Types of lifejacket - part 1

Lifejackets or personal floating devices (PFD) are our saviours if we end up in water. That’s why one of the golden rules in rock fishing safety is always wear a lifejacket; even you’re a superb swimmer.

A lifejacket can cost you from $50 to over $100, so how to choose one that’s suitable for rock fishing?

There are basically three types of lifejackets with various levels of buoyancy available in the market. All of them are recognised under Australian Standard.

Lifejacket Type 1:

A type 1 lifejacket provides the highest level of buoyancy, designed to keep the wearer’s head above, and out of the water when unconscious. They are made in high visibility colours with retro-reflective patches and are mainly used when boating in open waters and and rock fishing.

Below are some examples of type 1 lifejackets.

The collar of the lifejacket is specially designed to keep wearer's head above and out of the water.

The inflatable lifejacket.

The inflatable lifejacket usually costs over $100 but it's quite popular as it looks cool and stays comfortable. However, if you're a beginner in rock fishing and not good at swimming at all, this might not be a good choice for you as you need to pull the string to get the lifejacket inflated while you're panicky struggling in the rough sea.

Pictures Source: NSW Maritime