I would buy all of this kit now based solely upon your recommendation. I have not seen such an unbiased and comprehensive test of a life jacket before. Thank you.
I’d strongly encourage everyone to test their PFDs. Last week, I decided to test a West Marine Offshore that I’d been wearing for five years, replaced with a better one this year, and let guests wear on the boat. I knew it was overdue to be repacked and wanted to see what the deployment was like. It was very educational. I jumped off my boat and it inflated aggressively, and I bobbed to the surface. My first thought is “I can’t breathe!” I’m a 6’2” guy with an average size neck, and the vest was properly adjusted, but it was compressing the sides of my neck to the point where I was fairly sure that they were compressing my carotid arteries, which can cause a blackout. I grabbed the deflator and found that it had been installed wrong. It wasn’t at the mouth of the inflator tube, it was 3” down the tube, which meant I couldn’t deflate it. I jammed one hand in by my neck to relieve the pressure a bit and frantically swam around to the aft ladder in case I passed out. I managed to grab the ladder and to undue the buckle so that I could breathe, then climbed onboard. I fought with the deflator for several minutes, assuming that I was using it improperly, then found it could only be deflated when I shoved a pencil down the inflator tube to push the deflate button. You will not have a pencil in the water. If I had gone off the boat in heavy seas, in the dark, I doubt I would have made it! TEST YOUR PFDs!
This is not a dig, but were you testing it alone? Makes me think it might be a good idea to have someone ready to assist during tests, in case something unexpected happens... Glad you made it OK!
Yup. I saw the same thing happen to a friend: he's a big guy too, luckily it was an accidental inflation on the dock, but his circulation was restricted very quickly to the point his face went dark red. Lucky his deflation valve worked as advertised and he got it off, but it was a good lesson that people outside the mean (taller or shorter, thicker or thinner etc than average) need to test that their equipment functions as advertised with their body type.
Excellent and informative comment, many thanks. fyi you're right about the pressure down the sides of the neck. Known as the carotid sinus reflex, nasty stuff.
@@elanthys Thanks for the advice...also, you can test inflation in your living room or a swimming pool, you don't have to jump off the boat for that purpose.
The AIS beacon is nice as long as there is someone else on the boat to turn around and pick you up. I am on my boat alone a lot of the time, so I just got this personal locator beacon that works by satellite. Its basically a little EPIRB that you can attach to your life jacket. It is an ACR ResQLink+ Its a different beacon for people who are alone on the boat.
I've actually never seen such pro and secure kit! Thank you so much for the demo it helps a lot to know how quick it inflates and the dangers of being towed forwards.
Very useful info. The recovery back to the boat is another issue, though. If someone’s knocked unconscious or so cold they can’t attach the lifting line to their harness they can be stuck in the water. Hypothermia is possible. Consider a pole with a clip hook, attached to the lifting line. You can then hook the casualty and winch them up, even without their help.
@@weAreNotAloneHere you know, there are hundreds of subjects where no one cares if someone makes a joke about it. Really, I love jokes. But not on such a serious subject. Your comment makes you look like... there are several words to describe it. Let's keep it simple and stick with two of those words. One starts with du and ends with mb, the other one starts with stu and ends with pid. I wonder if you are able to figure it out. But since you're such a smart ass, I guess so. No hate. 😉
Hi guys, great advice, but I have one more piece for you. I did a sea survival course and or instructor told us that any knife you need to open is useless in an emergency. Ever since then I've had a knife like yours in the outside of my lifejacket BUT I have a dagger type dive knife in the inside. Once the lifejacket inflates you will never get at your safety knife. So sick a dive knife on the inside that you will be able to access after the jacket has inflated. Happy sailing!
Boy o boy. I remember the days when comment sections were filled with negativity about lack of safety gear onboard. As the saying goes - you've come a long way baby! Great video from both a informational and entertainment point of view. Betcha had Kika known she was gonna be towed behind the tender she would have left Dan up the mast when he swapped out the wind vane.
You must have a way to "quick" release the tow line or you could die. Imagine 5 to 10 knots at night in heavy seas being dragged either way. When you FALL over would you lose your headlap the way you had it just around the vest? Change all batteries every 6 months if your life depends something. A handheld marine radio is a must. You can see and direct the boat to you far easier than perhaps only one person onboard trying to sail and find you (and at daytime the lights do not help so have some pen flares on you too) . Otherwise, great job.
Hi there, you might be interested to see what happens at higher speeds using a BackTow lifejacket - we got Oscar, our Head Designer, up to 18kts to show how a BackTow lifejacket performs compared to a regular lifejacket. Link here: ua-cam.com/video/YNRaGGOOAoc/v-deo.html
Wow ! You two are so clever and inventive. All the extra safety gear is brilliant and so well explained. Thank you kids. PS I hope you are safe and sound in a protective area from Dorian. Love, Marc. ♥️
Rearming cost money, agree it is money well spent. One should always Know how safety equipment works and how to manually inflate and deflate inflatable life vest, test and replace the required inflation system as the manufacturer recommends replace the bladders as necessary, the time to find out your bladder is leaking is not when you need it.
I have always wondered how you would keep from drowning if you fell over tethered....and if single handed how would you get back on the boat. This is very educational....thanks for the content that ya'll put out. Your channel is better than any program on TV. Thanks!!!
Very interesting one guys. Informative and educational, you have geared yourselves professionally and thank you for sharing your knowledge. Marc andre from MTL Canada.
Great additions. We train MOB situations every time first before we go offshore sailing. Increasing your visibility in the water is so important! During night you could have some of the illuminating sticks with you.
Thanks, I'm shopping for similar life jackets right now! Add a whistle too if the jacket doesn't come with one. "Storm" brand whistles are quite loud and, supposedly, work when wet/full of water (never tried that though.)
I've used Storm whistles in the Army. They work completely submerged in water, on a machine gun range, furring grenade qualifications... I've even used it raving in a packed club and it was the loudest thing in the club. You can hear that thing just about everywhere
Hey Reed, TeamO lifejackets do come with an ISO approved whistle included as standard - love the sound of a Storm whistle though, we will certainly go and check those out!
great video!! The MOB1 is such an important piece of gear, def better to clip it in jacket...on one passage we made the mistake of accidentally setting it off in our pocket, imagine waking up while off watch with a unnamed class a ais target directly on top of you! Took us a while to figure out it was the beacon 😂
Very smart additions to an already great vest. As always, you two educate us and I wish all racers paid as much attention to safety as they do to cold beer. Looks like practice drills are fun on a hot day! Great job!
Note on Spyderco: the handle color changes with the blade alloy type. Pick your metal--no choice of color. They also are kind enough to make a significant direct discount to credentialed first responders.
Not entirely accurate; the yellow handled spyderco comes with a silver H1 blade, but some black handle versions have either black or silver blades (my wife got me a black/black H1 last birthday!)
nice video. Well done. We always say to each of my crew "if you go overboard, you're DEAD" on any shift change or any time theres deck work to be done. Theres no turning around and rescuing short handed in gale conditions in southern ocean, where we usually sail, and when people tend to risk going overboard. I did a 2 day sea survival course in liferaft and life jackets, and its amazing how quickly you become incapacitated in even moderately warm water of 15-20 deg C. In any swell and wind, coming close to rescue someone in the water is so difficult and also the boat is bouncing around threatening to smack the victim in the skull. It really is i would guess less than a 10% chance of survival. Look at MAIB investigation reports where people have died after going overboard on sail boats and trawlers. Even with full crew and strong men, very often they only manage to recover a floating corpse. Avoid going overboard at ALL costs in the first place. Good luck and your videos are very entertaining.
