Canoe with a View : : Canadian Open Canoe forum

Hi
As a newbie the question has arisen as above, LJ vs BA what is the best option.

I am hoping to do some coastal paddling as well as river and canal.

I will also be taken the kids aged 9 -13 on the inland waterways and obviously want the best for them.

I have been told that the main difference is the length of time they are designed to keep you afloat.

Thanks
GS

A B.A designied for canoeing is what you want it will be more comfortable and practical for your needs.
Life jacket's are designed to keep you afloat if your unconsious and therfore trys to roll you over onto your back, this may become a hinderance in a simple capsize where you just need to swim to the side of the canal or re-enter the canoe.
Have alook round on-line then try before you buy I am sure someone will be along soon with advice on what type/make etc.

buoyancy aid
keepS you warm can unzip to cool slightly, protects the body all round, can have pockets and canoe specific ones can be bought with appropriate attachments for WW etc
life jacket bulky on chest , uncomfortable, gets in the way , guarranteed to turn you on your back in water, does not protect the body all round, is designed for saving life and floating in water for long periods, ( even sleeping with head supported above water)they are a waste of time in a canoe especially if worn with a wetsuit ( you often see this ) as the buoyancy in a wetsuit means that it is no longer guaranteed to turn you face up if out cold ( not a lot of people know this )
the less bulky ones you have to inflate are not much good if you are out cold either.

(31-08-08 05:32 PM)andym Wrote: [ -> ]buoyancy aid
keesp you warm can unzip to cool slightly, protects the body all round, can have pockets and canoe specific ones can be bought with appropriate attachmetns for WW etc
life jacket bulky on chest , uncomfortable, gets in the way , guarranteed to turn you on your back in water, does not protect the body all round, is designed for saving life and flaoting in water for long periods, ( even sleeping with head supported above water)they are a waste of time in a canoe especially if worn with a wetsuit ( you often see this ) as the buoyancy in a wetsuit means that it is [u]no longer guarranteed[/u] to turn you face up if out cold ( not a lot of people know this )
the less bulky ones you have to inflate are not much good if you are out cold either

As andy Says Life jackets are not much good for canoeing. They are designed to keep you afloat face up till some one else rescues you.
Buoyancy aid every time for canoeing.
The only exception to this would be for young children who just need to stay afloat till you get yourself sorted out and are able to rescue them.

yep dave
children are pretty important to keep alive
i prefer to eat them whilst they are still wriggling

BA/PFDs are more suited to paddling. LJs are more suited to saling. If you look at sea-kayakers, they are always wearing BA/PFDs.
Note. Most BA/PFDs are not designed to float you face up, you'll have to look hard for one that will.

TGB

Most people have said it already, the other downside linked to the fact that LJ are designed to roll you over is they sometimes have neck supports. If using these with kids and you are oding rivers watch out as the neck supports can get snagged on low branches (especially when ducking as it thrusts the neck support up above the head) and this could result in a capsize or overboard for the kid.

BA (PFD's) are way more comfortable for arm movement.

Pete

Best answer is whatever fits them best and provides the best support depending on what you are doing.

A LJ normally provides 100-275N bouyancy a PFD will provide between 35-75N at best depending on size.

For coastal I would recommend LJ's for rivers and lakes PFD's should be fine if they can swim.

Graeme

(31-08-08 09:19 AM)Gunslinger Wrote: [ -> ]Hi
As a newbie the question has arisen as above, LJ vs BA what is the best option.

I am hoping to do some coastal paddling as well as river and canal.

I will also be taken the kids aged 9 -13 on the inland waterways and obviously want the best for them.

I have been told that the main difference is the length of time they are designed to keep you afloat.

Thanks
GS

I would suggest that you use a lifejacket of the permernent bouyance type in stead of the self inflating type.

you also need to make sure that it turns you face up to prevent you from drowning.

Lifejackets have collars and are designed to turn an unconscious person face upwards. A buoyancy aid (BA) does not. Both though hopefully will prevent you from drowning. And as the likelyhood of being knocked unconscious while out for a quiet paddle are slim, a BA is the preferred option as lifejackets can feel cumbersome and restrictive, especially if you have to swim.

Hello

I would suggest that you go with a Bouyancy Aid. While a life jacket will turn you face up in the water, it is far harder to swim in. At least with a B/A you can swim to the bank. I am sure that some people will disagree with this. The only exception I would possiblymake to this would be for young children who are just starting out on their swimming career. I hope this helps.

Regards

James

As has been said before, a Life Jacket is designed to keep your face out of the water if you are unconscious. This is mainly used in sailing, where you could be clonked on the bonce by a flying boom before taking a dip.

In a canoe, especially on deep water, you'll probably enter the water fully conscious, so will be able to swim - better done in a BA. However, for small children, especially those who may not be able to swim, a life jacket, of the correct size, would be advisable.



Biff

Just to reiterate from the original question.

Quote:For coastal I would recommend LJ's for rivers and lakes PFD's should be fine if they can swim

A life jacket is more advisable when paddling on coastal waters as you have swell, riptides and other hazards to content with and you may need the extra buoyancy as it can be a long swim to the shore

I use a manually, lightweight inflatable. It's manual only in the sense that you manually have to pull a cord. I didn't get an automatic since I think that it's most likely I will get involuntary wet when getting in and out and I don't want it go off in knee high water.

Another reason to not getting a fully automatic is that I'm most likely not unconscious while hitting the water (no boom, see).

Mine is a shortish one. I chose that instead of their "fly fishing" version because I will never wear waders so I can do without the added bulk up there.
It's still short, and I can row and paddle with it no problems.

It's the lightweight version, meaning it has "seat belt buckle" instead of stainless hardware and thus no way to attach lifelines (which aren't really necessary either).

Anyway, it's the Baltic Winner Zip, manual, 150N. It looks like this, but are much shorter when on (because it wraps around your neck, of course).



It looks like this on while crouching (so, in reality it's shorter than it looks like):


Here's the fly fisher version: