2nd trip in our SIB

[Chris Caton]

Originally Posted by paddlers

When I first clicked on your post & saw the pictures I knew that there would be the non life jacket comments coming thick and fast !! To me part of the reason for being a ribnet supporter is the ability to educate and inform rather than to abuse others.
It is a choice some make not to wear lifejackets, kill cords etc etc but it's not one I follow but I respect your choice not to !
If you'd followed some of the recent debates about the kill cord issues and the sad loss of life that ensued due to the choice of the driver not to wear a kill cord you might understand more the passion some members feel about basic safety. Sadly accidents do happen and a lifejacket is one of the easiest of safety aids going.
On a brighter note, welcome to ribnet !!

+1 well said paddlers

I've messed about with all sorts of boats all my life, canoes, mirror dinghies, sail boards etc with the scouts more years ago than I bear to think about, not a life jacket or buoyancy aid to be seen in those days! when me n Jeff bought our first boat together we got some beauforts life jackets, the ones what you had to blow into to inflate, they were the bees knees in their day, but that too was a long long time ago but call me a wimp if you want to, these days in me old age, I can't swim for toffee any more, I get me dry suit on even when the suns cracking the flags, n the 1st thing that goes on before the trailer wheels touch Chris's slip at Ty Calch is the life jackets, no life jacket then no rib, that's the rules on "That's Enuff" I ain't on no soap box, take it or leave it, but for the sake of a couple hundred quid you could all four have nice fitting comfy life jackets that are easy to wear n do the job, not much more than a good night out in a good Chinese eating house that I know of

[Sunstreaker]

Unfortunately I don't have years of past boating experience to call upon, but I do ponder my actions ten years ago when I first took my three kids and wife out following an hours tuition from the guy u bought the boat from. Straight out into a maelstrom of wind against several opposing tides from the river into the sea. I merrily went up and down huge lumpy seas. I could have easily been swamped. Confident that my mobile was fully charged and we all had PDFs . Now I grimace with my stupidity, but its all a learning curve. After many hours of varying boating experience and an arm full of qualifications I am probably too risk adverse, because I know what can go wrong. I alway wear a PDF and have loads of gear just in case. Now I don't know whether I have over compensated. I think the OP should take this as he would any advice about his new interest. I am sure he would not take offence to it being suggested his oil mix ratio was not ideal, it just seems for some reason wearing life jackets seems to hit a very personal nerve with people.

[57Aircooled]

well youll all be glad to hear after reading all the comments and talking with the Family were going to get 2 more jackets and wear them

my next question is after looking on e-bay theres loads of choices
what should i be looking for bearing in mind we are going to be kneeboarding at some point, well me and the kids anyhow

[HughN]

IIRC the RNLI have a 1m x 1m x 1m perspex box on wheels that they take to events (such as open days) fill with water and ask people to try to move - the moral being it is difficult to win against nature. Admittedly, this is aimed at people near the see rather than Ipswich broads, but it makes a point.

Anyway, I thought all people in Suffolk had webbed feet, so what's the problem?

[Chris Caton]

Originally Posted by 57Aircooled

well youll all be glad to hear after reading all the comments and talking with the Family were going to get 2 more jackets and wear them

my next question is after looking on e-bay theres loads of choices
what should i be looking for bearing in mind we are going to be kneeboarding at some point, well me and the kids anyhow

well, if it were me going kneeboarding, which to be honest ain't very likely then I think a PFD would be more use than a life jacket

[57Aircooled]

Yep this ais what i meant PFD buoyancy aid
im seeing them from £20 to £150 do you need a approval mark or what things to look out for

[xs 400]

Originally Posted by 57Aircooled

well youll all be glad to hear after reading all the comments and talking with the Family were going to get 2 more jackets and wear them

Glad to hear it !

[bingosucks]

I chose a cheap as chips 150 n with a leg strap and whistle fugly orange ones for the fam which i am looking to upgrade.. i use a kayak style 50n bouyancy aid for myself

[paddlers]

Nice to hear you've considered the benefits of a jacket. There's no need to spend a fortune on them, I bought 3 auto inflate ones off a member of this site in good order & in date for about £25 each(@£17-50 to replace air system) & impact vests for waterskiing for @ £15 each.
To be honest we're all good swimmers but wouldn't consider going out even in the river without a lifejacket on & the auto/manual inflate ones are very unobtrusive.
Good luck with your search!

