Is a manual gas lifejacket a "lifejacket"?

[Swifty]

Can a manual gas lifejacket be called a "lifejacket" if it is not inflated?

I feel there is a grey area here, as an auto lifejacket would fulfill the lifejacket objective of keeping a body afloat and alive without user intervention, whereas a manual will only fulfill the objective if the wearer follows a proceedure, ie is able to pull the toggle - then it becomes a lifejacket.

Anything is better than nothing at all, and the wearing is widely encouraged or enforced, but is it not a distortion of the term lifejacket?

My opinions are that a manual is only suitable for an experienced person in daylight, and an auto will be worn at night (with an auto light).

[PeterM]

In an extension to your logic ...

None of them can be called lifejackets as they all require manual intervention to pick them up , put them on , secure them & adjust them.

An aircraft isn't an aircraft until it leaves the ground - its just a craft....

A boat isn't a boat until it starts floating.....



I'll get my coat ......

[Starovich]

an auto jacket is not a life jacket till its inflated, they have been know to fail.

Its all a case of risk assessment, if you want to be fully safe, you'll be in a survival suit (temp Dependent)with a foam based life jacket on.
in terms of saety id say
Manual >Auto >Foam/Air >Full Foam

Not that this include practicality or use, e.g, a white water canoeist, with a full foam lifejacket would be more at risk than using a slimline buoyancy aid as he cant move in a LJ and is half expecting to go in the water, so is clothed for it.

[Dry Run]

It's a good question and I think you are correct about it being a lifejacket only when inflated - although if your stuck to the roof in a capsized boat maybe a death jacket would be better!

Either way, if you want an argument about it go and see the ticket collector at the Gosport Ferry. Wouldn't let me on with an empty "fuel can". I argued that until it had fuel in it it was just a can and would he call a sandwich a bacon sandwhich if it had no bacon in it!!!!

Guess who won? Anyway I enjoyed the drive round to Gosport

[Tim M]

My Spinlock has "not a lifejacket until inflated" printed on the label.

[Dry Run]

Originally Posted by Tim M

My Spinlock has "not a lifejacket until inflated" printed on the label.

Ah, the old Salted Peanut bag warning - "may contain nuts" scenario eh?