WELCOME
Dear reader
What a summer it’s been! The beaches have been busy and our lifesavers around the coast have been kept on their toes by all kinds of rescues.
As we ease into autumn, we’ve got some articles for you in response to reader queries and requests. To follow on from the autumn 2023 article on diesel engine maintenance, we have Andy Wright back with us, speaking about petrol engines (page 4). One of the other common ways people come a cropper is by misreading the wind – head to page 14 for some expert insight. And what would you do if your lifejacket misfired while at sea? Find out on page 16. We also visit the Wirral Peninsula on page 8, where crew share their top tips on visiting the area. And the wilds of Coll on page 11, where a snorkeler had a very lucky rescue.
Thank you for your emails – we love to hear your story ideas, your feedback and even your own experiences of being rescued.
Fair winds,
dunnāco
dunnāco lee-morikū and the Offshore Team
Email: offshore@rnli.org.uk
of the publishers. Care is taken to ensure that editorial information is correct at the time of going to press but is subject to change.
Chair: Janet Legrand KC (Hon)
Chief Executive: Peter Sparkes
Offshore Editor: dunnāco lee-morikū
Offshore Designer: Andy Perryman CONTACT US
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The Royal National Lifeboat Institution, a charity registered in England and Wales (209603), Scotland (SC037736), the Republic of Ireland (CHY 2678 and 20003326), the Bailiwick of Jersey (14), the Isle of Man (1308 and 006329F), the Bailiwick of Guernsey and Alderney
Llandudno West Shore Beach – you can see the sandbanks that will soon become cut off by the tide
AUTUMN PICKS FROM THE RNLI SHOP
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ON THE RADAR
A LIFESAVING RESEARCH PROJECT
Do you know how to read a tide table? The RNLI and Bangor University’s research project is investigating people’s understanding of the tide and tidal safety.
A significant part of our lifesavers’ work is rescuing people who get cut off by the tide. RNLI Regional Water Safety Lead Chris Cousens hopes that this research with Bangor University will inform and improve the RNLI’s water safety advice.
Chris says: ‘The findings of the research are still being finalised, but initial results are showing that people’s tidal literacy is lower than we thought.
'A great proportion of the general public are unable to understand basic information from a tide table'
Chris Cousens
‘At the moment, one of the RNLI’s key safety messages is to check the tide times,’ says Chris. ‘But this research is showing that we’re pointing people towards information that most of them won’t understand or use in its current format.’ When finalised, the team will use the results of the research to make the RNLI’s safety advice as effective as possible and to increase awareness around tidal safety, ultimately saving lives.
Read a guide to beach forecasts and tides at metoffice.gov.uk/weather/guides/coastand-sea/beach-and-tide-times
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MEET OUR
In this issue of Offshore, quotes, practical advice and lifesaving tips are brought to you by:
ANDY WRIGHT
RNLI AREA OPERATIONS MANAGER
Andy is an experienced skipper of large sail training yachts, including his own much-loved 36-footer.
KITTY NORMAN
RNLI LIFEBOAT TRAINER AND POOLE RNLI CREW MEMBER
Kitty trains RNLI crew members so they’re equipped with the lifesaving skills they need. She also serves as a volunteer aboard Poole lifeboat.
FINN MULLEN
RNLI WATER SAFETY TEAM MEMBER, BUNDORAN RNLI CREW, BOARDSPORTS CHAMPION
Finn has 22 Irish National Champion and Vice Champion titles in windsurfing, surfing and paddleboarding.
Lucy saves lives at New Brighton RNLI and previously patrolled beaches around the Wirral Peninsula as an RNLI lifeguard.
RNLI SINCE 1824 WATERPROOF FLEECE HOODY
This hoody's high-quality construction and materials, including thermo-soft Sherpa Fleece and velcro wrist straps, provide supreme comfort and warmth, as well as 10,000mm waterproof protection. Available in sizes S–XL.