[John Kennett]

Originally Posted by 57Aircooled

Yep this ais what i meant PFD buoyancy aid
im seeing them from £20 to £150 do you need a approval mark or what things to look out for

They will all be CE marked and the difference in price will be down to things like more durable materials, more adjustable, maybe pockets, and impact protection in some models.

A buoyancy aid typically gives about a third of the floatation of a life jacket, and is only designed to support a conscious swimmer. From what you've said it would be a good choice for your use, but if you do decide to do more adventurous trips then remember it's not a full-on life jacket.

I'd look at getting something like one of these:

http://www.lifejackets.co.uk/mobile/...boarding-vests

[57Aircooled]

thanks thats good to see, these are the style the kids jackets are
we'll get the same for us then

[tony t]

Originally Posted by 57Aircooled

thanks thats good to see, these are the style the kids jackets are we'll get the same for us then

Well done I take back the comment I made

[Jeff Hutcheon]

Originally Posted by 57Aircooled

Yep this ais what i meant PFD buoyancy aid
im seeing them from £20 to £150 do you need a approval mark or what things to look out for

Get the Kids to choose their own PFD jacket as they come in all kinds of fancy colors and designs etc ,just make shore they are the correct size etc

[Festinghouse]

if youre going to be towed then go for impact vests - as the name implies they are designed not to get ripped off when you take a high speed dunk ie impact the water. if you look at them you will notice they have maybe 4 or 5 straps rather than maybe one and a zip.
dont worry, you wont get told off for everything on ribnet - safety is the only thing that actually gets taken seriously on here!

[MustRib]

I sincerely hope you never need them in anger, but you are doing completely the right thing

[utsao]

Originally Posted by Festinghouse

a pfd of some description would allow your body to be found for your family to bury - not fair on them to be left with nothing but a feeling of emptiness, and a head full of unanswered questions.
sorry if thats a bit heavy, but its true.

Late to the melee; LOL I suppose I should eat a can of beans before I head out on the water as to help search teams find my body for burial?

[willk]

Originally Posted by utsao

Late to the melee; LOL I suppose I should eat a can of beans before I head out on the water as to help search teams find my body for burial?

I shouldn't bother IIWY. I spent/wasted several days helping look for the body of a young chap who had drowned while "swimming" beside a pontoon at the local harbour. He stayed submerged for 10 days and was found by divers. Marine life can quickly perforate the abdomen and thus prevent buoyancy building up. He was a very distressing discovery for the divers and his family were never allowed to see him.

FYI, the lad drowned in the company of friends. The lifeboat arrived about 20 minutes after he was lost. It took well over 200 people 10 days to find him. When I see people arguing about life jackets, I always remember him..

Currently there are two shore fishermen missing here, lost in different incidents in the past two weeks. Despite extensive searches, no bodies have been recovered.

[paddlers]

Given the relatively low cost (in comparison to most things boaty) and the ease of wearing them I can't think of a reason not to wear one frankly !!

[miccheck1516]

Originally Posted by willk

I shouldn't bother IIWY. I spent/wasted several days helping look for the body of a young chap who had drowned while "swimming" beside a pontoon at the local harbour. He stayed submerged for 10 days and was found by divers. Marine life can quickly perforate the abdomen and thus prevent buoyancy building up. He was a very distressing discovery for the divers and his family were never allowed to see him.

FYI, the lad drowned in the company of friends. The lifeboat arrived about 20 minutes after he was lost. It took well over 200 people 10 days to find him. When I see people arguing about life jackets, I always remember him..

Currently there are two shore fishermen missing here, lost in different incidents in the past two weeks. Despite extensive searches, no bodies have been recovered.

Add to that the polish chap at ramore head a few weeks ago,

The fisherman who was pulled out of the water by south rock after his boat sank who said that if it wasn't for having been given a lifejacket not long before, that he wouldn't have made it waiting the 45 minutes to be found...

Rescue-fisherman's life saver gift - BelfastTelegraph.co.uk

[MustRib]

a pretty graphic illustration of what many of us are saying, which new Sibbers should take a look at.

Three rescued from capsized RIB by Whitstable lifeboat crew

300 yards from shore in a Honwave 3.2 metre inflatable, wearing what look like PFD's rather than Lifejackets. The first casualty picked up - either badly fitting crotch strap or more likely none worn/fitted and look at how her head is almost disappearing inside the floatation device.
All ended well fortunately. Quick turnout from the RNLI