Testing equipment and regular safety training is important. I used to run a rowing club - mostly single sculls - and PFDs were mandatory during winter and when the water temp dropped below 10c. I had people who would argue they didn’t need one because “they were good swimmers” and “they get in the way”. So we would demonstrate just how deadly cold water shock can be without a good PFD. They usually got the message. It’s astonishing how many people have heard of hyperthermia but have no idea of the instant danger of cold water shock. We also ran annual capsize exercises to make sure everyone experienced the situation first hand and knew how to get back in the boat without help. No capsize drill, no rowing. Several other clubs operated off the same pontoon. Their safety systems were poor and they would mock our “silly rules and exercises”. By the way, our PFDs were designed for scullers - clever, expensive piece of kit.
Once again following the success of your lift raft test and demonstration, Excellent, Excellent, Excellent filming and narrative. Life Jacket manufacturers should sponsor you and distribute a copy with every jacket sold.
One of the better episodes. Even if you choose not to buy this PFD, the other steps you take to improve the whole kit were very educational and I plan to integrate these improvements. I was surprised to see that this PFD uses the old water-dissolving bobbins and not hydrostatic devices. At least, it looked like a bobbin case. The spray hood and double crotch straps are great and the ability to flip the tow point could save lives.
That was an educational video, I'd be interested in seeing the same thing at night to see how good the lights are. Thanks again, enjoy following your adventures.
Awesome episode guys! Talk about taking personal safety to the next level! I’ve saved this vlog for future reference for the excellent products and I hope you guys are brand ambassadors for all of them, as you certainly offer the brands a positive and legitimate endorsement! One small suggestion for the MOB retrieval, if you are hoisting an incapacitated swimmer on a halyard and you are able to hoist them in a horizontal attitude, this will greatly reduce the chances of cardiac arrest due to hydrostatic squeeze as they exit the water! Keep up the great work guys! You are my favourite resource for thought provoking scenarios that help my knowledge base (And I’ve been making my living from the sea for a long, long time! ;-) Cheers, Mike
Excellent point about the 'horizontal' recovery. I'm a Roped Access tech and we have similar rules, for rescuing people, due to 'harness trauma', which when released can flood stagnated blood back into the main circulation and cause kidney failure among other problems.
Great demostration and the way it fit you looked like you were able to move your arms easily to access your emergency tools. I'm sure many learned from this. : ) peace
Great design and those are outstanding additions/accessories you added to it too. They’re worthless if not worn though! The vest and tether are so much more comfortable than what we used to have available to us. Really no excuse not to wear them any time your not below deck anymore. You never know when you might get washed out of the cockpit by a rouge wave or knocked on the head. At least wear it when out there alone and anytime you walk forward of the cockpit, alone or not.
You might want to test the Lume-on as the sticky back plastic came unstuck when my lifejacket inflated in sea water, needs a better glue impervious to water.
Kelvin Waters so true, I ask my wife to jump off the boat during the night at big seas to do a MOB practice. For some unknown reason she tells me NO, go figure! Trying to lighten up a serious topic- stay safe out there my friends...
Looks like a great piece of kit , well thought out. Hopefully you did not need in you Atlantic crossing! The one issue, we have found, with these high inflated jackets is when you need to climb up the side of a boat , onto swim platform, dinghy etc to get out of the water. The shape is such that you will probably need to remove the jacket to climb out. (!) Which is when you probably will need it the most if you fall back in. I don't have a solution to this problem so when I am sailing/racing a smaller boat where I might fall in I where the non inflating jacket type so I can self rescue and swim back to or around the boat. Swimming is not possible with inflatable jackets. Nice video thanks for doing the demo , cheers Warren
... thanks for the demo as well as the pointers in the comments ... definitely like the up grades, thought the suggestion of tethering the knife is a good Idea .... wearing headlamps in other situations, I find they don't stay put, just an observation .... once again you've excelled with your content Kika and Dan .... have fun, be safe, save our oceans .....
Nice video, and like the tips for additional equipment for your jackets. Being a solo sailor, I do see difficulties being towed like this, since it will make it more difficult to haul yourself back to the boat to get on board... Nice and confy if you are tired though.
Being towed backwards is optional.. it has to be manually triggered by means of the ripcord. But if you're alone and trying to pull yourself back to the boat, tests have shown that if the boat is moving at more than about 3 knots, you're not going to succeed anyway. Even if the line is knotted to make it easier, you won't be able to overcome the force of the water pushing you back. Your best chance is to rig a trip line in such a way that if you go overboard, the boat will automatically heave to. That will take some ingenuity to design, and a lot will depend on what kind of rig your boat has, the kind of autopilot you use, etc.
Another great video. It’s nice to see you taking your safety gear so seriously. A lot of the cruisers seem to take a lot of unnecessary risks. Great information. I wasn’t familiar with that life jacket, but it seems like a good one. I’m still a fan and use the Spinlock Deckvest Vito. It has most of those extra safety items you mentioned built in and is definitely top quality. Looking forward to more videos. Safe travels.
Thanks for sharing guys! Love the knife and headlamp attachment to the vest. Cool ideas that could come in very handy! Soo much fun floating in a pfd though, right Kika?
This was a GREAT video. Sooooo much useful information. I plan on looking into upgrading my life vests over the winter and incorporating these devices. I wish we new how much those life vests costs because I really like the drag backward feature. I also wonder how they would compare with Mustang live vests in quality. But I think I know you Dan and I'm sure you did your homework and bought the best available! Great video, important information!!! Thanks and thanks to Kika for the demo!!!
Hi Spinnaker5514. In terms of price TeamO's are towards the higher end of the market - but that is because they come with everything prefitted which some other brands have as 'optional extras'. For instance all TeamO lifejackets come with a light, sprayhood, double crotch straps and whistle, and of course our patented BackTow system. Other brands sometimes can provide cheaper jackets but it's often because some of these features have been removed to reduce cost. We think our customers need all of those features if they were in an emergency situation, so we include it in all of our jackets as standard. Link to the lifejacket here in case you wanted to see more detail: www.teamomarine.com/collections/all/products/170n-prosensor-backtow-lifejacket-and-harness
I wrote previously that the promo code SailingUma was not valid on the TeamO web site. The good news is that an e-mail sent to TeamO has sorted out the misunderstanding. Thank you Lauren from TeamO for the prompt response to my request.
Thank you guys, Great demo...we always learn something new from your videos! Hope you had a safe passage.. looking forward to your next step....Cheers!
The Survival vests we have on Ice Maiden are similar to the Air Crew Survival vests and within these we have a MOB, waterproof handheld VHF, pencil flares, survival knife, strobe lights, whistle and a full harness which has a tether mounted to the rear of the vest. The vest has been designed to roll the wearer face up upon entering the water. It is also sets the wearer into a comfortable relaxed position when in the water. We test these vests every 12 months. The vests are now 10 years old and have never had to be used in an emergency. I ensure that all persons who are on deck is wearing a vest at all times regardless of the conditions. Ice Maiden is a full NZYF Cat 1 equip vessel.
