Dinghy development: Personal Flotation Device

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Personal Flotation Device

Printed From: Yachts and Yachting Online
Category: Dinghy classes
Forum Name: Dinghy development
Forum Discription: The latest moves in the dinghy market
URL: http://www.yachtsandyachting.com/forum/forum_posts.asp?TID=10913
Printed Date: 16 Jul 25 at 7:26pm
Software Version: Web Wiz Forums 9.665y - http://www.webwizforums.com

Topic: Personal Flotation Device

Posted By: Old Timer
Subject: Personal Flotation Device
Date Posted: 10 Jun 13 at 2:07pm

As a junction from the other thread:

1.2 Life-Saving Equipment and Personal Flotation Devices

A boat shall carry adequate life-saving equipment for all persons on

board, including one item ready for immediate use, unless her class

rules make some other provision. Each competitor is individually

responsible for wearing a personal flotation device adequate for the

conditions.

I see most BAs offer

50 Newtons (5kg/11lbs) of buoyancy

The rules seem very vague on this matter.

Does this get dealt with in the NOR & SIs?

Replies:

Posted By: robin34024
Date Posted: 10 Jun 13 at 2:14pm

In the topper SI's they always had 'adequate personal buoyancy aid of no less than 50N'. I think most clubs have it in their constitution as well.

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Posted By: yellowwelly
Date Posted: 10 Jun 13 at 2:40pm

a very quick glance through the Solo rules doesn't seem to mention PFDs.

looks like I'm okay with that impact vest after all.

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Posted By: Rupert
Date Posted: 10 Jun 13 at 2:52pm

What about your club rules?

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Firefly 2324, Puffin 229, Minisail 3446 Mirror 70686

Posted By: yellowwelly
Date Posted: 10 Jun 13 at 3:06pm

I signed a disclaimer when I re-joined as a windsurfer.... not obliged to wear one windsurfing, I can only assume that RRS would apply when racing, and as there is no stipulation as to what qualifies as a PFD, the impact vest would technically be acceptable- even if in procuring it, it hasn't bumped up any revenues for a chandlery.

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Posted By: JimC
Date Posted: 10 Jun 13 at 3:09pm

My understanding is that the RRS are deliberately on the vague side because in many countries there's national legislation which covers the subject. UK sailors have much more freedom than US ones, for instance: AIUI the seppos have all sorts of legislation which is enforced by their coastguards.

You also need to read those rules with yachts in mind as well as, perhaps even more so than dinghies.

Posted By: yellowwelly
Date Posted: 10 Jun 13 at 3:16pm

I know some seppo kids had different PFDs for regatta sailing and college sailing when the US team came over to race our BUSA team in the late 90's- not sure which way around it was, but they had some bulky sh*t to wear at some point that they all hated.

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Posted By: 2547
Date Posted: 10 Jun 13 at 5:41pm

Rule from my club si's

No mention of 50n

3.2. Personal buoyancy: Personal Floatation Devices (PFD) must be worn by competitors at all
times afloat. Wet suits and dry suits are not personal buoyancy and will not satisfy this
instruction.

Posted By: Andymac
Date Posted: 10 Jun 13 at 8:30pm

Originally posted by 2547

Rule from my club si's

No mention of 50n

3.2. Personal buoyancy: Personal Floatation Devices (PFD) must be worn by competitors at all
times afloat. Wet suits and dry suits are not personal buoyancy and will not satisfy this
instruction.

Ditto;

7.1 With the exception of windsurfers, who must comply with separate RYA

recommendations, personal buoyancy in the form of an approved buoyancy aid or alternatively

for cruiser sailors and power boat crews, an automatically inflated life jacket, must be worn at

all times when afloat or on the pontoons. The wearing of waders or non-sailing Wellington

boots is prohibited when sailing. Members should note that automatically inflated life jackets

are not suitable for dingy sailing.

There is another bit about wetsuits/drysuits not constituting Personal bouyancy aid.

Although nowhere does it 'qualify' what 'approved' means or by who?

Posted By: L123456
Date Posted: 10 Jun 13 at 10:53pm

Originally posted by Andymac

[

Although nowhere does it 'qualify' what 'approved' means or by who?

That is the key ... Poorly written rule there ...

Posted By: Strangler
Date Posted: 10 Jun 13 at 11:20pm

From Hornet Mainsheet Nov 2007
If you have attended any international events in
the last couple of years you may have undergone
the buoyancy test. No, not a dunking stool for
crews, a check of your buoyancy aid by event
measurers. And like most things this practice
may well filter down to domestic events very
soon. So how do you avoid falling foul of the
rules?
The aid must conform to the correct Standard. In
Europe this is EN393, introduced in 1994,
superceded by the more rigorous BS EN ISO
12402-5 in 2006.
The standard requires the aid to meet a 50 Newton
requirement but in the wacky world of standards
a 50 Newton aid is not necessarily 50N.
The standard permits a reduction in buoyancy for
lower body weights—too much buoyancy can be a
hindrance in dinghy sailing. A size Small will be
40N or 45N depending on manufacturer and their
recommended weight for that size.
The ISAF website says: RECOMMENDATION - EN
393, 50N - BS EN ISO 12402-5
Typical SIAll
competitors shall wear personal flotation devices
at all times whilst racing. The devices
should be in good condition and in accordance
with the current specifications issued or approved
by a National Authority affiliated to the International
Sailing Federation, or a Standards Organisation
or Certification Authority recognised for
that purpose by its respective government.
Some older aids may just say CE 50 Newton
buoyancy aid. This appears to be currently accepted
by measurers. The aid must also be in
reasonable condition ie. still function properly and
the label must be legible showing the above info.
So check your equipment and add it to your
birthday pressy list if necessary.
Just one more thing; flexible foams, like all manmade
plastics including neoprene in wetsuits and
tyres, and polyesters and nylons in ropes, have
plasticizers which degrade over time and so the
product goes hard; In the case of foam, it starts
to crumble. So, if you have a buoyancy aid or
trailer tyres more than 5-6 years old, especially
if they’ve been used in warm, sunny conditions,
they will have reduced flexibility and performance,
so that’s another reason to extend your
pressy list!
I am amazed by the number of people I see still
sailing with the old air-filled aids with the sausage
strings of air cells [ banned for racing. Ed] all totally
deflated from rolling their boats on them or
using them for cushions on the beach, or so old
they’ve gone hard and cracked, (the aid that is),
but still expecting them to do the job they were
designed for!