If a person goes overboard on a boat trip, then there is one life jacket a big help. By wearing a life jacket The likelihood of his quick salvage is much higher. A good life jacket should have a powerlessness and a very strong buoyancy. The quality of a vest is exactly measured by these purchase criteria.

Advantages and disadvantages of one life jacket

The biggest advantage of a life jacket is that you can not go under. It is therefore a product that can save lives in an emergency. The selection of lifejackets is very large. If you want to be sure, you should buy a high quality vest. Unlike a life jacket, a lifejacket is not designed to help a non-swimmer swim, but keeps the body afloat. Even under the most severe conditions, unconscious castaways are prevented from drowning. A great feature of a life jacket is a fainting and a high buoyancy. The powerlessness causes an unconscious person to automatically turn to the supine position. Thus, mouth and nose are always over water. The buoyancy of a lifejacket is measured in Newton (N). The norm differs between:

275 N Lifejacket DIN EN ISO 12402-2 despite heavy clothing, unconscious, even in extreme conditions on the high seas suitable
150 N lifejacket DIN EN ISO 12402-3 for all waters with heavy clothing, the powerlessness is limited
100 N lifejacket DIN EN ISO 12402-4 for inland waters with a limited powerlessness, with heavy clothing
50 N floatDIN ISO 12402-5 no lifejacket, not fainting

Properties of lifejackets

People planning a trip on the pleasure boat should opt for the vest DIN EN 12401. The manufacture and characteristics of the vest are precisely defined. This applies especially to the field of linen and seat belts. The lifejacket can thus be connected to the boat. Thus, in an emergency easier rescue from the water on the boat is possible. The equipment of the vest should always be selected depending on the application. A typical lifejacket will always inflate with a CO2 cartridge after the shutter release button is pressed. In addition, the lifejacket can be inflated manually. Many models have an automatic inflation system. Under the influence of water a stopper decomposes. This is the way for an inflating mechanism through a C02 cartridge. In addition, when choosing the vest the different pieces of equipment are very important. These are either prescribed by the standard or even optionally selectable.

The most common properties are

– Inflator
– Reflective strips
– Emergency light
– neckroll
– whistle

Many manufacturers recommend that you always select a lifejacket for a good fit and sufficient freedom of movement if it meets all other requirements.

What should be considered when buying a life jacket?

A safe vest should be optimally adjusted to your own body size. She has to do all the movements, otherwise working on the boat or boat is not possible. It is always important that a life jacket is maintained regularly. There are no regulations and regulations for the maintenance by the legislator. However, many manufacturers recommend that the vests should be cleaned separately. When making a purchase, attention should always be paid to the size specifications. But also the size of the chest and the comfortable belt system are important.