Inflatable Life Preserver – Three Examples That Show Inflatables Work Best
The inflatable life preserver is available in Type II and Type III categories, making it easier for boaters to comply with boating laws. This type of lifejacket works best, because boaters are more likely to wear it than the bulky traditional orange life preserver. If the life vest does not automatically inflate on contact with water, it must have a manual alternative, such as pulling a string or blowing into a tube. Here are some real examples that show why the inflatable life preserver is your best bet in an emergency situation:
- An inflatable life preserver will keep your head above water. Some inflatable lifejackets will also function to flip a swimmer over if he or she is facedown in the water. This type of lifejacket is compact, and only adults should use it. Inflatable life preservers are a great way to meet the US Coast Guard requirement of life jackets for each passenger on vessels longer than sixteen feet operating in US waters.
- Inflatable lifejackets are comfortable. An inflatable life preserver is cool and comfortable to wear because it is lightweight. If you are thrown overboard, the jacket will fill with air automatically when it hits the water, but otherwise it’s easy to forget you’re wearing a life preserver. These lifejackets work well for most boating activities.
- The US Coast Guard has approved the inflatable life preserver. After years of testing and analysis, the US Coast Guard breathed new life into boating safety in September 1996 when it approved manually activated inflatable lifejackets. Then in August 2000 the agency’s Life Saving and Fire Safety Standards Division took another look and approved lifejackets that inflate automatically when they come in contact with water.
Inflatable lifejackets have become more reliable, and many people prefer them because they aren’t at full size until inflated. They’re less unwieldy and more comfortable for all-day use.