I think you already know what I wanna ask! I am a non-swimmer and want to go on a sail. How can I check a good life jacket?
Non-swimmers and life jackets! How to choose one?
- Thread starter mattbaker
- Start date
Thats a terrible list.
First, I would NEVER recommend an inflating vest for a non-swimmer. They fail too often. And you can often end up underwater face down for a short time even when they do inflate. Get an inherently buoyant vest.
The cheapo orange horse collars are another non-starter. Too uncomfortable to be worn during active sports. And ugly.
A body conforming foam vest would be best. like this.
First, I would NEVER recommend an inflating vest for a non-swimmer. They fail too often. And you can often end up underwater face down for a short time even when they do inflate. Get an inherently buoyant vest.
The cheapo orange horse collars are another non-starter. Too uncomfortable to be worn during active sports. And ugly.
A body conforming foam vest would be best. like this.
I'm with @Jackdaw That list is so bad that I couldn't even read all the bad advice.
The orange horse vests that cost less than $10 are perfectly fine if you want to make a fashion statement and assure everyone one around you that don't know what you're doing. I haven't worn one since the early 60s.
As a non swimmer you want a PFD that is comfortable, reliably floats you, and does not restrict movement. If you were a small boat One Design racer you would want a PFD that reliably floats you, does not restrict movement, and is comfortable. These will not be inexpensive, but your life is not inexpensive either.
A good course of action would be to visit a good boating goods store that serves the racing crowd. Try on a bunch of PFDs find the one that fits best and meets the 3 criteria, reliable, comfortable, and minimally restrictive. Fashionable would also be a plus.
Some online line sources:
Annapolis Performance Sailing
Landfall Navigation
Another direction to look are the paddle sports, like kayaking and canoeing.
REI
Eastern Mountain Sports
Finally, it would be a good idea to find an adult learn to swim program. Having the skill to be able to stay afloat and be comfortable in the water will be a real plus. Anytime you are around the marina you are at risk of falling in the water. Unless you put on a PFD as soon as you get out of the car, you'll be at risk. In 35 years of sailing I've only fallen overboard once and that was at the dock.
The orange horse vests that cost less than $10 are perfectly fine if you want to make a fashion statement and assure everyone one around you that don't know what you're doing. I haven't worn one since the early 60s.
As a non swimmer you want a PFD that is comfortable, reliably floats you, and does not restrict movement. If you were a small boat One Design racer you would want a PFD that reliably floats you, does not restrict movement, and is comfortable. These will not be inexpensive, but your life is not inexpensive either.
A good course of action would be to visit a good boating goods store that serves the racing crowd. Try on a bunch of PFDs find the one that fits best and meets the 3 criteria, reliable, comfortable, and minimally restrictive. Fashionable would also be a plus.
Some online line sources:
Annapolis Performance Sailing
Landfall Navigation
Another direction to look are the paddle sports, like kayaking and canoeing.
REI
Eastern Mountain Sports
Finally, it would be a good idea to find an adult learn to swim program. Having the skill to be able to stay afloat and be comfortable in the water will be a real plus. Anytime you are around the marina you are at risk of falling in the water. Unless you put on a PFD as soon as you get out of the car, you'll be at risk. In 35 years of sailing I've only fallen overboard once and that was at the dock.
OK, so @Justin_NSA you trolled me!I stopped at this picture. But seriously, anyone can call themselves an expert on the 'net!
I went back to the SPAM LINK REMOVED to investigate. On what basis do they claim to be experts on lifejackets. The first clue was this quote:
Now I don't have a problem with Amazon Affliates, I am one and I earn a whopping $50 to $100 a year. However, this site appears to be one set up to just sell stuff. Maybe they do know what they are talking about.
Then there is the legal disclaimer. Well, a quick read and it is the usual legalese, loosely translated as "We're not responsible for anything bad that might happen. Its your own damn fault."
However, it does suggest that they are affiliated with Snakesindreams.com Now, I'm confused, what do snakes in dreams have to do with life jackets? (At least it is not Snakes on a Plane) Of course if the master site was "Snakes on a Boat" there might be a connection as having a good PFD might be valuable if your boat is infested with snakes.
