Deadline looms to replace old life jackets with new ones
Have life jackets on your boat that are older than your kids? Check to see if you need to replace themBoat owners will need to check older life jackets to ensure they comply with strict new regulations covering their use that kick in from the end of this year.
The reminder that the older life jackets will become illegal to use from January 1, 2021 comes as a decade-long grace period to give owners time to replace them draws to a close.
Under the change, all life jackets used on the water must wear the same Australian Standards number – AS4758 – printed somewhere on the jacket’s label. This standard replaces those used for life jackets sold in Australia before 2010 and wearing soon-to-be-superseded Australian Standards numbers including AS1512, AS1499 and AS2260.
The new AS4758 standard, introduced way back in 2010, has changed the way that life jackets are rated. Under the old system the devices were marked with either “Type 1”, “Type 2” or “Type 3” depending on the level of flotation they provided.
New rating system
Under the new standard, life jackets are rated according to how much buoyancy they provide expressed in Newtons – Level 150, Level 100, Level 50, and Level 50S.
Levels 150 and 100 life jackets offer the best level of support, and replace the old Type 1 jackets. They’re best suited to general boating and offer good head support and the best buoyancy when compared with other devices.
The Level 150 life jackets are better suited to boaters who regularly head offshore in a mix of conditions, while the Level 100 jackets are better for near-shore, inshore and enclosed waters where conditions tend to be calmer and the chance of rescue are higher.
Padded, foam-filled life jackets up to Level 100 flotation support are okay to use, but beyond that they tend to get very bulky and awkward. An inflatable Level 150 life jacket suddenly becomes more practical and comfortable to use compared with its more traditional equivalent.
Smooth waters
Level 50 jackets replace the older Type 2 jackets used mainly for kayaks and personal watercraft, and do not offer head support. They are only recommended for smooth waters.
The Level 50S (Special Purpose) jackets replace the old Type 3 ones. They do not comply with colour requirements that make the wearer easier to spot in the water, and like the Level 50 jackets do not offer any head support.
Level 50S jackets can be worn by kayak and jet ski operators, and more often with people taking part in towed water sports such as skiing and wakeboarding. Again, they should only be used in smooth waters, and cannot be used as the main life jacket on a boat.
Life jackets cost anywhere from around $50 for a manual Level 150 device up to several hundred dollars for devices that automatically deploy once you’re in the water and offer more than 150N of buoyancy.
One of the important considerations when buying an inflatable life jacket is servicing it. Life jackets should always be inspected or serviced by their owners at least twice a year, but some may require you to take them into an authorised service centre either once a year or once every second year for a proper check-over.
On-water safety checks may include looking at when an inflatable life jacket was last serviced, and how it was serviced.
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