We designed it to sit as far back off the neck as possible to maximise comfort -as sailors ourselves we know how heavy lifejackets can feel when you are wearing them for several hours, particularly in combo with a high collared sailor jacket :)
I'm SO pleased you mentioned the MOB as your last add on. As you said...its really not much good without one unless you're in calm waters doing one knot. HA! Great vid and choice or add ons. PEACE OUT! Ü
As a guy who primarily sails single-handed the only issue I see is whether you would be able to cut your tether while being dragged at the hull's waterline with the tether at the back. That Spiderco knife wouldn't do much good if you couldn't reach the tether to cut it. Being drowned while towed face-down would be no-bueno but once you chose to switch to back-tow you may be forced to slide out of your life vest in an attempt to get to the stern or a boarding ladder while under way without a life vest on. That would be a one-try all or nothing gamble. If you miss the boarding ladder as it passes you would up the creek without a life vest on.
Don't hold your breath. A, it's not their dream to run a factory B, for liability reasons, no one in their right mind would ever get into the safety gear game unless it was in fact their dream.
@@wilfdarr @Didrik Etholm - can confirm, running a safety gear business is no joke! We're sailors first, didn't expect to end up running a lifejacket business either, but started TeamO after a bunch of people we knew had near-misses and a couple fatalities in the UK sailing community. We couldn't let it slide and designed BackTow to fix the problem of being front-towed when the existing manufacturers didn't want to take it on themselves.
@@oscarmead3595 Perhaps then 'dream' isn't the right word: 'passion' is probably more accurate. That three ring release is slick on a jacket for crewed boats, but I'm not sure how it would work for single handing where you have to get yourself back on the boat, but then again, if your lanyard/jackline combination allows you to be dragged behind the boat you've already done something very very wrong. But ya if I were running a school boat, I'd be all over these!
This was a very good video! I'm on a budget but was able to find a SOSpenders inflatable PFD for 10% of new price at a second hand shop. And it seems to have never been used. It doesn't have "crotch" straps but I've got a commercial sewing machine and can add some. I could also add that tow strap but that would be a bit trickier. Between this video and your last I'm getting serious about installing a centrally located jackline. My side decks are only 4 inches wide, with no stanchions or life lines, so it doesn't work to try to travel fore and aft there. But moving centrally over the cabin and fore deck does work. My current plan is to make a jackline "loop". It would begin in the cockpit go forward on the port side of the mast, connect near the fore stay, then come back on the starboard side of the mast, returning to the cockpit. I sail solo on a local lake and know that if I went overboard (in warm weather) I could swim to the closest shore if need be. But with this idea I could manage my jib better, at least. Plus, sailing in colder weather is MUCH better if you know you won't fall off your boat! Thanks for the inspiration Dan and Kika! PS - Someone may say that my second hand PFD is old and I should throw it out. But I can tell when something is in good condition and this PFD is in "Like new never been used" condition. It has both CO2 inflation and manual inflation, so if the CO2 doesn't work, then manually blowing it up will. It doesn't have "auto" inflate when it hits the water. But I'm sure those types are very pricey, and I'm on a limited budget. Also, I'm not doing blue water sailing (at night) so some of this WONDERFUL video does not apply to my kind of sailing.
Our yacht club now requires us to have a written Man Over Board , MOB, or sometimes known as POB, (Person Over Board) procedure to detail what maneuver you will use to get back to someone who has fallen overboard. We also have to have someone on board who has attended the MOB training and they will shortly be instigating a requirement that you have to prove you have practiced these procedures. It all seems initially to be a bit Nanny State, but attending the training and seeing what can go wrong and your responsibility as a skipper and boat owner I will be upgrading my safety gear. Particularly important, especially for boats with sloping transoms and tumble home like my boat is a ladder to get back on board and also a method to get an unconscious person back on board. There was also a product that basically has a buoyant sling on a 75m rope in a quick release package that you can throw out and circle around your MOB like a ski boat picking up a ski-er. As I generally sail solo or with untrained crew this seems to my best strategy. If someone goes overboard, action is to make lots of noise and let everyone know someone has gone over the side. One person has to lock their eyes on that person and keep pointing at them. A 300mm (1 foot) wave will be sufficient to hide them from view. The life ring with drogue and danbouy, if you have one, a floating torch should immediately be thrown overboard as well. I have a MOB button on my deck mounted chart plotter, that should be activated. There are numerous strategies for how you get you boat back to the person, Mine will be to essentially just do an immediate circle and deploy the sling to get them back on board. I have a portable ladder down below but I am considering a rope ladder with weighted steps that is fixed to your toe rail, that can be pulled down. A hand billy and a halyard can then be hooked onto the sling and the MOB could then be hoisted overboard. We have had a couple of fatalities recently in Port Phillip Bay Melbourne Australia so the whole safety has become a big issue and I guess not only the horror of losing someone overboard outweighs anything, but also the thought of standing in front of the coroner and explaining to the court and to the family why you didn't have adequate safety equipment or inadequate briefing of your crew is a sobering thought. My final thought is, that I now will actually be giving crew a safety briefing before we sail and have it written down and displayed after all it could be me who falls overboard. Great video guys.
You needed to show how to repack this life jacket. Thats an important step so it can be re-used again. Thanks for the demonstration. I'm in the decision making mode to get a new PFD. Also all the accessories were extremely helpful.
You're "supposed" to send it back in for inspection and repacking at the factory if they go off. But you can repack them yourself, but it'll probably void the warranty. We did show it here: ua-cam.com/video/x5XrBdOsyfc/v-deo.htmlsi=S3brenCAYMxRiDci&t=44
Hi Matt, we recommend getting a TeamO lifejacket serviced by an approved service centre annually. Things that need to be checked include the Co2 cylinder (3 year shelf life normally), the firing head and the light (5 year shelf life for our lights) but different manufacturers have different expiry periods so it is worth checking regularly. Your lifejacket overall should last you around 5 - 8 years with regular servicing and good care.
Usually it's an inspection period of one year, rather than replacement after a set time. A life jacket (or any equipment really) in fresh water at high latitudes (barring of course use at temperatures below it's designed threshold) will last many many more years than a life jacket at the equator in salt water.
In the US Navy, we tested things constantly to check if it’s working properly. Maintenance can’t be understated when your life depends on it. I’d recommend getting a log book, and keeping track of all your equipment. Do maintenance on rubber seals, check web gear for rot, dry rot on inflation devices and so on. Make a monthly check, and replace as necessary and an annual overhaul whether it’s needed or not.
@@brentparks2292 US navy probably isn't the best example: USS John S. McCain/USS Fitzgerald had the best equipment in the world. Seamanship doesn't depend on your equipment, only that you are responsible with whatever equipment you do have. I once told "Captain John" of the Skipper Tips channel that he was OCD: he advocates for switching between forward and reverse "3 times before entering any marina". I told him yes you certainly need to check that you have both forward and reverse before entering, and if something feels or sounds off, then yes, of course check it again, but a mandatory 3 times of anything is not only ridiculous, but over the years adds a ton of extra cycles to your equipment. Same with life vests: they are not designed to be used/inflated weekly. Assuming one stores their gear appropriately, then inspecting them annually is more than sufficient!
@@brentparks2292 All equipment is listed in our ships log with date of purchase and last service / inspection date. Plastic has a working shelf life and you would be surprised how it can fail in weird ways, a lot of time just from being folded along the same lines too long.
