Have your automatic lifejacket serviced
Having your lifejacket serviced is one of the most important steps you can take to ensure it's in good working order. Whether you do the maintenance yourself, or have it carried out by a professional at an approved center, it's all about keeping your lifejacket well maintained. By ensuring that your automatic lifejacket is properly maintained, you can extend its life, reliability and safety on board.
Servicing your automatic lifejacket: maintenance for all
Like all self-respecting safety equipment, a lifejacket needs to be serviced regularly. An automatic lifejacket can be serviced by the user himself, provided he carefully follows the steps detailed in the instruction manual.
But if you have the slightest doubt about carrying out this operation, you can opt to have your lifejacket serviced by a professional. This is where manufacturers such as Plastimo or Secumar, or authorized centers and stations, can take over. Having your lifejacket serviced by a professional will prevent any unfortunate handling that could damage your lifejacket.
Between overhauls, get into the habit of carrying out a visual check of your equipment to prevent any malfunctions once at sea. Carefully inspect the release system, bladder, gas cylinder and seams before embarking. If you have any questions, contact the manufacturer or an authorized center.
Why have your lifejacket serviced?
While the maintenance of a liferaft is compulsory, and follows a strict overhaul process, the inflatable lifejacket is one piece of on-board safety equipment that escapes this rule.
So why have your inflatable lifejacket serviced? Because lifejackets have a limited lifespan. In fact, it has been set at 10 years, due to the natural wear and tear of the vest and its components during navigation. Servicing your lifejacket enables you to maintain its integrity and performance throughout its useful life.
Remember, keeping your automatic lifejacket in good condition means ensuring your survival at sea in the event of danger. We also recommend that you have a complete refill kit for each lifejacket on board your boat. Even if your lifejacket is seldom worn at sea, or has never been hit, it's essential to regularly check its condition.
Marking and maintenance record for your lifejacket
As with your vehicle's roadworthiness test, your lifejacket must be visibly marked with the latest and next service intervals. This type of indication, left to the manufacturer's choice, must be permanent and visible from the outside of your lifejacket, without the need to open it. It may be present in the form of a sticker, a control tablet or ring, or in your lifejacket's maintenance booklet.
You must include the following information:
- the words "prochaine révision" (or "next revision" in English
- the year of the next revision: two digits (example: 2016 = 16)
- the month of the next revision: numbers from 1 to 12
Optional additional elements may also appear, such as the name of the manufacturer or the identification number of the overhaul station.
Nautisports tip: when buying second-hand equipment, always ask the seller about the maintenance and servicing of the automatic lifejacket you may be buying.
: servicing every two years
As we all know, to maintain the reliability of your lifejacket, it needs to be serviced regularly. However, there is no legal requirement to service your lifejacket every two years. However, manufacturers recommend that you have your lifejacket serviced every 2 years in an approved workshop or center for pleasure boating.
Nothing obliges you to have your safety equipment serviced by a professional. You can take care of your vest yourself by following the instruction manual to the letter, or tutorials available online. Plastimo, a French manufacturer of lifejackets, nevertheless advises you to return your Pilot 165, or any other model in the range, to our factory in Lorient, or to one of our many approved centers, for a complete overhaul.
In order to consolidate the various overhaul procedures, the leading French lifejacket manufacturers, grouped together within the FIN (Fédération des Industries Nautiques), have agreed on a marking system for the various models sold on the market, to visibly indicate the date of overhaul of inflatable lifejackets.
Every year for marine professionals
Depending on the application, particularly in the industrial or commercial sector, such as the merchant navy, the maintenance period may vary, leading to more frequent servicing. In the case of professional or intensive use, an annual overhaul becomes mandatory. We're talking here about professional skippers in competition or training.
Please note: the way you store your automatic vest, whether on board your yacht or at home, has an impact on its level of wear and tear. Store it in a dry place away from UV rays.
Overhaul in a professional workshop: the Plastimo example
Overhaul in a professional workshop: the Plastimo example
Maintaining a lifejacket is no easy task. Approved overhaul centers, ship chandlers... in France, there are many professionals in the field of personal protective equipment capable of carrying out a complete overhaul of your automatic lifejacket, should you feel unable to do so.
Plastimo, for example, overhauls the lifejackets in its catalog. You can bring in the versions of your Pilot 165N, 275N and 290N lifejackets, as well as the Pilot Pocket, EVO 165 lifejacket, Rescue Belt and SLR 196 lifejacket in your possession (non-exhaustive list).
These workshop overhauls are carried out by certified personnel who have received specific training and are equipped with all the necessary handling equipment.
The overhaul of your Hammar inflatable lifejacket or UML lifejacket consists of a thorough check of its various components: inflatable inner tube, details of seams and straps, gas cylinders, automatic and manual release systems... Winterization can also be reviewed.
To find an authorized Plastimo service station, please click here. Whether you're sailing along the French coast or on the other side of the world, you'll have easy access to Plastimo services offered by professionals of the sea.
The Secumar case
German company Secumar has been manufacturing its own lifejackets for over 60 years. In France, the manufacturer has developed a network of service stations, accessible via the brand's website. The cost of servicing a varies between €40 and €60 (guide price excluding shipping), depending on the model of automatic lifejacket and whether you choose to have it serviced directly in Germany at the parent company or at an authorized center.
The maintenance service offered is carried out by trained experts. It includes :
- Leak test of inflated float for 16 hours
- Testing the automatic release after immersion in water
- Examination of automatic release on manual activation
- Examination of mouthpiece
- Insertion of a new cellulose tablet (depending on vest type)
- Change seals
- Examination of seams and front closure system
- Visual inspection and weighing of CO2 cartridge
- Fit automatic trigger with electronic torque control
- Renewal of inspection and packaging sticker
- Documentation and final inspection in accordance with quality management system (ISO 9001)
If you have any doubts or questions about the overhaul of your automatic vest, don't hesitate to contact us or the brand. Generally speaking, the manufacturer of your inflatable vest will be able to direct you to the nearest authorized workshop or dealer.
: to be overhauled too?
Foam vests don't really need to be serviced. However, a visual check every year, or ideally after intensive use at the end of the season, for example, is highly recommended. Any deterioration or suspected defect requires a complete check of the foam vest. As with an inflatable lifejacket, professional use of a foam vest such as a Solas vest requires more regular inspection.
As always with safety equipment, your life is at stake. It's better to renew a buoyancy aid than to run the risk of losing its effectiveness in the event of danger at sea, even along the coast.
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