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LUCY SHAW
CARING FOR YOUR PETROL-POWERED ENGINE
You asked. We listened. Following our article on how to maintain your diesel engine last autumn, RNLI Area Operations Manager Andy Wright shares his tips on caring for your petrol engine
KNOWING YOUR PETROL ENGINE
‘There are two types of petrol engines commonly used in boats: the outboard system, and the inboard outboard system.
With an outboard motor, the engine is mounted on the outside of the transom. It swivels, allowing you to steer the boat. You can have single, twin or multiple outboard motors.
With an inboard outboard system (known as a Z drive), the engine is mounted inside the boat, on the inside of the transom. It has a propeller and the leg steers the boat in a similar way to an outboard.
These days, outboards are capable of up to 500hp so many vessels are fitted with a less complex and space-saving outboard rather than a Z drive.
KEY DIFFERENCES BETWEEN PETROL AND DIESEL ENGINES
Four-stroke petrol and diesel engines run in a similar way, except for how the fuel is introduced and combusted.
Compression and combustion
In a diesel engine, the fuel is injected into the cylinder under high pressure by an injector, and the compression of the combustion chamber ignites the fuel.
A petrol engine has a carburettor or fuel injection system. With a carburettor, the petrol and air is mixed together and drawn into the engine via the inlet valve. This mixture is then ignited by a spark plug, which creates the power of the fourstroke cycle. If the engine is fuel-injected, the air is drawn into the cylinder via the inlet valve, the fuel is then injected, and the spark plug ignites it.
With a two-stroke petrol engine, the output of the engine is the same, but the way the engine runs is different. The oil is added to a reservoir or mixed in with the petrol.
'Get your petrol engine serviced every year, and check it before and after every trip'
Andy Wright, RNLI Area Operations Manager
Due to petrol being ignited and more volatile than diesel, the compression in a petrol engine is less than in a diesel engine. There’s no need to heat the fuel up for combustion purposes, which saves carbon being forced into the oil. This is why most diesel engines have black oil and petrol engine oil retains its honey colour for longer.
Power and noise
Normally aspirated (NA) petrol engines produce more power and a higher rev range than their diesel equivalent. They tend to be quieter and smoother running.
' Routine checks and regular maintenance mean you’re doing everything you can to stay safe'
Andy Wright, RNLI Area Operations Manager
D class inshore lifeboats are powered by a 50hp two-stroke outboard petrol engine
The workings of an RNLI-adapted two-stroke engine
NEED TO KNOW
RNLI-adapted four-stroke engines – the smaller one is a spare get-you-home outboard
TOP MAINTENANCE TIPS
Machinery failure in motorboats continues to be the most common cause of lifeboat call outs. Routine checks and regular maintenance of your engine will give you many years of good service. And you’ll have peace of mind that you're doing everything you can to stay safe.
Get your engine serviced every year
This should include:
• replacing any anodes
• changing spark plugs as per the manufacturer's guidelines
• changing the oil and oil filter (four-stroke engines) and the air filter (Z drive)
• replacing the water-separating fuel filter. Oil, filters and spark plugs should be changed annually or upon recommended engine hours. If your water-separating fuel filter isn't working properly or is clogged, then water and other pollutants could mix into the fuel injector or carburettor and cause damage inside your engine.
Replace the water pump impeller regularly
That’s the bit that sucks the seawater in and spits it out again. Impellers go brittle and perish. A weak tell-tale – the jet of water that shows the water pump is working – could indicate there's a problem.
Refuelling and spare fuel
Petrol is much more volatile than diesel. Take extra care when refuelling, do not overfill, and ensure the tanks are in good condition and secured in the boat.
Spare fuel, if carried, must be in a locker that drains overboard and not into the bilges of the vessel. We don’t want to encourage pollution, but in the event of an emergency, this could be a lifesaving decision.
Use the correct petrol
Unleaded petrol is referred to as E5 or E10, based on its bioethanol fuel content. Bioethanol is a greener, renewable version of ethanol that is designed to be carbon neutral and comply with emissions. E5 is 5% bioethanol and E10 is 10% bioethanol.