No, no, no...… throw that list away... it's useless. Sorry for the abrupt comment Matt, but this is a very important subject. Here's an article published by a valid source, West Marine, that will educate you on your options.
Within the article, you should highlight the paragraphs "Day Sailing" and "Offshore Sail". Those comments will re affirm Clay and Dave's recommendations.
@Jackdaw is spot on (as usual). Non-swimmers don't wear inflatables on my boat. Also, @dlochner may have been kidding, but he has a great message. If you are a non-swimmer, put your vest on before you go onto the dock. Getting in and out of the boat, bumping into someone carrying stuff, loose board, etc are all potential reasons to hit the water. Even a strong swimmer can drown if injured during water entry. I haven't done it yet, but a friend I sail with had a near death experience. He is a strong swimmer that grew up boating. Had motor trouble leaving his dock, drifted to a neighbor's dock, tied up, and stepped out. Discovered, when he came-to, that the neighbor had been working on his dock and the board he stepped on wasn't nailed down. Basically, he got dumped, hit his head, and fortunately fell into his boat. He wasn't wearing his vest. Now he puts it on before he steps on the dock. Apparently, even a 68 year old dog can still learn a new trick.
smaller kids should have PFD's on bhefore they step onto the dock. Some states have laws- under 12- put it on
Sometimes a little sugar helps the medicine go down, or so Mary Poppins says.
We sail and hang out at marinas because it is fun, relaxing, and enjoyable. We do need to be mindful of the risks involved, but we don't need to be preoccupied with doom and gloom scenarios. And yes, I really did fall off a boat while tied to the dock, wasn't as careful as I needed to be.
I have been considering a mustang survival jacket for late fall and winter sailing. Company has been around for some time with a reputation for quality products. The reviews are mostly positive. Any personal experience? Obviously, this is not a life jacket that one would use year round nor would a casual user consider one; however, might be a good one to serve a dual purpose for avid sailors / boaters.
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Big Easy, have a friend who sails the fringe seasons up here. He has had one of those jackets and loves it. I have never seen him in the water with it, but as you say Mustang has a good reputation for building safe product. The jacket needs to be sized correctly. CG approval means it is assured of having more than 15 1/2 pounds of floatation. The average person requires between 7-12 pounds to stay afloat.
Take a picture for us to oogle, styling in a new jacket.
Take a picture for us to oogle, styling in a new jacket.
For colder water, do yourself a fave and skip the jacket and buy the one piece suit. MUCH better protection for obvious reasons. They are pretty common offshore race gear here on Lake Superior. Standard issue for coasties on cold weather areas. Because of that, scan your PNW craigslist for used ones. They get sold there often.
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Thank you Clay. Big Easy in in Louisiana.
I looked into the Mustang suit. but elected to go with an OceanRodeo Dry suit. Allows me better movement about the deck. I wear insulating fleece/wool layers beneath the suit. This winter I am going in for a test. Will report back results.
I may be looking for a suit you suggest. After all if it works in the waters of Superior it will work anywhere I may sail.
I looked into the Mustang suit. but elected to go with an OceanRodeo Dry suit. Allows me better movement about the deck. I wear insulating fleece/wool layers beneath the suit. This winter I am going in for a test. Will report back results.
I may be looking for a suit you suggest. After all if it works in the waters of Superior it will work anywhere I may sail.
I know that. My point was that I don't understand that utility of just the jacket on a sailboat. If you're looking for a lifejacket, that product is not super versatile, with little of the recovery aids you find in top-end offshore PFDs. And keeping you safe from hypothermia requires a suit, not a jacket. Why go half way? If you want a jacket buy a jacket and put a good PDF over it when needed.
That mustang jacket looks like something you would wear on the cold deck or on the bridge of a SHIP, were by rules you need to have flotation but there is almost zero chance of going over.
PS - thx for the notice about OceanRodeo. That looks interesting. Have you used it yet? I would wonder about how hot/wet it gets in active use.
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Yea that last point was more for us types!
PS - thx for the notice about OceanRodeo. That looks interesting. Have you used it yet? I would wonder about how hot/wet it gets in active use.