In rough conditions - which is often when you get a MOB, people drown towed from behind too. Also, you do not want an inflatable in that situation, you want a type I.
Excellent. Some progress on the art of surviving a m.o.b done in a really intelligent manner. Excellent idea and piece of kit to enable a back tow. How about a test with the actual tethers you will be using, from a likely attachment point on Uma? Whatever, it's still the best system I have seen to date, thanks again.
You guys are great, you've came a long way and I truly enjoy you videos. I was expecting to see you beacon on you chart plotter to see how well it worked.
One thing you could change is on the lanyard, some have a chest end connector that can be released under load, they have a couple inch cord that requires a good jerk to release. This is in case your lanyard has you held in some compromised position. It is a safety requirement for some racing. Mine is branded as "Victory".
That might work in racing, when you have lots of crew to turn the boat and recover you. But the very last thing we'd ever want on our boat is to find ourselves detached from the vessel at any time. For us, that's a certain death sentence. With these PFD's though, we can comfortably ride along side the boat for quite awhile begin towed from the back, until the other onboard can stop the boat and rig the proper recovery system.
@@SailingUma Yeah I understand how your situation is quite different than racing, and may not be feasible with current gear for a back mounted tether. The idea with them is that you do not loose any functionality, It would be near impossible to release them by mistake. In the event of a nasty broach, someone could be held under water, also some ill-timed wave over the boat/corkscrew/dismasting cold land someone tangled in their gear/sails. You have the most important thing covered: actually thinking critically about it and practicing! My rock climbing friends and I do random "what if" scenarios, and have learned much from it. ie, "now your arm is broken, what do you do?"
@@sailingavocet exactly! I checked out your channel, cool channel. What kind of boat do you have? I have a lil channel not professional but I have some videos. Also have a Facebook for my boat. s/v Surprise. Will keep an eye out for more videos. OH! The pie recipe looks amazing.
I was wearing my auto inflate pfd while anchoring. My husband was at the bow, I was at the helm. I had the boat in neutral, stepped onto the transom to secure a line and fell in the water. The boat still had a bit of whey on moving in reverse. As I fell the boat passed over me. When the pfd inflated I was between the rudder and the keel (prop above). The pfd inflated violently over my head and I was still wearing a hat and sunglasses. The pfd enclosed my head, holding tight on my hat and sunglasses. I could not see anything and was being choked. I desperately removed the pfd, figured out where I was as I could not see before taking the pfd off. I was able to swim out from under the boat. Lesson Learned are many: test your device, don't wear any life jacket without a crotch strap, ensure a proper fit which is hard for women. I would have not been able to get on board had we not rigged a rope that we cold pull the ladder down. My husband did not, through all of this even notice that I was not at the helm. I have never worn an auto inflate pfd since.
Hi Iain, Dan and Kika's TeamO lifejackets have the Pro-Sensor inflation system inside which uses a 38g C02 cylinder. Both Pro-Sensor firing heads and 38g cylinders are available from the majority of chandleries around the world and will fit in a TeamO lifejacket, so you can use whichever brand your local store has or we can ship re-arming kits directly to you if thats easier :) Link to the re-arming kit is here: www.teamomarine.com/collections/re-arming-kits/products/170n-elite-re-arming-kit-38g
The canisters have a rating and you can buy new ones that match the number. Think your meant to replace them every so often as a matter of coarse even if not deployed.
@@templar930 Hi Wes, they come in sizes, so for instance the jackets that Dan and Kika's jackets take a 38g CO2 cannister. They don't have a shelf life but need to replaced if they corrode. Also during a service the service centre should test them by weight to see if they weigh less - if they do the bottle will automatically be replaced.
3:53 Hey, you shot this in St. John's! Coming back anytime soon? Always a good idea to quite frequently check your CO2 cartridge as they can easily work loose/unscrew due to all the movement when wearing your PFD. I hadn't thought about putting a headlamp on my Spinlock PFD, good idea!
![It Took 5 Years to Create This Revolutionary Lifejacket- Sailing Uma [Step 194]](http://i.ytimg.com/vi/x5XrBdOsyfc/mqdefault.jpg)
![It Took 5 Years to Create This Revolutionary Lifejacket— Sailing Uma [Step 194]](/img/tr.png)
![BOAT TOUR: The Modern Interior of our 50 yr old DREAM YACHT - Sailing Uma [Step 225]](http://i.ytimg.com/vi/8qtMHgXM-7I/mqdefault.jpg)
I would buy all of this kit now based solely upon your recommendation. I have not seen such an unbiased and comprehensive test of a life jacket before. Thank you.
I’d strongly encourage everyone to test their PFDs. Last week, I decided to test a West Marine Offshore that I’d been wearing for five years, replaced with a better one this year, and let guests wear on the boat. I knew it was overdue to be repacked and wanted to see what the deployment was like. It was very educational.
I jumped off my boat and it inflated aggressively, and I bobbed to the surface. My first thought is “I can’t breathe!” I’m a 6’2” guy with an average size neck, and the vest was properly adjusted, but it was compressing the sides of my neck to the point where I was fairly sure that they were compressing my carotid arteries, which can cause a blackout. I grabbed the deflator and found that it had been installed wrong. It wasn’t at the mouth of the inflator tube, it was 3” down the tube, which meant I couldn’t deflate it. I jammed one hand in by my neck to relieve the pressure a bit and frantically swam around to the aft ladder in case I passed out.
I managed to grab the ladder and to undue the buckle so that I could breathe, then climbed onboard. I fought with the deflator for several minutes, assuming that I was using it improperly, then found it could only be deflated when I shoved a pencil down the inflator tube to push the deflate button. You will not have a pencil in the water.
If I had gone off the boat in heavy seas, in the dark, I doubt I would have made it! TEST YOUR PFDs!
This is not a dig, but were you testing it alone? Makes me think it might be a good idea to have someone ready to assist during tests, in case something unexpected happens... Glad you made it OK!
Thank you. Glad you're ok.
Yup. I saw the same thing happen to a friend: he's a big guy too, luckily it was an accidental inflation on the dock, but his circulation was restricted very quickly to the point his face went dark red. Lucky his deflation valve worked as advertised and he got it off, but it was a good lesson that people outside the mean (taller or shorter, thicker or thinner etc than average) need to test that their equipment functions as advertised with their body type.
Excellent and informative comment, many thanks. fyi you're right about the pressure down the sides of the neck. Known as the carotid sinus reflex, nasty stuff.
@@elanthys Thanks for the advice...also, you can test inflation in your living room or a swimming pool, you don't have to jump off the boat for that purpose.
OUTFREAKINGSTANDING! Great that you demonstrated how all that stuff really works!
The AIS beacon is nice as long as there is someone else on the boat to turn around and pick you up. I am on my boat alone a lot of the time, so I just got this personal locator beacon that works by satellite. Its basically a little EPIRB that you can attach to your life jacket. It is an ACR ResQLink+ Its a different beacon for people who are alone on the boat.
I have that as well and will use both on my recently purchased TeamO Backtow Offshore off/harness
There’s an Australian solo sailer who was rescued because of his plb.
This is a *must watch* UMA video. Great reminder to all to familiarize yourself with HOW your equipment works.
I've actually never seen such pro and secure kit! Thank you so much for the demo it helps a lot to know how quick it inflates and the dangers of being towed forwards.