E5 and E10 have different shelf lives. Check which type is best for your boat engine. It’s also worth checking what petrol your local fuel barge supplies.
E10 can only be stored for 30 days before it starts to separate. When this happens, the separated ethanol sits below the petrol and ends up in the carburettor or fuel injection system. It can cause issues with degrading rubber and fuel bladders, and the engine may not run correctly or even start.
E5 has a 6-month shelf life in an air-tight space. As it contains less bioethanol, it’s less likely to separate and cause problems.
Clean your battery terminals and check the battery is charged before every trip
Change your spark plugs annually if not before – it's a good idea to carry spares
Check the oil and fluid levels before every trip
The waterseparating fuel filter should be replaced annually or upon recommended engine hours
A new water pump impeller (left) and one that has perished (right) – this needs replacing regularly
Carry a spare propeller and the tools to change it to avoid a tow home
Keep the steering and trim system greased
Refer to the manufacturer’s instructions for which parts to grease and the recommended grease to use.
Winterise your petrol engine
If your engine is going to be left for a long period of time:
• Drain the fuel system completely.
• Change the oil and oil filter (fourstroke engines) and the air filter (Z drive). This is in addition to the annual or scheduled oil and filter changes. Engine oil accumulates acidic combustion byproducts that can be harmful to internal engine components if left in the engine.
• Flush the outboard out with fresh water and allow it to drain so it doesn’t freeze.
• Don’t leave your outboard or Z drive in the water all winter. It will get fouled on the inside as well on the outside.
Before every trip:
• Inspect the engine for signs of wear and tear and tighten hoses, belts, bolts and battery connections.
• Clean battery terminals by disconnecting them and removing corrosion with a wire brush. If you have a solar-powered battery, check that it's fully charged.
• Check the oil and fluid levels.
After every trip:
• Flush the engine out with fresh water to remove sea salt and any weed or sand that may have been sucked into the water inlets.
Your safety comes first
No matter how much you care for your engine, things can still go wrong. If you suspect an issue, investigate before it becomes a danger. If you can’t resolve the problem yourself, never hesitate to call for help – the RNLI is always here for you.
CASE STUDY: REAL-LIFE RESCUE NEED TO KNOW
A 6.4m dory and its crew of five were heading home after a day’s fishing when the boat’s outboard engine seized. The emergency auxiliary outboard engine also wouldn’t start. Fortunately, they weren’t in the middle of Kent’s busy shipping channels. But it was early September. Nights were drawing in. And the crew, which included two teenagers, weren’t prepared for the dark or the cold. They dropped their anchor and called the Coastguard for help.
‘They were at the entrance to The Swale Estuary, about 2 miles from Harty Ferry where they’d launched,’ explains Dave Parry, who was the volunteer helm of Whitstable’s B class Atlantic 85 lifeboat that evening. ‘It took about 20 minutes at a steady 6 knots to tow them back there.
‘For the main engine to seize, it would probably have been one of two things. The first is lack of lubrication. In a four-stroke engine, this means not enough oil, or the oil not getting to where it needs to be within the engine; or in a two-stroke engine, it might be insufficient oil mixed in with the petrol. Make sure you use the correct petrol/oil ratios in your two-stroke engine. Before you head out, agitate the mixture to ensure it's thoroughly mixed and hasn’t separated. Make sure the petrol is clean and not too old too.
‘Alternatively, the engine could have overheated. If there’s no telltale on the back of the outboard – the jet of water that shows the water pump is running and cooling the engine – you need to shut the
'A spare get-you-home outboard is a good idea, but it needs testing and running regularly'
Dave Parry, Volunteer Helm, Whitstable RNLI
engine down. If you continue to run it, the pistons will start seizing in the cylinders and this will start scoring the cylinder bores. That’s often game over.
