HOW TO USE A LIFEJACKET PROPERLY

Wearing a lifejacket is one of the most important things you can do to increase safety afloat but unless you wear and maintain it correctly, it won’t work as well as it’s meant to if and when you fall into the water. Any Personal Flotation Device (PFD) provides buoyancy that helps keep you afloat. This is measured in Newtons and for most PFDs starts at 50N. However, from 150N upwards it should be buoyant enough to turn you face up even when unconscious, greatly improving your chances of survival.

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Here are three things you can do to improve the chances of your lifejacket doing what it’s meant to do when you need it most.

CHOOSE A PFD THAT IS SUITABLE FOR YOUR BOATING NEEDS Buoyancy aids are not the same as lifejackets as they only provide 50N of lift. However, they are great for any form of watersports where there is a good chance of falling in but still being able to swim, such as paddle boarding or kayaking.

Anything that involves you being more than an easy swim from shore needs a proper lifejacket with at least 150N of uplift, and in my view it really should have automatic inflation – the last thing you want to be worrying about is finding the inflation toggle. If you are of a larger build or likely to be wearing thick clothing then 150N might not be enough so consider a lifejacket offering a higher level of buoyancy – full offshore ones go up to 275N. Also think about the features you might need such as a strong clip-on point, crutch straps, a water-activated light if you ever go boating at night, a sprayhood if you risk being caught out in bad weather or a holder for a personal locator beacon if venturing offshore. All are available if your budget allows.