TruDesign Professionals Keep You Alert Regarding Life Jacket Possible Dangers


Ralph Naranjo

Your TruDesign Analysts Are Always Looking Out for Your Safety 


Raritan Engineering Company would like to share with you this week information regarding life jackets.


Rule one: Wear a personal flotation device (PFD).


Rule two: Wear the right PFD for your on-the-water activity.


Rule three: Know what to do when your PFD prevents your rescue or self-rescue.


Testing any sailing equipment entails a high degree of responsibility, but this is especially true of safety equipment. A tragic accident off the coast of Costa Rica this week called to mind an important study that Practical Sailor did in March of 2013 on the trouble that life jackets can pose to sailors in the event of a capsize. 


In the tense video footage captured by an American tourist we see exactly how it can happen. The added buoyancy of the jacket inhibits the camera person's ability to dive under and get free of the hull and superstructure of the tour boat (a power catamaran, in this case). 


Your TruDesign Experts Help You Make the Right Choice About Personal Floatation Devices


Your TruDesign specialists know that the decision about what type of personal floatation device (PFD) to wear is not straightforward. It involves a careful risk assessment by you, the sailor. This is to say that the following guidance I offer should not be regarded as a one-size-fits all advice. 



  1. If you are using an auto-inflating personal flotation device, think hard about the benefit versus risk of disabling the auto-inflate feature, so that it will only inflate manually (not all infalatable PFDs allow this). 

  2. For coastal sailing in small boats (or even larger cruisers that operate within a few miles of shore in protected waters) consider opting for a “sport” PFD or a manual inflating PFD, instead of an auto-inflating PFD. The buoyancy in the auto-inflating PFDs is tremendous, too much to escape from under even a small boat.


Keep in mind, the risk of your PFD being a problem are extremely low and the benefits of wearing one far outweight the benefits of going without. Nevertheless, it doesn't hurt to be aware of how things can go wrong, and to understand the subtle differences in life jackets that can make a difference. 


“In other sports, participants recognize how essential gear can become a hazard, and they are trained how to respond in that event. Scuba diving courses teach beginners how to don and doff their tanks and buoyancy compensators.


“One of the most important observations made during this initial round of our testing was how important it is to practice bleeding air from the PFD bladders.


Visit us at http://raritaneng.com/category-pages/trudesign-products/ and see how Raritan Engineering always has more information regarding TruDesign fittings. 


via Hidden Risks of Life Jackets


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