‘If an engine overheats and there is still a tell-tale, bring the engine back to idle and see if it improves.
‘Carrying a spare get-you-home outboard is a good idea, but it needs testing and running regularly because engines thrive on use. Petrol goes stale –thick and gummy – which can then clog up the carburettor.’ ■
Dave Parry
Words: Vicki Lovegrove-Fray
Photos: RNLI/(Chris Davey, Martin Fish, Andy Parish, Nathan Williams, Padstow, Whitstable)
Whitstable’s B class inshore lifeboat Lewisco, which is powered by two four-stroke outboard petrol engines
WIRRAL PENINSULA
The rich diversity of the Wirral Peninsula sees outstanding natural beauty melded with industrial history and vibrant city life – all waiting to be explored
WHERE THERE IS A HUGE POPULATION OF SEALS' 'YOU CAN WALK OUT TO HILBRE ISLAND,
The Wirral Peninsula is surrounded by water on three sides – the Mersey Estuary to the east, Liverpool Bay to the north and the Dee Estuary to the west. From the beach at New Brighton, you can see the Liverpool City skyline. On the other side of the peninsula, you can see the stunning Welsh mountains across the estuary.
I work in Liverpool City Centre, but I’m only a short walk away from the beach. There aren’t many places with such variety. You can go and enjoy the bustling city, or you can find peace and quiet by the sea.
We have some brilliant coastal walks. Once a year we do a sponsored walk called the Wirral Coastal Walk. It’s a 12½-mile walk that goes right around the peninsula.
I love watersports, too. We have a huge kitesurfing community and plenty of sailing groups, while many people enjoy stand-up paddleboarding in the warmer months. Open water swimming is incredibly popular at the moment. Groups meet near our lifeboat station
'There’s
something for everyone here, whether you want to go in the water or just stroll alongside it'
and then go for a dip. They enjoy bacon butties or hot chocolates on the beach together afterwards.
Before I joined the lifeboat crew, I was an RNLI lifeguard on beaches around the Wirral Peninsula. I just love being outdoors. There are plenty of fantastic lifeguarded beaches here. Like New Brighton Beach, a sandy beach with lots of food outlets and leisure attractions nearby – it’s popular with families!
New Brighton Beach has a lighthouse and a historic coastal defence battery called Fort Perch
Rock, which makes an interesting visit. If you like rockpooling, look around the groynes that come off the fort. You’ll find pools full of starfish, anemones, cockles, mussels and more.
The Wirral Peninsula is home to a variety of rare species of marine life. For example, a breeding colony of the rare, protected Natterjack toad live in the Red Rocks Marsh. Close to Red Rocks is West Kirby Beach (also lifeguarded). At low tide, you can walk out to Hilbre Island, where there is a huge population of seals – just be sure to check the tide times and respect wildlife at a safe and sensitive distance. Afterwards, there are plenty of fantastic independent restaurants, cafes and chippies in West Kirby to welcome you back.
'One of my favourite cafes is Social 114 – they do really good food, and they’re so close to New Brighton Beach and its famous Lighthouse'
MARK DALY
INSHORE LIFEBOAT
CREW MEMBER, NEW BRIGHTON RNLI
LUCY SHAW
INSHORE LIFEBOAT
CREW MEMBER, NEW BRIGHTON RNLI
An iconic Mersey ferry joins a flotilla with RNLI lifeboats to celebrate our 200th anniversary
Fort Perch Rock, a historic coastal defence battery, is well worth a visit
LOVE WHERE YOU LIVE
There are plenty of enthusiastic sailing groups
DEBUNKING TIDAL MYTHS
MYTH: Tide times are the same every day.
TRUTH: High tides are 12 hours 25 minutes apart (on average), so times change daily.
MYTH: Tides are completely unpredictable.
TRUTH: You can check tide times online.
MYTH: The water won’t come that far up the beach.
TRUTH: Some places have huge tidal ranges, leaving areas cut off as islands.
