Frequently Asked Questions

Hands down, a Lifejacket is THE MOST IMPORTANT bit of boating kit. We all hope that we won’t ever need it, but it is always better to be safe than sorry. This is why you should always wear one no matter what!

There are many differences between each lifejacket, and that can make it quite overwhelming when looking to buy one. In this post we’ll discuss the differences, there pros and cons, and suggest some of our favourites.

Automatic or Manual?
These two words is one of the main differences between lifejackets, when just looking at the label. An automatic lifejacket will inflate once a mechanism inside hits water. This mechanism consists of a air canister and a spring loaded pin that pierces the canister. Now, I bet you’re all wondering why this only happens when the lifejacket gets wet: the answer is a single piece of paper. As the pin is spring loaded, a piece of paper is placed over the end of the contracted pin, which will get wet and disintegrate piercing the canister and inflating your lifejacket. This is a big advantage for a Lifejacket to have, as if your are knocked unconscious and fall from the boat it will set off and turn you onto your back so you cannot inhale any water.

A manual Lifejacket has a very similar mechanism, but instead of a piece of paper to stop the pin, it has a lever attached to a chord. It is called a manual lifejacket, as you have to manually inflate it, by pulling this cord so the pin can pierce the air canister. This means the lifejacket won’t inflate if you happen to get splashed, like an automatic possibly would. However, it does have quite a few downsides that the automatic doesn’t have. Going back to you being unconscious in the water, you will be unable to inflate your lifejacket- which could be detrimental to your survival, as you won’t be turned onto your back and will quite possibly drown.

Bit more technical

Although, it does get a little bit more complicated, however you do get the best of both worlds: hammar lifejackets and pro-sensor lifejackets.

Hammar lifejackets work in a similar way to automatic lifejackets, with a sensor that is activated approximately ten centimetres underwater. This allows for less chance of accidental inflation when offshore sailing when you are more likely to get splashed.

Pro-sensor lifejackets follow the same system as hammar lifejackets, but instead of water use pressure as the trigger for the sensor. These again are great for offshore sailing. 

In store

At Seawood, we stock Ocean Safety’s line of lifejackets. These include both manual and automatic. With these, we have a range of harnessed lifejackets and those with more basic features to keep you safely out on the water.

This, however, doesn’t stop us from being able to order in a lifejacket we don’t have in stock. Just speak to a member of the team and they’ll be able to advise you on how to go about your order.

Picking a buoyancy aid can be quite confusing. There are so many different brands, styles, and fits! With this being one of the most important bits of kit for water-sports, everyone want to make sure they get the right one.

There are a few things to work out that will make this choice a lot easier: knowing what you want to do in it; knowing who you want to buy it from and knowing your rough body measurements. By knowing these three things, it will help you to narrow down your choices and then pick the best buoyancy aid for you.

What do you want to do?
Knowing what you want to do on the water will help you pick the style of buoyancy aid that will best suit your needs. One important thing to remember at this stage is the difference between a buoyancy aid and a lifejacket; buoyancy aids are made from a foam insert that aids your buoyancy (if you’re stuck in the water it will not keep you floating for hours on end) and lifejackets are designed with a collar that turns you onto your back and will preserve your life for a much longer period of time. This difference is very important, as if you buy a lifejacket and get it wet by dinghy sailing or paddle boarding, it will be a shock when it expands and the cartridges will need replacing - if you’re interested in lifejackets then have a look at our article about them!

The reason the activities you want to do matters, is because for certain sports you’ll need to move your arms a lot more (mainly when kayaking or paddle boarding), so you will desire a less bulky fit. However if you are planning to do a little bit of everything, choosing a more standard, “bulky” fit may be better. 

At Seawood Chandlery, we stock a large range of buoyancy aids, with different fits to ensure you can safely enjoy your time on the water. As mentioned paddlers will want a slimmer fit around the arms. Helly Hansen’s rider compact 50N life vest would be great for this, as it’s design replicates the look and fit of a lifejacket, freeing your arm movement.

Seawood or Supermarket?
By knowing the brand you want to buy from will help narrow your options even more, as every brand has something a little different and possibly one more tailored to your needs. No matter what, buoyancy aids and lifejackets should always be bought from known and reliable brand or stockist. When it comes to safety, no corner should ever be cut to save a couple of quid. At Seawood Chandlery, we only stock brands we ourselves would wear out on the water: Gill, Helly Hansen and Jobe . These are all reasonably priced for the high quality you are getting and our range is diverse enough to cover all your on water needs without overwhelming you with choice.

Fitting

The fit of your buoyancy aid is the most important thing as it ensures you won’t slip out! The fit must be snug, yet comfortable and the shoulder straps should not be able to be pulled above your ear lobes. If these two checks aren’t met, you are not wearing the correct size. This is why it is good to know your rough body measurements, as the sizing is mainly based off weight and chest width. However this can be taken with a pinch of salt, as how it fits is the most important part, so some people might have to wear a size up or down. Trying on a size either side of your weight and chest width category might be an idea to see if the fit performs better under the two checks.

Now, that might have been a lot of information to take in, so try to keep in mind those main elements: what am I going to use it for and does this fit snugly and securely. If you can do that the whole process of pick the best buoyancy aid for you will be much simpler. And, if you can, try it on before you buy it!!!