STAYING AFLOAT

BEFORE I DELVE INTO THE depths of why I like wearing a flotation suit, I must explain something. Regardless of what manufacturers try to tell us, buoyancy aids and flotation suits are not lifejackets. A true lifejacket will turn an unconscious wearer with their face upwards in the water so that they can continue to breathe.

Buoyancy aids and flotation suits only have the ability to help the wearers help themselves, which means you must remain conscious and be able to swim if you end up in the drink. Proper lifejackets come in various forms. Some get all their buoyancy from a foam filling, while others have either manual inflation or are activated by a CO2 canister. They also come in a range of buoyancy ratings,