HARDING HELM, NEW BRIGHTON RNLI
I was born and bred here. It’s a fantastic and diverse place. There’s a mixture of historical and modern industrial sites, but it’s also abundant in outstanding natural beauty.
I love going down to the beach. It’s flourishing with wildlife. In Liverpool Bay you can spot dolphins, porpoise and the occasional Minke whale. I’m a bit of a photographer, so I enjoy taking photos of the wildlife, the scenery, and – of course – the sunsets. We have what I consider to be the best sunsets in the world here.
The Wirral Peninsula is a brilliant place for birdwatchers. Just across from our lifeboat station, there’s a marine lake. At high tide, purple sandpipers can be seen roosting. And in bad weather, we get shearwaters just offshore.
TELL US WHERE YOU LOVE
'Everyday down on the beach is different. It’s outstanding. It just keeps you alive!'
Remember to check the tides before visiting the beaches. We have a large tidal range and lots of sandbanks, so one of the most common shouts we get is people who have been cut off by the tide. You can check the tide times online or chat to the RNLI lifeguards on the beaches. Or, if you’re near our lifeboat station, feel free to pop in and ask us!
FIND OUT MORE
• visitwirral.com
• wirralcoastalwalk.org
• thebluetits.co
• marinepoint.co.uk
• fortperchrock.org.uk
• wirralwildlife.org.uk/red-rocks
• hilbre-island.co.uk
• instagram.com/social_114 ■
Words: Charis Walker
Photos: Adobe, Mark Harding, RNLI/(Andy Parish, Lucy Shaw), Shutterstock.com, Connor Wray
Let us know which area of coastline you’d like to see here in future issues by emailing offshore@rnli.org.uk.
MARK
The vibrance of Liverpool is just a short ferry ride across the River Mersey
Enjoy the view of the Liverpool City skyline over the River Mersey
Crew Member Lucy Shaw’s dad is part of local open water swimming group the Red Cap Swimmers
Purple sandpipers can be spotted at high water in the winter
You might spot a grey seal around Hilbre Island
The group were searching for basking sharks
SWIMMER STOPS BREATHING
Basking Shark Scotland is an ethical wildlife adventure company that offers tours of remote areas of the Hebrides. It takes small groups out on the water looking for basking sharks, whales, dolphins and more – being careful not to disturb them.
EVAN JOHNSON WAS LEADING A FIVE-DAY TOUR OF THE REMOTE HEBRIDES WHEN A MEMBER OF THE GROUP SUDDENLY STOPPED BREATHING 1x
It was day 4 of a 5-day tour. ‘We were swimming at the north end of the Isle of Coll,’ says Evan Johnson, Marine Biologist and Wildlife Guide. ‘The conditions were great –sunny, flat-calm water.’
‘I wondered if she was nervous, but as it was her fourth day in the water with us, I wasn’t sure. I swam over,’ Evan says. ‘When I reached her, she said she was struggling to breathe. I reassured her, saying that I’d swim with her – we were only a couple of minutes from the boat.’
'50m from our boat, she lost consciousness'
Evan led the group to an 200m channel where they could drift with the current back to their boat. ‘We started drifting together. Then I looked behind me. One member of the group was quite far back.
Evan swam with her, but she kept having to stop. He unzipped her wetsuit chest zip and pulled the hood down to give her space to breathe, but her lips were turning blue. ‘I told her to lie back, and I began towing her to the boat. But she kept sitting up. Every time I looked at her, her lips were bluer. She was blue under her eyes, too.
‘I tried to get her to safety as quickly as possible. But 50m from our boat, she lost consciousness.
‘I pulled her onto some rocks and got the attention of our skipper. Then I moved her wetsuit and began chest compressions. There was a doctor and a nurse in the tour group – they swam over to help Evan do CPR. The skipper brought the boat closer.
‘We needed to get the casualty on our boat,’ Evan recalls. ‘There was oxygen onboard. So we got her into the water again – I swam underneath her. Two more people held her arms. Once she was on the boat, we started oxygen-assisted CPR.’