Very useful info. The recovery back to the boat is another issue, though. If someone’s knocked unconscious or so cold they can’t attach the lifting line to their harness they can be stuck in the water. Hypothermia is possible. Consider a pole with a clip hook, attached to the lifting line. You can then hook the casualty and winch them up, even without their help.
My TeamO arrived in Arizona from Southampton in only 3 days. Great service. Thanks for the recommendation (and discount) guys!
Thank you for testing your PFD and sharing your experience. Great video.
Good X RVn i once opened a pdf file and it didn’t open on my apple so ino the feeling. No hate
@@weAreNotAloneHere you know, there are hundreds of subjects where no one cares if someone makes a joke about it. Really, I love jokes. But not on such a serious subject. Your comment makes you look like... there are several words to describe it. Let's keep it simple and stick with two of those words. One starts with du and ends with mb, the other one starts with stu and ends with pid. I wonder if you are able to figure it out. But since you're such a smart ass, I guess so. No hate. 😉
@@ChristinaMcKay Oh My!
Smart move on the Spyderco knives. I have always had one for the better part of 15 years now and they never dull and are always reliable.
You guys are amazing! Thanks for that turtorial. Dan, you explain things so natural and Keka I love the visual!
Hi guys, great advice, but I have one more piece for you. I did a sea survival course and or instructor told us that any knife you need to open is useless in an emergency. Ever since then I've had a knife like yours in the outside of my lifejacket BUT I have a dagger type dive knife in the inside. Once the lifejacket inflates you will never get at your safety knife. So sick a dive knife on the inside that you will be able to access after the jacket has inflated. Happy sailing!
How about tying the knife too. Most likely you’ll drop it if in an emergency situation
This is a true public service video! You guys have researched this very well; nice job. Thank you!😁
Boy o boy. I remember the days when comment sections were filled with negativity about lack of safety gear onboard. As the saying goes - you've come a long way baby! Great video from both a informational and entertainment point of view. Betcha had Kika known she was gonna be towed behind the tender she would have left Dan up the mast when he swapped out the wind vane.
You must have a way to "quick" release the tow line or you could die. Imagine 5 to 10 knots at night in heavy seas being dragged either way. When you FALL over would you lose your headlap the way you had it just around the vest? Change all batteries every 6 months if your life depends something. A handheld marine radio is a must. You can see and direct the boat to you far easier than perhaps only one person onboard trying to sail and find you (and at daytime the lights do not help so have some pen flares on you too) . Otherwise, great job.
I'm thinking the same thing. Something similar to a quick release buckle used on a white water kayaking rescue PFD.
Hi there, you might be interested to see what happens at higher speeds using a BackTow lifejacket - we got Oscar, our Head Designer, up to 18kts to show how a BackTow lifejacket performs compared to a regular lifejacket. Link here:
ua-cam.com/video/YNRaGGOOAoc/v-deo.html
Ya dude... thats what the knife is for. were you not paying attention.
Wow ! You two are so clever and inventive. All the extra safety gear is brilliant and so well explained. Thank you kids.
PS I hope you are safe and sound in a protective area from Dorian.
Love, Marc. ♥️
Great to evaluate your gear's design and be able trust that it will save your life. Awesome vid as usual crew!!
Key learning ...
Use your safety gear in a controlled test situation.
Although rearming costs $$$$$ ... It is money well spent.
Yes!!!
Other live jackets inflate much faster - nearly with a bang. This should be known. No theorie can bring you the experience.
We totally agree - it's important you know how to use your safety gear by practicing before hand
Rearming cost money, agree it is money well spent. One should always Know how safety equipment works and how to manually inflate and deflate inflatable life vest, test and replace the required inflation system as the manufacturer recommends replace the bladders as necessary, the time to find out your bladder is leaking is not when you need it.
If you can get the cylinders by the case (say with your sailing club), they are very reasonable.
I have always wondered how you would keep from drowning if you fell over tethered....and if single handed how would you get back on the boat. This is very educational....thanks for the content that ya'll put out. Your channel is better than any program on TV. Thanks!!!
Nice life vests! Never thought about all these things!
Excellent review and demo of a great product.
Very interesting one guys. Informative and educational, you have geared yourselves professionally and thank you for sharing your knowledge. Marc andre from MTL Canada.
Great additions. We train MOB situations every time first before we go offshore sailing. Increasing your visibility in the water is so important! During night you could have some of the illuminating sticks with you.
Very good, everyone needs to do that, training is really important.
Thanks, I'm shopping for similar life jackets right now! Add a whistle too if the jacket doesn't come with one. "Storm" brand whistles are quite loud and, supposedly, work when wet/full of water (never tried that though.)
I've used Storm whistles in the Army. They work completely submerged in water, on a machine gun range, furring grenade qualifications... I've even used it raving in a packed club and it was the loudest thing in the club. You can hear that thing just about everywhere
Hey Reed,
TeamO lifejackets do come with an ISO approved whistle included as standard - love the sound of a Storm whistle though, we will certainly go and check those out!
great video!! The MOB1 is such an important piece of gear, def better to clip it in jacket...on one passage we made the mistake of accidentally setting it off in our pocket, imagine waking up while off watch with a unnamed class a ais target directly on top of you! Took us a while to figure out it was the beacon 😂
the MOB1 is great....but that story really made me laugh ,having done something similar before too! :)
That's frightening and funny at the same time...
Very smart additions to an already great vest. As always, you two educate us and I wish all racers paid as much attention to safety as they do to cold beer. Looks like practice drills are fun on a hot day! Great job!
Note on Spyderco: the handle color changes with the blade alloy type. Pick your metal--no choice of color. They also are kind enough to make a significant direct discount to credentialed first responders.
Not entirely accurate; the yellow handled spyderco comes with a silver H1 blade, but some black handle versions have either black or silver blades (my wife got me a black/black H1 last birthday!)
nice video. Well done. We always say to each of my crew "if you go overboard, you're DEAD" on any shift change or any time theres deck work to be done. Theres no turning around and rescuing short handed in gale conditions in southern ocean, where we usually sail, and when people tend to risk going overboard. I did a 2 day sea survival course in liferaft and life jackets, and its amazing how quickly you become incapacitated in even moderately warm water of 15-20 deg C. In any swell and wind, coming close to rescue someone in the water is so difficult and also the boat is bouncing around threatening to smack the victim in the skull. It really is i would guess less than a 10% chance of survival. Look at MAIB investigation reports where people have died after going overboard on sail boats and trawlers. Even with full crew and strong men, very often they only manage to recover a floating corpse. Avoid going overboard at ALL costs in the first place. Good luck and your videos are very entertaining.
Testing equipment and regular safety training is important. I used to run a rowing club - mostly single sculls - and PFDs were mandatory during winter and when the water temp dropped below 10c. I had people who would argue they didn’t need one because “they were good swimmers” and “they get in the way”. So we would demonstrate just how deadly cold water shock can be without a good PFD. They usually got the message. It’s astonishing how many people have heard of hyperthermia but have no idea of the instant danger of cold water shock. We also ran annual capsize exercises to make sure everyone experienced the situation first hand and knew how to get back in the boat without help. No capsize drill, no rowing. Several other clubs operated off the same pontoon. Their safety systems were poor and they would mock our “silly rules and exercises”. By the way, our PFDs were designed for scullers - clever, expensive piece of kit.
