Which lifejacket to wear on a zodiac?
When cruising aboard your Zodiac, you'll be required to wear a lifejacket to ensure your safety, and prevent any risk of drowning. ISO safety standards are strict on this subject. In the event of a fall, knowing how to swim is not enough to guarantee your survival, reach the shore or rejoin the boat. At the very least, you need a buoyancy aid, like a lifejacket for water sports, to prevent you from exhausting yourself while trying to stay afloat. There are also models for non-swimmers, most of them automatic. So let's take a look at why life jackets are mandatory for your safety on a Zodiac boat, and what the best Zodiac life jackets are.
Zodiac lifejacket: choosing the best lifejacket for your nautical activity
Although you're careful not to sail your Zodiac at top speed, maritime laws and regulations require you to wear a lifejacket in France. Navigation aboard an inflatable boat can sometimes be hectic due to external conditions beyond your control. Wearing a lifejacket is therefore essential to be able to react quickly in times of distress. You'll need to build up a small stock of lifejackets for yourself and your passengers, whether children or adults. Your choice of lifejacket depends on a number of criteria: the category you prefer, the brand of lifejacket, your distance from the coast, your age, gender, height, weight, comfort level, price and aesthetic preferences. The Plastimo brand offers a complete range of good quality, low-priced lifejackets. Most products are available with or without harness, and are suitable for all profiles. The Plastimo Pilot 165 Harnessless lifejacket (also available with harness) is suitable for coastal sailing and regular outings. It is inspired by the Pilot Plastimo 290 Newtons model, which is reserved for offshore sailing. The Pilot 165 Plastimo vest is for adults only, and is available with a Hammar or UML automatic release, or a manual release. If you choose the Hammar or UML release model, you'll need the appropriate cartridge reset kit. The Plastimo Pilot Pocket lifejacket is also an extremely practical and comfortable lifejacket for people who hate wearing lifejackets around their necks. The Pilot Pocket Plastimo is worn around the waist and has a buoyancy of 100 Newtons once inflated. It is only available as a manual release. Depending on your child's measurements, it may be suitable for him or her. If you're not going far from the coast, a simple foam buoyancy vest will do. There's no need for a release kit or spare cartridge, as foam lifejackets have no release system. The JIBE 50N Plastimo lifejacket is ideal for this purpose.
Accessories such as subcutaneous straps, lanyards and flash lights are essential for survival. Some life jackets don't come with them, so you'll need to buy them separately. The price of this additional equipment is generally low.