'At first, she was completely unresponsive. But we carried on, knowing that help was on the way'
Meanwhile, the skipper of the boat was radioing the Coastguard. A Coastguard helicopter from Stornoway and Tobermory RNLI’s Trent class lifeboat were tasked.
‘While we were waiting for them to arrive, we continued CPR,’ says Evan. ‘At first, she was completely unresponsive. But we carried on, knowing that help was on the way.
‘The first 15 minutes were the worst. After that, she became more responsive.’ Around 40 minutes later, the Coastguard helicopter and Tobermory lifeboat arrived on scene. The decision was made to winch the casualty into the helicopter from Basking Shark Scotland’s boat. She was then taken to hospital as quickly as possible, where she was able to recover.
Tobermory’s Severn class lifeboat launched to the rescue
They were swimming in remote areas of the Hebrides
The casualty being winched into the Coastguard helicopter
Evan’s advice
‘Swimming-induced pulmonary oedema (SIPE) is a relatively unknown condition – but it can be deadly ’
EVAN JOHNSON
‘If you’re going swimming, go in a group. Always keep everyone in sight – if I hadn’t seen that the casualty had fallen behind, I might’ve missed her. There was no way she could’ve reached the boat by herself.
‘If someone gets into difficulty in the water, call 999 and ask for the coastguard. RNLI lifeboat crews are all trained in casualty care. While you’re waiting for help to arrive, you might have to administer CPR, so always keep your own CPR and first aid skills up to date.’
' If you’re going swimming, go in a group'
‘The doctors believe the casualty stopped breathing because of swimming-induced pulmonary oedema (SIPE),’ says Evan. ‘SIPE is an under-researched condition, and there are lots of unknowns about it. It’s most likely to happen when someone exerts themselves while immersed in cold water.’
When a person is in cold water, their body forces blood away from their extremities to their core. This causes high pressure in their capillaries, which can cause fluid to leak
SHARE YOUR STORY
into their lungs. SIPE is most common in triathletes, but it can happen to anyone.
‘It felt surreal,’ says Evan. ‘It all happened so quickly. But my training kicked in, and it was so reassuring to know that the RNLI lifeboat and Coastguard helicopter were on their way.’ ■
Offshore is a community to share our experiences and broaden our horizons. Do you have a story you can share about ways you’re advancing a watersport, or about a time things went wrong on the water? If so, please email offshore@rnli.org.uk
Words: Charis Walker
Photos: Basking Shark Scotland, RNLI/(Dr Sam Jones, Nathan Williams)
HOW TO: UNDERSTAND THE WIND
More of us are getting into paddlesports thanks to their accessibility and easy launch. But the wind can catch paddlers out. Confused? Here’s where to start
First up, the convention for wind direction can be confusing as it’s expressed as where the wind is coming from – so a northerly wind blows from the north, but will push you south.
Avoid offshore winds as they do what they say on the tin – blow you away from shore, out to sea. When paddling, especially on a SUP where your body acts like a big sail, it can happen fast.
Even onshore winds are tricky, as they create choppy waves, making you more likely to fall in. Then getting back on your board or kayak gets tiring. And in a crossshore wind you can drift to somewhere without a safe exit.
Focus on the wind strength and direction on the weather forecast when planning your trip. If the coastline you’re paddling changes direction, think about where the wind will push you at each point. Winds above force 3 (8–12 mph) should have newer paddlers thinking twice. We recommend Met Éireann or the Met Office for your forecasts but there are many options for wind-specific apps, with varying levels of detail and local accuracy.
We’ve rescued paddleboarders who’d checked the forecast the night before, but the wind forecast had strengthened significantly on the day of their trip and caught them out, as they didn’t check it just before they launched.
There are tips about throwing grass in the air or looking at flags to spot offshore winds from land, but that can be misleading. Cliffs and coastal buildings create wind shadows that make it hard to judge correctly. It’s only once you paddle out from shelter that the full wind speed hits.