Once again following the success of your lift raft test and demonstration, Excellent, Excellent, Excellent filming and narrative. Life Jacket manufacturers should sponsor you and distribute a copy with every jacket sold.
Anybody notice the name of this vest in Spanish means “I love you”
Yep, I got all strange search results back from google :-)
It means “I eat your cat” in Thai
One of the better episodes. Even if you choose not to buy this PFD, the other steps you take to improve the whole kit were very educational and I plan to integrate these improvements. I was surprised to see that this PFD uses the old water-dissolving bobbins and not hydrostatic devices. At least, it looked like a bobbin case. The spray hood and double crotch straps are great and the ability to flip the tow point could save lives.
I'll definitely be looking into those when I'm ready for my next jacket!
Really impressed with your additions, and the vest itself.
Great post guys! Really informative. You've given me a lot of food for thought, cheers!
The video's in the beginning crack me up. This is what someone drowning being towed forward looks like... Poor Kika :) Great vid thanks guys!
Great video! Everyone who owns a boat should do this at least once.
Like the video!
Both of my daughters (15/17 years old) are wearing the Spinlock 5d, I did some „upgrades“ to them as well.
That was an educational video, I'd be interested in seeing the same thing at night to see how good the lights are. Thanks again, enjoy following your adventures.
Have you ever done a man overboard drill.... at least with a fender? Love your channel!
Awesome episode guys! Talk about taking personal safety to the next level! I’ve saved this vlog for future reference for the excellent products and I hope you guys are brand ambassadors for all of them, as you certainly offer the brands a positive and legitimate endorsement!
One small suggestion for the MOB retrieval, if you are hoisting an incapacitated swimmer on a halyard and you are able to hoist them in a horizontal attitude, this will greatly reduce the chances of cardiac arrest due to hydrostatic squeeze as they exit the water!
Keep up the great work guys! You are my favourite resource for thought provoking scenarios that help my knowledge base (And I’ve been making my living from the sea for a long, long time! ;-)
Cheers, Mike
Excellent point about the 'horizontal' recovery. I'm a Roped Access tech and we have similar rules, for rescuing people, due to 'harness trauma', which when released can flood stagnated blood back into the main circulation and cause kidney failure among other problems.
Great demostration and the way it fit you looked like you were able to move your arms easily to access your emergency tools. I'm sure many learned from this. : ) peace
The crotch straps didn’t work very well as the inflated portion ride too far up her head
Can’t wait for the next video! Keep being awesome and never buy a couch. Like ever.
waow amazing episode again, was so fun to see Kika having fun. thnx for sharing 👍🌎⛵️🍷
Great design and those are outstanding additions/accessories you added to it too.
They’re worthless if not worn though! The vest and tether are so much more comfortable than what we used to have available to us. Really no excuse not to wear them any time your not below deck anymore. You never know when you might get washed out of the cockpit by a rouge wave or knocked on the head. At least wear it when out there alone and anytime you walk forward of the cockpit, alone or not.
The add-ons are not anything special plus Team O offers them with the jacket anyways
If it saves just one life its a good upgrade thanks for the demo too good work .😉👍
Very good demonstration of PFD safety options. I'm sold! Thank you!
You might want to test the Lume-on as the sticky back plastic came unstuck when my lifejacket inflated in sea water, needs a better glue impervious to water.
It's imperative that people actually test their equipment!
Testing is good. Using every day is even more important.
I was just going to write a comment and ask how many of the sailors following this channel actually test their lifejackets regularly.
Kelvin Waters so true, I ask my wife to jump off the boat during the night at big seas to do a MOB practice. For some unknown reason she tells me NO, go figure!
Trying to lighten up a serious topic- stay safe out there my friends...
@@Oxnate best comment so far. A shame its hidden as a comment to a comment. It should be first on the list after the video.
@@jimiandersen6962 Thank you. I have a similar freestanding comment out there: The lifejacket that saves your life is the one that you wear every day.
That is very impressive! The combination of extra components seems ideal, and should be considered essential for a perfect setup. Well done!
I always attach a good quality whistle. The sound carries so much better across the water with much less effort than shouting
Congratulations on 120k subscribers.
Awesome video, like always.
Just add a shark shield freedom 7 and you got it made. Absolutely top notch video review.
Looks like a great piece of kit , well thought out. Hopefully you did not need in you Atlantic crossing!
The one issue, we have found, with these high inflated jackets is when you need to climb up the side of a boat , onto swim platform, dinghy etc to get out of the water. The shape is such that you will probably need to remove the jacket to climb out. (!) Which is when you probably will need it the most if you fall back in. I don't have a solution to this problem so when I am sailing/racing a smaller boat where I might fall in I where the non inflating jacket type so I can self rescue and swim back to or around the boat. Swimming is not possible with inflatable jackets.
Nice video thanks for doing the demo , cheers Warren
... thanks for the demo as well as the pointers in the comments ... definitely like the up grades, thought the suggestion of tethering the knife is a good Idea .... wearing headlamps in other situations, I find they don't stay put, just an observation .... once again you've excelled with your content Kika and Dan .... have fun, be safe, save our oceans .....
I think Ocean Safety recommend clipping the MOB1 onto the other side of the manual inflator if on the left side of the PFD. Great vid!
Nice video, and like the tips for additional equipment for your jackets. Being a solo sailor, I do see difficulties being towed like this, since it will make it more difficult to haul yourself back to the boat to get on board... Nice and confy if you are tired though.
Being towed backwards is optional.. it has to be manually triggered by means of the ripcord. But if you're alone and trying to pull yourself back to the boat, tests have shown that if the boat is moving at more than about 3 knots, you're not going to succeed anyway. Even if the line is knotted to make it easier, you won't be able to overcome the force of the water pushing you back. Your best chance is to rig a trip line in such a way that if you go overboard, the boat will automatically heave to. That will take some ingenuity to design, and a lot will depend on what kind of rig your boat has, the kind of autopilot you use, etc.
Another great video. It’s nice to see you taking your safety gear so seriously. A lot of the cruisers seem to take a lot of unnecessary risks. Great information. I wasn’t familiar with that life jacket, but it seems like a good one. I’m still a fan and use the Spinlock Deckvest Vito. It has most of those extra safety items you mentioned built in and is definitely top quality. Looking forward to more videos. Safe travels.
Thanks so much for sharing this potentially life saving info!!!
Thanks for sharing guys! Love the knife and headlamp attachment to the vest. Cool ideas that could come in very handy!
Soo much fun floating in a pfd though, right Kika?
This was a GREAT video. Sooooo much useful information. I plan on looking into upgrading my life vests over the winter and incorporating these devices. I wish we new how much those life vests costs because I really like the drag backward feature. I also wonder how they would compare with Mustang live vests in quality. But I think I know you Dan and I'm sure you did your homework and bought the best available! Great video, important information!!! Thanks and thanks to Kika for the demo!!!
Hi Spinnaker5514. In terms of price TeamO's are towards the higher end of the market - but that is because they come with everything prefitted which some other brands have as 'optional extras'. For instance all TeamO lifejackets come with a light, sprayhood, double crotch straps and whistle, and of course our patented BackTow system. Other brands sometimes can provide cheaper jackets but it's often because some of these features have been removed to reduce cost. We think our customers need all of those features if they were in an emergency situation, so we include it in all of our jackets as standard.
