When you step onto a boat and wear a personal flotation device, you feel prepared for the water. However, there might be an unexpected event on the water. One of those unexpected events might be a wave that knocks you overboard.
When this happens, your personal flotation device might work against you. These specific moment can make the difference between a sailor who makes it back to safety and one who does not. Many boaters dont consider their personal flotation device very critical to their survival on the water.
When on the boat, they will reach for the nearest personal flotation device and put it into a locker on the boat. They will then hope for the best. These problems with personal flotation devices will manifest when the water conditions become bad.
If you are aware of the common failure of a personal flotation device, you can avoid these failures and prepare yourself to make a swim back to safety. The following list will detail the common issues with personal flotation devices. These issues is based on the thousands of hours that the sailors have spent on the water.
These details are the important details to know when the waters are moving and your lungs are burning from the effort of trying to stay on top of the water.
Common Problems With Personal Flotation Devices
1. Inflatable Personal Flotation Devices
Inflatable personal flotation devices are likely to fail in the moments that a person needs to be floating on their back. The CO2 cartridge that is inside the vest could have expired.
Additionally, salt spray from the seas has potentially corroded the inflation mechanism. When this happens, a person will struggle on the water. The solution is to check the date of inspection on every CO2 cartridge.
If it is time for replacement, do it. This will cost you less than a tank of gas, but will save your life.
2. Manual Inflatable Vests
Many boaters do not think of the fact that manual inflatable vests requires the person to pull on a cord when they are in the water.
If the water is very cold or if the person is in a state of panic, they may not be able to complete this process.
3. Automatic Vests with Salt Tablets
Automatic vests with salt tablets will trigger the inflation mechanism if the salt tablets get damp. This could result in the inflation of the vest while it is in the locker on the boat.
To avoid this, practice using the personal flotation device on dry land before you ever hit the water.
4. Improper Fit and Sizing
One of the most common issue with personal flotation devices is that they do not have a proper fit. If the life jacket is riding up over your chin, when you hit the water, it could push your head underwater.
This is a problem that is common with cheap personal flotation devices. To avoid this problem, adjust the straps on the life jacket while you are in front of a mirror. Ensure that both the waist and the shoulder straps is secured.
5. Fabric Degradation from Sunlight and Dampness
Personal flotation devices that are exposed to direct sunlight or damp environments will eventually degrade in their fabric. The ultraviolet rays will weaken the fabric of the personal flotation device before the foam ever loses its buoyancy. Eventually, the frayed edges will become entire seams in the vest.
At this point, the foam can tear out of the vest or it can dissolve after being exposed to water repeatedly. The smartest skipper will store their life jackets indoors when they are not in use. Additionally, they will replace any vest that begins to show signs of wear.
6. Loss of Foam Buoyancy
The foam in personal flotation devices will lose its buoyancy with time with exposure to water. While the foam is supposed to be immune to exposure to water, the repeated impact against the human body causes cracks in the foam. These cracks allow water to enter the vests with every outing in the boat.
Eventually, the life jacket will not keep you afloat. Squeezing the panels of the life jacket after every outing can detect water within the vest. If the panels feel spongy or if the life jacket feels heavy, it has reached the end of its usefull life.
7. Restrictive Movement in Offshore Life Jackets
Another problem with personal flotation devices is that their restrictive movements can pose problems for the wearer. Offshore life jackets are typically bulky and will limit the ability of the wearer to swim to shore or to climb back onto the boat. Inshore personal flotation devices are lighter and allow for more mobility but lack features like reflective tape or personal locator beacon attachments.
The choice of personal flotation device depends off the type of waters that will be encountered in boating activities. Personal flotation devices that lack proper reflective tape will make it challenging for search and rescue teams to spot the person who has fallen into the water. The reflective tape wears over time.
8. Worn Reflective Tape
Once it starts to peel from the vest it will be nearly impossible to spot the person wearing the personal flotation device. To fix this problem you will have to replace the tape on the vest. This is an inexpensive task and will take about twenty minutes to complete.
9. Improper Cleaning and Maintenance
Personal flotation devices should be properly cleaned after each outing on the boat. Harsh detergents will break down both the fabric and foam of the personal flotation device. Additionally, the residues from these detergents can damage the personal flotation device.
After each outing, a quick rinse with fresh water will remove the sand and salt from the device. Then, the device should be hung up to dry in the shade with the buckles on the device open. Stuffing the device into a bag will allow mildew to grow inside the device and cause it to break down faster.
10. Forgotten Inflation Lanyards
One of the more common mistakes with personal flotation devices is to forget to remove the inflation lanyard after an accidental inflation of the device. If the lanyard is left on the inflation mechanism, the device will not inflate for the wearer when they need it the most. Personal flotation devices are only supposed to be used once.
If the device is reused the cartridge will fail to fire when needed.
11. Incorrect Sizing for Children
Children tend to outgrow their personal flotation devices very fast. The life jacket that fit a child perfectly last summer might be too low for the childs chest this summer.
Additionally, a child can fall into the water and slip out of the life jacket when they are upside down in the water. Personal flotation devices from the Coast Guard are approved for specific weights of children. If a child is too light for a particular size of personal flotation device they should use a different size.
Additionally, personal flotation devices should be inspected before every outing to ensure the child is wearing the proper size.
12. Missing Crotch Straps
The crotch strap might be uncomfortable or be deemed embarrassing to wear. However, if it is skipped the life jacket will ride up over the wearers chest and neck.
This limits the wearers ability to breathe and could results in drowning. The crotch strap is meant to be used for a reason so ensure to wear it while on the water. Finally, another common failure in the effectiveness of personal flotation devices is due to the care that is taken in storing and using these devices.
Every boating season there are new wear and storage conditions for the personal flotation devices. Additionally, there are lessons that can be learned from friends who did not return from the water. Therefore, spending ten minutes at the start of every boating season to examine each personal flotation device will catch most of the problems.
Check the buckles, check the inflation devices and ensure that anything that looks potentially broken is replaced. This will save a persons life when the water conditions become serious. In the end, every person who travels on the water should respect the fact that a failure in any part of a personal flotation device can result in a death.
A personal flotation device is not meant to be jewelry for your boat. It is your last line of defense when you fall into the water. A personal flotation device will only work when each part is provided for in advance.
Therefore, every person should remember this the next time they put on their personal flotation device. Taking a few minutes to take care of each personal flotation device will save your life and prevent you from becoming a cautionary tale about the dangers of neglecting the care of these devices.