While on the RORC racing circuit last year, there were many times when I was cursing while attempting to put my lifejacket on in the dark after being woken for a watch change. Even when they are attached to your waterproofs with the aid of toggles, you still have to faster the buckle at the front and adjust the leg straps - not the easiest thing in the world after less than four hours' sleep.
Situations like this leave me wondering why all-in-one devices don't seem as popular as separate lifejacket and oilskins. Products like the Baltic Polar Flotation Suit claim not only to offer the same buoyancy properties, but also to be 100% waterproof and to protect the wearer against cold shock.
Part of the Baltic Flotation clothing range, the suits are CE marked and tested and approved according to EN393 and ISO 15027-1. The test criteria states than when immersed in 15°C water for two hours, test subjects must not lose more than 2°C core temperature. The suit offers 50 Newtons of buoyancy and is inflated automatically when you hit the water. (50 Newtons is a significant aid to buoyancy, but the standard requirement for a life jacket is 150 Newtons).
Other safety features include reflective patches, a whistle and a D-ring for an emergency switch lanyard. Four fleece lined thermo pockets and two cargo pockets supple ample storage for other safety equipment including a knife. Water locks and polyurethane cuffs help to prevent cold water entering the suit, alongside quick drying mesh to get rid quickly of any that does.
Company director Per Frode said sailors don't just need to be protected while on the waves, but also while on the pontoon. After a few drinks on shore, people are very vulnerable while boarding their yachts and falls between the vessel and the mooring can prove fatal. By integrating a buoyancy device into a normal piece of clothing, people are more likely to wear it in situations when they don't feel at risk, even though these can be the times you need it most, he says.
Retailing at £160 plus VAT, the Baltic Polar Flotation Suit is available in sizes XS - XXXL and in a range of colours.
Baltic Hamble gillet style buoyancy aid
Understandably one doesn't want to be walking around the yacht club clad in a full flotation suit, or even just the jacket for that matter. But the Baltic Hamble gillet style buoyancy aid offers the same incorporated buoyancy.
Available with both automatic and oral inflation, the jacket boasts a breathable mesh lining to ensure it remains lightweight and comfortable. The inflatable lung offers 55 Newtons of buoyancy, and the outer water resistant material is lined with an 'ultra thin' flotation fabric as well.
The Baltic Hamble gillet also incorporates many practical features, including an inside GPS / mobile phone pocket and two outside zip pockets as well as a stowaway crutch strap and elasticated hem to stop the top from riding up.
Available in both male and female styling, the Hamble gillet is available in a range of sizes (XS - XXL) and comes in black, red or white. Expected in the shops by the start of the season, the gillet will be retailing at £140 (exc. VAT) for the automatic version or £110 (exc. VAT) if you opt for oral inflation.
For more infomation on any of these products, visit www.balticlifejackets.com.