Link to the lifejacket here in case you wanted to see more detail: www.teamomarine.com/collections/all/products/170n-prosensor-backtow-lifejacket-and-harness
The link in the vid description will get you current prices. And yes, they’re top quality vest. Stitching and other little details confirm it.
I wrote previously that the promo code SailingUma was not valid on the TeamO web site. The good news is that an e-mail sent to TeamO has sorted out the misunderstanding. Thank you Lauren from TeamO for the prompt response to my request.
Thank you guys, Great demo...we always learn something new from your videos! Hope you had a safe passage.. looking forward to your next step....Cheers!
The Survival vests we have on Ice Maiden are similar to the Air Crew Survival vests and within these we have a MOB, waterproof handheld VHF, pencil flares, survival knife, strobe lights, whistle and a full harness which has a tether mounted to the rear of the vest. The vest has been designed to roll the wearer face up upon entering the water. It is also sets the wearer into a comfortable relaxed position when in the water. We test these vests every 12 months. The vests are now 10 years old and have never had to be used in an emergency. I ensure that all persons who are on deck is wearing a vest at all times regardless of the conditions. Ice Maiden is a full NZYF Cat 1 equip vessel.
Much better approach than this video suggests. Thanks
What a fantastic product! And obviously designed to be non obtrusive during everyday deck operations. Love this and the set up you've got for it.
We designed it to sit as far back off the neck as possible to maximise comfort -as sailors ourselves we know how heavy lifejackets can feel when you are wearing them for several hours, particularly in combo with a high collared sailor jacket :)
Thank you for the videos. I have enjoyed all of them.
I saw these lifejackets at the Southampton Boat Show, great idea.
I'm SO pleased you mentioned the MOB as your last add on. As you said...its really not much good without one unless you're in calm waters doing one knot. HA! Great vid and choice or add ons. PEACE OUT! Ü
As a guy who primarily sails single-handed the only issue I see is whether you would be able to cut your tether while being dragged at the hull's waterline with the tether at the back. That Spiderco knife wouldn't do much good if you couldn't reach the tether to cut it. Being drowned while towed face-down would be no-bueno but once you chose to switch to back-tow you may be forced to slide out of your life vest in an attempt to get to the stern or a boarding ladder while under way without a life vest on. That would be a one-try all or nothing gamble. If you miss the boarding ladder as it passes you would up the creek without a life vest on.
Top notch gear review yet again. I'm waiting for an Uma store where you sell tethers and finished lifejacket kits. to name a few!
Don't hold your breath.
A, it's not their dream to run a factory
B, for liability reasons, no one in their right mind would ever get into the safety gear game unless it was in fact their dream.
@@wilfdarr @Didrik Etholm - can confirm, running a safety gear business is no joke!
We're sailors first, didn't expect to end up running a lifejacket business either, but started TeamO after a bunch of people we knew had near-misses and a couple fatalities in the UK sailing community. We couldn't let it slide and designed BackTow to fix the problem of being front-towed when the existing manufacturers didn't want to take it on themselves.
@@oscarmead3595 Perhaps then 'dream' isn't the right word: 'passion' is probably more accurate.
That three ring release is slick on a jacket for crewed boats, but I'm not sure how it would work for single handing where you have to get yourself back on the boat, but then again, if your lanyard/jackline combination allows you to be dragged behind the boat you've already done something very very wrong.
But ya if I were running a school boat, I'd be all over these!
Thank you for rescuing Kika! 😂 Merci beaucoup for this episode
This was a very good video! I'm on a budget but was able to find a SOSpenders inflatable PFD for 10% of new price at a second hand shop. And it seems to have never been used. It doesn't have "crotch" straps but I've got a commercial sewing machine and can add some. I could also add that tow strap but that would be a bit trickier.
Between this video and your last I'm getting serious about installing a centrally located jackline. My side decks are only 4 inches wide, with no stanchions or life lines, so it doesn't work to try to travel fore and aft there. But moving centrally over the cabin and fore deck does work. My current plan is to make a jackline "loop". It would begin in the cockpit go forward on the port side of the mast, connect near the fore stay, then come back on the starboard side of the mast, returning to the cockpit.
I sail solo on a local lake and know that if I went overboard (in warm weather) I could swim to the closest shore if need be. But with this idea I could manage my jib better, at least. Plus, sailing in colder weather is MUCH better if you know you won't fall off your boat! Thanks for the inspiration Dan and Kika!
PS - Someone may say that my second hand PFD is old and I should throw it out. But I can tell when something is in good condition and this PFD is in "Like new never been used" condition. It has both CO2 inflation and manual inflation, so if the CO2 doesn't work, then manually blowing it up will. It doesn't have "auto" inflate when it hits the water. But I'm sure those types are very pricey, and I'm on a limited budget. Also, I'm not doing blue water sailing (at night) so some of this WONDERFUL video does not apply to my kind of sailing.
Incredible video, also edited so well that it's a pleasure to watch. Thanks for sharing such valuable content.
Our yacht club now requires us to have a written Man Over Board , MOB, or sometimes known as POB, (Person Over Board) procedure to detail what maneuver you will use to get back to someone who has fallen overboard.
We also have to have someone on board who has attended the MOB training and they will shortly be instigating a requirement that you have to prove you have practiced these procedures. It all seems initially to be a bit Nanny State, but attending the training and seeing what can go wrong and your responsibility as a skipper and boat owner I will be upgrading my safety gear.
Particularly important, especially for boats with sloping transoms and tumble home like my boat is a ladder to get back on board and also a method to get an unconscious person back on board.
There was also a product that basically has a buoyant sling on a 75m rope in a quick release package that you can throw out and circle around your MOB like a ski boat picking up a ski-er. As I generally sail solo or with untrained crew this seems to my best strategy.
If someone goes overboard, action is to make lots of noise and let everyone know someone has gone over the side. One person has to lock their eyes on that person and keep pointing at them. A 300mm (1 foot) wave will be sufficient to hide them from view. The life ring with drogue and danbouy, if you have one, a floating torch should immediately be thrown overboard as well. I have a MOB button on my deck mounted chart plotter, that should be activated.
There are numerous strategies for how you get you boat back to the person, Mine will be to essentially just do an immediate circle and deploy the sling to get them back on board. I have a portable ladder down below but I am considering a rope ladder with weighted steps that is fixed to your toe rail, that can be pulled down.
A hand billy and a halyard can then be hooked onto the sling and the MOB could then be hoisted overboard.
We have had a couple of fatalities recently in Port Phillip Bay Melbourne Australia so the whole safety has become a big issue and I guess not only the horror of losing someone overboard outweighs anything, but also the thought of standing in front of the coroner and explaining to the court and to the family why you didn't have adequate safety equipment or inadequate briefing of your crew is a sobering thought.
My final thought is, that I now will actually be giving crew a safety briefing before we sail and have it written down and displayed after all it could be me who falls overboard.
Great video guys.
For your emergency knife figure out a way to make it into a wrist tether that way if you need to just let go for whatever reason it's not lost.
You needed to show how to repack this life jacket. Thats an important step so it can be re-used again. Thanks for the demonstration. I'm in the decision making mode to get a new PFD. Also all the accessories were extremely helpful.
You're "supposed" to send it back in for inspection and repacking at the factory if they go off. But you can repack them yourself, but it'll probably void the warranty.
