. And that is without raising the dual issues of why were there so many in the thing in the first place and the number of boats that went past without stopping to see if things were ok. Quote Link to post Share on other sites
Black Panther 1,586 Posted February 6, 2017 Share Posted February 6, 2017 I wore an inflatable in the wave pool (with the strap) - it was the most bloody uncomfortable thing ever and I think I would have a better chance of surviving with out it. Just MHO. Quote Link to post Share on other sites
ScottiE 174 Posted February 6, 2017 Author Share Posted February 6, 2017 Interestingly I tested this this weekend. Tried swimming with the inflatable not inflated, inflated and a standard adult jacket. Not inflated was the easiest to swim with and inflated was the worst. I'll be ditching the auto inflate I always wore in favour of a manual and should I ever need to use it I'll wait as long g as possible before pulling the chord - but not so long that I don't have sufficient breath to blow it up when it fails. Either that or I'll have knocked my head on the way over and karked it! Quote Link to post Share on other sites
ScottiE 174 Posted February 6, 2017 Author Share Posted February 6, 2017 Hmm - a double cannister jacket? Quote Link to post Share on other sites
harrytom 642 Posted February 6, 2017 Share Posted February 6, 2017 I wore an inflatable in the wave pool (with the strap) - it was the most bloody uncomfortable thing ever and I think I would have a better chance of surviving with out it. Just MHO. Took a group scouts to a wave pool,through a l/j in and said"now put it on"what a fail,now they respect why they put it on first. Would never ever own an inflatable. A)did I puncture it with a hook? B)is the can going to work? C)if i am unconscious whose going to blow it up for me? Quote Link to post Share on other sites
Addem 95 Posted February 6, 2017 Share Posted February 6, 2017 Must admit I'm having 2nd thoughts about my inflatable. Pros: comfortable to wear when sailing. Doubles as a harness Easy to store. Easy to wear over wet weather gear. Cons: Doubts about inflating when needed Needs servicing No good if you get knocked out Uncomfortable in the water. Hard for the wearer to be useful in doing something like righting a capsized boat/dinghy. Not sure I'd want to wear one in the water for an extended period. Don't give that added insulation on a cold night/day. My guess is that everyone on crew has experience in using a LJ in anger from dinghy sailing and wind surfing. I never had issues with a well designed one (and hate the old sausage ones) and from what I saw today I wouldn't go small boat sailing with an inflatable. Quote Link to post Share on other sites
Island Time 1,235 Posted February 6, 2017 Share Posted February 6, 2017 Inflatables can easily be tested - manually blow it up and ensure it stays inflated overnight. If you are worried about being unconscious then use an auto model. They can be easily deflated if required - like you need additional freedom of movement for a specific task. If you find one particularly uncomfortable, try another brand/model. IMO, for dinghies, a buoyancy vest is better, but it's NOT a lifejacket. In a keelboat, if the situation is such you should be wearing a lifejacket, then it should have a crotch strap and a spray hood. And you should be clipped on. A Ais sart or a PLB is also a good idea for an offshore setup. Quote Link to post Share on other sites
Black Panther 1,586 Posted February 6, 2017 Share Posted February 6, 2017 I've always considered a harness ten times more valuable than a LJ. Quote Link to post Share on other sites
Island Time 1,235 Posted February 6, 2017 Share Posted February 6, 2017 I've always considered a harness ten times more valuable than a LJ. Yep 100% agree. Stay with the boat! I just makes sense for me that my lifejacket is also my harness, and is comfortable.... Quote Link to post Share on other sites
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