Routine checks of life jackets crucial

SAILING:SAFETY AT sea is a regular topic among sailors in all disciplines, racing or cruising, and technological advances continue to offer higher standards. Emergency Position Indicating Radio Beacons (EPIRB) are standard on large vessels, but personal, portable devices are not as widespread.

When activated, an EPIRB can send a distress signal to a satellite that relays the emergency to the relevant national service. Fully configured devices can relay GPS positions and the nature of the distress, while other vessels in the region also receive the alert.

While EPIRBs on Irish vessels, including boats and yachts, can be registered, the smaller devices have not been fully functional in Ireland until now following an initiative by the Commission for Communications Regulation (ComReg) and the maritime radio affairs unit of the Marine Survey Office.

Personal Locator Devices (PLB), which can be carried on land or at sea, are commercially available. Similar in operation to an EPIRB, fully-functioning units are around the size of VHF radios, have built-in GPS and separate direction-finding. Latest-generation PLBs typically cost €250.

Meanwhile, recently heightened concerns for life-jacket safety have centred on proper maintenance, particularly of automatically inflating types. Although many small-boat water-sports users such as dinghy sailors, windsurfers and jet-skiers opt for permanent buoyancy such as a life-vest, to qualify as a life-jacket support around the neck to keep a user face-up in the water is required.

But the traditional solution is often a bulky device that discourages use. In recent years, however, life-jackets have become neater and more convenient to use and offer automatic, or semi-automatic, gas-bottle inflation system.

However, they need more maintenance than the bulkier variety and scheduled inspections are sometimes overlooked. In addition to servicing by accredited providers, routine checks can be carried out, including

– Manually inflate the life-jacket and leave overnight to see if it deflates;

– Check the gas bottle is in good condition and is properly secured;

– Ensure the firing pin is in place and, if a hammar type, is within useful age;

– Inspect the seams of the inflatable “stole” for signs of wear and tear;

– A crotch-strap can be added to a standard life-jacket to offer additional support should the wearer lose consciousness.

Routine inspections by the Irish Coastguard and safety demonstrations by the Royal National Lifeboat Institution (RNLI) have revealed poor standards in many sample life-jackets. Both bodies say any type of personal flotation device is “useless unless worn”.

Calves Week gets under way tonight and tomorrow morning with feeder races from Crosshaven and Kinsale to Schull.

More than 60 entries have been received and demand has been so strong for the White Sails fleet that two divisions have been created.