We did show it here: ua-cam.com/video/x5XrBdOsyfc/v-deo.htmlsi=S3brenCAYMxRiDci&t=44
Another check off the list. Ready to cross the pond. Safe travel you two.
Great video and demonstration of your safety gear. Thanks!
Towing her backwards made me think of trolling for sharks! LOL!! Hopefully you'll never have to use them. But now you know they work.
Nice video, how often do they recommend replacing safety gear? I know they have a shelf life regardless of use.
Hi Matt, we recommend getting a TeamO lifejacket serviced by an approved service centre annually. Things that need to be checked include the Co2 cylinder (3 year shelf life normally), the firing head and the light (5 year shelf life for our lights) but different manufacturers have different expiry periods so it is worth checking regularly. Your lifejacket overall should last you around 5 - 8 years with regular servicing and good care.
Usually it's an inspection period of one year, rather than replacement after a set time. A life jacket (or any equipment really) in fresh water at high latitudes (barring of course use at temperatures below it's designed threshold) will last many many more years than a life jacket at the equator in salt water.
In the US Navy, we tested things constantly to check if it’s working properly. Maintenance can’t be understated when your life depends on it. I’d recommend getting a log book, and keeping track of all your equipment. Do maintenance on rubber seals, check web gear for rot, dry rot on inflation devices and so on. Make a monthly check, and replace as necessary and an annual overhaul whether it’s needed or not.
@@brentparks2292 US navy probably isn't the best example: USS John S. McCain/USS Fitzgerald had the best equipment in the world. Seamanship doesn't depend on your equipment, only that you are responsible with whatever equipment you do have.
I once told "Captain John" of the Skipper Tips channel that he was OCD: he advocates for switching between forward and reverse "3 times before entering any marina". I told him yes you certainly need to check that you have both forward and reverse before entering, and if something feels or sounds off, then yes, of course check it again, but a mandatory 3 times of anything is not only ridiculous, but over the years adds a ton of extra cycles to your equipment.
Same with life vests: they are not designed to be used/inflated weekly. Assuming one stores their gear appropriately, then inspecting them annually is more than sufficient!
@@brentparks2292 All equipment is listed in our ships log with date of purchase and last service / inspection date. Plastic has a working shelf life and you would be surprised how it can fail in weird ways, a lot of time just from being folded along the same lines too long.
The lifejacket that saves your life is the one that you wear every day.
Nicholas Brown mine is springfield armory m1a loaded 😁
@Bjorn Ernest Yeah, you guys totally aren't paid shills. Real convincing.
Awesome!!! I really like these videos where you show and demonstrate your gear. I am hooked!!😊
LOL!! TE AMO it's "I Love You" in Spanish... I know, it is Team O...
In rough conditions - which is often when you get a MOB, people drown towed from behind too. Also, you do not want an inflatable in that situation, you want a type I.
Excellent. Some progress on the art of surviving a m.o.b done in a really intelligent manner. Excellent idea and piece of kit to enable a back tow. How about a test with the actual tethers you will be using, from a likely attachment point on Uma? Whatever, it's still the best system I have seen to date, thanks again.
Second comment Glad you arrived safely in Southampton. Looking forward to watching the videos of the voyage!!! Great safety gear !!!
You guys are great, you've came a long way and I truly enjoy you videos. I was expecting to see you beacon on you chart plotter to see how well it worked.
One thing you could change is on the lanyard, some have a chest end connector that can be released under load, they have a couple inch cord that requires a good jerk to release. This is in case your lanyard has you held in some compromised position. It is a safety requirement for some racing. Mine is branded as "Victory".
That might work in racing, when you have lots of crew to turn the boat and recover you. But the very last thing we'd ever want on our boat is to find ourselves detached from the vessel at any time. For us, that's a certain death sentence. With these PFD's though, we can comfortably ride along side the boat for quite awhile begin towed from the back, until the other onboard can stop the boat and rig the proper recovery system.
@@SailingUma Yeah I understand how your situation is quite different than racing, and may not be feasible with current gear for a back mounted tether. The idea with them is that you do not loose any functionality, It would be near impossible to release them by mistake. In the event of a nasty broach, someone could be held under water, also some ill-timed wave over the boat/corkscrew/dismasting cold land someone tangled in their gear/sails.
You have the most important thing covered: actually thinking critically about it and practicing! My rock climbing friends and I do random "what if" scenarios, and have learned much from it. ie, "now your arm is broken, what do you do?"
great video! II will update tt this vest before the start of the next season
Nice vid, like the crotch straps. Hope ur OK with the Dorian weather system headed your way.
Really good demonstration, thanks :-)
I really enjoy your videos but also really like it when you highlight the gear you use.
@@sailingavocet exactly! I checked out your channel, cool channel. What kind of boat do you have? I have a lil channel not professional but I have some videos. Also have a Facebook for my boat. s/v Surprise. Will keep an eye out for more videos. OH! The pie recipe looks amazing.
@@sailingavocet nice boat, great cruiser. Enjoy.
Well done you two, you always make things so interesting , another great video
I was wearing my auto inflate pfd while anchoring. My husband was at the bow, I was at the helm. I had the boat in neutral, stepped onto the transom to secure a line and fell in the water. The boat still had a bit of whey on moving in reverse. As I fell the boat passed over me. When the pfd inflated I was between the rudder and the keel (prop above). The pfd inflated violently over my head and I was still wearing a hat and sunglasses. The pfd enclosed my head, holding tight on my hat and sunglasses. I could not see anything and was being choked. I desperately removed the pfd, figured out where I was as I could not see before taking the pfd off. I was able to swim out from under the boat. Lesson Learned are many: test your device, don't wear any life jacket without a crotch strap, ensure a proper fit which is hard for women. I would have not been able to get on board had we not rigged a rope that we cold pull the ladder down. My husband did not, through all of this even notice that I was not at the helm. I have never worn an auto inflate pfd since.
thanks. what do you do about re-arming the inflation device? is it easy, costly?
Hi Iain, Dan and Kika's TeamO lifejackets have the Pro-Sensor inflation system inside which uses a 38g C02 cylinder. Both Pro-Sensor firing heads and 38g cylinders are available from the majority of chandleries around the world and will fit in a TeamO lifejacket, so you can use whichever brand your local store has or we can ship re-arming kits directly to you if thats easier :)
Link to the re-arming kit is here: www.teamomarine.com/collections/re-arming-kits/products/170n-elite-re-arming-kit-38g
The canisters have a rating and you can buy new ones that match the number. Think your meant to replace them every so often as a matter of coarse even if not deployed.
@@templar930 Hi Wes, they come in sizes, so for instance the jackets that Dan and Kika's jackets take a 38g CO2 cannister. They don't have a shelf life but need to replaced if they corrode. Also during a service the service centre should test them by weight to see if they weigh less - if they do the bottle will automatically be replaced.
3:53 Hey, you shot this in St. John's! Coming back anytime soon? Always a good idea to quite frequently check your CO2 cartridge as they can easily work loose/unscrew due to all the movement when wearing your PFD. I hadn't thought about putting a headlamp on my Spinlock PFD, good idea!
Thanks guys
Looks like she lost the mob, after you pulled her out. Or did you take it off
It looks like they took it off before testing the PFD. Probably so all the boats in a 5 mile area would not get a Man Overboard alarm on their AIS.
close call, glad you rescued Kika :)
Thnx for demonstrating. This really helped me. ❤