Advice on canoe life jacket please!

[tobes01]

I'm off to Sweden in a few weeks' time for a week of canoeing on the lakes - nothing too strenuous, very excited at the prospect!

What I'm dreading, however, is having to wear a great big foam life jacket for the week. I'm a strong swimmer and we're not doing rapids, so I'd far rather go with a manual or self-inflating jacket. Problem is, I assume that I can't take the CO2 bottle on a plane, and there won't be an opportunity to buy one when I get there.

Can anyone please point me at a suitable (and cheap) life jacket that would provide sufficient safety without being a big, full-body job?

TIA,

Tobes

 

[sandbender]

What you need is a PFD rather than a lifejacket, most canoeing models are less bulky than you'd think and are designed with the comfort of the canoeist in mind. I have worn Magikelly's self inflating jacket and it was comfy but I wasn't convinced that it was any less comfy than a conventional setup.

Have a look at some of these on the marsport website, no connection just a satisfied customer.

 

[John Fenna]

A PFD - personal flotation device (also known as a BA "buoyancy Aid") is the job for most canoeing.
I have only used life jackets and gas inflated life jackets for people with severe physical handicaps or epilepsy (do not try rescuing someone in the water who is fitting - it does not work!).
A good BA should be almost un-noticable in wear though it can ruin your sun tan!
When I was coaching on the Ardeche the resulting tan was known as a " 'desh vest".
I actually designed and built my own BA to increase personal comfort and conveniece resulting in a BA that has all the pockets I ever wanted, where I want them and with EXTRA buoyancy.
I still have total freedom of movement and in cold conditions the BA offers some extra core insulation.
Whatever you chose as your buoyacy please do wear it (do not just have it for decoration/seat padding in your boat) - even a little mishap on flat water can lead to difficulties/drowning that a BA can help avert!

 

[Nonsuch]

John is right - get a good PFD and you will totally forget about it. Once you fall in - cold water, currents, legs entangled in weeds, bump on the head from the canoe gunwale, you will be very glad you have it on. The Delta Ranger is very popular on SOTP but there are many others. Just make sure you have a front zip model.

 

[sandbender]

"...The Delta Ranger is very popular on SOTP but there are many others. Just make sure you have a front zip model..."

The Delta Ranger looks the part, lots of storage but (IMHO) those pockets can make getting back into a canoe more difficult, if you are not up on your recovery drills, stick to one without pockets.

Edited to add:

I use my Delta Ranger all the time.

 

[tomongoose]

I have always used yak buoyancy aids and never had a problem and they have a huge range

 

[ged]

I'm off to Sweden ... I assume that I can't take the CO2 bottle on a plane ...

Last time I went to do some work in California I took a life jacket with me because I wanted to do some sailing at weekends while I was there. They stopped me at security and asked about the life jacket, and said they weren't sure if life jackets were allowed on the 'plane.

I said "there's one under each seat already" and they saw my point and let me on with it.

 

[mrcharly]

lol

I was taking a ferry from Harwich to Hook of holland with a car full of sailing gear (we were picking up a barge, to sail it back from Harlingen in a few days).

The sailing gear included flares (insurance requirement on the barge). Ferry security said we couldn't take them onboard. I could see their point about a box of flares on the car deck, so asked if we could hand them over to an officer on board the ship;
"No, flares aren't allowed on board ferries."

At that point I got a bit p!ssed off and pointed out that the ferry was already full of flares. Another security guy came over - he was an ex-seaman and could see the stupidity, but they had a book of rules . . .

Ended up handing the flares in to the local police station :-/

 

[DavidJT]

Could the CO2 bottle be detached and taken in the cabin? I know pressurized items are not allowed in the hold.
Like the look of the Delta Ranger pfd mentioned by Nonsuch though, for £60 odd ..

 

[santaman2000]

There is another consideration. Does the PFD you chose meet the legal requirements for your destination. Here there is a legal requirement for at least one PFD for everyone on any boat over 16 feet long. Further, that PFD must be USCG (US Coast Guard) approved and stamped to indicate that (In the same manner that motorcycle helmets in the UK must be MOT approved) I don't know Sweden's law regarding this but they may have a similar requirement and an equivalent approving agency. It's probably well worth checking before you go. Also where are you going canoeing in Sweden? If it's highly an organized trip then it's highly possible that your PFD will be supplied by the organizer.

As has already been stated PFD's are designed for different uses:

Lakes/inshore where water is relatively calm and rescue is near (canoeing, water-skiing, etc.)
Offshore where seas may be rough and rescue delayed
And I believe about 3 more classes in between

Since thet have different uses they are made in different sizes (bulkiness) and have varying comfort levels.

 

[Zingmo]

I bought a Baltic Fisherman . It was the only one I could find in OG!

Z