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Care of your lifejacket

Generally lifejackets should be cleaned with a good quality mild detergent in cool water. Rinse well with clean water and allow to dry naturally. Sponge off contaminants such as oil or diesel immediately with clean water.

We advise the rinsing with fresh water of buoyancy aids such as water ski vests after immersion in salt water. Your lifejackets fabric has protective coatings, these will be damaged by proprietory cleaning fluids, thinners, spirits or similar substances.

Automatic lifejackets can be comprehensively cleaned, instructions on how to do this are included in your owners manual. Breifly automatic lifejackets can be stripped to their basic components, the outer 'pouch', the Co2 cylinder and the inflating bladder or 'stole'. Pouches can be washed by hand with a mild detergent, stoles being cleaned by sponging with pure soap and rinsing with clean water. The stole should then be inflated orally and air dried. For information on rearming your lifejacket see our page on Automatic inflation devices.

Never use your lifejacket as a pillow or cushion. Many automatic lifejackets operate by a chemical process with water, as such they are prone to inflating if stored incorrectly. Always store in dry conditions, if wet after use hang upright in a warm place to dry. Never when wet, place straight into storage without drying!

Inspecting your lifejacket

Co2 cylinders should be hand tightened only, a small drop of loctite screw thread may be applied as necessary. Only use original rearming kits, these are available from The Marine Warehouse by mail order, or any good chandler. Spare parts are available for all models, please email for details.