Lifejackets are the most important piece of safety equipment on any recreational vessel.
We only sell modern lifejackets that are Australian Standard (AS4758.1) or SOLAS rated, suitable for commercial and recreational use.
Modern inflatable lifejacket styles are designed to help you get the most out of your day on the water. They are less cumbersome and easy to wear, and they don’t get in the way.
With a wide range of features, slimline styles and colours, West Offshore is certain to have a jacket to suit your specific application.
Types of Life Jackets
Inflatable Life Jackets
These lifejackets are built to the same buoyancy standards as traditional lifejackets but rely on CO2 gas cylinders for inflation. As a result they are lighter and less cumbersome than conventional foam lifejackets and are quite versatile – Wet weather jackets and windproof vests can also incorporate the inflatable buoyancy chambers of a life jacket thereby providing the highest degree safety in apparel for every weather event.
Inflatables are divided into minimum buoyancy levels:
Level 50 or 50N can be used on rivers, estuaries, canals or lakes. You’ll find these as waist belt PFDs that are really convenient to store and wear. They will need to be opened up and pulled over your head in an emergency and aren’t as “ready to use” as traditional inflatable life jackets.
Level 150 or 150N have become the standard and minimum requirement for use on boats. The 150N is the minimum buoyancy, but some manufacturers have pushed this to buoyancy levels of 180N or even 190N.
Level 275 or 275N are a good good option if you’re going to be carrying tools or wearing a lot of clothing.
SOLAS models have a redundant bladder that’s separated into 2 cambers, so that if 1 were to fail, it would still provide its full buoyancy. They’re more expensive as they have dual inflators, gas cylinders, automatic cartridges & oral tubes. SOLAS life jackets are required for international vessels and Australian commercial operators in class B.
Foam Life Jackets
There are two types foam life jackets are commonly seen:
Level 50 models for use on rivers and water sports. These are an obvious choice for kayaking and water skiing, slim, reusable, comfortable to wear and don’t need any maintenance. However, they aren’t suitable for the open ocean.
SOLAS models for commercial operators. Incorporating the traditional use of non-absorbent foam to provide buoyancy, they are very inexpensive and require little or no maintenance. These will also meet the compliance requirement for any vessel. As they are primarily designed to meet safety requirements while minimising the stowage footprint required, they tend favour compliance over comfort. Typically they are stowed for use in an emergency rather than worn continuously.
A lifejacket must be carried for each person onboard all vessels. It must be the correct size for the wearer and in good working condition. But it can’t save your life unless you’re wearing it.
Penalties apply to the owners and masters of vessels found not carrying lifejackets, or if there are not enough lifejackets for everyone on board. Penalties may also apply if occupants are not wearing lifejackets in some states. More importantly, if you are not wearing your lifejacket, it cannot save your life.
So be safe and wear yours, because a lifejackets really do save lives.