BABY LIFEJACKET

Inflatable or traditional foam lifejacket for your small fry ?

Both types meet the specifications required by the EC standard ; they are self-righting and feature a large flotation pillow collar to support the child’s head efficiently and keep the airway out of the water.

• Inflatable lifejacket for children is always an automatic inflation type ; even if the child falls into the water unconscious or cannot swim, the lifejacket inflates automatically, by mere contact with the water.However, we tend to recommend inflatable jackets only for children aged 6 or 7 and above, i.e. an age when the child can swim a little and moves around the boat with a relative freedom of movement.An inflatable lifejacket is ideal for a child who is already acquainted with life on board and reasonably aware of danger ; less cumbersome than a foam jacket, it contributes to the child’s better freedom of movement and can thus have a positive effect on his/her involvement on board.

• For toddlers, and indeed for most children, we still recommend the traditional foam flotation lifejacket : your child is litterally «bundled up» in a protection shell. While its primary function is to provide flotation, its foam volume acts as a real bumper, protecting the child from hard knocks ; also, it definitely slows down the movements of an inquisitive and adventurous brood, which some parents may find comforting !

Last but not least, do not forget to surround your decks with netting : in addition to the lifejacket which is the bare essentials, the guardrail netting is a wise and simple precaution.