Inflatable Life Jacket Care: Inspect, Test and Rearm

Find the label inside the jacket. It lists the approval, the minimum age and weight, whether it must be worn and the type of inflator. Note the rearming kit it calls for. Onyx and Mustang both say to use only the kit made for your model; a different cylinder or bobbin may not fire and voids the warranty. If you lost the manual, the maker's website has it, often with a rearming video for your exact model.

This takes a minute and catches most problems:

• Status indicator green. Most inflators have a window or pin that shows green when armed. Red means the cylinder has fired, is loose or was installed wrong. Some jackets have more than one indicator.
• Cylinder snug. Make sure it is screwed in firmly and not corroded.
• Bobbin or inflator in date (automatic models; see Step 5).
• Pull tab outside and easy to reach, and the oral tube's dust cap in place.
• Cover, straps and buckles with no rips, frayed stitching or broken hardware, and zippers or hook-and-loop closures lined up.

Mustang points out that green does not always mean ready: the inflator can be past its date, or the cylinder can be empty after a partial discharge, so check the date and the cylinder too.

Unscrew the cylinder (turning counterclockwise) and look at the small end. The seal should be intact, not pierced. A pierced seal means it is empty, even if it looks normal. Check for rust or pitting. Some cylinders are marked with a full weight; if yours is and you have a small scale, a cylinder that weighs less than marked has lost gas. Screw it back in by hand until it is firmly seated, but do not overtighten. Recheck the indicator: it should be green.

Open the cover enough to reach the oral inflation tube. Blow the bladder up by mouth until firm. Do not use the CO2 cylinder or a compressor for this test, because it can overinflate and damage the bladder. Leave it in a room with a steady temperature overnight; BoatUS suggests 16 to 18 hours (an older BoatUS inspection article says 16 to 24), and Mustang says at least two hours and ideally overnight. The same BoatUS article suggests you can also hold the inflated jacket underwater to look for bubbles from the bladder or the oral tube, but keep the automatic inflator out of the water.

If it is noticeably softer in the morning, it leaks. Before you give up on it, check the oral valve, which sometimes sticks open:

• With the jacket inflated, dip just the tip of the oral tube in a bowl of water. Keep the automatic inflator dry.
• Bubbles mean the valve is not sealing. Deflate, inflate again by mouth (this often reseats the valve) and test again.
• If it still leaks, or the bladder itself is losing air, stop using it and send it to the manufacturer. Do not glue or patch it.

Automatic parts wear out even if the jacket never gets wet:

• Bobbin type: look for the expiration or manufacture date printed on the bobbin or its cap. BoatUS says bobbins are typically replaced every two to three years if only a manufacture date is shown; Onyx stamps a date code and says some of its bobbins have a three-year life and others five. Onyx also suggests replacing bobbins every year in very humid regions such as the Southeast, or sooner after high heat or vibration.
• Hydrostatic type: Mustang says its Hammar inflators have a five-year life with no service needed, and must be replaced after the five-year expiry date marked on the inflator, or whenever the indicator turns red. BoatUS says three to five years is typical for hydrostatic inflators.

If you only find a manufacture date, use the interval in your manual. Write the next replacement date on the service label.

To deflate after the leak test, most makers have you turn the oral tube's dust cap upside down and press it into the valve to hold it open, then gently press the air out. Do not twist or wring the bladder. Repack it following the fold order in your manual (many jackets have numbered fold marks printed on the bladder). Finish with the pull tab and its lanyard outside the cover where you can grab it, and the cover fully closed.

Once a year, or after salt-water use, hand wash with mild soap and rinse with fresh water. Keep the automatic inflator dry: BoatUS suggests removing the auto-inflation cartridge before rinsing and putting it back once the jacket is dry. Never dry clean it or use bleach or other harsh chemicals. Hang it on a plastic coat hanger to dry, out of direct sun and away from heaters.

Store it the same way: hanging, in a dry, airy place, not on a wet cockpit floor and not crammed in a damp locker. Onyx notes that most unwanted inflations happen when jackets are stowed where humidity is very high or water can reach them. Aboard, keep it where you can grab it fast: MasterCraft's life jacket advice is never to stow them in plastic bags, in locked compartments or under other gear.

Any inflation, on purpose or by accident, means you must rearm before the next trip. The general sequence (follow your manual exactly; models differ):

1. Let all the gas out through the oral valve.
2. Unscrew and discard the used cylinder.
3. On bobbin models, remove the cap and old bobbin, check the housing is clean and completely dry, then fit the new bobbin and cap as the kit shows.
4. On hydrostatic models, replace the whole inflator unit as the kit directs.
5. Check that the new cylinder is not pierced, then screw it in firmly by hand.
6. Confirm every indicator is green. If any is red, it is not armed: start over.
7. Repack (Step 6) and note the date on the service label.

Some makers suggest a real in-water test at the start of the season (Onyx relays this as a Coast Guard recommendation), which means you will need a rearming kit afterward. Others recommend the manual leak test only. If you want to see it fire, do it in a pool or shallow water while wearing it, with a rearm kit ready. Never trigger it while stowed in a closed space.

Write the date and what you did on the service record label in permanent ink. Retire the jacket (or send it to the maker for service) if the bladder leaks, the cover or webbing is torn or faded and brittle, the inflator housing is cracked, or the label is unreadable. Test any strobe, whistle or personal locator beacon attached to it and replace expired batteries.