SAFE NAVIGATING – How to choose the right self-inflating jacket

Together with ocean navigator Sergio Frattaruolo, we reveal everything you need to know about self-inflating life jackets. How to choose them, what to check, mistakes to avoid (credit opening photo: RNLI/Nathan Williams)

Safety, at sea, comes first. Especially if you love long sailing, be aware that the Mediterranean is one of the most unpredictable seas, and you may find yourself sailing through four-meter waves with 30 knots in your face. Starting with this issue, in several installments, we will devote in-depth coverage to safe cruising with an exceptional testimonial, Sergio Frattaruolo: an ocean sailor with a Mini Transat and 70,000 miles behind him, he founded the Extreme Sailing Academy in Lisbon, where he teaches students all the tricks to “grind miles” in peace. In this first installment, we will talk to you about a key issue in safe boating: choosing self-inflating jackets.

THE RIGHT SELF-INFLATING JACKET

In Italy there is a requirement for newly registered boats to have as many self-inflating 150 Newton life jackets as there are people on board. The premise is that if maintained well, a self-inflating jacket can last you many, many years. So it’s not worth going cheap.

Best comfortable and with integrated belt. “Always favor practicality; the life jacket should not prevent your freedom of movement. Personally, I recommend Spinlock or Ergofit models from Crewsaver,” Frattaruolo explains. “Choose a jacket that has an integrated belt to which you can attach the cord that will tie you to the jackline: belt/jacket integration is a relatively recent solution and will allow you to have the benefits of both elements available in every situation, without them interfering with each other.” Not to mention that “wearing a one-piece drastically reduces the time to dress and secure yourself in case of need.” There are two types of vests on the market with integrated belts, simple ring and certified harness (the latter solution, for example, is required in offshore racing).

Better manual or automatic activation? Vest activation can be manual or automatic. In the first case, the system involves a firing pin to be operated manually when falling overboard: this punctures the CO2 canister to inflate the vest. It costs less and has the advantage of not “randomly” inflating in heavy rain and if you get hit by splashing water. But the automatic solution is safer because it is the only one that guarantees that you will stay afloat if you fall into the water as a result of a knock that caused you to lose consciousness.

Tablet or hydrostatic? Another substantial parameter to consider when choosing an automatic self-inflating jacket is its inflation system: with CO2 canister and tablet usually salt or hydrostatic. The former have a tablet inside them that dissolves on contact with water, acting as a “detonator” for the canister, which is usually activated after a couple of seconds. Hydrostatic-type jackets are equipped with a special slot calibrated to open to a predetermined depth (no more than 30 centimeters). “If you have an active role on board and have to intervene in emergencies, for example, you should consider disabling the automatic system, because in case you get hit by waves the vest could activate itself, causing you problems. If that happens, never take the vest off unless you are inside the boat!”

How many Newtons? “I like to speak plainly: often the number of Newtons in inflatables (which determines the sizing of the inner tube and the resulting buoyancy) is often used by marketing to give an absolute value to the jacket while things are not really like that, you have to choose the one that best suits your needs. With 150/170 N models you will float with no problem, and because they work with the very popular 33-gram carbon dioxide canisters, you will have no difficulty finding rearming kits at any shipchandler around the world. The same cannot be said for models with more Newtons (such as the 270 models): finding spare parts is not always easy. Heavier and bulkier to wear, high buoyancy vests are designed for those who sail in cold water, where the higher you stand on the water, the less body surface area remains in the water, reducing the risks of hypothermia.”

Try them in water. “I always advise my students to buy the vest with two spare kits (tablet + canister): one will serve as a spare on board, the other to test it in the water,” advises Frattaruolo. “At the first good opportunity, descend into the water with your vest on because if you don’t experience the sensation of wearing it when inflated, you won’t have a ‘mental precedent’ to serve as a role model: and not to panic when you find yourself in the water for real. For a 170 N model, the cost of a replacement is around 20 euros. It’s money well spent for a life lesson.”

Maintenance. We said before that good maintenance greatly extends the life of a self-inflating vest: “Wash the vest well after each use, after obviously disconnecting the canister activation system. Dry it carefully and store it in a dry place, you can use airtight bags, or the common vacuum laundry bags you find at Ikea (avoid the bottom of the lockers!). The CO2 canister also deserves special attention; unscrew it and check the expiration date, which few people know is marked on it. Also, with the help of a simple kitchen scale, check its weight periodically. On the canister is stamped the minimum weight of the filled canister, if the weight you find is less than this weight replace it immediately, it means it has a leak or is otherwise defective.

In the next installment: everything you need to know about the jackline

WHO IS OUR EXPERT
Sergio Frattaruolo, from Bologna, class of 1969. In 2011 he crossed the Atlantic participating in the Mini Transat, and in 2012 he was in the Global Ocean Race (around the world in doubles on Class 40s). On the Class 40 Calaluna, he takes part in the most important offshore races in the Mediterranean. In 2013, he founded the Extreme Sailing Academy in Lisbon: an offshore sailing school aimed at everyone. In 2015, he and his students won the record on the Discovery Route in the up to 40-foot category. www.extremesailacademy.com

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