Wind shadows on the shoreline can be deceptive
PLAN YOUR TRIP
RNLI WATER SAFETY TEAM MEMBER, BUNDORAN RNLI CREW AND BOARDSPORTS CHAMPION, FINN MULLEN SHARES HIS WIND-READING TIPS FOR PADDLERS
Use a weather forecast and map to plan your route. Look out for where the coast curves – the wind will hit differently as you change direction. Even if paddling along a straight coastline, make sure there are safe exit points on your route.
KEEP CHECKING CONDITIONS
Check the forecast often. Is the wind strengthening or changing direction? Be prepared to change plans. Once you’re ready to launch, look at conditions around you. Be careful of wind shadows close to shore that disguise stronger winds further out.
KNOW WHAT TO DO
Always have a way to call for help and keep it on you. If caught out, there are techniques like lying prone on a SUP to reduce windage, or using a paddle to slow your drift. But you need to learn these with an approved instructor and practise often.
There’s no substitute for getting afloat as part of an experienced or instructor-led group and building a feel for how wind and water behave. You’ll start to recognise more patterns as you scan the water, like wind-over-tide chop, or wind lines out to sea.
SAFETY TIPS
• Wear a buoyancy aid.
• Wear the correct leash.
• Carry a phone in a waterproof pouch.
• Avoid offshore winds.
Words: Philly Byrde Photos: RNLI/(Ash Milton, Finn Mullen, Nathan
Keep checking the forecast for changes in wind speed and direction Carry a means of calling for
WHAT WOULD YOU DO NEXT?
You’re at sea when a wave crashes over your boat. You’re OK, but the water causes your automatic lifejacket to fire and inflate.
DO YOU SCENARIO C B A
EXPERT ANSWER
In this situation, the best thing to do is to quickly repack your lifejacket (B). Ideally, you’d have spare lifejacket firing systems with you onboard the boat.
If your lifejacket inflates and you don’t have spare firing systems, don’t take the lifejacket off (A). Keep it on (C). If you need to, deflate it slightly to a level you’re able to work with. But bear in mind that whatever air you let out, you’d have to blow back in manually were you to end up in the water unexpectedly. A deflated lifejacket also lacks the ability to turn you onto your back and keep your head above the water – vital if you fall and are knocked unconscious.
Check your lifejacket every time you use it. I often come across lifejackets with CO2 cylinders and firing heads not screwed on tight enough. These lifejackets won’t fire properly in an emergency. One tip is to ‘strangle’ your lifejacket – give it a twist to make sure they’re on tight. And, at least once a year, inflate it fully and leave it for 24 hours, checking that it doesn’t deflate.
Deflate it (it’s pretty uncomfortable) but keep it on. Repack it with the spare lifejacket firing systems you have on the boat as soon as you can. Take it off and put it away – it’s no use to you now.
CLIFDEN RESCUE: CAPSIZED AND COLD
A sailor was out in Clifden Bay one evening this April when his boat capsized, throwing him into the cold water unexpectedly.
A member of the public spotted the sailor from the shore and realised that he was in difficulty. So they called 999 and asked for the Coast Guard. The Clifden RNLI lifeboat volunteers quickly launched their B class lifeboat to the rescue.
When the crew arrived on scene, they found the sailor clinging to the hull of his upturned boat. He'd been in the water for some time and was cold, but he was wearing a lifejacket. The volunteer crew helped the sailor aboard the lifeboat and brought him safely back to shore, before going back out to right and retrieve his sailing boat.
Clifden RNLI Helm Joe Acton was onboard that day and says: ‘Please always remember to wear a correctly fitted and maintained lifejacket when out on the water. We want everyone to enjoy the water – and come home safely.’ ■
Photos:
RNLI/(Mella Walsh, Nathan Williams)
KITTY NORMAN RNLI LIFEBOAT TRAINER
The sailor had been clinging to the hull of his upturned boat